Juentai JT-6188: Unboxing

Juentai JT-6188 (aka QYT KT8900) unboxing video from Jason (KC5HWB) of Grapevine Amateur Radio.com:



He confirms no 2.5 steps. Also, power out is pretty consistent at about 20 watts for both 2m and 440.

Juentai JT-6188: AR-15.com Forum

I'm getting a lot of my info on the Juentai JT-6188 (aka QYT KT8900) from the posts on the AR-15 Ham Radio forum, so this is a note to acknowledge the work those guys are doing.

Thanks folks!

Juentai JT-6188: Manual

Here is the manual/quick start guide for the Juentai JT-6188 (aka QYT KT8900)... sorry, they are just image files.

Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard

This Logitech Multi-Device Bluetooth keyboard ($37) came across my radar. You can use it with three devices - just turn the dial to switch between devices. The slot for your tablet or phone has a couple of benefits - it creates a pseudo mutli-screen experience and defines a place for your phone.

Twitter QotD

I like this...

Heard this today... You either WIN or LEARN, there is no LOSE.

— BobW K0NR (@K0NR) May 23, 2015

Frequency Counter Comparison Test

Miklor compares a few frequency counters.

Lots of options to choose from, but I agree that for these prices, you are hoping to be reasonably close. I think this video gives you a good idea of what you might get.




RK-560 Frequency Counter

JK-560S-1

FC2-Plus Portable Frequency Counter

FC1-Plus Portable Frequency Counter

IBQ101 Portable Frequency Counter

GY-560 GOOIT Portable Frequency Counter

GY561 Hand holding frequency and power meter

FC1N Portable Frequency Counter

FC2N Portable Frequency Counter

The Martian

All my "for fun" reading has been set in space recently... I finished The Martian by Andy Weir not too long ago.

Apparently some people need to read the book to understand how difficult it would be to live on Mars.

QYT KT8900: Software

You may download the software here. (Thanks to John for the link.)

After installing the software, it defaults to something besides English. Go to the second to last set of questions marks and click it. You can then select "English" from the drop down.

Channels

Options

Tones

FCC Fee Changes

FCC Eliminates Amateur Radio Vanity Call Sign Regulatory Fee

“The Commission often receives multiple applications for the same vanity call sign, but only one applicant can be issued that call sign,” the FCC explained. “In such cases, the Commission issues refunds for all the remaining applicants. In addition to staff and computer time to process payments and issue refunds, there is an additional expense to issue checks for the applicants who cannot be refunded electronically.”

FCC Eliminates GMRS Regulatory Fee:

"The fee, which was previously assessed at $5 per year, added $25 to the total cost of a GMRS license, which has a term of five years. While it does not eliminate the cost of a license altogether, the complete elimination of the regulatory fee brings the total cost of a General Mobile Radio Service license from $90 down to $65."

QYT KT8900: First Review

This review of the KT8900 is a bit too stream of consciousness for me - making it hard to follow, but I've grepped that saving settings to memory is not working. He's got some pictures of the boards at the link along with a list of current issues in his radio. Hopefully others will get their KT8900/JT-6188 radios soon and we can see if they have the same problems.