[arrl-odv:35162] Radios marketed by Retevis to the general public for 430 MHz to 440 MHz

I suppose this is no surprise. Former Director Tom Abernethy forwarded this link to me from the Potomac Valley Radio Club reflector today. Retevis, an established importer of cheap but typically FCC type certified business band (Part 90) radios is hawking a pack of 6 radios preprogrammed for use in the 430 to 440 MHz band. My experience with the company product is that they are a step above the typical dirt cheap Baofengs, and similar no-name imports. But it appears these only can operate in our US ham band, and not programmable elsewhere in nearby spectrum as in 450 MHz to 470 MHz. I predict these are going to be popular among the non-ham public for general use and/or emergency use in disasters -fire or flood- as has been up front in the news of late. I'll wager they sell hundred in Maui, HI alone. 10 watts of FM in our band by unlicensed, casual users? Here is the link. https://www.retevis.com/rt86-high-power-uhf-business-radio-6-pack-with-progr... Bob Famiglio, K3RF ARRL Atlantic Division Director 610-359-7300 www.QRZ.com/db/K3RF
participants (1)
-
Famiglio, Bob, K3RF (Dir, AD)