New toy Lanchonlh HG-UV98 ARPS V/UHF HT

A chinese HT with APRS?

While scrolling around the internet recently I came across a Chinese branded UHF and VHF HT with built in APRS. The Lanchonlh HG-UV98 ARPS V/UHF.

I managed to snap one up for about AUD$200 delivered to my home. Its not as full featured as my Kenwood D72 HT but it is 1/2 the price, additionally it has BlueTooth access to the internal TNC (like the Kenwood D74) but it also charges by a micro USB!

Like most HTs it included the near dummy load whip which went straight in the bin, and within seconds a SMA to BNC was added - I run BNC on every portable radio I own from the FT-857 to my DMR and FM HTs and my little APRS 1w tracker - when you have tired and cold hands BNC is a positive connection with gloves on rather than fiddling with the limited life SMA. I use the converters that seat within the HT recess on most of the HTs.

The manual that comes with the package is all in Chinese so that went into the bin too.
Here is the ‘english’ manual - and I mean that is the loosest sense. https://www.manualslib.com/download/1661386/Lanchonlh-Hg-Uv98.html

And there is a firmware upgrade available - so I added that straight away - the most noticeable change is on the GPS screen it shows the real Grid Square of the location
Firmware upgrade: https://hvdnnotebook.blogspot.com/2020/09/firmware-update-lanch-hg-uv98-aprs-radio.html

Now I mentioned BT - I was able to connect to my little android phone I have kept for portable radio operation using APRSdroid - worked PERFECTLY! using the same method I use with my Mobilinkd BT TNC. Essentially the same as setting up this HT: https://youtu.be/Mi-Hk2EwQVo

Well, I have had the HT for an hour - no doubt more to come!