QYT KT8900 Dual Band 25W Mobile

[vwflyer]

I just came across this rig. I've never seen it before but you can't beat the price for a duel band mobile. Has anybody heard anything good or bad about these radios? I don't see where in the specs it mentions receive current draw but it's small enough to be a decent go box radio with more power than a handi talki.

http://www.banggood.com/QYT-KT8900-136-174400-480MHz-Dual-Band-25W-Mobile-Radio-Transceiver-Walkie-Talkie-p-1026663.html?currency=USD&createTmp=1&value_ids%5B%5D=29&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Crc-dm-c7&utm_content=ruby&gclid=CJ3q9r_0vs4CFQouaQodwZYGCA

[NCGunDude]

Probably a fake site. If it looks like a duck... seriously, there's a lot of rip off sites out there, and you're taking your chances not only on the electronics, but the site as well.

I've been looking at this baofeng, reading reviews, etc, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EG665FC/

Getting an NMO antenna mount installed Tuesday, will probably use the HT for a while, then get the dual band mobile.  :D

[cockpitbob]

Actually Banggood is real and I buy off it frequently.  It's very inexpensive stuff shipped slow from China.  Things usually take 2-4 weeks to arrive, but you can't beat the prices, and they seem to have a cheap version of just about everything ever made.

WRT this rig, my guts tell me it will work as advertised, but the documentation will be poor and it may have spurious junk outside the the allowed BW like the Baofengs. 

One thing conspicuous by its absence is a programming connector.  If it's like a Baofeng to manually program, and you can't do it with a computer, you couldn't give me one.

[Quietguy]

I just did a little looking around and it has been around a year or so with lots of information on various sites, including Miklor: http://www.miklor.com/KT8900/ .  Eham gives it the usual mixed reviews from "the greatest thing since sliced bread" down to "pure junk".  Oddly enough it is available on Amazon for $85 with programming cable and free Prime shipping.  There are a few known issues, so read about it before ordering.

Apparently programming is supported by Chirp and there is a jack in the rear just above the power cable.  It is kinda hard to see in the Banggood photos but if you look close it is there. 

Wally

[gil]

I remember seeing a video of it on YouTube.. No time to look it up, but the thing seemed to work fine. Great as a backup. For a main radio I'd get a Yaesu. I used to have the FT-2900R which was awesome..

Gil

[cockpitbob]

I have a a beat-to-crap FT-2600 that I got at a ham flea market.  It's so old the outer insulation on the mic cord is dry and falling apart and there's rust in the scratches in the paint.  It still works fine.  I don't know if Yaesu's build quality is still this good, but if so, their mobile rigs are bullet proof.

[vwflyer]

Thanks guys. If this rig or one of it's brothers had cross band repeat I'd be all over it. What cheaper way to set up a duplex repeater?

[cockpitbob]

Thanks guys. If this rig or one of it's brothers had cross band repeat I'd be all over it. What cheaper way to set up a duplex repeater?

Check eBay and Amazon.  There's all kinds of little cross band control boxes for under $60 that will control 2 radios.  If you want more power, use a $30 UV-5R for Rx and this 25W mobile for Tx.

I really want one, but am resisting because I don't need one :P