A Mobile 446 radio Review

[Bogget]

446 Mobile, would love one but they don’t make any do they?.......

Oh yes they do, The Wouxung 920R

When I first saw a picture of one, I thought normal sized mobile unit, wow was I surprised when I opened the box it is so tiny only 1.5” high by 5.5” wide by 7” deep. It feels very solid, I am of the opinion if it feels good in the hand and it has to be heavy (and it is for its size) then it has the makings of a good unit. It has a heat sink-that covers the whole of the underside and a large heat-sink at the back with a fan in the centre of the rear mounted heat-sink. The fan starts only when needed and is very quiet.
Looking on top of the unit it has two speaker grills odd I thought? On the front it has a large screen on off button a row of buttons under the display and further buttons right and left of the screen adding up to 13 in total in fact if you have a Wouxung handheld it has the same buttons and it programs in a very similar way, it also has (when you turn it on) the pretty short skirted Chinese 18 year old (well in my head she is) telling you everything that is going on. Also on the front is a R45 plug Microphone, a rotary channel change and a twin volume (why twin volume?).

OK now to turn it on, Oh the Chinese18 year old greats me and tells me what channel im on (nice).
And on comes the display Ahh now I see why it has volume and twin speaker grills,..... it has twin display two sets of freq are displayed on the screen side by side, beautiful display very clear, but why twin display? Well it has twin tuners left and right tuners are fully independent left tuner can be on any freq in its range and its range is 136 to 175Mhz and 400 to 480Mhz now both tuners cover both these ranges so they both can be tuned to any freq in the range and that's why it has two speakers although curiously they are different sizes odd?

The microphone again has all the same buttons on it that the main body has and again it like the Handheld so you can start scan change freq and even switch between tuners (I found that really useful).

So I programmed all the 446 freq in it and it loaded them in to both sides/tuners so I can have one channel fixed in say the left side and the right side scanning it has four power levels but again oddly only 3 are selectable from the radio or microphone Low Mid or High the Mid is programmable from the computer when connected and is pre-set to either of the two mid settings (why?).

I tested it alongside my Yaesu FT897D and it was easily as sensitive (so very good) on Tx the sound on received radios was very clear and crisp. The Microphone although at first I thought looked awkward was very nice to use and fitted in my hand very well and was very easy to use (phone text style) with the thumb pressing the buttons to control it, it has a lot of buttons but I soon got the hang of which I needed to press to scan, stop, channel up down etc. with out having to look at it so ideal for driving (when its safe to do so).

I am actually really starting to like it, it did however have a couple of poor points the rotary channel change works but a bit flaky some times going down when I turn it to go up but it doesn’t matter as you can use up or down on the Mic much better and works perfectly. Also the volume (twin volume) has only 5 settings on each it needs more maybe a later firmware update will fix this as its ok in the car but if you use this in your house its too loud on its lowest setting so in the home I placed a small book on top to deaden it slightly, but other than that I have found no faults.

It actually has a wider range than stated above but only on receive so it covers the airband and FM radio band also low band VHF 4mrs etc.

Its a really great little radio and I would recommend anyone getting it to get the computer program lead it as is so easy to set up and program from the computer.

It has full CTCSS DCS you can set duplex working so Tx on one freq and receive on another, you can also set it as a repeater !........ so set it at one freq to receive and another to transmit click it on to repeat and when I hears a signal on the receive freq it automatically retransmits it, and get this no delay it does it at the same time and with only one antenna connected ! Great feature for a event day stick it in your car on a hill and you have a perfect temporary repeater system.

It really is a great little radio, but it has big power and its easy to use.
It has a removable front like many in car radios but this enables it to be installed under your seat or in your boot space (trunk for American readers) and with a long cat5 type lead mount the front on your dash and still have full functionality and use.

What else can I say its a great radio only two minor bugs the rotary channel switch and the 5 step volume, and to be honest not that bothersome.

You can now get it at under £200 what are you waiting for pop out the plastic!

Bogget

[RogerD]

Thanks for the review.

Other opinions (and pic) can be found at http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/10846 - what do you make of those? Agreement or not?

[gmham]

I notice the one being advertised in Radcom etc is called the KG -uv920p, not sure in what way if any it difers from the uv920r model ?? seems one or two many negative reports to convince me to go for one.

plenty off reviews on youtube :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQzKCqx6kvI

[Bogget]

Hi , after reading those reviews i feel that the model they have is not the same as mine as mine WILL scan on one reciver and recive on a fixed channel on the other tuner at the same time, i think they are reviewing an erlier model i also read another review saying that their model got very hot with prolonged use, mine has no such problems after Tx on full power for 15 mins or so continusly (yes i do waffle a bit) it gets warm but not hot.
I think for the price and ease of use combined with great performance its a bargain.
I have had mine 2 months now and would not swap it remeber compare eggs with eggs i have a FT897 it is as sensitive and listners to me do not know which radio i was on after switching between the two but it is a cheap mobile radio its not an FT897 but for its price i can not find a radio to better it.

Bogget

[gmham]

From from my little research the uv-920p is the newer model and comes with full duplex. does yours have the built in speech scrambler ?

[Bogget]

Yes this does have duplex but i understand they all do they need it for the repeater so they can Tx as they Rx and scrambler is in the software but i admit i have not tried it.

Bogget

[gmham]

Okay thanks for the info, there is actually a nice review off this very set within an old copy off PW magazine, the magazine was dated December 2012.

I actually think that bringing the set down to £199 may well prove to be a very good sales ploy as before this I think the majority off folk were happier spending a few quid more on a yeasu, icom or whatever.

anyway thanks again for sharing your own views off the set and look forward to more updates soon !!

[gmham]

Just wonder how you are getting on with your new set mate now that you have had a chance to have a bit play around with it ??!

must admitt at £199 I am very tempted !!

[Bogget]

Well to be honest,...........i LOVE it...........i take it out every time now its just so small and easy to use, plonk it on top of the dash and off we go!

I really love the Mic and its controls so easy after a week or so i can scan stop Tx with out looking.....love it.

Bogget

[stageofhistory]

I found this on ebay for £230, UK stock: Wouxun KG-UV920-P

They suggest it is an updated version of the 920R, but from your review there's not much that jumps out as different feature wise... What do you think? The repeater mode has sold me on these little beauties!

[stageofhistory]

Sorry... Forgot the Link

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wouxun-KG-UV9 ... 2c6b75f127

[gmham]

That's the one I have been talking about above mate, and again available at only £199 now by a few uk dealers.

[stageofhistory]

That's the one I have been talking about above mate, and again available at only £199 now by a few uk dealers.

Sorry buddy... Didn't read your post properly! I'll have a search around to get a better price for the 'P' - £199 and I'm in!

[Bogget]

Yes at the moment i cant find a differance between P and R

Bogget

[gmham]

http://www.hamradio.co.uk/amateur-radio ... d-2454.php


This is the Update and Upgrade with new firmware.
Whats New?
•Volume control on MIC top
•Harmonic Suppression improved
•Rotary encoder issues resolved
•Enhancements to the cross band repeat function
•Simultaneous TX/RX between band A-B
•Improved CTCSS/DCS scanning
•More robust cooling fan (more CFM)
•Multiple minor firmware tweaks