Powerwerx DB-750X

[PD0AC]

Last week I received the Polmar DB-50M, the European version of the Powerwerx DB-750X. The article is a bit large, but here are the main points:

The radio is a variety of the Anytone AT-5888UV, but doesn't have the bugs and flaws which plagued the first batches.

I liked the exterior design of the original Anytone, but I like this one even more. The main reason for my preference is the accessibility of the various push buttons. Once you know where they are and what they do you can operate the radio blindfolded. For the rest it’s a matter of taste.

The microphone is rather ugly but reasonably well designed. There’s no lock button, but contrary to Anytone’s first attempt this model doesn’t really need one. PTT is a bit stiff, and you need to press the rubber exactly in the middle. If you don’t, PTT won’t work reliably. There’s also a tiny front speaker built into the microphone which you can activate in one of the menus. Also configurable from the menu are four programmable buttons.

There are two external speaker outputs at the back which can be configured in such a way that each VFO has its own speaker. Nice detail: the cooling fan at the back is pleasantly silent and only kicks in when needed. Also at the back: the (in)famous SO-239 antenna connector and a DC out. Because this connector is not fused I don’t recommend using it, unless you’re 100% sure that nothing can go wrong.

- Harmonic suppression is excellent.
- Front-end quality above average

Flaws:

- TX audio is muffled, but can be easily fixed by a small modification.
- When changing channel spacing, the frequency in the display will be the reference / starting point. If you don’t want to wander off the standard frequencies, set your VFO frequency to something ending in three zeros first.

Bottom line: it's a transceiver I would be happy to buy.

Complete article:

Review Polmar DB-50M / Powerwerx DB-750X | Ham Radio Blog PD0AC

Hans

 

[2RT307]

Thanks for the update and link!

73,
RT307

 

[Moleculo]

Can you tell us where we can purchase this rig from?

 

[SwampCracker]

Greetings Hans,

So does the DB-750X have all of the same features as described in Moleculo's review of the AnyTone AT-5888UV Re: Duplexing/remote repeater capability etc. etc.?

I apologize in advance if these are newbish questions but, I am a newb to HAM Radio (waiting on callsign to show up in ULS) and have been looking at the DB-750X for my truck when I just stumbled across Moleculo's Anytone AT-5888UV review.

I recently purchased the Wouxun KG-UV3D HT as I studied for the test and it seems to be a decent radio for the pricepoint it's sold at.

Anyways, thanks for any opinion you may give on this.

 

[NorthStar]

PowerWerx imports and distributes this. Ham Radio Outlet also sells it.

 

[SwampCracker]

Yep, that's where I first saw the DB-750x. I bought my KG-UV3D from them.

 

[PD0AC]

Greetings Hans,

So does the DB-750X have all of the same features as described in Moleculo's review of the AnyTone AT-5888UV Re: Duplexing/remote repeater capability etc. etc.?

I apologize in advance if these are newbish questions but, I am a newb to HAM Radio (waiting on callsign to show up in ULS) and have been looking at the DB-750X for my truck when I just stumbled across Moleculo's Anytone AT-5888UV review.

I recently purchased the Wouxun KG-UV3D HT as I studied for the test and it seems to be a decent radio for the pricepoint it's sold at.

Anyways, thanks for any opinion you may give on this.

There may be slight differences in the software / menus, but the functionallity is largerly the same.

Hans

 

[SwampCracker]

Ok thanks Hans!

 

[butter bean]

hello if anybody is still around for this i got 2 of these radios back 4/5 years ago and got the unlock keys and separation kits etc.
within 2 years both radios are junk. one of them the radio goes dead when you key the mic, the 2nd one has transmit but no receive! after calling "tech support" the poor guy said he couldnt send me a schematic on the radio because he didnt even have one! (no it wasnt April fools day.) he told me all he can do is ofer me $100 per radio off if i bought 2 more radio`s. i bout fell out of my chair when he said that. ive been playing radio for 50+ years and never saw a sorry manufacture like powerex. so needless to say i have one radio that works good as a scanner and the other just may be a target soon. IF ANYBODY HAS A SCHEMATIC GET HOLD OF ME. bunker2k1@hotmail.com and put powerex junk in the subject. thanks 73s all

 

[Wire Weasel]

Butter Bean !!! LOL CQ CQ from the Bar B Que Man over in Tallulah Falls ​

 

[videobruce]

How about any additional reports regarding post #9 since it kinda questions anyone wanting to purchase this !

I will add, I called Powerwerx and talked to 'Jeremy' who is their 'radio guy' according to the 1st person I talked to, asking questions about this model, specifically, issues with intermod and blown VHF finals. He dismissed both stating all the 'volunteer' fire departments etc that are using these. Well, 'volunteer' anything are NOT in major cities (actual cities over say 100k in population), but in suburbs and rural areas where 'intermod' pretty much doesn't exist.
He further claimed he's never seen any warranty returns for blown finals, but he's only been there 3 years he stated.

So my question is regarding issues with the VHF TX issue, was that just in earlier units since this has been out 10+ years??
Same goes to more than one report (elsewhere) of bad intermod for those who do live in or near a larger city (and I don't mean NYC, Chicago or LA).

 

[videobruce]

Oh, one of the main selling points is what appears to be a actual channel 'one step skip/lock out' function while in scan mode, something NO other radio other than a much older Yaesu FT7100M from 2001 has that I have found so far.

How ANY radio with 'scanning' capability NOT have a dedicated, one button lock out is beyond me. As bad as not having capability of assigning 'banks/groups' to blocks of channels.