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Seems to be a clone of a Yaesu FT 8900, but with more capabilities (like RX on AM in 10-11M which would be good in a SHTF situation) and some other wider freq ranges (including FSR/GMRS?).
It is also two thirds the cost of the Yaesu.
Reading reviews are mixed. On Amazon most seem to like it with a few getting duds. On ham sites, it seems about 50-50 with the older the review (back to 2014) the worse it gets. With a few duds, some having problems after 6 months to a year, and so on.
Maybe TYT got better quality over time?
A ham I used to be in the USCG recommended it to me when I asked him about the Yaesu.
I really like the fact that it has 10-11M AM RX as listening to CB band and others could be valuable, even if just driving down the highway on a normal day. There seems to be some controversy as to whether it can transmit AM on 10-11M.
My goal is to have one or more mobile radios with more than just 2M/70cm capabilities for my rigs. I would like to have a C4FM Yaesu but as far as I know they don't make any quad band C4FM mobile rigs, and Yaesu has their freqs locked down so that they are FCC type accepted. Plus, Yaesu rigs are 50% to several times as expensive. The TH9800 is $200, which means I could afford 4 to 5 of them for the cost of one Yaesu C4FM rig.
I do not have intentions of using freqs outside those spec'd by the FCC except possibly in an emergency (which is legal to do in a real emergency), but I want the ability to do so, and I especially want at least the ability to listen to CB band without having another radio.
Cross band repeat would be very useful - I could see having to leave my vehicle in an emergency (like coming up on a car wreck and having to help) and using a handheld on 70cm to transmit on 2M via CBR with higher power from the mobile rig.
Same from my house - being out on the property and using a handheld to call for help via a CBR setup in the house - or to reach neighbors using handhelds/etc.
There is also a 'scrambler' built in? Yes, I know this is illegal for ham - but in an SHTF situation...
Thoughts?
It is also two thirds the cost of the Yaesu.
Reading reviews are mixed. On Amazon most seem to like it with a few getting duds. On ham sites, it seems about 50-50 with the older the review (back to 2014) the worse it gets. With a few duds, some having problems after 6 months to a year, and so on.
Maybe TYT got better quality over time?
A ham I used to be in the USCG recommended it to me when I asked him about the Yaesu.
I really like the fact that it has 10-11M AM RX as listening to CB band and others could be valuable, even if just driving down the highway on a normal day. There seems to be some controversy as to whether it can transmit AM on 10-11M.
My goal is to have one or more mobile radios with more than just 2M/70cm capabilities for my rigs. I would like to have a C4FM Yaesu but as far as I know they don't make any quad band C4FM mobile rigs, and Yaesu has their freqs locked down so that they are FCC type accepted. Plus, Yaesu rigs are 50% to several times as expensive. The TH9800 is $200, which means I could afford 4 to 5 of them for the cost of one Yaesu C4FM rig.
I do not have intentions of using freqs outside those spec'd by the FCC except possibly in an emergency (which is legal to do in a real emergency), but I want the ability to do so, and I especially want at least the ability to listen to CB band without having another radio.
Cross band repeat would be very useful - I could see having to leave my vehicle in an emergency (like coming up on a car wreck and having to help) and using a handheld on 70cm to transmit on 2M via CBR with higher power from the mobile rig.
Same from my house - being out on the property and using a handheld to call for help via a CBR setup in the house - or to reach neighbors using handhelds/etc.
There is also a 'scrambler' built in? Yes, I know this is illegal for ham - but in an SHTF situation...
Thoughts?