IS THE WASHINGTON ONE OF THE BEST RADIOS PAST OR PRESENT?
What a question indeed. Not in question though, is the price tag: the President Washington is one of the most expensive 10 meter radios on the market. Is it worth it to you? Let's take a look..
I got one of the first Washington's available from Bells CB, which I consider to be a top quality retailer of two-way radio equipment and accessories. This radio was purchased by myself for this review**.
One thing about being a ham and CB radio operator is the large amount of equipment available for our use, the only limitation being the size of your wallet. While I've gone through more ham rigs than many hams do in a lifetime, it's a lot cheaper buying CB or 10 meter gear to use and review. The last year (from the Fall of 2023 to Fall of 2024) I'll have to admit that I didn't expect the number of new radios to reach the level that they did - but I sure had a lot of fun using them!
Let's start out with the usual stuff: Specs and other information you would get from the manufacturer themselves.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Supply | : | 13.8 V |
| AM | : | Y |
| FM | : | Y |
| SSB | : | Y |
| Channel selector | : | rotary |
| Volume | : | Volume adjustment and ON/OFF |
| Adjustable RF Power | : | Y |
| Squelch | : | Manual and auto squelch |
| ASC | : | Y |
| Display | : | LCD multifunction |
| Frequencies display | : | Y |
| S-meter | : | Digital |
| Public address | : | Y |
| Talkback | : | Y |
| Vox | : | Y |
| Automatic SWR meter | : | Y |
| Tone | : | Y |
| Filter ANL | : | Y |
| Filter NB | : | Y |
| Filter HI-CUT | : | Y |
| NRC | : | Y |
| Noise Gate | : | Y |
| RF-Gain | : | Y |
| Mike-Gain | : | Y |
| Clarifier | : | Y |
| Scan | : | Y |
| Scan + Scan Skip | : | Y |
| Memory Channels | : | 4 |
| Dimmer | : | Y |
| F / Menu function key | : | Y |
| Beep Function | : | Y |
| Roger beep | : | Y |
| Dual watch | : | Y |
| Key locking | : | Y |
| SWR (Power Reading /SWR) | : | Y |
| CTCSS | : | Y |
| DSC | : | Y |
| microphone plug | : | front (6 pins) |
| External Vox microphone jack | : | Y |
| External loudspeaker jack | : | Y |
| Size (W x D x H) | : | 7.28 x 6.77 x 2.2 inches / 185 x 172 x 56 mm |
| Weight | : | ~ 2.62 lbs / ~ 1.19 kg |
TECHNICAL SPECS
| Frequency ranges | : | 28.000 MHz to 29.700 MHz / 24.890 MHz to 24.990 MHz |
| Antenna impedance | : | 50 ohms |
| Power supply | : | 13.8 V |
| Size (W x D x H) | : | 7.28 x 6.77 x 2.2 inches / 185 x 172 x 56 mm |
| Weight | : | ~ 2.62 lbs / ~ 1.19 kg |
| Accessories supplied | : | power cord with fuse, 1 microphone and its hanger, 1 mounting bracket with fixing screws |
| Frequency allowance | : | +/- 200 Hz |
| Carrier power | : | 70 W PEP (AM/USB/LSB) / 50 W (FM) |
| Transmission interference | : | < 4 nW (- 54 dBm) |
| Audio response | : | 300 Hz to 3 KHz |
| Emitted power in the adj. channel | : | < 20 μW |
| Microphone sensitivity | : | 3 mV |
| Drain | : | < 12 A (with modulation) |
| Modulated signal distortion | : | 2% |
| Maxi. sensitivity at 20 dB sinad | : | 0.7 µV - 110 dBm (AM) / 0.35 µV - 116 dBm (FM) / 0.28 µV - 118 dBm (USB/LSB/CW) |
| Frequency response | : | 300 Hz to 3 KHz |
| Adjacent channel selectivity | : | 60 dB |
| Maximum audio power | : | 3 W |
| Squelch sensitivity | : | min. 0.2 μV - 120 dBm / max. 1 mV - 47 dBm |
| Frequency image rejection | : | 60 dB |
| Intermediate frequency rejection | : | 70 dB |
| Drain | : | 400 mA nominal / 600 mA max. |
Whenever you're considering the purchase of a new transceiver it's often good practice to read reviews, view YouTube reviews, and download the manual to get an idea of what you're getting into -
- Manual : WASHINGTON (English)
As well, compare the features as well as the price. How much radio do you want, and how much space do you have to put it?
While this transceiver has a large footprint (size of case, including controls and heat sink), it still slightly smaller than Radioddity's QT60 PRO, but much larger than the closest competition (in wattage), the QT80 or AnyTone 6666 PRO.
The display is very important as well, especially when you're operating mobile. I found the display used in Washington (and other of their new "Breed") to be fantastic. It didn't matter where the radio was positioned in my SUV, and I even held it out the window, aimed directly at the hot Texas sun, and display readability was never an issue. This was not tried in every color the display offered, and I used it in my preferred color of choice: CYAN. When pointed towards the sun, the display changed to grayscale (i.e. - graduated shades of black & white), very much like Midland's 79-290.
Looking at the image above, you have a row of buttons below the display that are generally useful to you, and not something you'd want to go into a menu while driving, to access:
- MODE
- MEM (memory channels)
- SCAN (scan for frequencies with traffic on them)
- ANL/NB (automatic noise limiter and noise blanker)
- EMG (takes you to channel 9 or 19, but ch.9 is useless if you need help)
- BAND (like just about any radio like this, frequencies are set in block of 40 channels. You'll change bands to be able to cover the complete range of 10 meters).
Above each of these buttons are the main secondary functions you can access:
- Memory 1
- M2
- M2 and/or DUAL WATCH
- M4 and/or HI-CUT
- RF GAIN and/or MIC GAIN
On the right side of the display you have a column of 4 buttons:
- TB (Talkback)
- RX/TX NRC (setting the DSP noise reduction to receive only, transmit only, or receive and transmit. Each selection will illuminate in a different color, so you can quickly determine which noise reduction setting you're using.
- NRC (Noise Reduction Circuit). Press this to change the setting, or strength of the noise reduction. You'll find that, the higher you go, not only will the noise reduction increase, but the audio quality of the received station will decrease, by sounding quite watery.
- VOX (Voice activated transmit). This allows you to transmit without pressing a PTT switch, in hopes you won't be further distracted while driving. President has released several microphone to help you use VOX, while maintaining quality transmit audio - one of those being a small Bluetooth microphone, eliminating a microphone cord altogether.
Inside the radio (i.e. the function/menu settings you'll find this radio quite customizable, with one function relatively new to transceivers: Relay Mode. You can actually set the radio up to act as a repeater. If you're not yet familiar with what a repeater does, it pretty simple - Setup a receive frequency, along with an offset (+ or -), use your up/down buttons on the mike to choose what your offset will be, and you're done.
This works ONLY if you're in the FM mode and have set a have set a CTCSS/DCS code, which is mandatory for the receive end (you generally wouldn't want just any old signal to activate the relay (repeater) which is why it's mandatory, and any station trying to get a message through the relay would have to have their radios set to use the same code as your receiver - if they don't, then nothing will happen. As well, a station activating the relay should have split channel capabilities, because the signal will be relayed (repeated) on a different frequency.
I haven't gone in-depth into setting up the Relay, but whenever (or if ever) I do, I'll provide an update on this page. Suffice to know that it's there for you to setup, if you have a use for it. You'll find information about the Relay feature beginning on page 17, and finishing on page 18 of the manual.
The hand microphone you get with the radio is the usual President stock mic. It's lightweight, but delivers decent audio. As an alternative, President sells their "Digimike" for use on this and other 6-pin President radios. The usual retail price is under $50, and President has run promotions where if you buy the Washington, you get a FREE Digimike to go with it, and I really like this mic a LOT (I have one on my McKinley, and George FCC as well).
So you've looked at the specs, downloaded the manual, and now you want to know how well does it work. Rest easy my friends, this is a great radio to own and operate. I have a variety of radios to use in the shack, but the one that everyone seems to like best, is the Washington paired
with a Digimike. Power output on the box and in the specs say 70w output, but that wattage can vary slightly, and some folks are reportedly getting very close to 80w output on their radios. It's of little matter though, because no one could tell the difference on their end, if you were at 70 watts or 80.
The only gripe I have about this radio has to do with the size of the frequency display. Compared to the channel number it's awful small, and a tad hard to see while trucking down the highway, at least for my eyesight. I'd have to take my eyes off the road in front of me to know exactly where I was at on 10 meters. For those out there who don't have a ham license and plan to do the 11m modification for the CB channels, this wouldn't be much of an issue. As well, if operating this as your base station, the small size of the frequency display would not be an issue either.
In a nutshell, this transceiver (IMHO) is one of the best radios President has made in many years. The radio is not a rebranded AnyTone, or any other brand radio - it's a President! If you have the extra pocket money and are in the market for something new, then this radio is for you. And if your looking for a shop to buy it from, there are several to choose from, and I recommend Bells CB Radio shop. They've been around for quite awhile and happen to be my pick as 2024's "DEALER OF THE YEAR" (more on that in my next Blog post).
The President Washington has so many features, it's hard to cover them all in one review, and as I'm oft to do, I've included some YouTube videos about the Washington, from some of the guys I trust to get my info from:
390 WAGON MASTER
CBRADIOMAGAZINE
NLK MEDIA
If my view/review along with the 3 YouTube videos above don't answer your questions, I'm not sure what will. But, there are other Washington "First Looks" and "Reviews" to be found on YouTube if you do a search, and the more views & reviews you can find, the better informed you'll be.
If all you want is a quick fix pathway to 10m until you upgrade to a General or Extra class amateur radio license, and buy an all band HF rig, there are a few 10 meter radios that, when on sale, are almost half of what the Washington sells for, and they will get you where you want to be. For someone who plans on using this regardless as a long term 10m radio, it's a good choice (and if you QRP, dial it down to 1 watt).
P.S. - I got on the radio yesterday and was talking to a friend in the next town when he asked me what radio I was using. It was a Yaesu. He said my audio and signal was good, but a bit subdued. I switched to my QT-60PRO and he said my audio was different (but still subdued) and the signal had dropped. I noticed that I wasn't putting out a lot of watts, according to my PEP watt meter, so he asked me if the Washington was available (Jim likes the sound of this radio). It was, and when I switched the selector to the Washington, and began to talk, I noticed an immediate jump on the PEP meter, and Jim (once again) told me it was the best sounding radio I own.
We haven't had enough time on the air, due to the Holidays, to try the Washington on its stock microphone, and compare it to the DigiMike, but suffice to say that, the DigiMike and President Washington is a butt kicking combination for anyone's base or mobile station.
Being the last review of 2024, I'd like to wish you all a "Happy New Year", as well as "See ya in 2025..."
73
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