27 September 2016

Baofeng DM-5R Problems?




Facebook users are reporting that Radioddity are sending out emails to those who have ordered the Baofeng DM-5R claiming that there is a problem with the radios firmware:


"Dear Customer,

We have an update for you on the status of the BaoFeng DM-5R.

Your DM-5R is ready to be shipped. We are confident you will enjoy the crisp, clear sound of the DM-5R. The DM-5R comes out of the box supporting only MOTOTRBO Tier I.

Thanks to the help of our Radioddity Review Team, we have found a bug in the software that makes updating the radio to Tier II inherently risky. If upgraded incorrectly, the user faces the possibility of disabling the radio, which would then need to be sent back to the manufacturer for repair. Radioddity does not suggest that you upgrade your DM-5R to Tier II manually. Manual upgrading should be done only by professionals.

We are working to fix this. We will re-release the DM-5R in one month’s time with a system update. This re-release will have Tier II standard. 

Here are your options:

1. Maintain your order status, receive the DM-5R with the current software in the next 5-10 days.

2. Transfer your order to a DM-5R with upgraded software, for no additional price. Receive your radio October 20-30th.

3, Cancel your order, receive a full refund.

We are working to provide detailed documentation to assist in the Tier II upgrading process, to support those who wish to upgrade their DM-5R.

Please respond to this email and let us know which option you would like to take going forward.

Sincerely,

Radioddity"


The saga continues......

President Lincoln 2+ £249 @ Knights


Doug at Knights Electrocom says he'll have the updated Lincoln 2+ in from 30th September.

Priced at £249

Baofeng DM-5R Mysterious Price Rise?


If like me you still have your doubts about the reported new Baofeng DM-5R the mystery deepens with an apparent price rise on the Radioddity website. The original quoted price was $69.99, but this has now increased to $89.99

The very cheap price was one of the reasons many doubt the existence of this radio.... The new higher price makes it a little more believable I suppose.

          (Click to enlarge)

The website does appear to be taking orders and shipping the radios from China. It will be interesting to hear from anyone who manages to get their hands on one of these radios...

Superstar 3900EU With UK EPROM Board



Video:YouTube/DrAwesome



I don't know about you, but watching this video and the previous videos from DrAwesome, I get the feeling that his radio is a little off frequency....

It could just be his frequency counter of course.



President Lincoln 2+ UK Price Revealed!

 

With stock due to arrive soon in the UK, Nevada have become the first to announce the price they will be charging for the updated President Lincoln 2+

Lincoln II Plus InformationLatest version of this very popular 10/12m all mode transceiver ! Makes a great mobile or base station, you can work some real DX on 12m (24MHz) and of course on the very exciting 10m (28MHz) band.
Features :- 
  • Rotary switch and Up/down channel selector
  • VFO Mode (continuous scanning of 24.880 Mhz to 24.980 Mhz and of 28.000 Mhz to 29.700 Mhz)
  • Volume adjustment and ON/OFF
  • RF Power
  • Manual squelch and ASC
  • Multi-functions LCD display
  • Frequency display
  • S-meter
  • Public Address
  • Vox function (Hands free)
  • ANL filter , NB and HI-CUT
  • RF Gain / Mike gain
  • Clarifier
  • Channels and memories scan
  • 6 Memories
  • CTCSS (38 tones)
  • DCS (104 codes)
  • Dimmer control
  • MENU function key
  • Beep Function
  • Roger Beep
  • Mode switch AM/FM/LSB/USB/CW
  • Dual watch
  • Key locking
  • SWR (Power Reading /SWR)
  • Preset emergency
  • TOT (Time Out Timer) adjustable
  • Front microphone plug
  • External loudspeaker jack
  • Back light colour selection : Orange/Green/Blue
  • Dimensions H x W x D (in mm) : 52 x 170 x 250
  • Weight : 1.4 kg

      Technical characteristics :-
  • Bands 10/12m   24/28MHz
  • Modulation modes    AM/FM/LSB/USB/CW
  • Frequency ranges 28.000 MHz to 29.700 MHz / from 24.880 Mhz to 24.980 Mhz
  • CTCSS 38 tones
  • DCS 104 codes
  • Antenna impedance 50 ohms
  • Power supply 13.2 V
  • Dimensions H x W x D 52 x 170 x 250mm
  • Weight 1.4 kg
  • Accessories supplied power cord with fuse
  • 1 microphone and its hanger
  • 1 mounting bracket with fixing screws


      Transmission
  • Frequency allowance +/- 300 Hz
  • Carrier power 12 W AM / 35 W FM / 35 W USB-LSB / 12 W CW
  • Transmission interference inferior to - 50 dBc
  • Audio response 300 Hz to 3 kHz
  • Emitted power in the adj. channel inferior to 20 µW
  • Microphone sensitivity 3 mV
  • Drain 6A (with modulation)
  • Modulated signal distortion 2 %


      Reception
  • Maxi. sensitivity at 20 dB sinad 0,7 ?V -110 dBm (AM)
  • 0,35 ?V -116 dBm (FM)
  • 0.28µV-118 dBm (USB/LSB/CW)
  • Frequency response 300 Hz to 3 kHz
  • Adjacent channel selectivity    60 dB
  • Maximum audio power 3 W
  • Squelch sensitivity    :mini 0.2 ?V - 120 dBm
  • maxi 1 mV - 47 dBm
  • Frequency image rejection rate 60 dB
  • Intermediate frequency rej. rate 70 dB
  • Drain 400 mA nominal, 600 mA max

PRICE: £249.95

Link to Nevada Website: CLICK

26 September 2016

A Look at the 'New' SuperStar 3900EU


Video:YouTube/DrAwesome

A quick look at the 'new' Superstar 3900EU....


25 September 2016

Baofeng DM-5R UPDATE From Radioddity



Radioddity.com have issued a statement regarding the NEW Baofeng DM-5R Dual Band Digital Handheld:

"On September 12th, we announced the release of the BaoFeng DM-5R on Radioddity.com. The BaoFeng DM-5R is the first DMR from BaoFeng, a rising star in the two-way radio production sphere. Radioddity.com and its Amazon Affiliate Store Sanatop are the exclusive retailers of the BaoFeng DM-5R, and the only stores that can be trusted to bring you a genuine DM-5R, backed up with fully cooperative customer support. The following addresses a few popular rumors about the BaoFeng DM-5R.

Click HERE to Pre-order your DM-5R on Radioddity.com. Send us an email (to support@radioddity.com) or Private Message us on Facebook BEFORE 9/26 to claim your BAOFENG DM-5R, and we’ll email you back a coupon for an extra 10% off!

As a manufacturer, BaoFeng has gained a large following in the Ham radio community, and a reputation for producing great quality radios at a very affordable price. Favorite BaoFeng Radios include the BaoFeng UV-5R line, the BaoFeng BF-888s, the BaoFeng UV-82 line and the BaoFeng GT line.

At $70, the dual-band BaoFeng DM-5R provides crystal-clear digital transmission, at a price point unmatched in the digital mobile radio space.

Since the initial DM-5R press release, there have been many questions about the DM-5R. We’re here to clear up as many of those questions as possible. We’ll do so with a simple game of TRUE or FALSE.

Rumor 1: The BaoFeng DM-5R is not compatible with MOTOTRBO TIER 2.
FALSE. While the BaoFeng DM-5R comes out of the box only supporting Tier 1, it can be easily upgraded to support Tier 2 online. The upgrade will be available at Radioddity.com as well as BaoFeng’s official website (under construction). This upgrade costs less than $10.

Rumor 2: The BaoFeng DM-5R is a dPMR, not a DMR.
FALSE. The standards for a DMR are as follows:
TS 102 361-1: Air interface protocol
TS 102 361-2: Voice and generic services and facilities
TS 102 361-3: Data protocol
TS 102 361-4: Trunking protocol

The DM-5R meets each of the ETSI Standards listed above. A true DMR, not a dPMR.

Click HERE to Pre-order your DM-5R on Radioddity.com. Send us an email (to support@radioddity.com) or Private Message us on Facebook BEFORE 9/26 to claim your BAOFENG DM-5R, and we’ll email you back a coupon for an extra 10% off!

Rumor 3: The BaoFeng DM-5R is not FCC or IC certified.
FALSE. The BaoFeng DM-5R has met FCC and IC standards in its testing. The documents may not be visible online, as it takes about 4 weeks for the documents to be available.

Rumor 4: “Buyer Beware”
TRUE. As with many popular models, manufacturers in China will almost instantly flood the market with cheap counterfeits. Be wary of where you buy your DM-5R. Radioddity.com and our Amazon Affiliate Store Sanatop are the exclusive retailers of the BaoFeng DM-5R, and the only way you can be sure to get a genuine DM-5R with full customer support and accompanying warranty.
Here are the specs for the DM-5R:
  • DMR Digital Radio
  • VHF/UHF 136-174/400-480Mhz
  • 2000mAH High Capacity Battery
  • High Power/Low power
  • 21CM Dual Band Antenna
  • 8-Level Stepped Frequency Selection
  • Auto power saving function,Super-Long Standby
  • Compatibility Of Digital And Analog Under DMR System
  • Supports Individual Call, Group Call And All Call
  • Supports DMR repeater function (DMR Tier I; can be upgraded to Tier II for less than $10)

All in all, the BaoFeng DM-5R is an important radio. Whether you upgrade it to Tier II or not, the DM-5R will provide crystal-clear transmission, all in a familiar package and at a price point that can’t be beat for a DMR."

Link to original page: CLICK HERE

The Big Net 2016 - 35 Years of Legal CB!


It's almost that time of year again! - The Big Net 2016 celebrating an incredible 35 YEARS of legal UK CB radio 2nd November 2016.

The main net will be on ch35 UKFM (27.94125) with SSB calling on 27.275* USB and AM calling on 27.125*

* Please QSY once contact has been made.







President Lincoln II + Review Part 1


Video:YouTube/M0OGY

So here it is, Part 1 of Dave's review of the latest version of the Lincoln 2. As you will be aware previous versions have been plagued with faults so it will be interesting to see if President have finally sorted out this radio.

This is the first part of Dave's review and more videos will follow in due course.



One thing I noticed on Dave's video was the missing resistor(Seen on Simon The Wizards radio) which is in the same place as the white wire on previous versions which you cut to allow export mode! Dave's radio doesn't appear to be in export mode at the moment so I'm guessing that once the resistor is removed you may need to enable expanded frequency coverage via the software.... 

... OR Maybe the resistor on STW's radio has actually been added and is required for export?



23 September 2016

President Lincoln 2+ Manual

For those interested in the latest version of the Lincoln 2, the user manual is now available online in PDF format.

NEW Yaesu FT-891 - Unboxing!



Video:YouTube/MLandSshop


First New Lincoln 2+ In The UK


Congratulations to Dave M0OGY who once again has pulled off a master stroke getting his hands on the first President Lincoln 2+ seen in the UK.


The Lincoln 2+ is the latest variant of the well known President 10/11m radio. It has a rather checkered past with earlier models being plagued with problems so it will be really interesting to see what Dave makes of this one when he reviews the radio in due course.

In the meantime you can check out Dave's other reviews on his YouTube channel: CLICK

22 September 2016

Baofeng DM-5R Manual & Software

So it's just possible the the Baofeng DM-5R dual band DMR handheld is real as the operating manual & software have appeared online at QRZNOW.COM



      (Click to enlarge images)

I'm still not sure about this radio, the price just seems too low even for Baofeng. The cheapest SINGLE band DMR radio is around £99 at the moment and this DUAL band is expected to be around £53!!!!

Also why did they not take the chance and update the look of the radio? Keeping cost down I guess! 

Only time will tell.... In the meantime below is a link to the user manual....

Operating Manual Download: CLICK

Software: LINK

Original Article(QRZNOW.COM): LINK


Yaesu FTDX-3000 Vs Icom 7300



Video:YouTube/inferno7654



Personally I prefer the Yaesu... What do you think?

Good And Bad Baofeng UV-5R On Spectrum Analyser



Video:YouTube/VK6CS



Using a Baofeng? - You could be causing problems......!


20 September 2016

President Lincoln 2 - £199 @ Knights!

For one week only.....

LINK

Blast From The Past - Midland 2001


Another popular radio from the early 80's - The Midland 2001 'Precision Series'. A basic set but it did what it was meant to do!


You can see one of these old radios in action in the video below from 'UK CB Radio Servicing'



19 September 2016

Superstar 3900EU UK40 EPROM Board


A UK40 EPROM board is now available for the Ranger Superstar 3900EU on the Nevada Radio website. Priced at £21.50 but remember you need to install this yourself so you will need to be handy with a soldering iron!!!!

Nevada Website: LINK

18 September 2016

NEW President Lincoln 2+


So the revisions to President radios continue. Following on from several revisions of the poorly received Grant 2 and previous revisions of the disastrous Lincoln 2, President have now modified the Lincoln 2 once more and we have the Lincoln 2+

So what's different this time?

Not a great deal by the look of it, a few adjustments to the way the controls work to make them a little more responsive and the Channel 19/9 has been replaced with a EMG 1/2 button which does exactly the same thing!

The internals look almost exactly the same, so not much to see there.


    (Click to enlarge) - Images:Neuner and SimonTheWizard

One welcome change is an expanded frequency coverage. This new version covers from 24.800 to 29.700 giving access to the 12m band if you have the licence to use it. 


    (Click to enlarge)

Simon The Wizard has seen the radio and reports that the receive is improved on previous version(LINK). This is good news but I'm sure many people will be thinking "I've heard all that before" with the Grant 2, Grant 2 Premium, Grant 2 Premium Low Noise Version which all promised much improved receive but for many just simply failed to deliver. 

Most of the 'problems' with President radios recently could have been avoided if they had just taken the time to get the radios right first time round. Many of the complaints are quality control issues and are quite frankly unforgivable.

So having owned 2 x President Grant 2's (One of which broke, went back for a repair then back again for a refund), a President Lincoln 2 (Which had to go on its holidays to France to have multiple issues resolved) and a President Jackson 2 Chrome(Which went back for a refund due to the god awful SSB and wobbly controls), would I want to spend more money on yet another President radio???????

Simple answer - NO!

Anyway you can see this latest revision on the President website: LINK or take a look at Simon's Blog for more photos/videos: LINK

15 September 2016

Baofeng DM-5R - Dual Band DMR Handheld?????

Reported on QRZNOW.COM - But surely this cannot be real????

A dual band DMR handset from Baofeng with a price of only $69.99!!!!

Not only does the price seem extremely cheap but the images used are just images of the existing UV-5R range with the lettering changed at the bottom of the radio.

REAL or FAKE - You decide!!!!

14 September 2016

Yaesu FT-891 UK Price Revealed!


In their latest advert in RadCom this month, Martin Lynch & Sons have revealed the UK price of the new Yaesu FT-891:


£599.95

So is that a good price? - I'm not sure, you can get an FT-857 for about the same price and that has 2m and 70cm (Missing from the FT-891) or you could pay little extra and get the FT-991 which currently has £80 cashback and effectively costs you only £819.95.


I think that this price may well drop a little over the next few months.....

13 September 2016

Blast From The Past - Realistic TRC2001


The Realistic TRC2001 was a basic 40 channel UKFM radio with 4 watts output(Specs say 3!!!). It also had the -10db power reduction switch which was a legal requirement at the time.

Specifications:


You can see this little radio 'in action' by looking at this YouTube video by icomman:


(The Audioline 341 is also featured earlier in this video if you'd like to look at it)

10 September 2016

UK Based Ground-Wave Net



Video:YouTube/73j12h11

A video showing one of the many mid-week SSB nets which are active around the UK since SSB was legalised in 2014.

Superstar 3900 EU - Complete Technical Analysis

As you will be aware there has been a lot of talk recently about the UK launch of the Superstar 3900EU. Below you can read a full technical report about the radio as provided by Superstar UK:

(Click images to enlarge)

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Superstar 3900 EU - Complete Technical Analysis


"This is a very stable and very well built radio. Congratulations to Ranger on this radio. I can't fault it."



Superstar UK asked Steve Gibbs of Gisco UK to take a Superstar 3900 EU and give us his analysis. Steve Gibbs is one of the UK's most well known radio engineers in the UK. Steve has serviced and aligned tens of thousands of radios over the last 30+ years and is highly respected in this sector. 




Whilst Superstar UK have great faith in the Superstar 3900, Superstar UK wanted to have it independently and impartially analysed. So we asked Steve Gibbs to take a look at a factory-sealed Superstar 3900 EU. Steve is well known for telling it how it is with a no-nonsense approach. Here's Steve's analysis of the Ranger-built Superstar 3900 EU.



Steve's first comments were on initially opening the box were presentation. Steve was particularly impressed that Ranger had taken the time to place a protective film over the black power-coated back casing.


​After unwrapping the radio, Steve commented on the outer build quality. Unlike some earlier 3900s he'd seen in the past, which had felt a little flimsy; this one felt like a quality bit of kit. Steve initially tested the knobs on the front commenting on how precise they felt with absolutely no wobble or excess play "very nice" he said. Steve added that the front knob shafts are rock solid, with no reduction in spring pressure when the volume control on/off switch is used.


Then Steve moved on to the channel select commenting that its "probably the most used switch on a radio such as this". He commented that it felt very precise and well put together, and that some cheaper products' channel select can feel flimsy, this one felt solid - you can feel a definite clunk when a channel is changed ensuring a solid connection.

From left to right is Volume Control (inner) & Squelch (outer), Mic Gain (inner) & RF Gain (outer), SWR Calibrate, Dimmer (or band select in export mode), mode select, Clarifier Course control (outer knob) Clarifier Fine control (inner knob).



​Aesthetics aside, Steve's passion is for the electronics! So Steve naturally moved on to open the unit. Steve's first comment was on the tidiness of the board, and wiring. All engineers like a tidy board, as it makes for easy servicing.



From a service point of view, some radios such as this have the speaker cable soldered to the main board which means the first thing you have to do unsolder the speaker cables. Not with this radio, the speaker connector is conveniently connected using a simple PCB plug and socket.


Speaker and bottom casing out of the way Steve again commented on the channel change mechanism from inside, commenting that it looks very good quality and unlike cheaper channel changes he doesn't envisage any issues to develop with this one.

Moving on, Steve removed the top case to take a look at the solder work. Here's a look at the solder side of the PCB. Steve comments included very tidy; no scorch marks and very neat.

Fig. 1: Superstar 3900 Right Side of the Board - Voltage Regulator, Mic Preamps etc.

​Fig. 2: Superstar 3900 Left Side of the Board - Output stages, VCO & Crystals etc.

Now that Steve was satisfied with the solder work, he moved on to inspect the component quality. Starting from the output stage he worked his way along the board.


It's important to note that the Superstar 3900 Steve had on his bench was a randomly selected radio from the first batch sent from Ranger. Steve did not adjust or realign the radio. This is Steve's analysis directly out of the box.

​Fig. 3: Superstar 3900 Output Stage View

The output stage of the Superstar 3900 is made up of a single IRF520. Straight out of the box on FM the radio did 4.0W on FM/AM and ~ 12W SSB.


Steve added that this radio would be capable of up to around 50W by using an uprated mosfet. As can be seen on the top-left side of fig 5.1.

​Fig. 5.1: IRF520 Mosfet & Gate Voltage Circuitry Close Up

Next up is the front middle section. Steve's first comment is that sometimes manufacturers try to make micro cost savings by using the cheapest components resulting in a component mismatch. Ranger, here, have used all the same brand and type capacitors. This is great for build quality, but also for easy service. Thumbs up to Ranger here!

Along the left hand side, from left to right here we have TX adjust, RX adjust, NB/ANL adjust. The two pots in the middle are for SSB, then there are three smaller pots below which is the location of the FM discriminator. Steve's comments are that all adjustment pots are exactly where you'd expect them to be and meet or exceed expected component quality.

​Fig. 6.1: Front Middle Section - Radio Adjustment

Superstar 3900 is a PLL controlled radio with two 4008 binary adders. Here you can see a close up of the VCO.

​Fig. 6.2: VCO & Phase Locked Loop

​Looking closer, we can see the reference crystal, and offset crystal, alongside their adjustment pots. Directly beneath the crystal to the right of Fig. 9 we can see the export jumper (more about that later). Again Steve comments that these pots are of expected quality.


​Fig. 9: Reference Crystal & Offset Crystal

Looking at Fig. 10, we can see that Superstar 3900 is fitted with a ferrite coil. This is essential when using a radio in a vehicle as it helps to dampen the engine noise and reduce it coming through the radio.


There's also a diode across the power terminals. This will ensure that if you power the radio with incorrect polarity, that the fuse in the power will be blown before the radio suffers any damage. This is a really good reason to ensure that the correct power cable is used with the correct current rating of fuse.


​Fig. 10: - Input Voltage Regulator etc.​

​Steve was then keen to get the radio powered up and on to his fully calibrated set of instruments. Again, it's important to point out that Steve was asked not to align this radio and not to adjust it, in any way. Superstar UK wanted an out the box analysis that accurately reflects the radio a buyer should expect to receive.

The following analysis was done immediately out of the box whilst the radio was cold. Steve was asked to give Superstar UK a screen-shot of the instruments as they changed, noting the length of time the radio had been switched on, and monitor the radio as the it warmed up.

Steve continually monitored and used radio for 90 minutes whilst attached to his calibrated set of instruments. To Steve's surprise the radio was smack on frequency immediately on switch on, and nothing changed as the radio warmed up. Here's the screen-shots Steve gave - here's the moment of truth.

The first thing Steve wanted to measure is the FM reference frequency. This should show 16.4900MHz - and it does.

​Fig. 12: FM Reference Frequency Analysis - 16.4900MHz

Next, the USB reference frequency, spot on at 16.4925MHz

​Fig. 13: USB Reference Frequency Analysis - 16.4925MHz

Next, the LSB reference frequency analysis, again spot on at 16.4875MHz


​Fig 14: LSB Reference Frequency Analysis - 16.4875MHz

Next, the LSB offset frequency analysis, spot on at 10.6975MHz

​Fig. 15: LSB Offset Frequency Analysis - 10.6975MHz

Finally, the USB offset frequency analysis, spot on at 10.6925MHz

​Fig. 16: USB Offset Frequency Analysis - 10.6925MHz

​The transmit. And the result? Right out of the box on FM is 27.185001MHz and smack on 4.0W.

​​Fig. 18: Transmit Test

​Receive Test. ​The receive parameter standard set in the manual supplied says 1.0uV at 20dB. Steve does his test at 0.821uV and 21dB, which exceeds the manufacturer's recommendations. Here's the result. Smack on at 27.18500MHz.


​Fig. 17:​ Receive Test - 27.18500MHz

Steve had the Superstar 3900 EU on his fully calibrated instruments for over 90 minutes, re-analysing all of the above with virtually no change. Steve added, "This is a very stable and very well built radio. Congratulations to Ranger on this radio. I can't fault it.".

So there we have it. A glowing analysis from one of the industry's most well respected and trusted radio engineers. Steve pulls no punches and tells it how it is.

The most observant will have noticed that the Superstar 3900 EU is the same Superstar 3900 which has been for sale in the EU marketplace for some time now. When it was agreed that the Superstar 3900 was to be brought into the UK, a decision was taken to call it Superstar 3900 EU to differentiate it from any previous model of Superstar 3900. Superstar 3900 EU is locked to mid-block CEPT EU channels at 4.0W making it legal for sale in all EU countries. It was important that this 3900 was not confused with any previous versions that might have been 10m amateur radios.

The Superstar 3900 [EU] is ROHS compliant and CE approved. The ROHS/CE certificate is available to anyone by simply emailing sales@wearesuperstar.co.uk


Superstar 3900 has been manufactured by many factories in China over the last two decades. There have been many versions which may have been of a reduced quality and have suffered from "frequency drifting". It was important to Superstar UK that this version of the Superstar 3900 was easy to differentiate from those older models.



There has been much speculation that this version of the Superstar 3900 may suffer from the same frequency drifting issue as previously Chinese manufactured versions. Superstar UK contacted Ranger about this issue. Ranger were confused as they had never had this queried on their product before. They responded with "[There is] no drifting frequency problem for our product.".



Superstar UK are very excited to bring the Superstar 3900 back into the UK market place. And with Gisco's analysis, buyers can be confident in their purchase. As we can see from the analysis by Steve, the current Superstar 3900 is stable and a beautiful, rock solid AM/FM/SSB radio.


​Superstar 3900EU is available at most major UK CB/ham radio retailers from Monday 12th September 2016.

For more information, please see www.wearesuperstar.co.uk or see the Superstar UK facebook page.



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This report was kindly sent for publication on the blog from Superstar UK and has been published in full. From a personal point of view I'd like to thank all those involved and say 'top marks' to Superstar for taking the time to publish this report. Afterall, when was the last time you seen a report like this from other radio manufacturers????

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