For builders, experimenters, ham radio operators, and low power enthusiasts.
Alinco DJ-G7T Review
If you’re looking for a solid entry-level tri-band HT, the Alinco DJ-G7T is a good choice. It’s reasonably priced yet chock-full of features. It’s easy enough for newcomers to use, but flexible enough for even the most experienced hams to enjoy it. Let’s get into the details in our overview of the DJ-G7T by Alinco.
Good
Full tri-band support – The DJ-G7T by Alinco fully supports the 2-meter, 70cm, and 23cm bands in a single compact package, making this a good option if you want to explore bands beyond the 2-meter and 70cm bands.
Up to 5w of transmit power – Despite its small size, this HT outputs 5 watts of power on the 2-meter band, 4.5 watts on the 70cm band, and 1 watt on the 23cm band. If you swap the standard antenna with a whip antenna, you’ll be able to reach repeaters and make connections at surprising distances.
Solid and simple controls – You won’t find any touch screens or complex menus on this device. It’s built with simple buttons and knobs that put the most frequently-used controls right at your fingertips.
Rugged, IPX7 design – The Alinco DJ-G7T is built to IPX7 specifications, which means it can handle full immersion in 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. This makes it great for outdoor use.
More than 1000 memory channels – The DJ-G7T has 1000 channels, one call channel per ham band, 50 programmed-scan pairs, 100 dual memory channels, 100 priority channels, and 100 search-pass channels.
Bad
Hard to program manually – The simple interface combined with its enormous memory banks means that the Alinco DJ-G7T isn’t that easy to program without a data cable and a PC, which will cost you extra money.
Relatively short battery life – The battery is decent and there’s a power-saving mode, but frequent use drains it pretty quickly. You’ll definitely want to keep a backup on hand if this will be your primary HT.
No belt clip – Rather than a real clip, this unit comes with a strange strap that you can connect to your belt. This works, but the radio dangles loosely, making it a sub-par solution if you want to carry your HT with you on your belt.
Bottom line
It’s affordable, it’s got great features, and it’s durable. If you want an HT that supports the 23cm band but you’re not looking to overspend, the DJ-G7T is a great choice. It’s a great value that packs plenty of performance into a compact, rugged, and durable package.
Double conversion superheterodyne (single for WFM)
1st IF Frequency
51.65 MHz
2nd IF Frequency
450 kHz
Sensitivity 12db SINAD
2m/440 FM better than -15dbu
Selectivity except WFM
more than 12 kHz -6db
Image/spurious response
<-60db
AF out at 10% distort. 13.8V
Max 400 mW
AF impedance
8 ohms
Expert reviews
Curtis from Everything Ham Radio took a look at the Alinco DJ-G7T in a short review, and had a good overall impression of this HT from Alinco. He liked the tri-band functionality and rugged chassis, as well as the customizable UI and simple, button-based design. He also liked the long-lasting battery, and the inclusion of a desktop battery charger, both of which come standard with this unit. He called it a “neat little radio,” overall, and said he would “recommend getting it” if you’re looking for a tri-band 2-meter, 70-centimeter, and 23-centimeter radio.
User reviews
On DXEngineering, the Alinco DJ-G7T has a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars, across a total of 8 user reviews. Users said that this HT is “a great radio,” “very surprising quality,” and has “easy to use functionality.” They also praised the surprisingly large feature set, solid RX and TX audio, and rugged design. However, a few users noted that it has pretty short battery life, and that it’s not easy to program manually, and is easier to program with a data cable and PC-based software.
eHam.net users have given this HT from Alinco a rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars, across a total of 42 user reviews. They called it a “well built radio,” “a radio I would recommend to anyone wanting a multi-band HT,” and a “very good buy for the money.” Users liked most of the DJ-G7T’s features, including its large memory banks, solid audio output, and good receive sensitivity, as well as its budget-friendly price. However, a few critical reviewers noted difficulties programming the unit without a cable and PC, as well as trouble connecting to repeaters and making contacts on certain frequencies.