I've had time to use the Baofengs on VARA FM and, unfortunately, the newer radio is still on the edge in turn around time.
In other words, it has a lot of retries.
VARA FM has rigid timing between transmits and acknowledge.?
VHF is assumed to be a solid path.
After a couple of attempts the other station will bail.
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By comparison, VARA HF is different and often uses 10 - 15 retries due to fading and RFI we experience doing HF radio.
I include this to differentiate the two modes with similar names.
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When I can buy a dual band 5W hand held today, made by a major radio maker like Yaesu for $160,? which is up to $300 cheaper than they used to be, the choice is a no brainer.
Buy from the Japanese.?
The $35 radios will talk back & forth fine on the repeaters, they are just not always cut out for digital.
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73
Mike N0QBH
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N0QBH Mike Berg