re: "Could you imagine ..., Motorola ... the same features as a $50 Wouxun " Sure. Buy the Moto used. Which is what I do. MUCH better specs, too.
You're lucky if one of those Chinese radio last a year, so with in a year they'll al be burned out anyway.
Whether you think it's about time that the FCC acted, or you think this advisory is ill-advised, consider a few points: a) If one reads the FCC advisory in the strictest sense, any current amateur radio that can easily be modified (Alinco, Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu, etc.) to go out of band would then also be banned, b) I've seen no FCC action against any of the major internet sites (Amazon, eBay, etc.) that probably sell thousands of the Chinese radios per week, so perhaps their legal teams have already reached out to the FCC (or their political representatives in Congress) for further clarification, and c) Since nearly every current radio from Alinco, Icom, Kenwood and Yaesu have been modifiable for years (with little to no attention from the FCC), is it not possible that this latest advisory will merely force the Chinese designers to merely follow the leads from their Japanese competitors and make a radio that transmits in-band for FCC testing but is easily modified later? Certainly no one wants to see idiots jamming local public service frequencies, but this advisory seems to be many years past due, and considering it would not be impossible for the Chinese to copy the mods used for various Japanese radios to allow MARS/CAP use (they seem especially good at copying), I don't think the Chinese will simply walk away from the western market without a fight.
Prices have actually gone down for the Baofeng on Amazon. Email I received with coupon brings the price under $30 including shipping and tax. Don't really need another as mine (about three years old) still works fine.
************************************************************************************************************************************************ Well OB those are some points to consider, BUT THE FCC REALLY DOESN'T GIVE-A-DAMN, as they're just waiting to de-regulate like the "CB BANDS" and wash their "hands of amateur radio" as well !!! WADDAH U THINK??? & besides they the (FCC) CAN'T THROW US OFF ANY OF THE BANDS BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MANY OF US who've sunk WAY TOO MUCH MONEY INTO OUR HOBBY!!!
10/12 meter radios are legal for Ham use in your country, just like in Europe. Changing them into 11 meter radios is legal too, but using them on 11 is illegal. This is a law thingy that should change. Resellers are informing and helping in a wrong way. Just like "the official" Ham Radio shops offering to make the big three (IcKenYae) general TX/RX, no Ham complains about that ... Every time customs DFW US checks my bags with 10/12 meter radios i have nice conversations with them about our great hobby Amateur Radio. I buy a lot in your country because prices in EU are double.
The power to legislate is solely vested in congress. Any other unelected organization attempting to pass laws which curtail individual freedoms should be resisted, subverted and de-funded. Every little bit helps. The nation you save could be your own. having said that, i blame congress, by shirking their responsibility and handing it over to these unlawful regulatory organizations with no accountability to the People. But, thats just me, having read the Constitution. We're obviously too simple minded to govern ourselves.
