Wouxun GMRS radio to buy

First of all I am very new to the radio world and this is my first time on the forum so hi all. I just recently got my GMRS license and am thinking about getting my ham. I really want to buy a nice GMRS HT and I’m looking at the KG-UV9GX or KG-935G but trying to justify the extra $50. The output wattage is really on my mind but it seems like they are the same. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

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It sounds like you want the radio with the most useless selling points that you will get bored with. I have become a minimalist in my old age and would suggest that if I wanted a new 5w HT, I would go with something more along the lines of a Radioddity GM-30 for under $40. Seriously, you can get one for each and every member of your household for the price of one of the ones you mentioned. Keep in mind too, that those fancy full-color screens are the absolute worst when it comes to battery life. Go basic!

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For the average radio user with a purpose, as in why they have a radio as a tool, the vital part is how a radio works clipped to you. On the belt, in a pocket, attached to webbing etc etc. every time it makes a noise, you have to bring it up to your face to use it. So how big and awkward an antenna is is important. Does the radio have sticky out bits that make it awkward coming out the pocket. Can you knock the channel knob, and how difficult is getting a clip that doesn’t accidentally drop the radio, but will let you in clip easily when you need it? If you only ever use channel one, then is a screen saying channel one actually that handy? If you have a clever system where all your users have a name or number that appears in a display that is handy, but if you know you only have four radios, do you need it? When it’s on your belt, can you see if the battery is still powering it? Can you find the PTT in the dark? Many radios have many buttons on the side, can you ‘feel’ the PTT? If you drop it on concrete, does it bounce? If you use them outside, do they need keeping dry? What are they like in the wind? Some sound like a hurricane in a gentle breeze. Can you turn them up and down quickly and easily? No point creeping up on things and having a radio below “have you found it?”

The technical performance of all of them is pretty similar. It’s the practical stuff that makes a radio a pain. I have one with a trackball to change channels, and I change channel every time I hold it up to my face. Lock it and you lose many facilities. REALLY Stupid idea! A radio with just volume and channel knob can be the best radio, especially if it says channel two when you turn the knob.

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Very good points. I guess when you first get into something you want to buy something with lots of bells so you can play longer. I drive a concrete truck and am in and out of the truck a lot. I am also in lots of dirt and wet conditions. Sometimes the other drivers maybe far away so I need something with enough power to reach. It also needs to have ctcss opinion.

I own the 935G because it is what I wanted. It has the majority of the functions that I wanted. I purchased the UV9G for my son-in-law. I like them both. The screens are booth difficult to read in direct sun light but I can work with that. Do I use every function on the radio every time I turn it on? No, but they are there when/if I want them. If I were making the decision again I would buy the 935G. I also own the 905G which is a beast of a radio and has great features. The KG-S88G is also a great little radio if you need water and dust protection along with a great function list. Although more expensive than many GMRS handhelds the Wouxuns are worth it TO ME. No matter what I am buying I tend to purchase a little more than I think I need especially with a non-essential fun item. That is what I did with these radios and it works for me. I consider the 935G, UV9G Pro, and the other Wouxuns I have to be in the same class as my Yeasu, and Kenwood Amateur Radio HTs (let the flaming begin). My point is, buy what you want and what you think you would enjoy using. Good luck.

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Hi Kermit, welcome to the forum!

There is a lot to be said for minimalism, which is why I issued the KG-805G to my wife and daughter for their use around the home. It’s a basic model and is extremely simple to use, yet has the full power and range of the other full featured GMRS radios, including repeater capability.

I use both a KG-905G and KG-935G, but prefer the 905G for a lot of my general purpose uses, simply because the display is easy on my eyes and I like the way it feels in my hand.

However, I have recently been gravitating more towards the KG-S88G for the same reasons, and because of the USB-C charging option and the flexibility offered by the three programmable keys. The latter is a huge deal for me because, unlike a lot of other fancy GMRS radios, you aren’t limited to just a couple of different programmable options for each key.

For instance, a lot of radios will give you a couple of programmable keys, but one will give you the option to use it for, say, the flashlight and scan, and the other only allows you to choose between the backlight control and monitor. The KG-S88G doesn’t have those limitations. Not only can you choose between a number of options, each key lets you choose from the same list, which I think is a huge advantage.

Plus a new feature introduced with the KG-S88G is the Favorite channels option, which lets you program a list of favorite channels for instant access. Any of the three PF keys can be programmed for the Favorites, and each press of the key will toggle through the channels on your list. This is a pretty cool feature that saves a lot of time slogging through all the channels in the radio to find just those two you use the most.

I really appreciate all of the help. After reading them I saw the kg-s88g pop up a couple of times. I did research on a bunch of radios but found my self coming back to that one. I like the ruggedness of it and the fact that I can still listen to my local police too. Because of that I ordered one this morning from buy two way radio website. Thanks again for all of the help.

I also wanted to give a shout-out to “not a rubicon”(offroaderx). Thanks for making videos about radios that make me not want to jump from my roof.