Connect Systems CS700 DMR Portable Radio Review

The Connect Systems (CSI) CS700 portable radio is a low cost, high value Digital Mobile Radio (aka DMR) radio that has recently been released to the ham radio community. Overall, this is a great single band UHF DMR radio for ham radio use on the 70cm band and will make a great radio for anyone interested in getting started with DMR. At the time of this review, the pricing for a new CS700 directly from CSI was $180USD, which includes a 1-year warranty.

Price: $180USD
Author’s Rating: Excellent

(4 out of 5)

The Good

    Quality Construction: Unlike many Chinese-made radios, this radio is well built for the price;
    Audio Volume and Quality: The audio from this radio is very full, with a good response to low frequencies, making it pleasing to listen to and it will get heard, even in the noisiest environments;
    Programming Software: The programming software is available for free and is relatively easy to use;
    Vendor Support: The vendor has a long history of providing ham radio products and appears committed to making a great DMR radio for the ham radio community;
    Price: At $180, this radio is an attractive option for anyone looking to get started with DMR;

The Bad

    Software Defects: The current version of the radio’s firmware and the associated programming software still have many software defects to be resolved.

The Full Review
Features
The CS700 comes standard with the following features:

•     Frequency range includes the 400 – 470 MHz UHF band;
•     Dual mode digital DMR and analog FM operation;
•     Compatible with Motorola DMR radios;
•     Supports up to 1,000 channels and 1,000 contacts;
•     1-year warranty.

Form Factor

The CS700 is a compact portable radio that is small, lightweight, has a great ergonomic design. Being only about 13cm (5 1/4”) high or 27cm (10 3/4”) with the antenna and about 275g (9.7oz) in weight, this radio fits nicely in the hand and can even be carried in a shirt pocket, making it a pleasure to use. In addition to its design, the radio appears to be well built, unlike many other Chinese-made radios. The radio feels very solid and the accessories fit well, including the battery, antenna and the accessory port dust protector.

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While the CS700 does not claim to meet any specific environmental operating standards, its build quality should more than suffice for typical ham radio use.

From the left, the Motorola MOTOTRBO XPR 7550, the Connect System CS700 and the Vertex Standard EVX-534.
Knobs, Buttons & Switches

There are two knobs on the CS700 – one is the power switch/volume knob and the other is the channel selector knob. Both of these knobs are easily accessed on the top of the radio and they both provide a slight “click” as positive indication that either the radio is turned on/of or that the channel is changed. Unlike with some other DMR radios, the channel change knob does not continuously rotate and is limited to the standard 16 positions. Also, while the knobs have not been constructed using a high grip material, they can used wearing gloves or mittens.

http://www.va3xpr.net/connect-systems-cs700-portable-radio-review/



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