Radioddity QT40 Review
- Ham Talk, Product Review
- Posted by Jackson Chen
- Leave a comment
--- by Rick Eaton KD4HGR
Well you are probably wondering
if CB is still alive and the answer would be yes it is very much alive and well.
You now have a new mode on CB which is now legal in the USA which is FM. The
modes you now can use on CB are FM/AM/USB/LSB and the channels are still only
1-40.
This is the legal stuff as stated by the FCC. There is also what is called the
free bands which are roughly 40 channels below channel 1 and 40 channels above
channel 40.
I'm writing this to tell you about this radio called the
QT40 by Radioddity. It sells for $199.99 but is on sale from time to time
for $174.99 direct from their website
www.radioddity.com
First let me be honest and say this is a really great CB radio for your money.
Its Specs are better then most CB’s as its actually a ham radio which require
better standards by the FCC versus the CB Radio. It is completely software
programable by your computer with the free downloadable software from the
website listed above. One simple dropdown box change to CB and one simple
internal jumper change from pins one and two to pins two and three you do first
and it’s a CB with a lot of features.
One is it has all the local weather channels programed in. It has a SWR built in
that shows up in where the channel Led is It also will display frequency 2
digits at a time where it shows the channels. It has 5 different roger beeps and
32 different levels of volume for the echo and 32 different delays for the echo.
When you do look at the software pay close attention to the RX and TX NR. This
is noise reduction settings. Not to be confused with a noise blanker as these
are too different animals. Noise reduction actually works as where noise blanker
NB are usually very useless. The NR in TX is like a noise canceling microphone.
Don’t change it unless you have a lot of background noise. For the RX change
that as you need to if you have a good strong static noise level. I left both of
mine on 3 which seems to be more than enough.
I have used this at home on SSB on my HF Dipole for Ham Radio on the CB band and
have made so really good long distance contacts into South America and Europe
around channels 38-40 on USB. I have also used this in my car and pretty much
the same results. The Noise RX works fantastic in this radio as it kills a lot
of the hash noise and bring in the audio you were straining your ears to hear.
Excellent on this part as we all know CB is a noisy band. This also has a VOX
feature which when turned on means you do not have to push in the button but
simply just start talking into the microphone but remember to turn this off when
you do not want to talk otherwise everyone listening here’s everything your
saying…lol
Also Think about this radio in a longer term for the price you pay. If you ever
decide to get a ham radio license you wont have to get a new radio as this does
the ham bands right out of the box. It’s a great CB radio but an even better Ham
Radio as well.
This layout look very similar to the old style cobra radios like the 138 XLR or
142XLR.
The specs for this radio is as follows:
- Powerful Performance: The Radioddity QT40 radio boasts a 40 watts transmission
power.
- Noise Reduction: With both TX and RX digital noise reduction technology, the
QT40 ensures that you'll never have to strain to hear or be heard in noisy
environments.
- Accurate Signal Meter: The PWR/RX RSSI Signal Meter provides you with a clear
picture of your signal strength, helping you to optimize your communication for
the best possible results.
- Weather Channel: With its impressive weather band and NOAA alert feature, you
can stay ahead of the curve and be prepared for any sudden changes in the
weather.
- Customizable Features: The QT40 is equipped with a range of features,
including CTCSS/DCS, PC program, ASQ, SQ, RF gain, VOX, HI-CUT,etc.
You Also get a lot of channels as you have a switch that has A thru F with 40
channels each so this gives you 240 channels which each has AM/FM/USB/LSB this
is a lot of options right out of the box.
For a Low priced CB compared to the others of this type and Price range you will
be hard pressed to beat this rig.
I love this radio and have been playing with it quite a lot as I wanted to give
it a fair test out against the other out their and I would buy this radio if I
dint have one already. I have run into a few truckers I know and had them play
with it when its in my car and they could believe what it does for the price.
So if your looking for a good Priced good quality CB versus the other Guys then
give this a try as feel you will not be disappointed at all.
It’s got a lot of features for the price. So give it a close look
Good luck and happy Skip chasing as they say in the CB world.
Rick KD4HGR
5 comments
Radioddity
Hi Mike McKay, please find the frequency chart in the Radioddity download section.
https://www.radioddity.com/pages/radioddity-download
Mike McKay
“You Also get a lot of channels as you have a switch that has A thru F with 40 channels each so this gives you 240 channels which each has AM/FM/USB/LSB this is a lot of options right out of the box.” Actually, you have A-F, LOW & HIGH with 40 channels available each, so 480 channels! What I am looking for is the post-mod frequency bands & channels in a chart or spread-sheet, instead of going through each band (12) and writing down each frequency in each (again, 480, minus a few in F-High). Any help, please?
Alex Klauber
A buddy of mine turned me on to the QT-40. He sounded amazing over the air, and once he started telling me all the features of the QT-40, I was fully expecting my friend to tell me he paid between $280-$310, but when he told me he paid only $179, I started thinking of replacing my very old Bearcat 980.
I operate only mobile as I can’t have an outdoor antenna. I’m located in Central NY, and have made contact to Brazil, Reunion Island and South Africa, again from my mobile. I don’t run a bunch of power, just 60 watts from a very small amp. The reports from other stations always phrase the audio. I use the stock mic as the QT-40 has audio amplification. Most of my contacts are surprised I’m operating as a mobile.
I am completely satisfied with the QT-40s performance. I’ve had it almost a year and still have fun operating it.
Brad
Old Radio field repairman US Army 1961 to 64 here. Great review, and I think you have helped sell me on this unit. Taking the Tec. test soon.Thanks, Brad G.
Paul, WB0BBC
Well written review, Rick! Thanks for sharing and hope to see you on FT8 or DMR soon. I’m in the process of reassembling my hamshack and determining what antennas will work at our new QTH.
73’s, Paul