Pretty little Asda handhelds !

Licence free two-way radio services that now includes both FM and digital channels. Discuss models, modifications and other similar worldwide standards such as FRS and GMRS.
Post Reply
timberwolf
Regular
Regular
Posts: 43
Joined: 28 Apr 2012, 01:16

Pretty little Asda handhelds !

Post by timberwolf »

Impulse buy about a decade ago (on sale for about £3 pp). Too many other radios in the shack so I never used them, until yesterday... Oh my goodness ! They seemed to interfere over multiple channels ; audio quality was distorted ; they wouldn't TX or RX to each other (had to use my even older Binatone MR 620's to check them. I would have stripped them for spares but I used my original UV5R just to make sure they weren't fit for purpose. They do work perfectly ! It's just whoever did the factory frequency settings didn't quite adhere to Ofcom PMR standards ! Radio 1 : 445.99375 to 446.08125 MHz and Radio 2 : 446.00000 to 446.08750 MHz (both in perfect 125Hz steps!). Doesn't even coincide with any worldwide standardised 446 frequencies either. Bizarre!
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
M3HIM
Radio Addict
Radio Addict
Posts: 662
Joined: 08 Apr 2010, 14:32
Call Sign: M3HIM
Location: Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, UK - IO91ot
Contact:

Re: Pretty little Asda handhelds !

Post by M3HIM »

Are there internal jumpers to configure them or can the be reprogrammed via software (e.g. CHIRP)?
Félim M3HIM
26-CT-909 / 26-TM-989 / 26-FRS-001 / 26-IRC-909 Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England/UK [IO91ot]
29-CT-909 / 29-TM-989 / 29-FRS-001 / 29-IRC-909 Sandymount, Dublin, Ireland/Éire [IO63vi]
timberwolf
Regular
Regular
Posts: 43
Joined: 28 Apr 2012, 01:16

Re: Pretty little Asda handhelds !

Post by timberwolf »

Hi M3HIM
Nope. These were your typical cheap PMR handies. Absolutely non-programmable with software like CHIRP. I'll probably open one up and have a look at the internals since only one radio operates on 7/8 legal PMR frequencies. Sometimes I wish radios still had interchangeable crystals...
timberwolf
Regular
Regular
Posts: 43
Joined: 28 Apr 2012, 01:16

Re: Pretty little Asda handhelds !

Post by timberwolf »

Solved the mysterious channel issue! One handie was programmed to TX/RX on the rarely encountered 'on-site PMR' frequencies (as currently used by my local Home Bargains stores - encrypted and ctcss'd!). The only info I have on these midway PMR446 frequencies is that they're occasionally used in high-density urban areas (and reserved for primary user military in the countryside!)
Post Reply