Comparing PTT button characteristics of 6 HTs

[WRNU354]

QUESTION FOR YOU - Does the pull weight, tactile click and audible click of HT PTT buttons make a difference for you?

 

My personal preference is heavier PTT pulls with both distinct tactile and audible clicks.

For this reason and other factors as well my favorites are in the order; KG-935G Plus, UV-96 and GM-30.

 

Wouxun KG-935G Plus  - $150 **

PTT - 1 lb 8 oz with soft tactile and clear audible click

Baofeng UV-96  - $32

PTT - 1 lb 7 oz with firm tactile and clear audible click

Radioddity GM-30  - $25

PTT - 1 lb 6 oz with soft tactile and muted audible click

 

Talkpod A36plus  - $50

PTT - 14 oz with soft tactile and sharp audible click

Quansheng UV-K6  - $32

PTT - 14 oz with soft tactile and soft audible click

Baofeng UV-5R  - $26
PTT - 14 oz with soft tactile and muted audible click

 

* PTT pull weights were measured using a Wheeler Trigger Pull Scale.

** The pricing is dated from the time of purchase for each HT.  (Yeah, I over-paid on a couple of them, for sure)

 

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, WRNU354 said:

QUESTION FOR YOU - Does the pull weight, tactile click and audible click of HT PTT buttons make a difference for you?

 

My personal preference is heavier PTT pulls with both distinct tactile and audible clicks.

For this reason and other factors as well my favorites are in the order; KG-935G Plus, UV-96 and GM-30.

 

Wouxun KG-935G Plus  - $150 **

PTT - 1 lb 8 oz with soft tactile and clear audible click

Baofeng UV-96  - $32

PTT - 1 lb 7 oz with firm tactile and clear audible click

Radioddity GM-30  - $25

PTT - 1 lb 6 oz with soft tactile and muted audible click

 

Talkpod A36plus  - $50

PTT - 14 oz with soft tactile and sharp audible click

Quansheng UV-K6  - $32

PTT - 14 oz with soft tactile and soft audible click

Baofeng UV-5R  - $26
PTT - 14 oz with soft tactile and muted audible click

 

* PTT pull weights were measured using a Wheeler Trigger Pull Scale.

** The pricing is dated from the time of purchase for each HT.  (Yeah, I over-paid on a couple of them, for sure)

 

I haven’t thought about it.  I could see either too light or too heavy being objectionable, but none of the radios I have bother me.

[WRHS218]

I have never really thought about it. I used HT's professionally for 40+ years. During those times a radio was a tool that was used while performing a task. Pushing the button just happened without thinking about it. In my use of radios, Amateur and GMRS, again, I haven't given it any thought at all as long as it works.

Trigger pull is a different animal all together. That is something to which I paid great attention professionally and recreationally. And even there, once it was where it needed to be it became a function of muscle memory.

If you asked me the differences in trigger pull for firearms I own I could give you descriptions of each. Ask the same questions about my radio PTT I could only tell either it works or doesn't. Of course now, at least for a while, I will pay attention, maybe. 

[WSHH887]

PTT pressure?  You all sound like the guys over on the gun forums talking about trigger pressure.  Then again the OP is using a trigger pull scale, so I'm surmising he's a shooter.

[WRUU653]

I’m in the I haven’t given it much thought camp. I guess I prefer a more stout PTT as it would seem less likely to press unintentionally.
One thing I do like is the dual PTT on the Wouxun KG-Q10H/G as it makes it very easy to keep track of transmitting on the upper or lower channel. You do have to select it to do this in settings. 

[LeoG]

I know my TD-H3 PTT button is pretty light.  I've activated it many times just picking it up.  No audible click at all.

[SteveShannon]

Now that I am thinking about it, and because this discussion seems to irritate @Socalgmrs, hysteresis in a PTT switch is nice.  The old Shure mikes had nice hysteresis.  Hysteresis makes it easier to hold the button down and it gives decent tactile feedback. 

[WRYZ926]

I don't want a PTT button that is hard to push in since I have arthritis in my hands. I also don't want a PTT button that is too easy to push in.

I don't want to be like my brother. His hand mic slipped down onto his seat and got pushed, everyone on the 2m repeater got to hear his conversation with his wife.

 

PS: triggering Negative Nancy is more fun than blocking him 

[WRHS218]

9 hours ago, Socalgmrs said:

I’m sorry but

Very few people who start a sentence this way are truly sorry.

9 hours ago, Socalgmrs said:

waste of time?

It would seem that the only thing more pointless and time wasting than a thread on a radio forum talking about ptt pull weight on a handheld radio would be commenting on a thread on a radio forum talking about ptt pull weight on a handheld radio when you view the thread as a waste of time.

You ARE the internet, sir.

[WRNU354]

9 hours ago, WRUU653 said:

One thing I do like is the dual PTT on the Wouxun KG-Q10H/G as it makes it very easy to keep track of transmitting on the upper or lower channel. You do have to select it to do this in settings. 

I haven't really considered the advantages of dual PTT, until your post. Looking your Wouxun KG-Q10H/G dual PTT placement it's a good design. Having two buttons, one above the other, is obvious, but Wouxun also provides space between them and roughly align each with their correspond half of the display. My guess is with just a few minutes, using the dual PTT would feel natural. Is that consistent with your experience?

[WRNU354]

2 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

Now that I am thinking about it, and because this discussion seems to irritate @Socalgmrs, hysteresis in a PTT switch is nice.  The old Shure mikes had nice hysteresis.  Hysteresis makes it easier to hold the button down and it gives decent tactile feedback

First of all thanks! You have introduced me to PTT hysteresis, which I didn't know was a thing until now.

A PTT button requiring more force to depress, but less to hold down seems ideal to me.

I checked the radios I measured and unfortunately only the BAOFENG UV-9G feels to me like the PTT is easer to hold down than to push.

 

[WRYS709]

I solved the problem of PTT Fatigue on my Baofeng DM-5R DMR HT with an old MAHA PTT mic with K-1 connector that I had from my 1990's Kenwood days.

[TDM827]

I really don't think about it much. Professionally, over the last few decades I used all kinds / combinations of PTT buttons you describe. I can't say I really strongly prefer one over the other or worry about how hard the button is to press, as long as the radio works.

Force me to pick and I would go with a tactile click. 

[WRNU354]

2 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

I don't want a PTT button that is hard to push in since I have arthritis in my hands. I also don't want a PTT button that is too easy to push in.

I don't want to be like my brother. His hand mic slipped down onto his seat and got pushed, everyone on the 2m repeater got to hear his conversation with his wife.

 

PS: triggering Negative Nancy is more fun than blocking him 

Thanks for sharing the story!  Nightmare fuel for sure. Just the thought of an unintentional open mic has me modifying my mobile hand mics' PTT to increase their pull weight to something close to my HT's, about 1.5 LBS.

Negative Nancy's don't bother me and I make no attempts to "trigger" anyone. If I do that's on them. That said, they are entitled to their beliefs and should be free to express them. Borrowing from Jefferson, Negative Nancys' posts, "...neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.^"

 

[WRNU354]

24 minutes ago, TDM827 said:

Force me to pick and I would go with a tactile click. 

I agree. It might be an age thing with me, but I want buttons I can feel and give at least tactile feedback when pressed.  With devices using touch screens and similar tech there's no feel and without visual confirmation I don't know if I successfully pushed a button let alone the correct one.

A lot of manufacturers now use haptic interfaces where depressing a touch sensitive button cause a short pulse of vibration that may also be audible. While better than nothing, to me it's inadequate.

[SteveShannon]

12 minutes ago, WRNU354 said:

Thanks for sharing the story!  Nightmare fuel for sure. Just the thought of an unintentional open mic has me modifying my mobile hand mics' PTT to increase their pull weight to something close to my HT's, about 1.5 LBS.

Negative Nancy's don't bother me and I make no attempts to "trigger" anyone. If I do that's on them. That said, they are entitled to their beliefs and should be free to express them. Borrowing from Jefferson, Negative Nancys' posts, "...neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.^"

 

Also disable VOX and set the TOT to something reasonable. Then other people on the road will only hear you for a limited time. I’ve heard idiots transmit household noise for hours because they used VOX. 

[WRUU653]

3 hours ago, WRNU354 said:

 My guess is with just a few minutes, using the dual PTT would feel natural. Is that consistent with your experience?

Pretty much. The buttons also have an orange border making it easy to see at a glance. The radio comes with a defalt of the top button keying the selected screen area which can be quite confusing when you hit the top button and it keys the bottom. I recommend using the settings to asign the top button to the top and the bottom to the bottom. This just makes intuitive sense. 

[WRHS218]

2 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

I’ve heard idiots transmit household noise for hours because they used VOX. 

Hearing the dispatcher say "All units, open mic" induced a kind of a sick feeling until you realized it wasn't you. When it was determined everyone was ok and accounted for, and that is was a bonehead mistake, then the fun began. When I started and for most of my career cell phones weren't a thing and cars didn't have computers mounted in them. Now days all of the handhelds are identifiable and assigned to a specific individual. Much better for officer safety. I don't think I have ever had an open mic with my amateur or GMRS radios.

[HHD1]

15 hours ago, Socalgmrs said:

  I’m pretty sure no one ever cared before this post about ptt buttons

I did.  But that doesn't mean much.

I just posted in a thread about the Baofeng AR-5rm having a hair trigger ptt.  I have accidentally tx several times just from normal handling.  It's one of the only things I don't like about that radio.

Sure, this may not be the most exciting or thought-provoking subject on the forum, for some, but at least its radio related. 

 

Now, I'm not trying to put you down by asking this.  What are some topics that you do like to talk about here? Maybe I could do a search for threads that you have started.  I wouldn't mind getting to know you better.  You seem to have very strong opinions about GMRS.  So, I assume that it's based on experience.  Since I am very new to anything beyond using a "walkie talkie", learning from others is appealing to me.

 

But, if you'd rather tell me to get bent, that's okay too.  I'll still try to be nice.  

[Socalgmrs]

I’m sorry but this is just…. I dont even know… I waste of time?  A solution looking for a problem?  I’m blown away at the pointlessness of this test.   I’m pretty sure no one ever cared before this post about ptt buttons.  This site is usually totally out of hand with useless endless comparisons but this takes  it to a whooooole new level of “so what”.    Maybe the queen (jester) randalpho can start testing ptt buttons in addition to all the other useless things she tests