Handheld HAM unit

[realist]

Hey it has been a couple of months now. How are these units working. Can I get an update please. Pros and Cons would be greatly appreciated. I'm a newby on this stuff.
Thanks

[bacpacker]

Alincos have been around a long time. Pretty solid radios IMO.

None of the guys around my place have had any problems with their chicom units that I'm aware of to this point. One thing to keep in mind with hts the little whip antenna that come with them are not much more than dummy loads. They are not intended to get out very far. Find you a good hi gain replacement and you be much happier with them.

[realist]

Can you make some suggestions, makes and models. It is time that I start working on getting something. Also how about adding and external antenna to these units for more distance? Speaking of which what is their range?

[bacpacker]

I dont have time right now and I'm using my phone, but I will post up some links for radios and antennas tonight. Your range with an ht will vary greatly depending on terrian, location, if you are using repeaters, etc. I'll do a little diddy on that to.

[bacpacker]

Can you make some suggestions, makes and models.
Also how about adding and external antenna to these units for more distance?
Speaking of which what is their range?

Here is my go to HT at this time. I've got two of them and have had the oldest for 5-6 years with no issues at all.

http://www.gigaparts.com/store.php?a...FQiqnQoddBUAeA

I also have a Kenwood D-7 that is a good radio. ICOM, Kenwood, Yeasu, & Alinco are all made in Japan and are pretty high quality. Wuxson and BaoFeng are the only two I have any knowledge of. Both are pretty capable and very cheap. But the folks I know who have them have no complaints after 2-4 years of service.

The antenna that comes with it is typical of HT antenna's, they are cheap garbage. I have picked up a couple of whip antennas that give more gain and have made a nice improvement. There are also hi-gain models like this.

http://www.diamondantenna.net/rhf40.html

http://www.gigaparts.com/store.php?a...ku=ZDM-SRH77CA

Antenna gain is measured in Db's. A gain of 3 Db is basically staying even. Most factory antennas are 1.5-2 Db or basically a loss. The two I posted above are 6Db gain, or twice the output. While you don't actually put out twice the power, the better antennas radiate more power. External models such as mobile antennas for the car or house can have even higher gains. This is what I use at home. We also got two of these and used them for years with our EmComm group.

http:
//www.k1cra.com/catalog/product.aspx?productID=2505

[rentprop1]

Can you make some suggestions, makes and models. It is time that I start working on getting something. Also how about adding and external antenna to these units for more distance? Speaking of which what is their range?

if you decide on this radio you will at least need a Nagoya NA-771 antenna ( rubber duck ) to replace the crappy antenna they give you with the radio, these will improve reception of VHF signal 2-3 S units according to the reviews on E-ham.net......you RANGE will vary depending on your location , especially will vary greatly depending on terrain, here in Central Florida they do achieve about that YMMV..
even better would be a magnetic mount antenna for your vehicle at about $ 30, but you will need to buy a SMA-F to UHF-F that way you can connect it to a PL-259 connector found on most base and mobile antennas

I started this off with " if you decide to go with this radio ", I have made several comments in this thread about how there radio's are bottom of the line at best, but on every prep and survial forum folks ask about them cause they are cheap. I know almost 12 people ( local CERT members ) that have bought these and they are beginning in the HAM radio hobby and they all claim, its an OK first radio, but many have already upgraded and kept this as a back up or secondary radio

the one I have is in the wife's car in her GHB and I'm almost never in the wife's car, thats how little I consider this radio as worthy and would still take my other handheld should we ever take her car on a long trips or whatever

p.s. that's how little I worry about the wife having coms in a event too , she could talk your ear off man ............but shhhhhh .....lol