UHF radios

[timbo2410]

In the market for a radio to install in the 2013 Y61 trol. Comments and opinions most welcome on the issue of the more up to date radios. Was thinking Oricom dtx4200 ... Now the antenna I was looking at was the Oricom ANU1200 giving 3dbi and 6dbi with the folding mount. I can mount this on the middle of the roof rack on the plate reserved for the spare wheel (which I never use) and the antenna can be laid flat when needed. Again .. comments about my choices along with the mounting are most welcome ... i want to do this right the first time .....
I was also toying with the idea of the new GME XRS-370C but I have read so many conflicting reviews/comments .. so have at it :-)

[the evil twin]

GME over Oricom any day of the week IMHO

[timbo2410]

Thanks for the reply ... what reasons ..

[the evil twin]

Thanks for the reply ... what reasons ..

As Hodge said... quality and 100% aussie owned and backed altho some of their stuff is made overseas now.
Having said that, a manuf of any product makes a lemon of a model every so often but I have no experience with the 370C one way or the other.
I can say my 330C is an excellent bit of kit in my Y62 and all my vessel radios (27, VHF and FM) are GME as are the fleet vehicles and vessels radios other than HF at work and haven't had a dud yet

For recreational users I rate the manuf as follows
Icom
GME
Uniden
Oricom

Another thing is that probably 90% of the actual in use performance of any radio isn't the radio but the install and antenna quality.
For reccy use IMHO an elevated feed dual whip antenna such as the RFI CD951 (or equiv from GME, ZCG) is absolutely the way to go https://www.prestigecom.net.au/rfi-c...ntenna-package
IMHO easily the best antennas are made by ZCG Scalar, GME or RFI

[Cuppa]

For recreational users I rate the manuf as follows
Icom
GME
Uniden
Oricom

Had an old GME 40 channel unit in our bus - solid unit, never a problem.

Put a Uniden (can't recall the model) unit in the Patrol but it didn't last. The display failed making it useless after a couple of years & *very* little, mainly on-road use. 99% of the time it was never switched on. When I did use it it was horrible. Having the gain knob mounted concentrically on the same shaft as the volume control was crap. I wont buy Uniden again

When I was replacing it I posted here & ET said the same then as he has now (quoted above). He has the experience & I trusted his judgement & bought an Icom. It is head & shoulders above the previous Uniden unit & have used it a fair bit during our travels over the past year couple of years. It's a good 'built to last' unit which I trust & am happy to recommend it. An Icom IC-450. A small unit easy to fit in the dash or elsewhere as the display is in the handpiece.

FWIW I still have the Uniden 6.5 db whip antenna, spring mounted, on the bullbar, & have never felt the need to change it. It does all I want of it. Bloke at the CB shop, when I told him where I was planning to take it, told me that outback corrugated roads & tracks would not take long to destroy it. I reckoned I'd have to buy another antenna when that happened. Well we have now done 1000's of corrugated kms, some of the worst I reckon, & the antenna is still as good as the day we left home. It's actually a great 'corrugation meter'. A quick look at the antenna confirms whether we are on mild, medium bad or horrendous corrugations - not that we cant feel them of course , but sometimes it helps in a "These are worse than on XYZ track" "No they're not" conversations.

[Winnie]

I can comment on the Oricom radios but I've got the GME XRS330 and I reckon it's an absolute ripper.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[pollenface]

GME TX3100 here

I've never needed anything fancier than a simple 6dba antenna. But if you wanted to get fancy you could mount 2 antennas into a coaxial switch like this and switch between them on the fly.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Axis-2-W...5.c10#viTabs_0

[timbo2410]

The GME is tempting .. but the reviews are usually done by the 4x4 tv presenters and of course they advertise EVERY brand of UHF out there to keep sponsorship. There have been some terrible reports about GME's new radio but not a lot about Uniden or Oricom ... again, if you own one then why are they good/better?
I did see the antenna switches. The thing that turns me off buying 2 antennas is the price (especially GME). I could buy am Oricom ANU 1100 or ANU 1200 (3dbi and 6 dbi all in one) cheaper and without the hassle of mounting and running 2 lines of coax.

[Hodge]

I own a Uniden. 9080S right now. Its a good unit, does the job when it comes to talking back and forth with people. Has other functions I will never need or touch...

Previous 4x4's I used GME's. Various models. When I bought this Patrol, I bought a Oricom pack with a small UHF unit and a handheld from 4x4 show...
From my observation. You just have to physically handle GME or Uniden and then handle the Oricom, and you will realise where the price difference is.
I'd be going for GME any day of the week. Aussie owned and made I believe, and Uniden or oricom are not even in the same league.
Just my 2C.

[timbo2410]

Thats the info i need ... users giving the reasons behind GME oricom or uniden ... thanks for that .. so any thoughts on antenna? We do a lot of beach and hilly bush driving with the occassional long highway haul ... if i went GME im thinking the twin pack 2.1 dbi and 6.6dbi