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The Wouxun KG-UV899 vs. the Baofeng UV-5R

We now have the KG-UV899 in house and are getting a first glimpse of this new dual band amateur radio from Wouxun. As we mentioned in our previous announcement, this new model seems to be aimed squarely at Baofeng UV-5R users who want to upgrade to something a little more professional without the professional pricing.

Here is a more detailed list of features and specifications of the Wouxun KG-UV899 against those of the Baofeng UV-5R.

Like the UV-5R, the KG-UV899 is a dual bander that operates on 2m and 70cm. It features DTMF encode/decode, CTCSS/DCS, has a built-in FM radio and supports wide and narrowbanding. It has an emergency alarm, voice prompts, keypad lock, channel scan, dual watch, a timeout and busy channel lockout. It can be programmed for repeaters and is VOX capable. It has an lighted LCD display, a lighted keypad and an LED flashlight. It also memory channels. That's about where the similarities end.

Where Baofeng leaves off, Wouxun begins. The KG-UV899 has more memory channels as the UV-5R, 199 of them to be exact, compared to 128. More the channels is more fun with any amateur ht. But the fun doesn't stop there. The KG-UV899 also has a programmable key on its side. Granted, it has limited programmability, but it is there, and that's what counts. Plus, the UV-899 is rated IP55 water resistant, and compared to the UV-5R, which of course isn't, that's simply cut and dry. If you use your handheld outdoors, that's a big plus.

To top it all off, the Wouxun KG-UV899 even has a channel knob, something you don't usually find on handhelds under $100, and something that is definitely non-existent on the UV-5R. Of course, it has the familiar up/down keys on the keypad that like the UV-5R relies on for switching channels and frequencies, but it has the channel knob too, so you don't need to use them. Now that's a sweet topping.

Based on a basic feature for feature comparison, it does seem as though the Wouxun may actually be at least a slight upgrade from the Baofeng. Sound good so far, but what about interconnectivity and accessories? What if you do want to upgrade your UV-5R to a KG-UV899 but you don't want to invest in all new accessories? Let's check it out.

The KG-UV899 has the same SMA male antenna connector as the Baofeng UV-5R. It also uses the same standard Kenwood accessory connector used by most Baofeng and Wouxn handheld transceivers, so you can use your KG-UV899 with your existing Nagoya and Diamond antennas along with your speaker microphones and headsets. While the battery, the desktop charger and battery eliminator are not interchangeable with the Baofeng radios, they are interchangable with a couple of other Wouxun models, the KG-816 and KG-UV889.

The Wouxun KG-UV899 is now available at Buy Two Way Radios.

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