Wouxun KG-UV3D warning

[o8k]

I just purchased the Wouxun KG-UV3D. THen i bought the USB programming cable and the accessory microphone. THen i programmed it, then my onboard microphone quit working but the accessory microphone still worked.

Please beware of this problem.

Here is the problem and the fix....

The headphone jack for the accessory and programming cable has a paddle switch build into the female side which is SMT surface mounted to the radio. However, wouxun probably bought the wrong jack because the paddle switch is exposed on the top and wouxun felt the need to cover it for some reason...

they chose to glue a plastic cover over it. My particular radio did not get the glue in the right spot and it gunked up the paddle switch.

I had to take it apart, pop the plastic glued cover off the headphone jack, un-gunk the glue that gunked the paddle switch, then i was back in business.

All in all, great radio, but be warned... this could happen to you... Wouxun should consider a modified assembly process or source a different part to avoid quality problems....

!!!UPDATE!!! Also, the RF shield over the onboard microphone is conductive and can potentially short out the mic. I did this when i put it back together... but if its not in the right spot, you will get some funky noise into the transmit.
I have provided illustrations...

 

[k2led]

Thanks, great post. I had a 2-D do this right off the bat. Ed exchanged it with no problems. So far I have purchased and programed around 20 of these from wouxun.us for myself and others.

 

[Moleculo]

Great post. Thanks for the head's up and detailed pics.

 

[fortyfiver]

Really great information. I don't have a UV3 yet so I'm wondering if maybe it's particular to that model's assembly?

I wonder just what the assembly process/environment is with these. China it can be anything from a series of backyard huts to an ultra-modern streamlined assembly line. But it WILL have lots of people rather than lots of automation. Political imperative. Training can be extensive or a minute of "Here are the parts and that's where they go".

One concern I DO have with the UV1/UV2 is the top knobs loosening with use. Anything I should be concerned with? Heck, maybe they were like that when I first got them and I didn't notice or didn't care. Not "falling out" loose, but they do rock a little.

Still great radios with performance and features way above their price. I even have one (not one of the ones with the loose knobs!) that has recently passed a non-elastic three foot vertical acceleration/deceleration test with flying colors but no flying parts! (Did you know that a one meter free fall results in about 9.9 mph velocity?)

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Except of course if you're a Ham!"

 

[TonyV225]

Great post and I cant understand how the hell they didnt see this happening durring assembly process?? Is there no testing or Quality Control? These look to be alright products from this company and I would like to try a handheld and a mobile version when I do I will test them against Yaesu, Icom, Kenwood and Alinco. I am betting they will rank right in there with the big boys The boards in the Wouxon radios look well done but this glue mess you exposed is rediculous. :blink:

 

[o8k]

Well, I ended up returning this radio for a new one. Several things worth mentioning regarding how the return was handled by powerwerx...

1. They swapped it promptly no questions asked, great turn around...
2. They swapped the radio guts out and used my same plastic case i started with
3. They swapped out the "guts with a uV2D, i sent them a uv3d...
4. The unit they sent me, the lower few buttons under the key up did not work, once i re-inserted the guts back into the water resistant case, they worked fine.
5. The unit "uv2d" also has the plastic stuff glued to the mic jack(s) which fell off when i re-inserted the unit into the case, but glue was not interfering with switch as shown above

All in all, I’m not about to complain, considering i had took the radio apart and messed with the innards a bunch before i returned it, probably something most companies would get fussy about during a warrantee repair. All in all.. So far... knock on wood, it’s working. but the experience is worth a mention....

I would not recommend buying one of these over the internet, and i would bet the chances are high you will be returning yours if you get one, better to have a retail store to the exchange to avoid the "unorthodox" repair situation i ended up in.

again, for the price, i would consider buying another one, but I’m the gambling type...