Do you need a reliable handheld HT? The Alinco DJ-VX50T may be what you need. With a durable design, surprising power, solid features, and a price that’ll leave your wallet happy, it’s a solid choice for any ham looking for a rock-solid HT. In this overview, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about this radio from Alinco.
Good
- 5w transmit power – You’ll get 5 watts of power in UHF mode, and 4 watts of power in VHF mode, which is about standard for this class of radio. If you swap the default “rubber ducky” antenna for a longer whip antenna or you plug into a stationary antenna, you’ll be surprised at how far this little powerhouse can transmit.
- Great sound quality – The receiver quality is solid, and the 1-watt speaker is surprisingly loud and clear, making this a good radio for outdoor use and for use in a vehicle and in other loud environments.
- IP67 waterproof/dustproof rating – With an IP67 rating, the Alinco DJ-VX50T is fully protected from dust, sand, and other foreign objects, and it also can hold up to being submerged in water up to a meter deep for a half-hour. It’s a great option for outdoor use, thanks to its durable design.
- Small and lightweight – The Alinco DJ-VX50T is quite small and light, and packs a lot of power into a compact package. Those with bigger hands may have a little bit of trouble adjusting to its small buttons at first, though.
- 1800mAh Li-ion battery – The easily rechargeable 1800mAh lithium-ion battery in this HT gives it plenty of battery life. With moderate use, it’s possible to squeeze as much as three days or more out of a single charge.
- Dual-band with FM and airband support – The Alinco DJ-VX50T supports UHF and VHF, but can also receive FM broadcasts as well as airband signals, making it a very versatile radio packed into a small package.
Bad
- It’s not one of the “Big Three” – The Alinco DJ-VX50T is a solid HT from a Japanese company, but it’s not a Yaesu, a Kenwood, or an Icom. Some hams may be more reluctant to buy it, since these “Big Three” companies all have similar products at similar prices. Alinco doesn’t have a bad reputation, but it’s not quite in the same league as these other top Japanese manufacturers yet.
- Hard to program without a PC – A combination of difficult menuing and small buttons means that you’ll definitely want to use a data cable to program this HT if you need to do a lot of programming. While it’s certainly possible to do it without a cable, you’ll save a lot of time and frustration
Bottom line
If you’re a ham who mostly uses the VHF/UHF spectrum and you’re looking for an affordable “knockaround” radio, the Alinco DJ-VX50T is a great choice. It’s not loaded with fancy bells and whistles, but it’s built to last, it’s waterproof and dust proof, and it has surprisingly good performance. This also makes it a great option for preppers, overlanders, and anyone else who just needs a reliable, inexpensive HT.
Product Specs
| RX Frequency range: | 136-174MHz, 400-470MHz WFM: 76-107.95MHz/ AM: 118-135.995MHz FM: 162.400 – 162.550MHz |
| TX Frequency coverage | 144-148MHz. 420-450MHz |
| Modulation | F3E(16K0F3E / 11K0F3E / RX only WFM, AM) |
| Frequency step | 2.5, 5, 6.25, 10, 12.5, 20, 25, 30 and 50 KHz |
| Antenna impedance | 50 ohm unbalanced |
| Frequency stability | ±2.5ppm |
| Supply voltage | 7.4V (Battery) |
| Current consumption: (Typical value) | 1500mA TX / 300mA receive at Max audio output 80mA squelched |
| Temperature range | -4°F~131°F (-20°C ~ +55°C) |
| Ground | Negative |
| Dimensions | 4.65×2.32×1.50 in (118×59×38 mm) with Battery pack/ant |
| Weight | Approx. 230g or 8.11oz inclusive of battery pack and antenna |
| Power output | Approx. 5W (VHF) 4W (UHF) / 2W / 1W |
| Spurious emission | -60dB or less |
| Max. deviation | FM : +/- 5KHz / +/- 2.5KHz |
| System | Direct-conversion |
| Sensitivity | Wide -12dBu / Narrow -9dBu |
| Adjacent Channel Selectivity | Wide More than 65dB / Narrow More than 60dB |
| Audio output | 1W (10% distortion) |
Expert reviews
- YouTuber NorthmanProject reviewed the Alinco DJ-VX50T. He called it a “great little dual-band radio,” and a “great survival radio.” He liked the value of the radio, and praised its battery life, saying he got nearly two days of use with a single charge. He also liked the IP67 rating and the overall build quality of the radio, and recommended the radio to anyone looking for a VHF/UHF HT.
- In a review from Waters & Stanton, they called the DJ-VX50T a “very easy transceiver to operate,” and a “simple handheld that does what it says on the tin.” They also had good things to say about the “easy to understand handbook,” and called this unit a “little gem at a great price.”
User reviews
- On DXEngineering, users have given the Alinco DJ-VX50T a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars, across 13 total reviews. Users said you “can’t go wrong with [this radio,” that it has “good TX and RX audio,” and is “a great little HT at a great price.” Several users also praised the ruggedness and build quality of the radio, particularly its water-resistant design. Users had good things to say about its audio quality, too, with one reviewer saying it “sounds great and has plenty of audio… I get good signal quality reports.”