After testing this radio into the instruments yesterday, we discovered it actually slightly exceeded the makers' claims of a 4W output, producing 4.3W on VHF & 4.8W on UHF with a freshly charged battery.
Mr Chippie drove along our usual 6-mile 'difficult terrain for radio' test route, getting out of the car & testing the radio in exactly the same way we would for a CB handheld. Back at base, I was talking to him on 2M using his Yaesu FT790R MkII, running 25W with the 'clip'on' optional Yaesu linear amplifier. On 70cms, I was using my Tait 2000 (MKII) business radio also running 25W. We used the Harrier CBHQ base station (off camera) for talkback. At the 6-mile end point of the test Mr C was unreadable, so I asked him to change channel to the local repeater (70cms GB3GR) at Grantham 7 miles from base & also 7 miles from Mr C's location. Through the repeater the UV88 worked loud & clear.
This once again demonstrates limitations of VHF & UHF in a low power simplex mode with a hand-portable & why repeaters are so vital to such communications.
Recorded 5th April 2022
Richard G0OJF
Richard 2E0FKC (Mr Chippie)
Ancaster, Lincolnshire, UK
4 апр 2022
