Just ordered one of the Wouxun 4m handhelds with the money Santa gave me for Xmas. I’d like to get an external Mic. for it, but just wondered if anyone has any recommendations for one? I noted that ML&S do one for £14 or thereabouts and have seen a Kenwood Mic. on E-Bay which is apparently compatable for £6.99 including postage. I also understand the antenna supplied with it is next to useless, but will have a go at constructing the Slim Jim shown on Summitbase I think.
The bog standard speaker Mic is pretty good in all honesty! If you decide to use the rig without the speaker mic then make sure you talk up the internal microphone as the gain is set quite low.
The best and most flexible external antenna is the on one on summits base, however if you use 450 ohm ladder feed make sure you add an extra 30 cm on the end of the antenna. I made this mistake and discovered the original dimensions to be resonant at 75MHz!!
In reply to M6HBS:
Hi Johnathan.I to made the antenna shown on Summitbase right down to the mini coax and bnc fitting (these were available on ebay ready made up).You would also require the SMA to bnc adaptor.These antennas work very well.ATB Geoff G6MZX
I found out the hard way and had to pay a second postage charge on a £5 order, and wait another week to use it!!
Other than that, turn off dual watch - the radio will dive off the frequency you think you are operating on otherwise, and the voice announcement feature is nothing short of painful, easily remedied by turning off the relevant menu option though.
Supplied aerial is good for mixing paint/poking annoying children or relatives, not so good for the intended purpose.
I like the radio and have had some very enjoyable SOTA time using it.
In reply to GM7GAX:
Many thanks all for your advice & replies. I assume the bog standard one refered to is the Kenwood one off E-bay? Once I have the radio I’ll ordered one up.
I’ve had a look at the Slim Jim dimensions/diagrams, so will definately have a go at making one (or 2 - one for the loft!) up.
Re adapters- Yes, I’d read about the reverse SMA on the Wouxuns, so will make sure I order the correct one. Thanks for the link to the correct one at MLS. Having nearly today ordered a few coax plugs off Lamco and discovering they wanted £15 postage I’m now very wary!!
I’ve just read the review of the radio which was in PW a couple of months ago, which was also helpful. It seems to get good reviews from users apart from the aforemention Rubber Duck. A shame that with the odd SMA, it’s not even any use on my scanner!
In reply to MM0FMF:
Cheers Andy, I’ll try them in the future. Eventually I ordered through Moonraker as they had the plugs & adapters I needed in stock.
In reply to M6HBS:Hi Jonathan.Another tip that may help when making the slim jim is to leave it a couple of inches longer at both ends then remove a few of the rungs of the ladder at both ends.Remove the insulation for a couple of inches both ends and use a couple of chocolate blocks to bridge across they can then be slid up or down to get the antenna to resonate at the required frequency once you are happy with it you can exchange the chocolate blocks with a soldered wire link .Small chocolate blocks are available with the same spacing as both 300 and 450 ohm ladder line.Thanks Geoff
Quick “gotcha” note for you: the sma adaptor you need is the
reversed version.
A pedantic point, but one which may save somebody else from making a different mistake. The connector on the Wouxun is NOT a “reverse SMA”. It is a standard SMA, but with the male connector on the radio and the female on the antenna, rather than the other way round.
A “reverse SMA” connector is something different. It refers to a connector in which the pin goes with the body with the outer thread, and the socket with the inner. As such, it is a completely different connector. If you buy a “reverse SMA” adapter, it will fit neither the radio nor the antenna!
Whatever happened to the time of simplicity when we used Belling-Lee connectors?
Anyone requiring a lead made up for the Wouxun could do worse than asking Peter at Garex to supply one. He knows what is required and it saves all the brain ache asking for the right bits to make your own - or am I getting lazy in my old age?
Another tip that may help when making the slim jim is to leave it a couple of inches longer at both ends then remove a few of the rungs of the ladder at both ends.
Thanks Geoff, sounds like a good idea to do it that way.
Anyone requiring a lead made up for the Wouxun could do worse than asking Peter at Garex to supply one.
I think I’ll take your advice there Gerald and give Garex a call when I start making it.
Radio arrived this morning. Fair play to Nevada. I ordered it from them on the 27th, had an E-mail on the 29th (their 1st working day back) to say that it had been despatched and got it this morning (at 07.30!).
I’m having a play around with it now and it seems like a nice radio to operate. Instructions look ok too, considering it’ll be a Chinese translation.
I see that MLS also do a specific 4m antenna for this radio for £20 quid or so. I may get this just as a direct replacement for the one supplied for general portable use. Anyone know if it is good purchase?
If youre already dealing with Garex, I bought their centre loaded whip for the wouxun. Cant say how good / bad it is as I`ve not used it on the hill yet. From their website :-
DEDICATED TUNED FLEXIWHIP for 70MHz SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR THE WOUXON KG699E 4 metre HANDI.
GIVES SEVERAL dB IMPROVEMENT OVER THE SUPPLIED HELICAL.
OUR SUPER CENTRE LOADED DESIGN MOUNTED ON SMA SOCKET: OVERALL LENGTH 51cm
Order code “70SMAS” – PRICE £19.95 + £2.00 P&P.
73`s
EDIT - Just looked on MLS site & their product looks to be the Garex one so it just depends who you want to have your money.
