All-Band All-Mode: GUOHETECH PMR-171  

I love that random, new, and/or Chinese radio companies are coming out with feature sets that users have wanted for a long time (even though they might have an appreciable amount of jank to them). Hopefully if this continues it will force the mainstream companies like Icom, Yaesu, and Kenwood to step up their game and become more competitive.

I have one of these. I really like the form factor. Mine has DMR, compass, and GPS modules installed. It is a ruggedized Q900V4 except the multifunction button on the PMR-171 is way more convenient. I use it as a manpack radio. Some things are not intuitive to set up and use. But this radio has almost zero restrictions. It is awesome.

Hopefully the Big 4 (yes, I'm including Alinco) will step up their game and offer a competitor to this radio.

That was a really good in-depth review. I enjoyed every minute of it. Thank you.

I think for almost $700 I'd rather get a Yaesu 857D, an Icom 7100 (?) for DC to daylight coverage due to their serviceability even if they're used. I'm not a fan of radios that cost this much with next to no ability to get support. By support I mean ongoing firmware refresh, hardware components and customer support like the big boys offer. I had a Xeigu once and it was basically no support because the manufacturer just pumped them out, took the income to fund the next model and repeated the process. I don't know why folks only look at the price tag when making a decision and nothing else. The saying, "Pay me now or pay me later" couldn't be more true with ham gear. Thanks Josh for showing us once again what NOT to buy.

IDK menu driven rigs may have everything but it's so much to remember to operate.

I think you were way too generous with this review. All the problems you had with it made a Baofeng seem like ICOM quality lol. I'm always on the lookout for all-band/all-mode radios that I might be able to afford someday, but this one won't make the list for me lol.

It looks like a great radio. That needs to run great. When the engineers get it right. I'd love to have the military LOOKING version. But until they get their poop in a group I think I'll save the money and just enjoy my G90. Great video thanks for doing the review. 73s

Was waiting for this one. Not sure why lack of cable access in the back wasn't thought through, all it would take is a spacer and you could have a battery attached and still feed cables in, or of course additional hookups elsewhere. I really want to see one with the antenna connections both front and rear, so it can be used as a manpack or as a base station with the cables out of the way. Fingers crossed they get the bugs worked out, can't wait to see what improvements they make along the way.

I have the earlier version of this radio. It goes under the name Q900, or HS2 depending on where you buy it from. This is a cooler version for sure with the militarized arrangement. Upgraded too with the VFO Knob, battery, and RJ mic jack. Other than that, the radio is the same. Same interface sans the knob, same "OS", menus, etc. The radio is uhhh, quirky, which is fine. You get used to navigating fairly quickly, but there are some design choice issues as well as some build quality or QA problems. Same sort of things you mentioned with this. The PHONE jack doesn't work properly unless I slightly pull the jack out, internal speaker is awful and grating on the ears, and this is my 2nd one. The first time it arrived DOA. I also had the exact same issue trying to use FT8. Set it up following the instructions provided online, changed the USB like you did, same issue. I did make a SSB contact on 10m from Tampa to Connecticut using full power and was advised I had good audio. I really dig its small form factor and despite the size I felt the screen was crisp. Purchased from Retevis. For the money, the X6100 is a better radio.

Very good and honest review, I did get one to try, unfortunately have not been able to yet, Like the 6100 I believe (hope) with upgrades it will get better

I bought the 3" Ti adjustable wrench from County Comm. It's ridiculously light, but the opening width limits its utility. Luckily it's so light I don't mind carrying it anyway!

I had to do a double take at 29:40 thinking I heard an F-bomb :D. Neat radio and I've been waiting on a review for quite some time. It's been sitting in my AliExpress cart too long. The price point is too close to other mainstream brands that I had trouble pulling the trigger. I think I'll wait for Quansheng to figure out how to make one LOL

Battery charging on the GO! I like it! Great review

Ohhh we had the contact on the Guohetec!?😂😎 good video!!

I saw someone using Feld Hell on that Yaesu radio. It had a very vintage look on the computer screen. But the setup looked very advanced. It was amazing how past technology was employed with very modern looking technology. He then went to something called FT8 Call, or FS8 Call. That was just as simple as typing away to communicate with someone else, without a network at all! That technology seemed cutting edge modern. He also made traditional voice contacts on 28.4 Mhz USB, 28.5Mhz LSB, 29.1 AM, and 29.61 FM that sounded like it was on a relay repeater. After that, he pulled out something that reminded me of a cross between ping-pong paddles and an outboard engine and did Morse Code on 28.020Mhz CW. But it was not like the Morse key that is used in movies, at all. I did not understand anything being sent nor received. I do know Morse code. But the man at the weird control was transmitting and sending so fast that there was no way I, myself, could have caught any of it. He showed a kid that if he did not know Morse code, he could still use Morse code. He connected the laptop back to the radio and selected a mode that was simular to CWSSB, or CWSB, something similar to that. He had the young kid type into the laptop and out came perfect sounding Morse code at a supernatural fast pace. Then the owner of the equipment moved the sliding bar even faster where no human could ever possibly read it, but the computer caught the information. I have a feeling there was likely someone set up somewhere else to be the receiving person because the signal seemed very strong on the signal meter for the Morse code demonstration. It was still impressive, regardless. To make a funny, he then went to what he said was CB channels and said, in a crackly voice, "Breaker, Breaker, this is Bandit looking for the bear in the air." With just that transmission, it got really funny. It became self feeding and we just sat back and listened. He did not have to say anything else. The conversations ended talking about Bigfoot, a chupacabra, and which would get drunk first. Then he went to another radio, a much smaller FM one. It showex 146.55 Mhz, I think. There, the conversations were super clear sounding. It sounded like they were on a relay repeater. I think he mentioned it was on a repeater network. He was talking on a connected radio network that was speaking to other provinces. It sounded super clear. The interesting thing is, at the end of January, I allowed myself to aquire a radio like the one under the main radio you are using. I finally took it out of the box, a Yaesu FT-710 aess. It was left with me May 2023 for me to check for obvious issues before it was mailed to Yaesu for repair. I found nothing wrong with it. It had perfect signals into a dummy load and an oscilloscope. I called the owner and left him a message saying the issue must have been with the power supply, or antenna. I tried contacting the owner many times. I never got a response through email, text, and landline telephone. I decided the radio was abandoned. I connected it to a 260 centimeter length of galvanised threaded rod and put a Kenwood AT200 manual tuner between the antenna and the radio. I can hear so much! I have learned so much as well! I downloaded a freeware programme called Ham Radio Deluxe and now I am intercepting digital mode transmissions, after a lot of setup trail and error. Of course, I can not transmit because I am not licensed. Thus, the microphone is still in the box. But, just receiving is really amazing! I wonder if I connect the radio to an old Antron A99, and use the manual tuner, if the reception would be better. I have always been repairing radios, modifying them to work on amateur frequencies for operators, making manual tuners, power supplies, repairing radios and testing them into dummy loads, checking their signals on oscilloscopes. But I have never truthfully just listened into what was going on out there. Listening to shortwave, an old CB radio, some FM amateur radio transmissions, is all about I did for listening. I did not know there was so much more!

This is a very interesting radio, exactly what I am looking for. I don’t know why the mainstream radio manufacturers don’t make a full spectrum military style man pack radio. That is what most of the guys I know want.

The PHONE of the front panel of the radio station can also be used with a plug key, the power of PMR-171 is 20W, HF is fully achievable or even more than 20W, this may be a problem with the power amplifier tube.

Was interested in this rig since I started seeing it floating around. Appreciate the in depth review. Unfortunately it looks like it’s way too slapped together to be worth the price tag. I can live with janky firmware behavior for significantly less money than a solid Japanese radio, but they want real money for an unfinished product. Shrug. Oh well. Cheers.

Confirmed FT8 working OK. Made e.g. a QSO from PA to VK with a vertical antenna on 10 meter.

Makes a great door stop...

Looks like it'll be a great radio with an update.

9:33 it sounds like you were listening to the Italian Stallion DXing the world on 7.1985 Monday night. There were people piling up to make a contact, and he’d go in to a 5 minute monologue each time lol.

It's like the g90 and the 817 had a baby and it's heart was born on the outside of it's body.

Icom should take notes ...no reason for them to not have those features on the IC-705

it feels like China is putting out a radio every week while Japan NOTHING, same O, same O. I like that keyboard CW feature, actually the only I like of that radio haha.

Yes I have 1 it's a brick no audio on hf and vhf locks up when you push mic .

I really like the idea of this combination of features with the man pack intended application, that's a nice touch for pota/sota. The price for the current operation of the user interface is too much. It has lots of potential, I was super excited when I heard dmr… Then I saw the price, and cannot justify to myself an investment of that level for a radio that is going to frustrate me when I am trying to adjust the volume and have to play guess what the knob is going to do this time. This seems like an under refined dream someone started on then ran out of time or money and sent it to market a bit buggie. I don't mind the money for a quality radio, I have an x-6100 which is pretty user friendly and great for the money. I have a 991a, got dmr, fusion, boat anchors, hotspots, aprs, a collection of “junk” as my wife calls it. I am not hating on whatever this brand is or where it comes from just the price for the user interface being underwhelming or even frustrating is just not for me until they improve it. I would really like to see this refined a bit, and maybe a 100 watt big brother with a larger screen

Looks like a rush to market, but not ready. Icom would not release a product in that state. The 705 was a great set of features with software and hardware really well integrated from the start.

Keyboard at 29:10 & 31:16 appears to be a " Rii i8+ Mini Wireless Touch Keyboard,Handheld Remote,LED Backlit Compatible with Android TV Box, Android Smart TV,HTPC,Raspberry Pi, Win 7 8 10,Mac OS "

my brain is now screaming to sell my 818 and get that radio to start easy on cw, I should not fall into the temptation of the easy way

Thanks Josh

22:24 TRRS connector maybe? Many come that way now.

Nice scanner in the background

Thank you

Hey, I'm just studying for my license and watching videos. I'm mostly interested in local comms and emcomm. I'd mostly be transmitting within 20km, maybe out to 50km. I'd like to have HF as an option. Is 10 - 20W generally enough for HF at that distance for voice and data (RMS gateway/winlink/packet)? Almost everything I read is aimed at people who want to talk around the world, or at least around the country, making random contacts, and I can't find info on just short-range requirements for making targeted, prearranged (specific time and frequency) communication. I live in a mountainous area so NVIS would probably be really useful. I have a decent size property for antennas and no HOA, so I could even do a dipole or EFHW for 80m if I wanted to. I'm considering something like this radio, or a more rugged, but only 10W, TX-500. Thanks for any feedback!

The same knob for volume and VFO is a little too much for me.

Still waiting on a 100 watt IC-705

Be a good intro radio for weak signal VHF/UHF... like the FT-897d...

Thanks Josh, it's too bad your one of the few honest hams on RU-vid with others recieving these review radios and going on about it being neater than sliced bread or something else truly innovative. You wisely left off with the marketing jazz that makes radio manufacturers all tingling inside with viewers truly conflicted. As its price for a base model differs from $625 off the slowboat to $800 from certain auction sites it goes without saying that not a single reputable retailer will ever sell this radio at any price thanks to its non compliant FCC certs and obvious integration of poorly engineered parts and features not even a $20 Baofeng would use. My take is its not worth more than $200 given its likelihood of immediate failure and inevitable need of SUPPORT down the road. The Icom 705 or 991a is the only choice for a shack in the box and will resale used making that the benchmark for a radio of these features with user friendly controls and the required power to even be in a park or on the desk. This is the worst of the worst in my opinion and should be avoided at all costs.

Is the tuning knob clickable?

autocall is for cw or RTTY

Im leery of Chinesium rigs, but I love the interesting feature sets.

How do you access the connections at the back of the radio when the battery is attached? The audio out for example, if you want to use an external speaker?

Is it fcc type accepted?

Ultimately just frustration in a box. I suspect it would end up flying across my shack. 73

What is the cleanest transmitting cheap (think 'feng) radio? - I am looking to buy a low cost gift for a new HAM. I abd BTW she passed her Tech because of HRCC !

Have you found a way to update firmware? Can you do a video, please

VHF connector looks like a TNC connector (screw version of BNC)

So confused. Radio says 74-520 MHZ but you are working 40 meters (7MHz) Is there a down converter? Will it do 80 meters? Is the radio 75K to 520 M ?? Hope the screen can be duplicated to another device for older eyes.

So all the sfa has me confused is it a good radio or not

i'm suprised they didn't make it touch screen

CW Key at front audio connector

How do you update the firmware

The PMR-171 has a way to go yet.

What happened to the Guohetech and the pmr-171? Are they a ghost?

Is anyone available to help me get on the Discord channel? I can't get registered because the phone authorization keeps failing, saying the code is already in use by another member. I can't DM anyone because I am blocked.

What CW keyboard is that?

Key jack covered by the battery? Really? That would be a deal-breaker for me... I'll bet that will turn alot of CW ops off.

Consult with Notarubicon for correct pronunciation of the name.

First!!! Its too bad they didn't make it compatible with real military handsets, like the H250 etc... the product page just lists this really cheap knockoff used instead

I don’t mind Chinese radios I have a G90 that I love. I have the UV5R UVK5 TYT 220 mobile, wouxon Gmrs handheld and mobile. This thing looks like a hunk of garbage. It looks like they tried to do everything but it does nothing well.

Hardware might be fine, but i dislike the software support on chinese radios. Features not working , buttons suddenly doing different things , not documenting or open sourcing their api's ( tbh , this one is for everyone ).

Do not hold your breathe waiting for updates...

Wow, I will not be buying one of these any time soon

Its like they tried. But, they covered the ports with the battery. Really bad decision. What other bad decisions that are not so obvious?

Does not appear to be a radio I could use. I would put it in the "guitar class" of devices... I have fat, short fingers-can't play guitar and operating these tiny buttons looks near impossible for me.

.

This whole thing is so badly thought out. I see what they may have tried to do but it did not happen. The worst part is that battery covering up the whole rear panel. Fail....

It can obviously do a lot of things but nothing really well.

At almost $900 I will skip this one... You can pick up from more capable radios that are far more rugged for that kind of money.

what a POS radio

Have no interest in China stuff.

Many thanks for doing this video Josh. Really appreciate you going to a deep detailed review on this radio. The question is would you get it if you didn't have any radios. Would you recommend this to a new ham? Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, Enjoy Life. 73 Ruben KD6CWI 🎉

It could be cool, but it's whack.