GME TX6600S

Solid, quality unit with good features – I've had a TX6600S for around 4 years now and I've found it to be a very well made and usable UHF transceiver. It feels rock solid in your hand and performs well First, to it's pros: * Sturdy construction, made from good quality materials. This is not hyperbole, it really is very solid. If only more things were made this hardy... * Controls feel sturdy too, including the Volume and Channel knobs. There's no wobble and there's enough resistance in them that you wont easily change the channel or volume by accident * Nice, high-contrast White-backlit LCD display. Uses 11 segments instead of 7 so it can display alphabetical characters also, which helps with the menu system since you get much more readable descriptions for each menu item * Channel annunciation: The device speaks the channel numbers as you change channels, which is very helpful when it's on your hip and you're turning the Channel knob (no need to look down). It does say "One one" though, instead of "Eleven". I'd like to hear it pronounce the numbers above 9 properly instead of spelling out the digits, but that's a minor thing * Two programmable instant-channel buttons. I have mine set to 5 and whatever channel I'm operating on for that day, but you just have to select a channel and then hold in one of the two buttons to set that as the instant channel. After that, a single press will take you back to that channel. Super easy * Dual and triple channel scan, so you can scan whatever channels you want while keeping an eye on one or two other priority channels. I don't use this personally, but I appreciate it's availability and can think of some situations where it might be useful. It does slow down the scan while using it, but that's to be expected * Turns-on with the Volume knob. I much prefer this to transceivers that have a separate power button, or some other way of turning it on. The "click" as it transitions on or off is very noticeable and reassuring * Has a 0.1W power mode in addition to 1W and 5W: If you're talking to someone who's only a hundred meters away or so (like in a vehicle convoy), then this is all the power you'll need. Saves a lot of battery life using 0.1W compared to 1W or 5W, so it's nice to have the option * Signal strength meter: It can optionally display received signal strength using a logarithmic or linear number scale, which is helpful for signal reports * IP67 rating: An IP55 rating is a minimum requirement for outdoor use in my mind, but IP67 is even better. No need to worry about it being ruined if you drop it in water * Clear and loud Audio * Australian made

Cons: * Expensive. Although I don't mind paying more for quality, and more for it being made in Australia, you will notice it in the sticker price. I see it as a fair trade-off, but unless you're rich, it's still a negative point * Channel up and down buttons are on the same horizontal level. I'm not a fan of this and think that the channel up button should be physically *above* the channel down button. This is a minor gripe, but if you have other devices where the Down button is on the Right instead of the Left, it will cause you trouble unless you're looking directly at the buttons when you press them * The Channel Knob: This is the main thing I don't like about the TX6600S, as it has a raised-ridge with a line on it. The ridge means your fingers often get squeezed in-between it and the antenna, making it harder to use than it needs to be. Given that the Channel Knob is an encoder and has no fixed reference position (unlike the Volume knob), why have an annoying ridge on it with a marked line? The line could be pointing towards you while it's on Channel 1 and then your press an instant channel recall button that switches it to Channel 37 and the line will still be pointing towards you, so it's pointless. To be clear, I don't really care about the line itself, but I *do* have a big problem with the ridge that the line is drawn on. This is by far the most annoying thing with the radio, and I notice it *a lot* during everyday use. Even though most people probably won't be troubled by it, it should still be noted for anyone looking to buy this device * Plain-looking. This is also a very minor point, but it does look fairly plain for the price. It's not terrible to look at, but I think they could have made it a bit more stylish for the money, without sacrificing it's hardiness

Anyway, those are my thoughts on the radio. I took the time to write this review because there's way too much junk on the market (not only CBs) and I think GME's efforts should be rewarded. Overall, I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a top-notch handheld UHF transceiver. I think the negatives are all minor (even the irritating Channel Knob) and far out-weighed by the positives. If you buy this unit, you won't regret it and I would not be surprised if it lasts you for 15+ years

In the long run not worth it – Don't even bother At first everything will smooth operations then The cheap Chinese manufactured will start playing Up. The knobs plus transmission tab will fall off after that the rechargeable battery cell pack will start losing charge . Would recommend against purchasing the quickly and cheaply made plastic garbage

Exterior good – I would have to agree with the other review even though, I haven't had the gme tx6600s professional model for very long the roughness And even toughness seems pretty good 5 watts Of pure powerful output from this compact UHF cb Radio Hands held portable making so easy to hold especially while transmitting Plus it's got a long attenae Each time press a button a light is there which often comes in handy plus the gme tx6600s is built tough to military standards.

The feature I like about the most is that can change channels with either the knob or The arrow buttons at the front

I also like the fact the unit talks And says which channel are using Switching to