Leixen VV-898: a second look

  I previously reviewed the Leixen VV-898 10W dual-band rig, and it's proven to be acceptable if you aren't in an area with strong intermod interference and if the majority of the repeaters in your area employ tone squelch (TSQ). The early Leixen product, the VV-808 monoband, ran into problems with reception. There was a continuous "popping" noise, and it was supposedly fixed by replacing the CPU chip. The VV-898 has the same problem, though to a much lesser degree. Simplex and GMRS channels "pop" when scanning, even though there is no activity on the frequency, and even though no "pop" is heard when you stop the scan on any of those frequencies and just listen. Setting the squelch very high can eliminate most of this, but then you lose weak signals. Or you can turn on tone squelch and keep the regular squelch at its normal level.

  Of course, tone squelch isn't very useful for simplex. The radio can be used for simplex FM on VHF, 70cm, or GMRS without tone squelch if you aren't scanning (i.e. just monitoring or working a single channel). Two-metre simplex at 9W is a 'challenge' anyway, and 70cm FM simplex isn't used much. If you're working GMRS simplex, then you are probably communicating with someone that you know on an agreed-upon channel and you aren't scanning. Still, you should be aware of this shortcoming if you are considering the VV-898, and it's something that I didn't give sufficient mention to in my previous review.

  Repeaters without tone squelch on the output are a similar problem. I have them programmed in, but I take them out of the scan by using Menu 39. These repeaters are still programmed in and available to use, but I'm not exposed to the "popping" sound when scanning for activity. For some people, that might be a problem. For my own case, I tend to monitor one repeater at a time -- though using the the dual-watch function of Menu 7 to listen for activity on a second repeater or simplex frequency. Again, this is something that you should be aware of before buying the radio.

  Still, after over two months of use, the Leixen VV-898 has been a good purchase for my uses.

  I set up a station at one of my friend's cabins during deer hunting season using a VV-898 and a roll-up J-pole, and I loaned him a Baofeng UV-5R programmed for MURS (unlicensed simplex VHF) frequencies. The arrangement worked splendidly, and he was able to reach the cabin to call for someone to pick him up at the end of the day. Like most people, he had never seen FM two-way as a valid, useful tool in his lifetime beyond childhood memories of noisy AM CB rigs in cars. I ended up giving him the spare Baofeng (who doesn't have a spare Baofeng?) programmed for MURS (only), and I gave him the HYS TC-898UV (which is a copy of the Leixen VV-898) that I had. The TC-898UV was programmed for MURS, marine VHF (for the nearby lakes), and the local Weather Service frequency (transmit locked out). I also added the local ham radio repeater (with transmit locked out). The whole thing was password-locked using the programming software, though I doubt that he (or anyone likely to use it) would have the skill or inclination to mess with it. The whole thing ran on the $13 Leixen-made power supply and used a roll-up J-pole bought on EBay tacked to an indoor wall. For most hams, this would be considered a joke of a rig. Yet he was thrilled to have this addition to the family cabin, and he was especially interested by the local amateur repeater that he never knew existed in the area. If there was actually activity on the repeater, he would have probably got his licence just for the opportunity to chat with the locals. As it was, the marine VHF channels offered a sufficient chance for chit-chat with others in the summer, anyway.

  And so, by giving away the HYS model, I was in the market for a VV-898 to put in my car. I knew from prior experimentation that the radio could work off the the 13.8 vDC jack in the "stash box" of the vehicle without causing problems for either the car's electrical system or the radio by introducing interference. I ordered a VV-898 directly from Leixen on AliExpress, along with the power cable. In two weeks, it had arrived. I un-boxed it, programmed in the channels. I hooked it up to an antenna and keyed the mic. 

It didn't work.

It would turn on, allow me to listen to FM radio, change channels, edit from the front panel...but it wouldn't transmit or receive. 

I was ready to box it up and send it back. But I looked back at the older saved files and compared them to the one found on the new radio. It took a while to figure out, but the radio came defaulted to uselessness. The problem was found under the "Special Functions" tab, in the "stun" section.

 

 

If the two circled boxes aren't checked, the radio won't transmit or receive. This is especially stupid, since it seems that un-checking them would remove "TX inhibit". 

This is one of those "clever" functions that the Chinese manufacturers boast about in the product descriptions: the stun function. Completely useless for amateur radio, it allows a central dispatcher to shut down a radio remotely. 

Once the two boxes were checked, the radio worked just fine. 

As long as I have the screen-shot up there, I'll point out how to set the time and date -- which is something that confused me initially. Checking the box marked "Time Of System" sets the radio to the same time as the computer that is programming it. Double-clicking on the "Time out" field opens up a calendar dialogue with a check box for "Today". Checking that box sets the radio's clock for that day. EDIT: See John's comment below for a clarification of this function.

I've put a file on my Google Drive with settings that work. The channels are programmed for the local repeaters, of course, but you can easily change or delete them. You should be able to download it. 

I know that there are operators in other countries that would find the VV-898 to be suitable rig. The UK, for example, has a licence Class limited to 10W. And Indonesia also has a "no code" Class limited to 10W on VHF/UHF. India's Restricted Grade licensees are similarly limited to 10W on 2M and 70cm. 

I'm no expert on foreign licence privileges, but I know that Indonesia alone is ranked third in the world for licensing numbers. So radios like the Leixen VV-898 do have their niche. Even in the suburbs where I operate, ten watts with an indoor antenna allows me to reach several popular repeaters quite well. In urban areas, I could see a lot of apartment dwellers or renters with restrictive landlords finding this to be a quite adequate radio to get on the air with. Not everyone needs 50W and a beam on the roof.