Wouxun KG-UV8D(Plus) Dual Bands, Voice Encryption Amateur Radio 144-148 MHz 430-450 MHz

All the other reviews are pretty accurate and I don't have much more to add. The radio is a handheld radio and has all the limitations you'd get with a smaller handheld HAM radio. For the price, the features are rich, the battery is rechargeable, and it does a good job.Great size, good value, feature rich.

Good quality 2 way radio. Industrial quality with extra features: UHF and VHF, FM radio, duplex cross band repeater, voice scrambler, can operate as a range extender, flashlight. Uses a charging base (but wish had option to directly slow charge without the base).Can be unlocked by purchasing a programming cable from Amazon for about $10. Search "worldwidedx wouxun frequency range" for instructions. (Haven't tried, just researched. 👍)

What’s Included:- Radio, Li-Ion battery, charging dock, charging adapter, high gain antenna, belt clip with installation screws, lanyard, user manual & warranty cardFirst Impressions:- The antenna is a male SMA connector- Dual band capable- Can be used as a duplex cross band repeater to allow communication between 2 frequencies or between VHF & UHF. Also perfect as a range extender if this radio is in between two points.- Voice scrambler- Fairly compact measuring approx. 6.3cm wide x 12.6cm tall x 3.3cm deep. The antenna is 21.3cm long. It weighs approx. 250g without the belt clip.- Body feels durable with a plastic outer shell and a metal inner frame.- 5W transmit powerPros:- Compact- Multi-colour LCD- Durable construction- Screw on belt clip onto radio body w/good tension- Capable of receiving/listening to FM radio stations- Built in flashlight- Very detailed user manual- Can operate as a cross band repeater in directional cross band mode where the master freq receives & secondary freq transmits or in a two way cross band repeater mode allowing for both master & secondary frequencies to receive & transmit signals between VHF & UHF frequencies. This is a great feature if you have two users on each side of a mountain, the UV8D+ can be at the top of the mountain and allow the two users to communicate. This only requires the cost of 1 radio vs other brands that need to have 2 radios to perform the same task.- Can save up to 999 channels- Battery can be docked into the charger w/radio attached or separate- Voice scrambling via passcode- Uses standard 2 prong Kenwood style connectors for headphone/speaker attachmentsCons:- The colour screen gets a bit washed out in bright direct sunlight even when maxed out- When the screen backlight turns off, the screen is black and can’t see the screen contents- Antenna is a male SMA interface so you will need to be aware which antenna you’re getting as female SMA seems more prevalent in my opinion. This might be a possible positive if the pin on the male end breaks/bends, it’s better on the antenna side as the antenna is easily replaceable vs breaking on the radio side which makes repairs more expensive/time consuming or maybe even need to replace the radio.- Replacement batteries are not available on Amazon (or I couldn’t locate them), so that may be an issue. May have to order from overseas.- From my research, it may require a specific programming cable to reprogram the radio, may not work with a FTDI cable (don’t have one to verify).- Tried looking up the FCC ID & IC ID to ensure proper compliance, but could not locate them in the FCC/IC databasesFinal Impression:Overall, the Wouxun KG-UV8D Plus HAM radio would be a good quality device to have. It’s good for both beginners and more knowledgeable users. It is a bit pricier than your Baofeng radio, but you’re getting more features for the money. Limited sources for replacement batteries & only works with a specific programming cable may be issues. Also, was not able to validate the FCC or IC ID's to confirm compliance.

This dual-band ham radio is durable, powerful and versatile. It comes with a dock, charging cable and antenna. The build quality of this unit is quite sturdy. It looks and feels like a prosumer-grade unit. The screen is nice and large, with a bright light making it easy to read.This radio is great for anyone serious about secure communication. The dual-band functionality ensures I can connect with fellow HAM transmitters on both VHF and UHF bands, providing excellent coverage. It has a strong voice encryption capability. I appreciate the peace of mind knowing that my conversations are private and secure.The encryption is easy to set up with the manual, making it perfect for both novice and experienced HAM operators. The battery life is good, lasting through many days of operation. The backlit display is clear and easy to read, even in low-light conditions. Overall, this HAM Radio is a solid choice for those who value security and reliable communication. Full marks from me!

Wow this multifunctional two-way radio is not your standard walkie and is fun getting to learn. However, don’t just expect to pick it up and go (unless you’re familiar with these systems). As there is a lot to do. So far I haven’t made any contact around my area while scanning however I got the radio function working 😆 I also managed to reset all its menu and voice prompts to Chinese. Although, with its very well outlined instruction manual I was able to revert the settings. It is very solid, well crafted and doesn’t feel cheap in the slightest. While I’m more than certainly a -amateur I would recommend this unit and will update if it fails under general use. Thank for reading, hope it was a help.

The YDC TECH KG-UV8D Plus is a portable dual-band two-way handheld radio. It is compact and has a solid build quality and good quality backlit display. If you are looking at handheld HAM radios, you are likely familiar with the requirements but it is worth repeating. In Canada, to transmit on a HAM radio, you do require an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate. While the exam is not difficult, you should take a proper training course to prepare. To purchase and receive on a HAM radio does not require a license, which means you can get familiar with operation of a handheld radio like this before committing to getting certified as amateur radio operator. The KG-UV8D Plus feels durable with good tactile feel on the buttons. The battery is removable but proprietary and the radio must be charged with the charging dock. However a direct cable charging port would have been a better design, especially if you wanted to used this radio for emergency situations.The KG-UV8D Plus has some nice features for a handheld HAM radio. It has duplex and dual receiving, allowing it to transmit in one area and receive on another simultaneously. It can also receive on two areas but you A/B those frequencies to switch between them. It also has a FM radio, allowing you to tune into FM stations, while monitoring on UHF frequencies. The FM signal will pause when receiving on either of the two frequencies and return after 5 seconds. There are also high and low power settings, with 4W of power on UHF high, 5W power on VHF high and 1W on low. This is typical of handheld HAM radios.

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Verdict: 5⭐If you're a beginner who just got his VA, VE call sign, that is going to be a great way to put in practice the theory. And if you're more "experienced", I think you could still get a lot out of it.*** The good 👍✅ Power and Bands: 4W max in UHF and 5W in VHF will keep you well in the limits of the first level of certification. In Canada, the 144-148 band covers all my needs.✅ Attention to detail: The buttons light up to indicate activity as you can see in the last part of my video; the belt clip is partly made of metal, making it very robust, and the battery is very generic, so it is very easy to prepare a few of them before going on an activity.✅ Controls: I will not go into details, because if you're reading this, you have already all that you need in the pictures and video. But if you'Re a beginner, the PAPER user guide that's provided already indicates a lots of the basic feaures and tweaks available.*** Surprise!🎁🎁🎁 The advertisement pictures show a monochrome display, which was more than I could wish for. But as you can see in my video and pictures, the screen is full color (with the battery hit, of course...)! 🎁🎁🎁My standards⭐, Usually because I cannot give "0"⭐⭐, Good idea but poor execution.⭐⭐⭐, Good idea, good execution, but something's missing.⭐⭐⭐⭐, That means that I think this product is between good and great.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, I don't rate those often. This means "excellent" or "above-and-beyond".

This is a decent dual band ham radio that seems well-constructed with sturdy material. It comes with a charging base along with an AC/DC adapter and belt clip although I would've preferred USB-C instead since it takes 12V/0.5A as input which is more than what modern USB can handle. Though, it's noticeably smaller than some of my existing ones which I do appreciate.It has the typical bands that most others have and it's packed with features into a small package although I haven't explored 'em all and probably never will. This one does have slightly larger and clearer/easier to read screen in comparison to some other handheld ham radios that I've come across which (again) I do appreciate. However, I find the sensitivity to be somewhat flaky at times and I'm not certain whether it's the radio itself or if it's the antenna that it's been found to be the culprit bad signals in the past (other models from the same brand).I should also mention that only ONE active VFO can be scanned at one time so if this concerns you, look elsewhere. It's somewhat reasonably priced at $180 for what it provides and its overall build quality, features, and performance; however, its longevity remains to be seen since these appear to have the tendency to stop working (e.g. UV6D's) for no apparent reasons in the past and their warranty is close to nonexistent. Your mileage might vary.

Seulement 2 langues pour utiliser anglais et chinoisDifficile de programmer

Batterie ne dûr pas longtemps. J'ai retourner.

The radio feels solidly built, and the interface is easy to use.It does not support the FRS/GMRS bands out of the box, but that is just a software limit - the hardware can use these bands. Not going to say more.The price is a bit high at $180 (at the time of me typing this). I wish it included a data cable for this price, at the very least.

This was easy to set up, able to monitor and transmit on multiple channels. Speaker is loud and clear.

EDIT - BIG issue developed with this radio: when connected to a higher gain external antenna like a VHF/UHF J-Pole, the radio exhibits very bad intermodulation distortion, picking up signals from a repeater that is NOT tuned up on the VFO.In the plus column: my unit - when tested using an oscilloscope - is "clean". There's no sign of spurious, off frequency emissions.In short though, the price of this radio is too high to justify given the intermod distortion with external antennas.*** *** ***As a new ham radio operator with not a lot of space, I'd been working with a portable radio hooked up to an external antenna which works well, particularly when using local repeater stations.However, the most basic handy talkies (aka "HT's" - portable radios) from the likes of BaoFeng lack a lot of features and make huge compromises to the user interface (UX) to keep cost down, most often by burying functions deep in menus, or having buttons double-up their functions.This HT still has a tonne of menus to figure out but they're at least somewhat logical & the most common are hard-keyed to a button: press the "MENU" button once and either scroll through your menu items, or pick the keypad button with the common menu item you want, for example "2" for "SQL" (squelch), then hit "MENU" again to select it. The voice prompt will say "Squelch Level" and the display shows the current squelch. To change it, use the rotary encoder knob or up/down buttons, followed by pressing "MENU" again to accept the change.The unit allows not only dual monitoring but transmit on either A or B channel using the main PTT, and sub-frequency mini PTT button.Reception is very good with the included whip antenna (some people have reported bad antennas included with the unit but mine worked fine), though you'll improve your signal with a 5/8" vertical whip or any one of a number of other external VHF/UHF antennas (discone etc). Big plus, IMO, is the radio uses a FEMALE SMA which means the easier to damage part (the pin) is contained on the antenna.Not so much a "gripe" as a recommendation: I would suggest getting a USB programming cable for initial setup, particularly if you have a lot of local frequencies you want to configure. This is part of why I docked a star: for the price, they could have included a basic programming cable. Even without it though, it's easier to program than several lower end units I've tried.Very good, decent value, easy to use. I can recommend this to new ham operators looking for a low-cost HT.

Great device to have on hand. It has good connectivity. For new users, it is confusing to use. Make sure you read up on it otherwise can be frustrating.

Feels nice and solid in the hand and the screen is very easy to read in daylight and night when it is backlit. It charges easily in it's cradle which clearly indicates the charge status at a glance. The antenna detaches for easy storage if needed which is nice.Menus on device are abbreviated and assume a level of knowledge and sophistication so this is not really beginner friendly unless said person is willing to do a lot of legwork in the form of online homework to learn.

Although sturdy, well built and compact, this frequency radio is not easy to use and and will take time to figure out(which I still trying to do). Apart from that, I love that it has a screen that can be clearly seen, it has dual voice band, and easy to hold. I find that the charging base is firm and strong, which hold the radio nicely and shows when it is fully charged. Finally, I think this product is a good one and I will continue to explore how to fully operate it.

Well constructed, very good battery, a decent amount of range.This radio is confusing and did take awhile to understand it. I still don't understand some functions. The instructions aren't the best.I tested the range with my radios and got about 3km give or take (note that this is in a wooded area)It's weird that it gets better signal when in frequency mode vs channel mode.I'd recommend this product.John -

I got this radio thinking it would be cool to pick up and listen to the frequencies around me. The unit itself is made really well and it comes with a base for recharging. It is not that simple to use, I've been trying for a bit now to get something to come in clear and so far no luck. I am going to keep playing with it but I'd say unless you know what you are doing then I'd go for a simpler one then this.

I was very impressed with the over all make of this product and found that it was very sturdy and some weight to it reinforcing it's ability to last. The charging dock seems to be made of the same good material and the device fits perfectly upright for optimal charging. The device has a big, bright and clear screen which is fantastic especially for a newbie like myself. While I haven't explained all the bands yet, I am really looking forward to using this more and really getting familiar with them. I will say, the device is a little bit confusing to operate but I think I am getting the hang of it and I am so excited to play with it more.