RE: QYT KT-9900
VK4ADC > 16-06-2024, 03:27 PM
Colin
I am not familiar with the QYT-KT9900 but I did pick up a KT-8900 at a Hamfest a year or two ago and it was probably developed along the same philosophies. The cost : the princely sum of $10 - probably because it was 'too hard'. Realistically you need to keep a printed copy of the command structure on hand to do much of the set-up. With Chirp, you develop the table of frequencies, offsets, tones, power level, etc.. and then upload it into the radio. Done..
I have Chirp'ed a full set of 2M and 70CM frequencies plus CTCSS tones on transmit for my geographical area and installed it in the family car but it gets little use. Even being able to set the squelch level is a matter of going into a setup screen, unlike a normal amateur-series radio where you had a rotary squelch/mute control knob. There is no quick save-the-frequency-on-the-fly option either, lots of screen/keypad operations typically required. You can do it but with far greater difficulty than many users would put up with.
The radio itself does produce about 25W on 2M TX and about 20W on 70CM TX, and that is used with a Diamond dual-band mobile whip, but I haven't really ever used it in anger. I suspect that the tech specs aren't real great on TX/RX but if I don't test them then that won't be preying on my mind ! Then again, for $10 what can I expect ??
Your comment about $90 for a programming cable fell on my deaf ears - I used a small USB/TTL serial PCB 3V/5V (FTDI-based) [from eBay at about $6] (and from memory) a couple of resistors and a 3.5mm stereo plug to make mine 'talk', and here is the BUT, but you need to turn the volume on the radio to maximum when in programming modes. { Just like the Baofeng UV5R's ! ) I know it doesn't make sense but it is obviously the signal coding paths used in the design.
They really only have one thing going for them - they are CHEEEEAAAAPPPPP. Good if you just want to monitor a 2M or 70CM repeater in the shack, and it stays on one channel, but otherwise I will hark back to my initial comment - they are "too hard" !!
Doug VK4ADC