Keep Alinco Weird

Thanks to a friend I was about to get my hands on the first version of Alinco's iconic "Credit Card" #hamradio the DJ-C1. Lets take a look at what set the stage for the cool, quirky and sometimes weird radios that makes Alinco a very cool amateur radio company!

If you want a Credit Card radio, you better get yourself over to eBay.

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[subarusensei]

Alinco is like keltec in a way of weird ideas that actually go to production.

[richardcarlson]

I have a DJ-S11 (2M credit card HT) with the swivel up antenna. I had it 15 years before I realized it was telescoping. Great little radio.

[Jeeptalkshow]

Alinco is like Keltec is to the firearms world. :D I have forgotten about that little Alinco. Very cool and unexpected when it came out.

[briankendall]

All it needs is one of those beeper buttons and the morse code key printed on the front like those old 9v battery walkie talkies we had as kids in the 70's ;o)

[makercreator]

congrats on making it in the ARRL On The Air Magazine!

[joepapp]

Because of their size (especially thinness) the Alinco DJ-C series radios were very popular in pro cycling races for communications b/w the riders and the team cars. Last time I used one was in 05/06 in the Tour of the South China Sea. Simpler times!

[NYTA]

I had an Alinco DX-ST8T HF radio. It was very basic, but provided 100 watts for about $450 new. . . . I also have a DJ-G7 tri-bander, two meters, 70 centimeters and 23 centimeters along with air band receive and both the AM & FM broadcast bands. It’s my EDC radio.

[don_nskt]

I remember Alinco as the Baofeng of the day in the 90s. It was the first dual band HT that I could afford. They are innovative and I hate that the 135, 225 and 435 radios are no longer made. I do have a 435 that is running my Shari node for allstar and it works VERY well for that.

[jeffwinget]

Definitely a cool little radio that screams of Miami vice and the like!

[naman]

Yes! I still have a pair of DJ-C5s that work. Fun little shirt pocket radios!

[NMRF]

When I tested for tech, one of the members of the club I'm now active in had one of these little radios and I will always and forever want one.

[SevenFortyOne]

I remember when those credit card radios came out as they were pretty revolutionary for the time. My buddy had one and was sure to make a big deal about how he could put it in his shirt pocket whenever he was at a ham event while the rest of us plebs had to carry our HTs on our belts. Thanks for showing off these radios!

[BurtonChristmasLites]

Robert KD4YDC here. My first ht was a DJ-580. Used it for decades. Great ht that would even crossband repeat. We use the DR-235 (220mhz) radios for linking our local repeaters together. Rock solid radios that take a lot of abuse on our Skywarn nets.

[ngix]

I purchased an Alinco DJ-C5 sometime around 2010 after seeing it in Milwaukee. I used it for a few months and then re-boxed it and stored it with my collection of radio gear. About two years ago I gave it to one of my fellow vets and he has used it ever since. Amazingly enough, it still had power remaining also! I actually had gone to Milwaukee to buy a Kenwood TM-V7A. While the Alinco DJ-C5 still works perfectly, the display on the Kenwood is totally messed up. I missed the memo from Kenwood where the were sending out replacement (improved?) displays, so although the rest of the radio is fully functional, I have no idea what frequency or memory is currently active... 💩

[vhfgamer]

If they made one of those today, I would buy it. Especially if they worked to make the antenna a little more sturdy.

[dalesdervin]

I've had a C5 since I was gifted when it was new, and it works great to this day. I too had to finally update the battery fifteen years ago, which was no problem, and I have no bend in the antenna, the speaker mic and the plastic cover all pristine. I often use it in conjunction with cross band repeat from the 400XDR in my truck- so carrying this tiny radio is totally viable today.

[AdamSWL]

Wish I had never sold off my DJ-580.
First real dual bander I ever owned back in around 1993.
It was half the size of the brick sized Icom IC-32AT and could listen on one band and talk on the other.
I share your enthusiasm for Alinco Josh!

[WillShattuck]

Those remind me of the am fm radios and swl radios from the 70s and 80s. Thanks Josh.

[g-whiz]

If you're looking for tiny and unique radios, check out Yeasu VX-1R which came out in 1997. Dual-band 2M and 70CM TX (1 Watt) but also a very wide band receive from 76-999 Mhz which also made it a decent scanner. FM broadcast band RX, Air band RX, GMRS/FRS TX. Amazing micro radio.

[kurttuttle]

I have a C-5, bought it at least 15yrs ago still going strong. Great little, fun HT. I always liked Alinco radios, at one time they seemed a step ahead of the Big 3.