QB25 Quad Band Radio Review

[@foreheadlstudios2936]

Just got one of these from Radioddity, and your video was the most thorough and helpful of any I've seen. Thanks so much, and 73!

[@jimcombs6760]

I really liked this video. I purchased the package on the recommendation of a friend of mine, and I haven’t been disappointed. Thanks again from a brand new amateur radio operator!

[@waynemurakami6368]

Just got my QB-25, had lots of problems with programming using CPS software and CHIP. Thanks to your great video, all my problems were solve! Many Thanks!

[@dustymccraw7715]

in for one. nice DB25 package with everything needed. thanks for the discount code :)

[@dantucker7390]

Thanks for a thorough review!

[@GadgetTalk4U]

You're welcome! 👍

[@davidthompson362]

I live in Mesa, AZ, I have been able to hit the white tanks repeater with it and I have used it to talk on the California condor net using an ntax portable j pole. It's an amazing, powerful little radio but a bit tricky to program by hand, it takes some patience that's for sure

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Thanks for sharing

[@gaptastic]

very informative review. thank you. I ended up getting this radio, thank you!

[@captlarry-3525]

sold under many names QYT, Btech, and etc. A good bicycle/motorcycle radio. Completely expendible.

[@mrbyamile6973]

I agree with expendable, I removed an expensive Yaesu and stuck this in my work truck in case it gets broken into. I work downtown a large city that has been getting sketchy

[@stratguy5150]

Do you have any experience with the anytone 778uv? It’s another one I’ve been looking at. I think it will listen to two frequencies at once (I think that’s called dual watch?) and is around the same size and price. Also, do you have any experience with a wedge type mount that goes between the seat and console?

[@GadgetTalk4U]

I'm not familiar with wedge mounts. Seems those things work well when they happen to match the car you're targeting. If it's with Amazon, try and return, if necessary. The Anytone radio is also marketed as the Retevis RT 95. Check other KZbin reviews for both. The QB 25 looks to be the same radio as the DB25 also sold by Radioddity. Different firmware likely, though the QB 25 may have a set of final amplifiers for 1.25 meters that cause the click when scanning. So many of these Chinese radios come from the same factories with different branding and slightly different firmware. When the price difference is minimal find a retailer you trust to stand behind the product. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@honeybadger6127]

can you tell me if the headphone/mic jack is a TRRS jack (like the QYT 7900D)?

[@normnpat]

Love this little radio, have had in my Buick Enclave for almost 4 years. I use a mag mount on the roof and route through the back door. I purchased a second QB 25 because my experience with chinese small mobile radios is that they last for about a year. Liked this so much I purchased a second one for standby. Still have new in the box as the original one is still doing great. I have the radio under the center arm rest and plug into the outlet on the rear of the console. The mic is pretty hot so I just hold about arms length from my mouth. Continue to get good reports. I also use on 1.25 cm occasionally. If anything happens to these two radios, I'll just buy a couple more. With the antenna included this is one of the best buy in amateur radio.

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers.

[@davidg5308]

Thx for the review - so after a year +, what do you think? I'm looking for a small tri-bander (active on 220) and this one is still around and seems a good option for not much $.

[@GadgetTalk4U]

It's in my pickup still. I like the quad display so I can monitor 4 repeaters or 3 plus VHF call. There is a relay that clicks when accessing 220 frequencies. Unless I'm using a 220, I leave them off scan lists. Still like it.

[@treefly2]

Are you going to be doing a review and tutorial on the Radioddity DB25-G? I hope you will soon.

[@TheOnlyInformant]

So using the CPS, is there a way to change the offset for repeater? Or do I set the offset by manually changing the Tx frequency?

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Enter the receive and transmit frequencies separately using the correct offset. I always have Repeaterbook.com open when programming to ensure I do the math right!

[@canaweb]

Great video! What is the model and brand of the cupholder mount you used?

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Sorry for the late reply. Here is a link to it on Amazon: amzn.to/3ix5zI5

[@ebazz1]

Good video. Very informative. I'm going to purchase one of these radios. Can you run 25 watts continuous or do you run on the low setting? I'll be using Chirp to program the radio. Thank you. Ernest Bazzinotti KC1LKB

[@GadgetTalk4U]

I use the high setting most of the time. It can get hot on the heat sink top but I do more listening than talking. Transmitting is what heats it up.

[@southjersey10]

I took a risk, for me, since I reallyyyyyyyy don’t like programming radios. When I heard that both transmit and receive frequencies needed to be program separately that was almost a deal breaker. But I ordered a unit today (Thursday before Black Friday 2021) to give me something to play around with. I don’t anticipate populating more than 20 channels - the number of active 2 meter repeaters in my area - so programming may not be a big challenge in the end. Thanks for the review …. Mark

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Try the CPS. Getting 20 channels in will be a snap. You can also customize your welcome screen with a fun message and your call sign. Have fun and happy holidays.

[@EverydayATV]

Nice review, thanks. I have a DB20-G and I have the display set to not display dual channel, rather it displays 1 channel with both the name and frequency displayed. Does this radio allow you to not have to show 4 channels at one time? I’d rather just see a single with the name and frequency. Thanks.

[@vk2acm]

Yes you can

[@bhamaudio]

Thanks for the video. Newbie here. I was looking over the specs of a few models on their website. This model does not list the details of TX/RX freq's and watts, (unless I missed it), like their other models do. Can you confirm the transmit and receive frequencies. Thanks

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Check page 33 of the User Manual.

[@stratguy5150]

I’m new to all this and still learning/ studying for my ham test. I’ve got a couple questions about this radio. Does it monitor all four frequencies that are on the display? Will it not transmit on gmrs because it’s not able to or because it illegal?

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Brandon, you have the ability to choose which of the 4 displayed channels it will monitor in menu 0 - the TMR menu item. You can also set channels for scanning in your channel list. That's menu 16 - also via the CPS. The frequency range covers the GMRS frequencies. Legally you can listen but not transmit on those channels. To legally transmit on GMRS channels, the radio must be Part 95 certified.

[@stratguy5150]

@@GadgetTalk4U Thanks, I may be back to ask more questions. I’m looking for my first radio and some of the terminology is still confusing.

[@BenjoSevilla-m5q]

There is no mic gain adjustment and everyone is telling me that it is TOO loud. When I emailed support, they just recommended to put a tape over the mic hole and make a pin hole to reduce the mic volume. I have tried talking way far from the mic which then ends up picking up road noise. How is you experience with the mic gain? Any other suggestion? 73

[@GadgetTalk4U]

I haven't had that problem, but have heard of it. Changing the size of the case's hole is a common solution, both shrinking and enlarging.

[@cboutdoors9120]

quick question! I installed this radio in my vehicle and was wondering if its possible to turn off the lights on the mic, while leaving the display lit up? I cant seem to find in the manual a setting to change this. Setting the screen to black with white numbers works well for night driving but the bright orange lights on the mic are a little much at night! Im sure its just a matter of finding the right setting, but can't seem to find it. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

[@GadgetTalk4U]

I haven't found a mic light setting either. Sorry.

[@davidautry4857]

Do you have a link to the cup holder mount?

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Here it is: amzn.to/452SoTL

[@GeorgiaBoyJake]

How did you get the callsign at the bottom?

[@GeorgiaBoyJake]

Never mind found it in Chirp.

[@dillanthevillan6538]

Why does amature sound like Amada , in nz it's amat-ture.what ever chirp we use I guess...jolly good show

[@DePalma.]

Analog or digital?

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Analog

[@DePalma.]

@@GadgetTalk4U thank you…keep up the good videos😋

[@michaelhancock5487]

I have one of these, and it clicks every time it changes channels while scanning, on all frequencies.

[@GadgetTalk4U]

This is addressed in one of the other comments, but basically, if you have a 1.25 meter frequency in your scan list or in one of the 4 registers on the display, when the 1.25 meter freq is accessed with the TMR (menu 0) set to access that position a relay in the radio switches to some 1.25 meter circuitry and clicks. Either don't scan 1.25 m or only scan 1.25 m. Accessing that band causes the click. Interesting quirk. Thanks for commenting. Cheers.

[@michaelhancock5487]

@@GadgetTalk4U my clicks are occurring mostly on 2 meters.

[@sitinorkhadijahshamsudin7546]

how to bluetooth

[@dillanthevillan6538]

All those ones are clones of a baofang 4x50 txy lupiton etc etc..and are quite good.espesially for a GO-BOX ,..or a battery same size under long,wrap it and a waterproof mic,and you have a good wattanpack to snuggle your ribss in the hills on a cold cloudy windy night,don't forget a good bodytenna to warm up.if the thought doesn't do it...look up squalo antenna,it could be a box or your chair frame,also tree antenna..ground in ground steak or roots..antenna goes loops/coils vertical, lentharound tree abouve one meter,7coil sould do apparently..60s usa mil-rx study. Or just drone up a HT repeater abouve the hills

[@markpickar3279]

Thanks for a very instructive and helpful video! I am wondering if the DB25 from Radioddity is basically the same in the software and menus as the QB25. Also, do you know of any headsets or speaker mics that work with the nonstandard jack at the back of the radio?

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Sorry , no. Most jacks like this are either 2.5 or 3.5 millimeter. Maybe an adapter?

[@robertlucas6426]

My radio (QB 25 )May have( died ) I can only get about 12watts out of it and it has high swr on UHF . Radioodity is giving me a hard time with the warranty return and replacement . I like the radio but not the runaround I am getting from Radioodity. KD2VIP

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Sorry things are not going smoothly for you. Your SWR comment raises a question. SWR is a function of the antenna system not the radio. Driving SWR down requires tuning the antenna. If your SWR is high that's probably also why the power is low. Find a video on tuning mobile antennas and make sure your coax is not shorted out or has cold solder joints at the connectors. Coax for mobile antennas are pretty cheap. Good luck.

[@dougtaylor7724]

I noticed it goes up to 174mhz. Does it actually transmit all the way up the band or it that just RX?

[@GadgetTalk4U]

It is a business radio, so it will transmit to those frequencies.

[@gaptastic]

So I got the radio, everything about is horrible. DO NOT BUY, DO NOT BUY!!!! The OEM CPS software is the worse there is, so expect to manually input all your channels (whether from the mic or CPS). You get what you pay for and this is overpriced for what I received.

[@gaptastic]

holding down the v/m button does not display the freq of the memory. I assume that was the last freq yuo added via vfo. This radio is crap, DO NOT BUY!

[@GadgetTalk4U]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with this radio. While programming in a bunch of channels in the CPS isn't hard, it can be tedious. I have this mounted in my truck and it's my daily mobile. I've had no issues. Thanks for sharing your experience.