LX VV-898 Dual Band VHF/UHF 136-174/400-470MHz 10W DTMF Veicolare Bibanda 60dB, Programming Cable Included

Very disappointed with the radio. Unlike others, I was ok with the programming and I think the hardware is well built, but there were a few software bugs that made this really suspect. On a few programmed channels, it would key up and lock on transmit for 8 seconds after. I think if and when they update the firmware this will be a good radio, but until then it scares me to operate. I returned the unit.

This was the second one of these that I have had in a week and just like the first one it would not power on unless you pressed the power button before you turned on the power supply.

Functional. But you get what you pay for. Programming is not intuitive, nor does the manual (in Chinglish) really help. It's not compatible with Chirp--although it does have its own version of programming software. The software--again functional, but not intuitive.I opened it up (warranty be damned) to look at the internal construction. It has two small circuit boards. Everything was surface-mount and completely embedded in black epoxy. No, when it finally stops working, this is a totally disposable radio.It works, sounds decent on the air (the mic element needs a bit more base frequencies) and is TINY. So remember--you get what you pay for.

I like this radio, though I didn't expect much when I ordered it. I checked the RF output with a Bird watt-metre and a dummy load on both VHF and UHF. The output was nine watts on both bands, which is more than I had anticipated. Chinese radios are usually 'optimistic' about the output power, especially with UHF. The TX audio is crisp and adequately loud, even without the compander. I haven't found a compatible after-market mic yet, but any weakness in the transmit audio is likely found in the cheap microphone and not the circuitry.Cons:Reception on 220 MHz (1.25M) is virtually non-existent, which is my biggest disappointment with this radio. Sure, if you have an HT within 100 yards it will pick it up. But local 1.25M repeaters that my HT receives fine with a stock duck aren't there at all with a 1/4-wave antenna. Nothing whatsoever.The radio has an annoying habit of "popping" on any frequency without tone squelch set. There's no signal present, but a "pop" will come out of the speaker regardless of how high you set the squelch. This makes scanning tedious, and I quickly removed repeaters without tone squelch from the scan. Bear this in mind if you do a lot of simplex operation.The quality of the RX audio is about standard for Chinese HTs. There's a headphone jack, but it doesn't improve the quality. I found it to be adequate, but it's not a strong point.The included power cable is ridiculously short (about three feet), but it's easy to add on to it. The "T" connector is a bit different, and it's not easy to fit cables from other, similar radios with it.Pros:Aside from tests with a variety of exterior antennae, I use this indoors in my study with an indoor mag-mount whip. The extra RF output allows me to get in to most repeaters quite well, where a 5W HT with the same arrangement made me readable but not strong. Transmitting causes no interference with my TV, stereo or computer (except for a pair of very cheap PC speakers that can't handle any RF at all). The VV-898 takes up very little space on my desk, and requires very little in the way of a power supply.The programming software is typical for Chinese radios, though it is pretty easy to re-arrange channels. Power levels can set differently for each individual channel, but not squelch. The radio 'knows' to use 0.6 MHz and 5.0 offsets for VHF and UHF. You can set different CTCSS/DCS codes for RX and TX, if you need to. It's not very difficult to program manually, either.Using a bit less than 2A, it can be run off of the lighter jack in a car or off a marine deep-cycle battery. Leixen sells an AC switching power supply for about $12.There are no "pots" to get dirty and crackly, either.Though it isn't certified for these uses, it can function as a VHF marine radio, MURS, or as a *repeater-capable* GMRS rig. With WX radio and FM broadcast reception, I could see this as a nice camping/cabin radio that could function as a base and reach boats or hikers with MURS or GMRS hand-helds.I'd like to get a second for use as a mobile. I think that I could mount it in my cup-holder or my stash box between the seats.

This radio is quirky and a bit difficult to program, but that's just the interface. The manuals menu listings are off by a few. However, once you figure it out, it's a great little radio. Dual band transmit, quad band receive. Remember, it's a cheap radio. But, you do get your money's worth from it. Buy one, get your license and talk. Keep this alive.NOTE: The only thing I don't like about this is the position of the volume up and down controls on the mic. They are on the side and top (down and up) and I sometimes bumped them when keying up and if you do, you drop (stop transmitting). A minor annoyance, but I simply disassembled the mic and removed the buttons from the board and reassembled the mic.

This radio is a real challenge on so many fronts. So I'll start off with the negatives which is why I give it a single star.CONS:1. Whoever came up with the programming on this must have been tripping on acid. It is terribly organized (as seems to be customary with Chinese radios). That's the least of the problems.2. When in channel mode, and you key up, and unkey, it creeps up to the next channel. I have reset the radio, used their software, manually tried to configure it, and its a real issue.3. Sometimes when you key down, it does not transmit. Sometimes it cuts you off in the middle of a transmission for no apparent reason, even if you have reset the TOT to 120 seconds.4. Sometimes when you transmit, and unkey, it keeps on transmitting.5. It comes in a number of varieties. Be wary of Ver. 1.08 radios. This is a tribander which, unfortunately, is not a tribander. Some of them are, some are not. Look at the label on the bottom of your radio. It will tell you if its 10w or 25w. If 25w then you have a tri-power radio that goes to 25 watts. However, some of these are tri-power and only go up to 10 watts. Mine shows 1, 4, and 10 watts on the wattmeter. I bought a 25 watt radio, got a 10 watt instead.6. CHIRP programs it as a Jetstream model of similar construction. Similar but not the same. There are small differences which are maddening.7. Another issue is the channel ID. If you want to display the name of your channel, it will. However, its weird. It reassigns the channel name to some other channel. So its pointless. If you use the edit function on the radio itself, its frutiless. I get a bunch of dot matrix displays and cannot manually rename the frequency channel.8. Audio in. The mic is poor quality. You have to take it apart and drill a hole in the center of where the mike element sits, and in some cases you have to add a small capacitor to fix the quality issue.9. Audio out. The speaker is fine if you want to sit right next to the radio. Adding an external speaker will be disappointing unless you have a small amp built into it.10. Complete lack of warranty work. Unless you buy from a distributor that stands behind the product (most do not), your SOL and might as well can the radio. The manufacturer may take the radio back and repair or replace it, but its highly unlikely you want to send the radio out to China in the hopes you'll get a repaired model back anytime soon.11. Complete lack of troubleshooting info from the maker of the radio. Forget emailing as they won't respond, or if they do it will be after you go and spring serious cash for a real radio that has an even more real warranty and a willing distributor or manufacturer willing to do a repair or replacement quickly.12. Cheap price means you get what you pay for..13. Some radios are "reconditioned" or more likely made from parts sitting around which adds to the confusion of which radio you're really getting. Like mine. Supposed to be a 25w only 10w. Very disappointing! Mine was supposedly new, but when I turned it on it was programmed for dozens of repeaters in California. I actually looked them off and compared offsets and tone codes. There was no mistaking it. There were also 220 frequencies programmed into it, even though it does not transmit on 220. And you can't switch to that band to listen, either. How that happened I don't know.14. Squelching requires going into the menu. This should be a feature on the radio itself so you can easily reach it.15. Volume up/down on top and side of mike means you will constantly be pressing the down button while transmitting. Very clunky mic design.16. Mike stays lit unless you use the mic hanger. Mike hanger cuts off transmit and light on mic, but its kind of foolish. It should just light up when you press a button then turn off after a few seconds.17. The contact plates between the mike hanger nub and the plate sometimes cause issues if your hands are sweaty or wet. Not conducive for a QRP or mobile rig.PROS:1. Cheap price = still get headaches.2. Compact design. Very small QRP rig for mobile use. If they made it of better quality with more programming options compatible with CHIRP it would be nice and they may actually triple their sales. Add a mic redesign and it could be better.3. Lots of bugs, but if you experiment you'll iron them out. One is the radio defaults to VFO only. Takes some fenegeling to make it go into channel mode.4. Available at flea markets for $25 - $30 used.5. For a throwaway its okay but I think still over priced. If they made a 10 watt UV5R type handitalkie for $20 I'd pick that over this.Basically its a piece of junk, a toy that works if you don't mind all the hassles you have to go through with it. If you can afford better, get better. As much as I like the size and formfactor design, they could do better and just won't.Suggestion: If its between this and a better CHIRP programmable, and the price difference is not much, spring for better. This is a disposable radio with virtually no user parts. The mic might be useful for something as it appears to be identical electronically to Kenwood mikes.

Great radio. Programming was a breeze using Chirp, manual programming was equally a breeze. Nothing to it. I also found that it's very easy to use. When they say that dynamite comes in tiny packages, they were right when it comes to this radio as it's performance and ease of use blows away the Btech. Tiny enough to fit in my small car with no problem. This will also double with my 2m radio I use as a base as I can use this tiny gem as a 440 base to complement it. BUY THIS RADIO!

Very nice radio. The software is difficult to understand and program though.