Out of the box, the radio is severely limited. The default programming is almost entirely useless and a beginner will want to do a lot of research or find a friend to help update the firmware, unlock and put appropriate channel and repeater codes in for your area. When you've done all that, you have a radio comparable to a Baofeng BF-8_ with 8 Watt transmit capability. The next recommended upgrade is the antenna, I attached a Nagoya 771 and found SWR & TX power ratings ranging from SWR 1.3-1.7 Power 6.5-7.3W when running several GMRS channels, 70cm and 2M freqs. Others have reported issues connecting to Chirp, I did not when using the included programming cable. Again, for a beginner this may make just making a basic setup to get this radio to talk to others and repeaters more complicated than others in the same price range.
I found the extended battery a nice feature but discovered it would charge nearer full capacity with the USB-C port than the charging base. The base charging light was unstable/flickering even when the unit seemed to be firmly seated- I had to remove and reseat several times to get it to display properly.
The color display is a nice feature and adequately bright to read outdoor in bright daylight, direct sun required turning my body or using a hand to shade it- still a good display at this price point.
I had one MAJOR peculiarity that I can only attribute to a minor assembly issue, but for a user not recognizing it - it could be a disastrous malfunction. I found the PTT (Push-To-Talk) button stuck ONCE. Quickly recognizing it by feel when released, I quickly pressed/toggled the button and felt it seem to click or seat into place properly. After turning it off, pressing the button repeatedly to make sure it felt correct I turned it back on and confirmed with other operators that it was working as intended. I have had worse defects on a new car off the assembly line, I will come back to update the review if it presents any further problem.
Bottom line: While slightly more expensive than a couple other radios in this class, the upgraded features of larger battery, USB programming, color display, 8W output (new users, this has VERY minor advantages over 5W- do not base your choice on the 3W- your antenna, height/terrain make a much greater difference). And for the most advanced users, the 999 channel capability is a plus they will recognize over the 512 offered by most in this category.
I found the extended battery a nice feature but discovered it would charge nearer full capacity with the USB-C port than the charging base. The base charging light was unstable/flickering even when the unit seemed to be firmly seated- I had to remove and reseat several times to get it to display properly.
The color display is a nice feature and adequately bright to read outdoor in bright daylight, direct sun required turning my body or using a hand to shade it- still a good display at this price point.
I had one MAJOR peculiarity that I can only attribute to a minor assembly issue, but for a user not recognizing it - it could be a disastrous malfunction. I found the PTT (Push-To-Talk) button stuck ONCE. Quickly recognizing it by feel when released, I quickly pressed/toggled the button and felt it seem to click or seat into place properly. After turning it off, pressing the button repeatedly to make sure it felt correct I turned it back on and confirmed with other operators that it was working as intended. I have had worse defects on a new car off the assembly line, I will come back to update the review if it presents any further problem.
Bottom line: While slightly more expensive than a couple other radios in this class, the upgraded features of larger battery, USB programming, color display, 8W output (new users, this has VERY minor advantages over 5W- do not base your choice on the 3W- your antenna, height/terrain make a much greater difference). And for the most advanced users, the 999 channel capability is a plus they will recognize over the 512 offered by most in this category.
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