Review: Wouxun KGUVD1P dual band radio – the age of disposable amateur radios?

Are we entering the age of throw away hand-held Amateur Radio’s?

At a price of about $100 the dual band Wouxun radios look like throw-away’s. There is a place for a these cheap radios just like there is a place and a market for cheap (inexpensive) cameras, cell-phones, and any other consumer electronics device that one might want to use in high risk situations.

For example, you might want to take an inexpensive camera on a camping or fishing trip. You might make a decision to put a $100 camera at risk but not a $1500 digital SLR. You might want to listen to music when you workout at a health club or running.  But perhaps you leave your $400 Apple iPod Touch at home and take the $30 generic MP3 player instead –  just in case it gets dropped, smashed, or otherwise destroyed.

The same idea can be applied to the Wouxun family of dual-band hand-held radios. At about $100 these are nearly disposable radios that can provide some good functionality at low-cost. These are radios that you can take on camping trips, fishing trips, base jumping or any other activity where the outcome and risk to consumer electronics devices might be uncertain – at best.

Note: This posting is primarily directed to an amateur radio audience.  No technical background information is given.