CompareTheBaofengs.Com

Those guys at BaofengTech have produced a handy guide to the different Baofeng Radios to held you choose the one that's right for you:

    (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

I must say that I own most of the radios on the chart and I find them all to be very capable radios. They are certainly amazing value for money!

 

Wouxun KG-UV9D Unboxing

Baojie TM-218 VHF/UHF Mobile Radio

 

Another interesting item spotted on eBay, the Baojie TM-218. A tiny little radio that should fit perfectly into any vehicle, with up to 25 watts of output power and the all important 6.25Khz step!

Price is around £65

Feature:

• Dual display, dual standby & Dual Track
• Frequency adjusting
• Working mode selecting
• Scrambling encryption function
• Voice companding function
• Frequency/Channel scan function
• Reverse frequency setting
• Busy channel lock-out (BCL)
• Time-out timer (TOT)
• High/low power selectable
• CTCSS/DCS encoding and decoding
• Broadband (Wide)/Narrow band (Narrow) selectable
• Frequency Step Selectable 2.5/5/6.25/10/12.5/25/50KHz
• Level Threshold “Squelch” adjustable from 0 to 9
• Tri-color background light selectable
• PC software programmable
• FM radio function
• Operation for manual channel memory and delete
• Automatic lock-out
• DTMF signal setting
• DTMF signal
• PTT ID Setting
• Remote control function
• Remote monitoring
• Remote stun
• Remote kill/shaking
• Remote reliving
• Alarm function
• Group calling function
• Team calling function
• Selected calling function
• Function key guide voice(BEEP)
• SFT/Slip frequency direction
• OFFSET/Slip frequency
• 1000Hz/1450Hz/1750Hz/2100Hz selecting

Specification:

All of our item are brand News
Model	TM-218
Color	Black
Frequency Range	UHF:400-480MHz&VHF:136-174MHz
System	F3E(FM)
Channel capacity	256
Input voltage	DC13.8V(±15%), negative grounding
Output power	H:25W, M:10W, L:5W
Channel Spacing	12.5KHz/25KHz
Frequency Spacing	2.5/5/6.25/10/12.5/15/25/50KHz
Squelch way	CTCSS/DCS/DTMF
Antenna impedance	50 ohm
Frequency stability	±2.5ppm @ -10°C~+60°C
Working temperature	-20°C~+60°C(-4°F~+140°F)
Max. Frequency deviation	±5KHz
Noise radiation	<=-60dB
Flexibility	<=0.2Uv(12dB SINAD)
Max. Audio output	2W @ 8 ohm 5% distortion
Working current	Receive	0.3A(SQL)
	Transmit	5A(Max.)
Dimension	105*30*106mm(width*hight*depth not including the outparts)
Weight	About 0.5kg

Package Includes

• 1 x New Black TM-218 Machine
• 1X Handheld Microphone
• 1X Mounting bracket
• 1X Power cable
• 1XUser's manual

eBay link: Click HERE

 

PMR446/UHF CB Radio Changes

Ofcom/CEPT proposals in relation to changes to the PMR446 (UHF CB) band could soon result in a 16 channel analogue and up to 32 channel digital UHF allocation. The output power will remain at 500mw and radios will be required to have a fixed antenna. 

Currently 446.000 - 446.100Mhz is allocated to 8 analogue channels with 446.100 - 446.200Mhz allocated to either 8 or 16 digital channels depending on the channel spacing.

The new proposals will allow analogue and digital systems to use the complete allocation of 446.000 - 446.200Mhz.

More Information on the OFCOM website: CLICK HERE

Below you can see the proposed bandplans (Click Images To Enlarge):

 

CB and PMR446 - Featuring the Midland GB1

Video: YouTube/26CT1094

Midland GB-1 PMR446 Now In Stock @ Knights!

So there you go folks, you can now get your hands on a Midland GB-1 PMR446 radio from Doug at Knights.

Knights Website: LINK

Midland GB-1 Due in at Knights £119

Doug @ Knights appears to be the first of the main retailers to announce the impending arrival of the Midland GB-1 PMR446 radio. 

The radio is due in the next few days, selling at £119, an expensive PMR446 for sure! But with the ability to be modded for extra fun this may temp some to part with their cash!

Knights Website: LINK

Instruction Manual: LINK

Video of the NEW IC-7300 HF/50/70MHz Transceiver

Video:YouTube/Icom

New PMR446 - Midland GB1

The 'world's first mobile in-car PMR446 radio' apparently!

Midland GB1 Features at a glance

• Microprocessor‐controlled frequency
• 8 channels PMR446 FM
• 'Flip' function: the radio can be mounted with the speaker facing up or down; the display can read in either orientation
• Adjustable squelch on 9 levels
• SCAN function
• LCD display
• Integrated magnetic antenna
• TOT (Time out timer)*
• Side tone: noise blanker at end of transmission
• Monitor function
• Busy channel (BCLO‐Busy Channel Lockout)*
• Broad/narrow band selection 25KHz/12.5KHz (only export version)*
• High/low power (only export version)

UK Price Around £169.99

Website link: CLICK HERE

My thoughts - A nice looking radio which certainly makes PMR446 more useful when out mobile. Almost giving users a true UHF CB System, something I've long been asking for. The radio can be modded for extra channels/power if required.

However, this should have come out 15 years ago. Anyone who wanted a UHF CB system is already using 'other equipment' and let's be honest, who in their right mind would spend £169.99 on this radio when for less than £20 they can get a Baofeng UV5R which gives more power, more channels and many more features????

Don't get me wrong, this is a step in the right direction towards UHF CB but way too late and way too expensive in my opinion.

Shack In A Box!

Video: YouTube/Wow Sly

An interesting project for sure.....!

The Big Net (UK CB) Mon 2nd Nov channel 34 UK FM

Video: YouTube/Fredintheshed1

Modified President Grant 2 - Less Noise, Improved Receive!



Video: YouTube/prespostt.com

Text from their YouTube channel:

"RX modified Grant 2 in an electrically noisy environment coming from the antenna. Notice the dramatic change in NB operation

Stock on right and modified on left

Modified radio has a tunable S-meter and smoother RX audio modified to my own like. S-meter is very lazy on SSB with weak signals but it is set to 50uV S9 and 160uV S9+10dB and working correctly in all modes. Fix is about to come but have to figure out best way to do it.

Both radios have same sensitivity measured 12dB sinad in all modes. You have to use slightly more volume in AM/SSB to hear the weakest signals.

President should have done Grant 2 this way from the beginning

www.prepostt.com"


So the question has to asked - Why cant President make a decent radio when a simple mod is all that is needed????

2 Meter MORE Propagation - Danish Repeater OZ3REI

PMR446 (UHF CB) New Analogue Channel Allocation

So word comes from an industry insider that the UK is set to adopt the new expanded PMR446 channel allocation.

No official announcement has yet been made so make of this what you wish but it does appear that the new allocation will go ahead.

The exsisting allocation of 8 analogue channels (446.00625 - 446.09375) have been around since the late 90's and there have been many operators calling for extra channels particularly in busy cities and town center areas. 

Having an extra 8 analogue channels (446.10625 - 446.19375) PMR446 begins to look like a true UHF CB allocation. 

Sure you only get 500mw(!) but it's surprising how far you can get from a favorable location. 

The whole band (446.000 - 446.200) will also be opened up to allow the use of up to 32 digital channels.

New radios, which will have more rigorous specifications to reduce the likelihood of interference, are expected to be available shortly after the new allocation is adopted.