QYTKT-8900D Dual Band Mini Car Radio Mobile Transceiver VHF UHF Compact Design

This is small but powerful, as most ratings go, it says 25 watts, but puts out about 22 watts on my meter. It has good voice quality. Manual warns only use high power for emergencies, medium is about 15, low about 5 watts. Overused on high, repair is a replacement final transistor.

Before this I only had an UV-5R. Now this mobile is day and night difference. I love it. I can listen and hit repeats I couldn't before and more consistent.Audio quality for me is very good. Note I have limited experience with radio brands.Currently have no complains.Software to program:Couldn't make chirp work with it, even though there seems to be some work around to make it work.I used the software from the manufacturer. Software could be better but it gets the job done.I have only transmitted to repeaters using the maximum power and a small magnetic tram cheap antenna without any issue.It will live always on my truck. Now commutes are more enjoyable having a consistent radio not just a handy.Currently powering from lighter adapter, no issue.All reviews about this radio I have seen on YouTube seems to be correct. The radio performs very good. If you have some doubts, pickup any YouTube video they all say the same thing and that it's what you'll get.

Programming cable will not work.I'll try and make a long story short. The manufacturer of the programming cable got tired of the constant Windows 11 driver updates. Instead of doing their job, they had a temper tantrum and made the programing cable not work with anything newer than Windows 10. Or something like that, is what I found digging around anyway.If you're buying this radio and have an operating system newer than Windows 10, buy an aftermarket programming cable as well.

When I received it it didn't have the GMRS channels that I needed. Contacted the company and received a quick reply on how to correct the issue. Great customer service.

I just got this a few days ago and I have been playing with it, trying to get to know it. I am a total N00B at HAM so any Elmers can feel free to skip ahead.First, you will need to get the proper antenna for it. It's a brick until you have the antenna.Second, you'll need to get Chirp software to program it. It's FREE of charge. You can try manually entering channels or just scanning, but it's sort of a brick until you get it properly programmed. (I got a fill from my local HAM club with all the interesting local frequencies and repeaters.)Third, before you can program it, you'll probably have to get the correct driver for your included data cable. The cable included with the radio may or may not be a knockoff of another manufacturer's cable. When you plug it in, it attempts to install the most recent driver, which has been programmed by the manufacturer to prevent knockoff cables from functioning. You will need to go online, download the 2007-era driver, and replace the current driver in your Device Manager to get the cable to work. If you don't the radio is kind of a brick.Once you get the proper antenna, Chirp program (Did I mention it's free?), local channels list, and a functional cable to load the radio, you're in business. And it works. If you're a n00b like me, don't lose hope. Just keep reading or watching youboob vids and fiddling to figure it out.That being said, it works. I would rate it 3 out of 5 overall. It's closer to a 4 than a 2. I would give it 4 for function and 2 for user friendliness out of the box if you're not already an experienced HAMateur. Audio is decent. I might come back and up the vote in the future after I've played with it more.

purchased first unit two years ago - it is still working FB after two seasons in the stinking hot and humid sun of my station wagon, outlasting a cheap mag-mount 2M shorty... but i'm taking off a star for this one due to a counterfeit pl2303 USB programming cable; fortunately, any FTDI cable with RX (tip), TX (sleeve), and GND will work to program this rig via CHIRP and I had a sparethe cable was recognized under GNU/Linux as a Prolific with a serial number of '0,' indicating it is counterfeit! but because Linux works when other OS quits, you could use the cable to program the radio - it would not work w/Winblows or OS Xi have four favorite VHF freqs on the display: two local repeaters, the local NOAA WX, and the marine VHF calling freq so i can listen to bridge tenders and other marine traffictransmission power on VHF is as advertised: 10W on Low ('L' on the display) and 25-6W on High ('H' on the display)have used the rig for rag chews and radio checks and a few local nets; it works, it's small, and only draws 4 amps on high-power transmit - works just fine out of a cig lighter outlet under the center console armrestno trouble programming the unit at all with CHIRP; i can copy freq lists from other rigs such as the FT-897 or FT-818 and paste them into this rigs image file and upload...glad i now have two - one will be installed in the garage, as i can hit the local repeater from a short antenna off the workbench... good for hurricane watch duty down here in the near Tropics...recommended if you're on a budget but want good bang for your buck

I like everything about this radio. I thought the menus were intuitive and the manual explained each function quite well. Unless you have to have more power than this one I think this radio is a tremendous value. It is less than half the cost of a radio that has more power. I plan on using it to communicate between Jeeps on the trails. This is everything I need.Probably wasn't necessary but I ran 16 gauge wire to a relay connected to the battery. The relay turns on with the key. I wanted to make sure the radio was getting all the current it needed without any voltage drop. The fuse is only 7 amps so it can't be using too much current.