QYT KT 8900R Tri Band 25 Watt FM Tranceiver Review in 4K

[@zing913945]

The video is 2 years old but ............Thanks for the review and excellent pointers ! Your comment at the end about how to correctly enter the tone is exactly what makes you tube a fun place to learn and avoid headaches !

[@12voltvids]

The radio still works great too. The fan started to get noisy and required a drop of oil.

[@SercoTheGreat]

@@12voltvids How about now? Is it still functional? Should I go for Kt-8900R Or a Kt-8900?

[@12voltvids]

@@SercoTheGreat I use it almost every day, exclusively for 220 use to talk with a group of friends that also hang out on 220. It is left turned on 24/7 how does that answer your question about reliability. Just used it about 30 min ago.

[@SercoTheGreat]

@@12voltvids Clear enough. Do you know the difference between 8900R vs 8900 vs 8900D? Thanks for your quick response.

[@12voltvids]

Been using this as my main base rig for over a year. Solid performing. Use it almost exclusively on 220 band.

[@korymichaels6217]

Our radio club had a picnic over the weekend and it was the first time I'd seen these mini-mobile rigs. After looking around I stumbled on this tri-band model. For $80 at Amazon I decided I had nothing to lose. Wow! Everything you need came in the box. The programming cable and software alone would sell separately for $50 from RT Systems. It took a little wile to figure out the programming, but once it was up and running it performed perfectly. Good signal reports using my car's Triband 144/220/440 antenna. Comes with a cigarette lighter attachment (that's typically a $30 upgrade from the big 3 radio makers), so I just plugged it in and was on the air. Though the unit is small the internal speaker sounds fantastic. The microphone is lightweight but has a solid PTT. This is a very sturdy, well-built unit. The front panel buttons are pretty intuitive. I was not able to get the FM reception that 12voltvids demonstrated, however.

[@12voltvids]

This is my main rig I use at home for 144,220 and 440. I have hundreds of hours on mine now and it has performed flawlessly over the past year.

[@Iridium242]

Thanks for the video,Just picked up this rig as an extra radio to install in my work area in the garage away from the shack, very handy little rig

[@davidkgame]

All these new radios coming out of China and yet none of them are doing what a lot of mobile operators in the UK are screaming out for: 1) 10-12/4/2/.70 in one DIN or Double DIN unit with AM/FM and SSB or 2) a 2/70 dual band rig that supports Analog/DMR 1, DMR2, NexGen and D-Star in one unit. P25 too if possible, although it's not used much in the EU so would be more a US/Australia thing. There's a new 2/70 dual band Analog/DMR1/2 handy for about $200 now but it's still quite new. Hopefully it'll prove to be a viable unit and worth a look. And if you wondered why I didn't mention 220 band - it's not in use over here. I think only the US/CA has it for Hams. Over in the UK, at least, it's a combination of DAB public broadcasting (digital consumer radio) and military/Home Office use. 73s de M6DKG

[@TerryMcKean]

220 was nice... years ago I had a little Kenwood 220 H,T back when the band went from 220 to 225 mHz... I haven't thought about that for years... thanks for another nice video and memory-jog. That QYT is a nice set, too. :-)

[@SirJohnRobert]

Thank you for the video.

[@MagicRoosterBluesBand]

This is basically the UV5R with 25 watts at 12V. Almost identical menu and setup.

[@12voltvids]

Last time i checked the uv5r was a dual band. This has 220 and that is what i use it for exclusively. Runs 24/7/365.

[@MagicRoosterBluesBand]

@@12voltvids yes that's true. Actually you can turn a regular UV5R to a 3 band radio as well via software update. I just ordered this mobile and looking forward to using it.

[@giammyzanna]

I got the 8900 to use in the car. It also sounds good for what it is. It runs just a bit too hot during a long qso

[@12voltvids]

It does hot, but so does every radio running full power. I have had long QSO on 220 today. It gets warm, but not too hot. It has a cooling fan.

[@giammyzanna]

I've got the 8900 non R version and it doesn't have a cooling fan but it's slightly smaller which is nice to use in a car. Can you make a video about your ham station?

[@johneverest3679]

I like this little radio, currently own a Kenwood TM-642 tri-bander, but have tucked it away..and like the size of this mini mobile...

[@BillyLapTop]

I thoroughly enjoyed this video. I just ordered this and like you, will dedicate it to 220. According to the Chirp website, they support programming this unit too. We'll see. Thanks for posting this most useful and informative video.

[@12voltvids]

Yes it does. I don't have the cable though so I did it with the microphone.

[@GeorgiaRailfanner]

Quick question I recently got one of these and i tried to transmit on it and it wont transmit. Just wondering if there is a way to fix this.

[@1OFGODSOWN]

Just FYI. that is not a PL-259 connector on the rear of the radio. It's an SO-239 connector.

[@12voltvids]

Pl259 on the coax. Everyone just refers to the plug side. It uses a pl259 plug. Nobody talks about the socket. Same with the wall socket nobody calls it that. Nobody asks where is the electric socket. They ask where can i plug this in.

[@dougtaylor7724]

I always program on the computer and download. Could never punch all those buttons without screwing up. Lol. When you said Burnaby that made me think. Took a few minutes but finally remembered what it was that stood out. Is that that same Burnaby that has the rectangular lake like a runway just off the TC highway?

[@12voltvids]

I haven't used chirp since I bricked a radio when the power failed during a write.

[@chrisrodriguezenator]

This looks exactly like my triband BTech 2501+220 which they stopped making. Interesting that the specs show it going from 400-480, my BTech would receive right up to 520 but I didn't dare transmit there. Wonder if it's the same internals or not? They now make an upgraded dual and quad band version, BTech 25x2 and 25x4 respectively.

[@12voltvids]

This one goes 136.000 to 174.995, 200 to 270.995, 400 - 480.995 full power (tested into dummy load) out of the box.

[@urbexsophie]

also possible on 4khz ?

[@Scotty_in_Ohio]

Inspired me to dust off my HT's and possibly put my FT-2800M back in my pickup truck or just put in my shack and get one of these for mobile... Thanks for the review!

[@Scaliad]

Is it possible to turn off the microphone backlight?

[@12voltvids]

No but my yaeau and icom also have full time lights on the microphone. If you open the mic and disconnect the LEDs they will be out.

[@Scaliad]

@@12voltvids Thanks... maybe I can add a switch...

[@Scaliad]

@@12voltvids Seems silly that it isn't controlled by ABR.

[@12voltvids]

@@Scaliad sure why not. Just LEDs

[@12voltvids]

@@Scaliad lights up for use in the car in the dark

[@whytebredd]

do you know if this would work on digital modes using that data port?

[@RodgerMyers]

Hi , im looking at this fadio on Temu $107 .i move mobile kmes and am having a hard time having goid vommunication with the escort behind the metal sided and roofed 14x70 mobile home . Had a close call the other day because the CBs were lacking . Could i install one of these in my toter and snother in the escort and get better , morecteliable vommunication ? Is the antennae comnection the same as a cb ? Thankd in advance

[@12voltvids]

You need your amateur radio operators license to use these. If you run unlicensed the local hams will make it a game to hunt you down.

[@pauldelany-g7p]

Hi great presentation i have a q,,when i tx on a repeater i have a carrir wave but no audio,can you suggest anything please, should i do a factory reset? If so how do i do that please

[@12voltvids]

I'm assuming you have verified the microphone is working.

[@pauldelany-g7p]

I checked the internal wiring looks fine.

[@cmj20002]

I like these little radios. I still need to get my HAM ticket. I just don't ever seem to have time and no place to mount an antenna for a base radio, but I can do mobile.

[@GodzillaGoesGaga]

Just do it. Commit a Saturday to it and you're done !!

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

You can program it with CHIRP.

[@12voltvids]

Yes

[@the1spyderryder]

I dont know about yours BUT my radio has an FCC STICKER AND NUMBER.

[@bigchew3149]

ok i realize this is a older video but i Just have 2 questions ..One will this Transmit on GMRS frequency's and Two ..Has it got a Rodger beep/end of transmission beep whatever its called now days ( i know most hams love them) so that's a must have .lol. ? ? Thanks ! I am looking at this as a inexpensive radio's to put n my tractor & maybe one in my farm truck & This is the reason i was wondering About the Transmitting on the GMRS freq's I am Licensed for that atm and working on getting my tech license an just want something cheep to listen on 2 meeter But i Talk on GMRS ! Thanks again !

[@12voltvids]

Yes it will go to gmrs afaik. I have never used it there and fir that matter i use this as a dedicated 220 rig. It covers the 2m 220 and 440 abd beyond but i don't operate out of band. No it does not have a Roger beep. Try that on the ham bands and just like those that use an echo mic you will be branded a "lid" pretty quick. That is only acceptable if your call sign ends in lid.

[@bigchew3149]

@@12voltvids ok cool & o yea i know how them old farts arei have ben into radios sense i was 7-8 yo..i run a small shop for years as well & es they hate them they will cry,bitch n moan about them ha ha ha an i would turn 5 on just to get them fired up..lol.! thnks for the info

[@12voltvids]

@@bigchew3149 Roger beeps make you sound like a 10-4 good buddy cb'er. Most repeaters already have one to indicate when the alligator resets.

[@bigchew3149]

@@12voltvids i know but like i said i have ben into radios for 35+ years an dont care what any body thinks about me so to speek im a grown man but with a teenagers sense of humor..lol.! But i dont mess with repeaters I know But simplex is where it is entertaining to listen to them whine an cry like a bunch of baby's that need a time out or something..especially the older grumpy know it all's every town has at least 2-3 im sure you know the type !

[@12voltvids]

@@bigchew3149 I have you beat. I started back in 1976. So 46 years for me. Back then it was CB radio and then I got my ham ticket in the 80s. Simplex is good for local, but my friends are all just too far away for simplex communication. Even using high gain antennas and 50 watts we are just too far apart to talk without a repeater. For about 20 years I had my own UHF repeater but it broke down about 10 years ago, and then I lost the site I was using when the old apartment that had the repeater located on top of the elevator was torn down and new condos went up. I hear a lot of "lids" on the air these days. I still talk to the regulars from time to time. I don't bother with HF as it is just too noisy where I live. S9 noise 24 hours a day is the norm around here.

[@kareneighth6045]

On a programmed channel, I am unable to skip it for scanning. Also, can’t change power level on programmed channel.

[@marksandquist4275]

you have to set scan on or off when programming the channel it won't change after. delete the channel, go back to vfo and re enter it and menu 16 set scan add to off then save channel.

[@evandro37]

whats the power on 220 mhz? 😮

[@12voltvids]

5 / 25

[@evandro37]

@@12voltvids ok good i will buy.. after see your vídeo

[@glennfink8384]

I was hoping to see it scanning.

[@12voltvids]

Never have scanned with it. For me this is a dedicated 220 radio.

[@AUCTIONCAT2011]

Would like to see how far from radio to radio vhf without towers for use in emergency.

[@12voltvids]

Well that depends on terrain right. VHF is line of sight and 25 watts will cover 30 or so miles nicely. Beyond that then the earths curve gets in the way. We use repeaters up on the mountain for longer distance, and these are built with power backup in many installations for emergency situations. Some have solar, and other have a small diesel generator on site.

[@whytebredd]

get your licenssseeeeee

[@12voltvids]

@@whytebredd if you are directing that at me, I am a licensed ham. Have had my ticket for over 30 years.

[@CarlosFelipeRequiao]

Please, In VFO mode how do you switch between the 3 bands?

[@12voltvids]

You key in the desired frequency using the numeric buttons on the hand microphone.

[@CarlosFelipeRequiao]

@@12voltvids Thank you! I have the 8900 without R and in the manual it says that if I power on the radio while pressing F key with a correct password (wich I don´t know ) I can choose between 3 different bands: 136 to 174, 240 to 270 or 400 to 480 but... 73 de PY5CL

[@12voltvids]

@@CarlosFelipeRequiao Perhaps your radio is locked? Mine doesn't have a password. Mine manual says the same, and that is for setting a password and band range limit, but it shouldn't be set. I just press v/m key on the radio and I can enter any frequency and it will transmit and receive. Yes it can go out of band, so it is important to know what the band limits are for your country and operate only in those limits.

[@CarlosFelipeRequiao]

@@12voltvids Thank you again! What happens if you power it on holding F key? My radio should not work on 220MHz band but there´s a Asian version that does (144 / 240MHz) just thought it would be the same radio locked by a password. Sorry my poor english. 73

[@davidgrant2725]

does this radio have the scramble feature my chinese 220 retevis has it

[@12voltvids]

yes it does but i didn't demonstrate this because it is illegal to use voice scrambling on the amateur bands. I demonstrated only the most common features, how to set an offset, how to program it for repeaters and how to set the CTCSS tone. It also features DCS and DTMF squelch, dual receive, wide and narrow band. Lots of features, too many to show in a demo video. This was to show how to program, and that it does indeed tune to the 220 ham band despite the spec only listing 240-260 receive. This is incorrect, it does indeed transmit on the 220 band. That was the specific reason I got this radio, because most of the guys I talk to have moved to 220 to get away from the "CB" operators that have destroyed the 2 meter band. Down on 2 meters it is impossible to have a QSO without someone throwing carriers, playing music, making animal sounds or belching on the air. 440 is almost as bad. 220 is nice and quiet.

[@frogmedia]

@12voltvids Do you know where I can find the manual for this radio? Many thanks!

[@12voltvids]

I'm holding it in my hand now. I can scan it for you if you wish. This radio is my daily driver for my base radio setup.

[@frogmedia]

@@12voltvids , I would be REALLLY grateful if you could. You can then send me a download link or I can provide an email adress, as you prefer.

[@12voltvids]

@@frogmedia Currently I don't have it in digital format. Just the 24 page English printed manual.

[@frogmedia]

@@12voltvids if you can scan and send via email to [e-mail] I would be extremely grateful!

[@donschneider7252]

the manual is free on line from several sources

[@Steve-tr7400a]

I believe you mentioned in one of the threads below that you put this radio on your power meter. Could you please share your findings for the power output on the 3 bands. Other videos show the dual band version of this radio falls a little short of the claimed power output. Thanks.

[@12voltvids]

Yup I can shoot another one with the power meter connected.

[@dreamweaver3676]

Thanks for the video update

[@EastAngliaUK]

wow 25 watts seem a lot in the UK I think the most is 4 watts but that could be for other bands.

[@12voltvids]

CB radio is limited to 4 watts, but hams can have substantially more mower. My license allows me 2000 watts however I never run more than about 200.

[@klcbsoft]

A maybe stupid question from someone who knows nothing about HAM, but you seem to be savvy in this field too: I've noticed the peculiar shape of power transistors used in hi-wattage HAM-radio-amps; like this => i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-KUAAOSw-29ZU8DF/s-l1600.jpg or these => i.ebayimg.com/images/g/DHAAAOSwrhhZ95~c/s-l1600.jpg Are these packages beneficial for RF-shielding or power dissipation, or is it to prevent unwanted oscillations? Thanks in advance!

[@12voltvids]

These are RF power transistors and are used in the final power amplifier section usually in VHF and UHF radios. I will be doing an FM transmitter tear down video soon, as I was sent a small FM transmitter to show off and evaluate. They claim it is rated at 5 watts, which is allot of power. I was hoping to use this thing for my test transmitter for FM radio service, as the one I use now has barely enough power to go 5 feet. This sample should, into a dummy load radiate enough to give me a full quiet signal around the shop. (5 watts would be enough to cover a small town if put into a proper antenna with some height.)

[@davidkgame]

4 watts on FM for CB. AM/SSB is allowed up to 10 (may be 12?) If memory serves. There are 3 levels of Amateur license in the UK. Foundation (M6/M3 callsign) - allowed up to 10 watts and limited to certain bands Intermediate (2x0 callsign where x = country code, E,M,W,I) - allowed up to 50 watts and some more bands Full (M0, M1, G0 through G8 callsign) - allowed up to several hundred watts depending on band. All UK legal amateur bands permitted.

[@12voltvids]

There used to be several licence classes in Canada, now there are 2 main class of license.. Basic operators are permitted to have up to 250 watts input to collector or anode on power amplifier. In terms of output power into a tuned antenna this translates to 560 watts PEP for SSB and 190 watts carrier for other types of emissions. An advanced operator is permitted 1000 watts input power to collector or anode of output tube. This translates to 2250 watts PEP for SSB and 750 watts carrier power for other types of emissions. Regardless of class, operation is permitted in all bands, no code is required for HF bands anymore.

[@oggyosbourne]

Yeah a know that is a pain in the butt to program a Baofeng UV-5R. I have done it and it was annoying to program it. But a did get the program cable for it then a could disable transmit on all channels that am not allowed to transmit on with no HAM license that a don't have yet but a will get it in the future. Nice video like always Dave!

[@12voltvids]

Boafeng UV-5R is a pain to program, bt this one is relatively easy from the microphone

[@Scotty_in_Ohio]

Markus - did you get your ticket? Hope you did welcome to the hobby!

[@GodzillaGoesGaga]

I've used CHIRP for both. Really easy to use. Just make sure you use a dummy load when programming as the UV-5R tries to transmit during programming !!!!

[@9W3KYY]

Just got thr QYT 8900D version, programming would be easier with a cable

[@12voltvids]

Don't have a cable and only had to put a few frequencies in. Took me about 10 minutes

[@shaun9107]

Dose anyone still use CB Radio .......?

[@12voltvids]

shaun lomas Well they still sell them so I am sure that some people do.

[@davidkgame]

Can't speak for the US, but in the UK we have a lot of foreign truck drivers on long haul trips from the EU. We have 2 CB bands here, the UK 40 (which are the same freqs as the US but with FM rather than AM modulation) and EU40 which are on different freqs but AM/FM/SSB is allowed. We've JUST now started to allow AM and SSB on UK legal rigs, so you get a lot of Polish, Czech etc. drivers yapping to each other on the EU bands and the UK band is now pretty much referred to as the "Muppet band" where you get the sweary music blaring morons who are too thidk to pass their Ham ticket! It does still come in handy when you're jammed up on a motorway though and need to know what's causing the tailback.

[@cmj20002]

I do. It is still somewhat popular. Not like in the 70's, but that was do to cell phones coming out, they killed CB.

[@parrotheadlasvegas]

I’m a long haul trucker in the USA and quite a lot of us still use CB 😉 I’ve also got my Tech amateur license and a couple of radios with an 8900D on the way 😎 73 from WX2HOT 👍

[@the1spyderryder]

It programs just like Baofeng

[@lyerger8232]

But gee, I didn't hear you give you call sigh. :>(

[@12voltvids]

Not on the video I didn't.

[@nordwinds2561]

Second comment 😀