[OZAPRS] Feedback on VX-8

[Gerard Hill]

Hi All,

I've had a VX8R for about a year now. With the GPS add-on, its a great 
performer on APRS. In the car, it can be plugged into an external 
antenna when mobile and then can be quickly converted for pedestrian 
mobile operation by plugging in a quarter wave antenna. The 5W out I 
find to be more than adequate. Battery life hasn't been an issue yet either.

The problem Jack mentioned is quite common, but I haven't had to fix the 
audio on mine yet. It's due to the use of springy metal to make contact 
with the speaker connections instead of physical wires. The problem can 
be fixed very easily as demonstrated in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMlGwBK_ttE
About 5:30 in the actual problem and fix is described.

Anyway, I'm very happy with this radio and would recommend it to others.

Cheers ... Gerard, VK2IO

On 29/09/2010 6:34 AM, Jack Chomley wrote:
> My biggest complaint with this radio is the audio on voice comms receive.
> IF you run a high volume setting, the radio gets a feedback squeal in the speaker on receive and this drowns the received audio, whilst you are trying to listen to a station.
> To fix this, you need to to run a lower volume setting or........when you are receiving a signal, put your thumb over the microphone "hole" on the front of the radio! Seems to me that the mic audio must somehow be enabled all the time, even when receiving.
> You do need to run the volume rather high, as the audio level is not all that loud, far less than a VX-7 radio. Maybe a remote speaker/mic would solve the problem, but I have not tested one.
> As a compact APRS radio it works well for what it is, if you can accept slow GPS lock on.
> As a voice radio.......it's a junker, only because of the receive audio feedback problem and low volume.
> HTH
>
> 73,
>
> Jack. VK4JRC

> On Sep 28, 2010, at 11:47 PM, Joseph Burford<joseph at burford.me>  wrote:
>> I'm looking at getting a VX-8 for use out walking etc.
>>
>> I've been specifically looking at the GR version with GPS built in.
>> The DR is the version with the optional GPS unit, but also does 6m and
>> wideband RX.
>>
>> Anyone got any feedback on these units, good or bad?
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Joe