Just Shut Up and Take My Money Already

Well, not quite yet.  I want to see some reviews first on this new radio, but just look at the thing:

I'd posted something on this last month, but there were few details out then.  Here's the manufacturer's web site, with a lot more details.  Also, a lot of misspellings, and a lot of incompleteness.  For example, there's only this one product listed, and zero "about Lab 599" information – you know, the stuff reputable companies generally are proud to post.

So what do we know that stands out on the product description?  It's a software defined radio.  It has a really cool form factor in a (probably) rugged aluminum body.  No signs of snap-on or slide-in protective covers, but that could be a last minute detail, or even a fun DIY project.  At 20 oz, the weight is outstanding.  Rated at 10 watts, SSB presumably; digital is usually in the half-to-quarter of that figure.  That's plenty of power for trail use.  The mic is reminiscent of some poor quality Chinese radios.  That part is worrisome, but it may only be a passing resemblance that I'm reading too much into.  How to get a computer to talk through this thing's data port is anybody's guess at this time, but it probably won't be too hard to sort out once these things are released into the wild.  You can read up on the rest of the details at the web site.  In short though, it seems to have most everything people want and there are no obvious red flags.

Here's the thing though: at twice the power and half the weight and size of the Yaesu 817/817 line – which is the classic trail radio if there ever was one – if the innards live up to the promise and the price is right, this thing could set a whole new standard.  IF.

So... "Available in Autumn 2019."  Just time to be patient and see what the early reviews say.