I am just going to start with the elephant in the room, this radio is not a tri-band radio, full stop. The Baofeng UV-S9 Plus appears to be a UV-9S Tri-Band with the 220MHz band removed and a very slightly different case. And I mean very slightly.
The Retevis RB22 is billed as a new generation professional radio with advanced digital technology features. At first glance, it appears much like many other Chinese DMR radios. Is it really a professional radio, or just another cheap DMR clone?
The Baofeng DM-V1 is one of, if not the cheapest DMR radios made. Is it also the worst? Spoiler alert, yes it is. Read on to find out why.
A lot of the time when I get new Baofeng, or other Chinese manufacturers, it can be a whole lot of the sames. The firmware, software, and even some of the components are almost identical. In fact, I have had some radios where you could swap out a few stickers and one seems to magically transform into another. Not so with the Baofeng UV-13.
I have often wondered about Samcom radios. They are priced significantly higher than a Baofeng with similar capabilities, yet the battery, programming cable, clip, and many other features bear a striking resemblance to all the other Baofeng clones out there. Are they just another clone, or are they worth the price of admission? Let’s find out!
The Retevis A1, to paraphrase Retevis’ literature, is a GPS IP67 waterproof analog amateur two-way radio aimed for use in camping, outdoor exploration, emergency rescue, etc. It is waterproof and dustproof, has a 2200mAh battery, supports Type-C charging, and can receive aviation band frequencies.
When you’re hiking through remote terrain or preparing for emergency communications, having a reliable yet compact antenna like the ladder line j-pole can make all the difference. I’ve experimented with numerous antenna designs over the years, but few match the versatility and performance of a homemade 450 ohm ladder line Slim Jim for the … Read more
QRP ham radio is basically about doing more with less. Instead of seeing a 5-watt power limit as a handicap, QRP operators turn it into an exciting challenge. This approach to ham radio has been around since the early 1920s, attracting operators who love making contacts with minimal power—sometimes as low as 100 milliwatts or … Read more
Fox hunting in the ham radio world has fascinated me for years. It’s amazing how the gear ranges from simple “body fade” techniques that cost nothing to fancy directional equipment that can pinpoint signals within a single degree of accuracy. This hobby has grown so competitive that there are actual fox hunting championships held around … Read more
I’ve spent countless hours troubleshooting radio issues only to discover the culprit was a simple ham radio connector problem. Ask any ham operator about their most frustrating moments, and you’ll likely hear stories about the wrong adapter or a damaged connector ruining their day. Trust me, understanding radio connector types isn’t just about avoiding headaches—it’s … Read more