This radio looks identical to the RADIODDITY GA-5WB, even down to the phone app. The GA-5WB doesn't seem to have an accessory speaker Mic. I cannot comment on "which radio came first", as I don't have a GA-5WB. I cannot comment further other than what I have seen of the GA-5WB videos here on UA-cam.
Vero makes the radio for Radioddity - they are the same, all the way down to the app. Both are good, RO is a tad cheaper while supplies last. The RO antenna was ever so slightly longer if that's something you need bragging rights on though.
Thanks Josh I've watched many reviews on this model by you and others. Just ordered the VR-N76, mike, and Extra Battery so now watching License info. 73
I really like it. Used it on a SOTA activation in Italy a few weeks ago and it enabled me to spot myself after the mobile phone signal died as a bank of cloud rolled in. The fact that it now supports a KISS connection over Bluetooth so you can you apps like WoAD and APRSdroid is a winner.
I can see using sstv for doing damage assessment after a hurricane or something wide spread where you might not want to require assessment teams to sneakernet photos.
The only downside of this, is that it won’t work with iOS. They haven’t included SSTV in the iOS app. Not here for a debate, fact is thats 30% of the market. When I have to use a workaround of another device… As an ARES member I needed this for two reasons. WinLink and SSTV. I have a USB-C to K type connector that allows me to do SSTV with another radio. If RadioMail implements a soft TNC (like found in other iOS software) this radio becomes redundant. This is what happens when an incomplete product is brought to market. You cause people to work around shortcomings forcing them to use other products and then they don’t have a use case for your product. EDIT: WinLink did it. I can now use the GD-88 for everything I would have used this radio for. And with the fact I just built a NinoTNC, this radio although one of few with an addressable TNC, just isn’t a requirement.
@@ExtremeSquared a picture is worth a thousand words. Also some organizations probably prefer photographic evidence. It removes the judgement of the volunteer from the assessment. The resolution isn't great but it's way better than just a slash report or a couple sentences in some cases. We lived with roughly that resolution of TV for decades and it effectively communicated quite a lot.
That's what first got me interested in all this amateur radio stuff. It's cool to see some of these little HTs start to provide some of the fun stuff OTB.
IMHO Anytone really needs to wake up and realize how the game is changing in their own country produced radios. I really hope the next Anytone has app support in the next version. This is a really neat radio. Thanks Josh.
I was excited to see you review this after last video. I'm ordering mine later this week. I'm excited because there is hardly any integrated APRS support in radios, unless you drop a lot of money. With your code it almost evens it out to the same as the GA-5WB. There is a breakdown video of the GA-5WB on their website (it does look like it has a speaker mic, but not sure if it's a kenwood plug). I'm going to give Radioddity a go since VGC shipping options kinda sketch me out a bit.
Dang it Josh!!! You did such a good review I had to buy one. Lol. Impressed with the mobile as well but don't need it. Really don't need the HT but with the APRS and SSTV definatly nice additions.
For me it checks all my boxes. color screen, wireless programming, uhf, vhf, none spurious, comes in many bright colors, under $200, and it has aprs which I've been curious about.
Digital over Bluetooth is an awesome concept. Let the Bluetooth connect device handle all the hard work. Can you imagine if portable Hf rigs did this? 818/891 like rigs with Bluetooth enabled digital would be killer!!
You mean like the IC-705? Supports bluetooth, and you can connect to internal sound card and CI-V serial port via WiFi/IP. In the field I run digital modes such as FT8 completely wirelessly.
I have been playing with the standalone HT App fir this radio and it is extraordinary. The next thing I would love to see is if someone will make a LoRa integrated solution so that a user could program the radio over the air.
I totally agree on the "full battery power" for power testing a radio - how often do you run around with your radio freshly charged? If I weren't so lazy I'd test them all at 50% power.
Looks like the Motorola M1 plug used by some Motorola, Alinco and Radtel handhelds. Similar to the K1 Kenwood style, but the pins are closer together and the large and small pins are reversed. Arrowmax has adapters from M1 to K1 or vice versa available on Amazon. On my Alinco and Radtel rigs, I use a commercial M1 speaker mic and it works great.
BTECH UV-Pro also. It has it's own BT mic (same one as this) Appears to be the same app. MDC = Motorola Data Communications... That "Chirp" you hear on public safety communications. They broadcast things like Unit ID, whether they are in "emergency" mode and unit status.
I've got the red version of this supposed to arrive Monday. I also ordered the VR-N7500 50w mobile from VGC which arrived Thursday. One thing I've found disappointing with the N7500, is that although I can pair a non-VGC bluetooth mic with it, the PTT and speaker don't work., so you are forced into buying the VGC BT mic, or at least the BT PTT button(which I don't have. I expect the N76 to be no different.
incidentally, the HT app has THE BEST dtmf decoder ive ever find on a mobile app (i havent explored for that much, but i installed a few apps and most were crap)
btw it is imho reason enough to install for anyone interested in decoding dtmf, it does not require logging in and it neither requires a radio, it just works great standalone on the phone/tablet
Banana phone reminds me of Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp. Re: BSS, the only thing I could find that mentions it at all is in the VR-N76 manual where it says "BSS: Use our own BSS protocol, suitable for people who have not obtained a call sign." Maybe contact them and ask them if they have a protocol guide for BSS? They do have a "ring" bluetooth PTT button for sale, too, but I guess it isn't compatible with the Anytone variety. Looks like a decent radio, too bad it doesn't have 1.25m support.
That "passcode" for APRS, I first had to use that for APRSISCE and UIVIEW32 back years ago, probably 2005? I haven't had to use it since until playing with this radio. I think it has to do with a confirmation that someone not some"thing" is transmitting packets, not sure.
I have this radio and love it so far. One question: Do you know if there's a way to link to radio to two different phones? I'd like it to be linked to my wife's phone for emergency purposes. One of my hobbies is exploring abandoned mines and I'd like her to be able to share my location with first responders if necessary.
How readable is the color display in normal daylight conditions? I bought a Wouxun HT for 180€, full duplex, crossband, airband the whole nine yards, for doing satellite work (outdoors). The color display on this HT is completely unreadable under normal daylight conditions. I then bought a 61€ TYT TH UV8000D with most of the same features but with a monochrome display. Fully readable outdoors. I am very wary of colo displays now.
I finally received mine. In my opinion the speaker is subpar and the battery indicator is jumping all over the place. And I think the reception is worse than other HT I own.
For anyone who gets one of these, it uses a Motorola 2-Pin connector for the side connection. As noted in the video, it does NOT use a Kenwood 2-Pin connector. UPDATE: I was wrong. I talked to Vero after having an issue, and the plug is a proprietary plug, not a normal Motorola 2-Pin. It's the same pin setup as is used in the BTech GMRS Pro. There is an adapter available from BTech to convert it to Kenwood 2-Pin.
Thats what i came here to find out,thanks Bummer not the water resistance contact type and not an option for me being proprietary… They missed the boat on this…. The tacticool market is begging for this radio but no dice as is.
2 місяці тому
I wonder if that's the same connector the Radtel RT-730 uses, since it's not Motorola either, but looks like it, as this does.
I am rather surprised that a lot more radios don't offer this type of Bluetooth. I have worked in the computer industry for 30 years and the cost for Bluetooth is very low, the new standards are faster, farther, and more reliable and it is fairly easy.
Just got the btech version, UV-PRO. Similar but some menu and app differences from your VGC. Honeslty I wish I got the VGC in that color instead but basically same thing. It is my EDC now. IP67, internal APRS and ease of use with app.
Can you do a video trying the new beta firmware? New beta firmware this week enabled KISS TNC over bluetooth and a 2nd update this week enabled Bluetooth LE for iPhones!
I have been searching for a radio that has GPS, will TX & RX APRS, has duel band analog and bonus if it has digital mode.... Bluetooth and app look cool but big question for me is does it have the ability to transmit text messages to cellphones using the new SMS? Right now only radios i know have all this are the FT-3/5DRs... could this be a competitor for that??? Cheers!
also on the bluetooth mic it says you can pair your phone and the radio to the speaker mic but in chengrish it reads "for best communicating use phone microphone"
This firmware is on a few radios now. The issue is, without the app you cant send APRS messages to a new contact (you have to receive it first), and even when you do, they seem to be very oddly formatted. Direwolf only picks up some of them. Have you gotten full APRS working (sending and receiving messages)?
Off the app I'm having issues with Rx. I use a Nagoya antenna and can hear the packets come in, but it sounds like it cuts it off. I've tried with the squelch open and it doesn't pick up on APRSDroid. It's showing it Tx through APRSDroid, but I don't show up on my local Igate. On the HT app I hit the local Igate, but again, doesn't show up on APRSDroid, even with updating to the latest firmware. So in HT app it looks like it sends APRS, but I have no way to see if it does. APRS it appears to send, but packets are getting cut off both on Tx and Rx
Hello and many thanks for your video content . I am very fond of Pota activity and when I am in isolate place I need a device that can send a spot to Pota. Can this radio do it? Have you already covered this topic? Best regards and ciao.
Can you please comment on the USB-C charging functionality and the ability for the radio and microphone to be charged with a modern USB-C wall plug. I am noticing that a lot of the Chinese radios that offer “USB-C” charging have a maximum input of 5w or 10w which is lower than a standard usb-c wall plug for a cell phone. Basically any Chinese item that ships with an obsolete USb-A to USB-C cable makes me wonder if it will charge with a modern ISB-C wall plug.
Quick question.... from my observations it's either use the radio stand alone or program it with the app for APRS use otherwise it isn't storing the saved callsign info etc I type into the radio. Maybe it's a quirky problem on my end with the quirky radio....!!????? HAhaha
Wish I would have bought this VGC with an app for HAM and a Beaufang scanner for trains and aviation. Studying for my technical, not liking the Yaesu FT-70D interface.
Curious, what do you not like about the FT-70D interface? I have one and I find it super easy to navigate and use even if I haven’t touched it in a while.
@@danielrgusa I don't find it easy to remember how to use it, wish it had an app on a cell phone that would be intuitive, no learning curve, no memorization.
@@currentfaves65 you may have already seen it but HamRadioCrashCourse has a good video on how to program if from the front face. Check it out if you haven’t already.
Sorry I’m late to the party on this video, but I’m a GMRS, testing for Technician this week; I’m wondering if this radio will Tx on GMRS. I saw that it shows the 462-467 on the range, but some of these won’t Tx in that range. Just curious if this one would.
Does the n-7500 have an updated igate capability from when it first released??? Sorry, I know it’s slightly off topic but I’m preparing to purchase both
Love your content. Quick question: what is a high end powerful handheld digital ham radio you’d recommend? Do they make one that covers uhf vhf and hf in a handheld ham radio?
How did you get your to transmitt on the American nature radio bandsm mine says out of frequency band when I try to transmitt on 70cm on 448.680 or 147.240
I received mine today and loaded the app and it updated the firmware over BT. BUTT, It will not take TX UHF above 440mhz. So far anyway. This is a big disappointment as the web specs said it would.
Hello everyone! I've bought this HT a couple of days ago. For the moment I'm pretty happy with it. But I have two things that I don't really like (for the moment), the audio it's not as clear as I was expecting. I have a Anytone d168uv and the audio is far superior (not as overall volume, but as clarity.). I know that the Anytone has NR but even without it turned on it still has much better audio. Another thing that bothers me is the battery life (compared to the Anytone). After almost 11 hours of non stop running, no gps no APRS, just listening I'm left with 39% from a 2600 mAh battery, while the Anytone, turned on at exactly the same time and listening on the same frequencies, still has the 3 bars on the battery and in theory it has a smaller capacity at 1800 mAh. Not sure what to make of it. Anyone experienced this things? Hope yo all are ok. 73
Is there any possibility of being able to use the Bluetooth capability and pair that with winlink somehow? I'm just getting into winlink and I'm still trying to understand what it takes to use it. I know I can use a mobilink or something like that but can I use the btech cable that some people use for APRS with a Kenwood or boefang radio and use that for winlink?
I think the demand for this radio took off after numerous solid UA-cam reviews. I just received two and unfortunately they won't turn on after being charged for 3-4 hours (display dead and no signal to phone app). Hoping they don't have quality control issues....we'll see if they send replacements
@HamRadioCrashCourse turns out it was a tiny piece of clear tape on the battery terminals. This stuff was on so well it was invisible, but I should've known! 😂
I like my vrn7500 which appears virtually identical except the number of frequencies/banks. The SSTV and cw is cool. Will the HT iGate through the app the way the mobile does?
This radio looks identical to the RADIODDITY GA-5WB, even down to the phone app. The GA-5WB doesn't seem to have an accessory speaker Mic. I cannot comment on "which radio came first", as I don't have a GA-5WB. I cannot comment further other than what I have seen of the GA-5WB videos here on UA-cam.
Came here to leave the same comment. The VGC app may do more than Radioddity, but hard to tell.
Vero makes the radio for Radioddity - they are the same, all the way down to the app. Both are good, RO is a tad cheaper while supplies last. The RO antenna was ever so slightly longer if that's something you need bragging rights on though.
The body and battery have the shape of the Btech GMRS PRO too. Same with the Bluetooth mic.
@@xSikks (Vero makes that radio for BTech also). Vero is pretty TopNotch so far.
@@temporarilyofflineright now Radioddity is offer a 15% discount right now. Summer24 is the code and it brings it down to in the $150 range
Thanks Josh I've watched many reviews on this model by you and others. Just ordered the VR-N76, mike, and Extra Battery so now watching License info. 73
I really like it. Used it on a SOTA activation in Italy a few weeks ago and it enabled me to spot myself after the mobile phone signal died as a bank of cloud rolled in. The fact that it now supports a KISS connection over Bluetooth so you can you apps like WoAD and APRSdroid is a winner.
Nice!
Thanks Josh for taking the time to walk us thru this handheld!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for this review Josh, this is my favorite part of VHF/UHF/GMRS, the packet radio scene. I used your order code.
Awesome! Thank you!
You had me at Dessert Tan. I like quirky radios so this caught my attention; thanks for sharing.
It do be quirky! Thanks for watching. Keep up the good vids!
Very cool radio! I love how there are more affordable APRS radios starting to trickle onto the market. 73!
I have the app on iPad but I do not have all the features you were showing at the top. Android you get all the features, great review Josh.
I can see using sstv for doing damage assessment after a hurricane or something wide spread where you might not want to require assessment teams to sneakernet photos.
Great idea.
First thing I thought of was CERT response in grid-down, sending UAS damage assessment images to my EOC.
The only downside of this, is that it won’t work with iOS. They haven’t included SSTV in the iOS app. Not here for a debate, fact is thats 30% of the market. When I have to use a workaround of another device…
As an ARES member I needed this for two reasons. WinLink and SSTV. I have a USB-C to K type connector that allows me to do SSTV with another radio. If RadioMail implements a soft TNC (like found in other iOS software) this radio becomes redundant. This is what happens when an incomplete product is brought to market. You cause people to work around shortcomings forcing them to use other products and then they don’t have a use case for your product.
EDIT: WinLink did it. I can now use the GD-88 for everything I would have used this radio for. And with the fact I just built a NinoTNC, this radio although one of few with an addressable TNC, just isn’t a requirement.
A 320x240 image is realistically replaceable with a verbal description.
@@ExtremeSquared a picture is worth a thousand words. Also some organizations probably prefer photographic evidence. It removes the judgement of the volunteer from the assessment. The resolution isn't great but it's way better than just a slash report or a couple sentences in some cases. We lived with roughly that resolution of TV for decades and it effectively communicated quite a lot.
Also at Defcon conference in Las Vegas we play with SSTV pretty heavily. It's just something that is super fun and not the internet.
This would be killer for that on the go!
That's what first got me interested in all this amateur radio stuff. It's cool to see some of these little HTs start to provide some of the fun stuff OTB.
IMHO Anytone really needs to wake up and realize how the game is changing in their own country produced radios.
I really hope the next Anytone has app support in the next version.
This is a really neat radio. Thanks Josh.
What
I was excited to see you review this after last video. I'm ordering mine later this week. I'm excited because there is hardly any integrated APRS support in radios, unless you drop a lot of money. With your code it almost evens it out to the same as the GA-5WB. There is a breakdown video of the GA-5WB on their website (it does look like it has a speaker mic, but not sure if it's a kenwood plug). I'm going to give Radioddity a go since VGC shipping options kinda sketch me out a bit.
Very interesting Josh, lots of features for the price. Thanks 😊
Dang it Josh!!! You did such a good review I had to buy one. Lol. Impressed with the mobile as well but don't need it. Really don't need the HT but with the APRS and SSTV definatly nice additions.
For me it checks all my boxes. color screen, wireless programming, uhf, vhf, none spurious, comes in many bright colors, under $200, and it has aprs which I've been curious about.
Timing of this couldn’t be any better. Got a few buddies in Texas interested after the hurricane hit.
Digital over Bluetooth is an awesome concept. Let the Bluetooth connect device handle all the hard work. Can you imagine if portable Hf rigs did this? 818/891 like rigs with Bluetooth enabled digital would be killer!!
You mean like the IC-705? Supports bluetooth, and you can connect to internal sound card and CI-V serial port via WiFi/IP. In the field I run digital modes such as FT8 completely wirelessly.
@@danielayers I like the ruggedness and more professional feel to the Yaesu man pack style radios personally
It only took this handheld to pick up the mobile radio, and the handheld. Love the opportunities it will create.
You are such a nerd and I love it!
Hah! Thanks!
I have been playing with the standalone HT App fir this radio and it is extraordinary. The next thing I would love to see is if someone will make a LoRa integrated solution so that a user could program the radio over the air.
I hope you will do a long term follow up video on this one. I am intrigued! 73, Brett
Nice little radio. Been looking at it for a while. Got lucky and won one from TO in a giveaway. Thanks for the info.
I'm *really* interested in this one. Might be my next radio, especially with the new KISS TNC capability in the newer firmwares...
I totally agree on the "full battery power" for power testing a radio - how often do you run around with your radio freshly charged? If I weren't so lazy I'd test them all at 50% power.
Thanks! I’m curious to do a wider 50% test on my hts now!
Thanks for the thorough review of this new HT. That Bluetooth functionality tho!
Thanks!
To my knowledge BSS is the data transmission mode that handles the gsm traffic from and towards phones directly
Keep up the great work Josh.
Josh, I see your a KNAFS fan as well! Love that brand!
I just bought the Lander 3 stepping from the 1. I really like the G10 better and blade material.
bought the vgc vr-n76 after watching a few of your vids! just a newbie looking for something to play with the family outdoors!
This looks cool!
Thanks Lon!
Looks like the Motorola M1 plug used by some Motorola, Alinco and Radtel handhelds. Similar to the K1 Kenwood style, but the pins are closer together and the large and small pins are reversed. Arrowmax has adapters from M1 to K1 or vice versa available on Amazon. On my Alinco and Radtel rigs, I use a commercial M1 speaker mic and it works great.
daaang, they want my money. Like, really want it. Nice! Especially the SSTV feature
SSTV gets the Nerd ⭐ of Approval
✨📻✨
Another nicely done video Josh!!! I’ll stick with my D75 or FT5dr!!!😁
Btech sells a K1 adapter that would probably fit in the mic port so you can use any Kenwood/Baofeng style mic.
Thanks josh for spending my money.
Wish they’d open up the TNC for use with RadioMail and WoAD
Or even have it in the app
they just did
BTECH UV-Pro also. It has it's own BT mic (same one as this)
Appears to be the same app.
MDC = Motorola Data Communications... That "Chirp" you hear on public safety communications. They broadcast things like Unit ID, whether they are in "emergency" mode and unit status.
Very cool. I don't need it, but SSTV is definitely a tease. :)
I've got the red version of this supposed to arrive Monday. I also ordered the VR-N7500 50w mobile from VGC which arrived Thursday. One thing I've found disappointing with the N7500, is that although I can pair a non-VGC bluetooth mic with it, the PTT and speaker don't work., so you are forced into buying the VGC BT mic, or at least the BT PTT button(which I don't have. I expect the N76 to be no different.
incidentally, the HT app has THE BEST dtmf decoder ive ever find on a mobile app (i havent explored for that much, but i installed a few apps and most were crap)
btw it is imho reason enough to install for anyone interested in decoding dtmf, it does not require logging in and it neither requires a radio, it just works great standalone on the phone/tablet
Great review. I look into it more.
73, N3XUS,
Gene
The MDC on the HT app will decode MDC squawks. And since you have the HT app you can create a network channel and bind it to the radio.
Indeed! I asked Shane and it’s not used out here, so no demo this time.
Shame it won't decode MODAT!
I'd like to try one, might for the next.
You should have gotten the yellow one to color coordinate with the banana phone! On my short list of HT's to think about buying. 73
I just ordered the Yellow to match my GArmin Rinos
I need another VHF/UHF radio like I need another hole on my head, but it does SSTV. Guess I'll have another hole in my head.
Your wife does that when new radios (guns/tools) show up at the house, too?
The audio feedback reminds me of what's heard on cb sometimes. 😅
Banana phone reminds me of Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp.
Re: BSS, the only thing I could find that mentions it at all is in the VR-N76 manual where it says "BSS: Use our own BSS protocol, suitable for people who have not obtained a call sign." Maybe contact them and ask them if they have a protocol guide for BSS? They do have a "ring" bluetooth PTT button for sale, too, but I guess it isn't compatible with the Anytone variety.
Looks like a decent radio, too bad it doesn't have 1.25m support.
I believe this is also the Btech uv pro. They all have the same features, same body, similar price, and got updated at the same time
Excellent review with excellent info thanks!!!! Subscribed😊 73s de WP4OOI 👻🏴☠️
I love it!!!! But I need a GMRS for groups. Do they have a GMRS with all of these features?
That "passcode" for APRS, I first had to use that for APRSISCE and UIVIEW32 back years ago, probably 2005? I haven't had to use it since until playing with this radio. I think it has to do with a confirmation that someone not some"thing" is transmitting packets, not sure.
I think it’s that and also the direct posting to APRS.fi as an iGate. Which this radio should be able to do.
The blue tooth speaker mic looks dentical to the BTech BS-22 for their GMRS Pro. I thought it looked familiar. It's a good mic.
I have this radio and love it so far. One question: Do you know if there's a way to link to radio to two different phones? I'd like it to be linked to my wife's phone for emergency purposes. One of my hobbies is exploring abandoned mines and I'd like her to be able to share my location with first responders if necessary.
How readable is the color display in normal daylight conditions? I bought a Wouxun HT for 180€, full duplex, crossband, airband the whole nine yards, for doing satellite work (outdoors). The color display on this HT is completely unreadable under normal daylight conditions. I then bought a 61€ TYT TH UV8000D with most of the same features but with a monochrome display. Fully readable outdoors. I am very wary of colo displays now.
So does it decode/display inbound APRS messages directly on the built-in screen?
This is the BTech GMRS Pro app and the HT looks pretty much the same from summer '22. This looks much improved though
Like all Chinese radios, I am unsure who made it first or for how long VGC has had it.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse That Case Sod Buster on the other hand is timeless🤙🤙
Turns out VGC is the manufacturer. All others are retail licensed.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse That is very interesting. Thank you for the info
I finally received mine. In my opinion the speaker is subpar and the battery indicator is jumping all over the place. And I think the reception is worse than other HT I own.
Would like to see if a cw decoder would work. Key board to key board cw would get me to buy.
I just bought one of these radios. And now I need to know how to get the menu into English mode.
Nice sodbuster!
For anyone who gets one of these, it uses a Motorola 2-Pin connector for the side connection. As noted in the video, it does NOT use a Kenwood 2-Pin connector.
UPDATE: I was wrong. I talked to Vero after having an issue, and the plug is a proprietary plug, not a normal Motorola 2-Pin. It's the same pin setup as is used in the BTech GMRS Pro. There is an adapter available from BTech to convert it to Kenwood 2-Pin.
Thats what i came here to find out,thanks
Bummer not the water resistance contact type and not an option for me being proprietary… They missed the boat on this…. The tacticool market is begging for this radio but no dice as is.
I wonder if that's the same connector the Radtel RT-730 uses, since it's not Motorola either, but looks like it, as this does.
I am rather surprised that a lot more radios don't offer this type of Bluetooth. I have worked in the computer industry for 30 years and the cost for Bluetooth is very low, the new standards are faster, farther, and more reliable and it is fairly easy.
Just got the btech version, UV-PRO. Similar but some menu and app differences from your VGC. Honeslty I wish I got the VGC in that color instead but basically same thing. It is my EDC now. IP67, internal APRS and ease of use with app.
Can you do a video trying the new beta firmware? New beta firmware this week enabled KISS TNC over bluetooth and a 2nd update this week enabled Bluetooth LE for iPhones!
Huh. That's the first Chinese radio I've seen that actually interests me. The user interface looks to be a cut above most of them, too.
It’s definitely surprising.
I have been searching for a radio that has GPS, will TX & RX APRS, has duel band analog and bonus if it has digital mode.... Bluetooth and app look cool but big question for me is does it have the ability to transmit text messages to cellphones using the new SMS? Right now only radios i know have all this are the FT-3/5DRs... could this be a competitor for that??? Cheers!
also on the bluetooth mic it says you can pair your phone and the radio to the speaker mic but in chengrish it reads "for best communicating use phone microphone"
Picked one of these up. Looks fun. But you did not pick the orange one? 😉Well, I did
At the time I got one, they didn’t have orange.
The banana phone is appealing. 😅
UHF 400-470MHz &136-174MHz (Rx & Tx) - website specs show uhf tx caps out at 470, have you tried gmrs tx ? tia 🙏
This firmware is on a few radios now. The issue is, without the app you cant send APRS messages to a new contact (you have to receive it first), and even when you do, they seem to be very oddly formatted. Direwolf only picks up some of them. Have you gotten full APRS working (sending and receiving messages)?
Off the app I'm having issues with Rx. I use a Nagoya antenna and can hear the packets come in, but it sounds like it cuts it off. I've tried with the squelch open and it doesn't pick up on APRSDroid. It's showing it Tx through APRSDroid, but I don't show up on my local Igate. On the HT app I hit the local Igate, but again, doesn't show up on APRSDroid, even with updating to the latest firmware. So in HT app it looks like it sends APRS, but I have no way to see if it does. APRS it appears to send, but packets are getting cut off both on Tx and Rx
Hello and many thanks for your video content . I am very fond of Pota activity and when I am in isolate place I need a device that can send a spot to Pota. Can this radio do it? Have you already covered this topic? Best regards and ciao.
You’d likely need to use APRS. however I haven’t made a video on that.
Can you please comment on the USB-C charging functionality and the ability for the radio and microphone to be charged with a modern USB-C wall plug. I am noticing that a lot of the Chinese radios that offer “USB-C” charging have a maximum input of 5w or 10w which is lower than a standard usb-c wall plug for a cell phone. Basically any Chinese item that ships with an obsolete USb-A to USB-C cable makes me wonder if it will charge with a modern ISB-C wall plug.
I use usb c for both radio and mike
Works fine
Great, just what I needed. Another HT to buy. Where can I rage buy this? :D
Quick question.... from my observations it's either use the radio stand alone or program it with the app for APRS use otherwise it isn't storing the saved callsign info etc I type into the radio. Maybe it's a quirky problem on my end with the quirky radio....!!????? HAhaha
That's pretty cool!!!!!
Thank you!
I look at this and compare it to my Wouxan KG-Q10H and wonder which is better?
I wish it would transmit on airband.
Wish I would have bought this VGC with an app for HAM and a Beaufang scanner for trains and aviation. Studying for my technical, not liking the Yaesu FT-70D interface.
Curious, what do you not like about the FT-70D interface? I have one and I find it super easy to navigate and use even if I haven’t touched it in a while.
@@danielrgusa I don't find it easy to remember how to use it, wish it had an app on a cell phone that would be intuitive, no learning curve, no memorization.
@@currentfaves65 you may have already seen it but HamRadioCrashCourse has a good video on how to program if from the front face. Check it out if you haven’t already.
Great video!
Does this radio work with the APRSdroid application?
I don't know. This looks pretty cool. I might consider trading out my FT5. I can Google around, but does this have dual receive?
Nice review. I have the same radio in the BTech UV-Pro. Little cheaper but black only. Is there a better antenna you would recommend for this radio?
Sorry I’m late to the party on this video, but I’m a GMRS, testing for Technician this week; I’m wondering if this radio will Tx on GMRS. I saw that it shows the 462-467 on the range, but some of these won’t Tx in that range. Just curious if this one would.
W Bananular phooooone 😂
I think I want the btech version.
How readable is that screen in bright noon daylight?
No VOX mode so you can't use a standard bt headset with it?
New firmware adds aome great features. Its beta but proving good.
Does the n-7500 have an updated igate capability from when it first released??? Sorry, I know it’s slightly off topic but I’m preparing to purchase both
Love your content. Quick question: what is a high end powerful handheld digital ham radio you’d recommend?
Do they make one that covers uhf vhf and hf in a handheld ham radio?
Hey Josh did you get the email from VGC about the new update?
How did you get your to transmitt on the American nature radio bandsm mine says out of frequency band when I try to transmitt on 70cm on 448.680 or 147.240
I received mine today and loaded the app and it updated the firmware over BT. BUTT, It will not take TX UHF above 440mhz. So far anyway. This is a big disappointment as the web specs said it would.
Hello everyone!
I've bought this HT a couple of days ago.
For the moment I'm pretty happy with it.
But I have two things that I don't really like (for the moment), the audio it's not as clear as I was expecting. I have a Anytone d168uv and the audio is far superior (not as overall volume, but as clarity.). I know that the Anytone has NR but even without it turned on it still has much better audio.
Another thing that bothers me is the battery life (compared to the Anytone).
After almost 11 hours of non stop running, no gps no APRS, just listening I'm left with 39% from a 2600 mAh battery, while the Anytone, turned on at exactly the same time and listening on the same frequencies, still has the 3 bars on the battery and in theory it has a smaller capacity at 1800 mAh. Not sure what to make of it. Anyone experienced this things?
Hope yo all are ok.
73
Is there any possibility of being able to use the Bluetooth capability and pair that with winlink somehow? I'm just getting into winlink and I'm still trying to understand what it takes to use it. I know I can use a mobilink or something like that but can I use the btech cable that some people use for APRS with a Kenwood or boefang radio and use that for winlink?
Do you think you could connect a Bluetooth throat mic to this radio?
I think the demand for this radio took off after numerous solid UA-cam reviews. I just received two and unfortunately they won't turn on after being charged for 3-4 hours (display dead and no signal to phone app). Hoping they don't have quality control issues....we'll see if they send replacements
Check that you have the battery seated well. I had to push it hard.
@HamRadioCrashCourse turns out it was a tiny piece of clear tape on the battery terminals. This stuff was on so well it was invisible, but I should've known! 😂
Glad you found the issue!
Reminds me of the Btech GMRS pro
I like my vrn7500 which appears virtually identical except the number of frequencies/banks. The SSTV and cw is cool.
Will the HT iGate through the app the way the mobile does?
Wish we had 23cm his again. This look like what I get for early Christmas maybe 2.
So does it do APRS sending messages an receiving onboard without external application?
Yes.