The SWR varied depending on the frequency, below 1.5 to 1. I then checked for a short with a meter. No short, it was open. The radio just didn't like the open. I didn't have a meter hooked up when I keyed down. The coax was tested after being removed from the radio. Been a Ham for 15 years so outside of a stupid mistake, I know what I'm doing.
Mine ran fine also. Not trying to say it's a n bad radio, it's actually pretty decent. My point is that it would appear to be a radio easily damaged by a coax or antenna problem. If you have been into radio for any length of time and have outside antennas, you know there can be occasional problems with opens, shorts or high SWR. With high quality radios, it usually not a problem. They are protected with circuits that fold back the power to save the finals. I didn't see that with this radio. It smoked within 2 seconds. As long as there is no problem with the coax-antenna, there should be no worries. My only reason for having Gmrs is for Shtf. I use Ham radio for everything else. I want to know my radio will hold up when things are no longer available. I now have a low confidence level in this radio.
Thank You for the review. I bought a DB-40 G about a month ago. I was fairly happy with it. It is pretty basic radio for the money. It output just under 45 watts, which was unexpected. Now the bad. I made a rookie mistake. I had run a coax to the other side of the house for a future antenna. It was not terminated, not shorted, just open. I hooked up that coax instead of my coax hooked to my GMRS antenna (I have been using the radio for a month with zero problems). I keyed down for less than 3 seconds. Smoke pored out of the radio. I opened the radio and the main chip was melted. Any quality radio will fold back the power to save the radio when the antenna port is open. Not this radio. Again, the coax was open, not shorted...I checked. Bottom line, if you have any problem with your coax or antenna, this radio will roach itself. Not an ideal thing as it cooked itself so quickly. Even with a SWR meter in line, if there was a problem, your radio would be toast before you could hardly realize there was a problem. Radioddity promptly sent me another radio, so kutos to them. Be very careful and be sure to check your coax/antenna on a regular basis. For the asking price, this radio should have high SWR protection. It does not. Buyer beware. Given what happened to my radio, I would not buy one if I knew how easily this radio will fry itself.
I tested the coax after I unhooked the coax from the radio. The SWR Varied with frequency, never over 1.5 to 1. Checked it with a meter, open, no short. Been a Ham for 15 years. Other than a really stupid mistake, I know what I'm doing. The radio didn't like an open coax.
UPDATE 6/16/24. Firmware and software updated. You can now label the channels with the software. Excellent radio
Excellent review. I appreciate your time and information.
There is a firmware and CPS update available. CPS now allows channel naming.
NIce. Thanks for the update
The SWR varied depending on the frequency, below 1.5 to 1. I then checked for a short with a meter. No short, it was open. The radio just didn't like the open. I didn't have a meter hooked up when I keyed down. The coax was tested after being removed from the radio. Been a Ham for 15 years so outside of a stupid mistake, I know what I'm doing.
Mine is running at 1.2 SWR. Had no issues at all. It's on 24 hours a day
Mine ran fine also. Not trying to say it's a n bad radio, it's actually pretty decent. My point is that it would appear to be a radio easily damaged by a coax or antenna problem. If you have been into radio for any length of time and have outside antennas, you know there can be occasional problems with opens, shorts or high SWR. With high quality radios, it usually not a problem. They are protected with circuits that fold back the power to save the finals. I didn't see that with this radio. It smoked within 2 seconds. As long as there is no problem with the coax-antenna, there should be no worries. My only reason for having Gmrs is for Shtf. I use Ham radio for everything else. I want to know my radio will hold up when things are no longer available. I now have a low confidence level in this radio.
Thank You for the review. I bought a DB-40 G about a month ago. I was fairly happy with it. It is pretty basic radio for the money. It output just under 45 watts, which was unexpected. Now the bad. I made a rookie mistake. I had run a coax to the other side of the house for a future antenna. It was not terminated, not shorted, just open. I hooked up that coax instead of my coax hooked to my GMRS antenna (I have been using the radio for a month with zero problems). I keyed down for less than 3 seconds. Smoke pored out of the radio. I opened the radio and the main chip was melted. Any quality radio will fold back the power to save the radio when the antenna port is open. Not this radio. Again, the coax was open, not shorted...I checked. Bottom line, if you have any problem with your coax or antenna, this radio will roach itself. Not an ideal thing as it cooked itself so quickly. Even with a SWR meter in line, if there was a problem, your radio would be toast before you could hardly realize there was a problem. Radioddity promptly sent me another radio, so kutos to them. Be very careful and be sure to check your coax/antenna on a regular basis. For the asking price, this radio should have high SWR protection. It does not. Buyer beware. Given what happened to my radio, I would not buy one if I knew how easily this radio will fry itself.
What was your SWR reading?
I tested the coax after I unhooked the coax from the radio. The SWR Varied with frequency, never over 1.5 to 1. Checked it with a meter, open, no short. Been a Ham for 15 years. Other than a really stupid mistake, I know what I'm doing. The radio didn't like an open coax.