Where do I start? In setting up my new OS3 for use with my iPhone and Kenwood D74A, I found it was like pulling teeth. Actually more like fighting for every inch of soil on Normandy Beach on D-Day.

The OpenSpot3 is not as easy to setup and operate as many have said and shown on videos. Just to connect to the AP mode was a pain. It took 6 tries and 5 Factory Resets to get to the point where I was able to put in my Country.

And when that finally worked, after choosing the mode (D-Star) it would not connect to my iPhone's WiFi network. The webpage would come up but it just sat there. I was beyond aggravated. Yesterday when I tried to set it up on my home wifi network first before setting it up for iphone use, the darn Microsoft Edge page would come up (I hate Edge) with it's home page and not the expected ShartRF.link page.

I was able to finally set it up last night and talk to one station before calling it a night. If you have seen my previous post you will learn that at some point last night, the OS3 stopped working all together. Would not respond to button presses. Uhhhhh!!! But after half an hour I was able to get it working again. I thought the unit was dead and was about to return it.

This morning it took an hour to set it up for use on my iPhone. Most of the problems had to do with the OS3 refusing to connect to my iPhone Wifi. I had to literally open the iPhone Hotspot page and wait for the OS3 to connect while on that page. Pi-Star does the same thing. I can't wait for ham radio manufacturers to include hotspots within the radios' hardware. I find all hotspots are a royal pain.

After I got it to work with my iPhone and got on a reflector with my twin brother Tony who is also a ham. We talked awhile and then we moved to REF020A. The move itself cause the OS3 to loose the webpage it's on in my iphone. It disconnected from the phone Wifi. I had to turn off the OS3 and turn it back on to regain it's use. I was then able to use it on REF020A.

I then put my iPhone in it's holster on my hip, the OS3 in the little pocket in the front of my jeans. And held my Kenwood TH-D74A in my hand and was able to talk for whole duration of my daily 3 mile walk. (Don't have, want or need a car.) I turned the OS3 off upon getting home by shutting it down via the software-webpage. I dread turning it on later on, knowing that with my luck something will not work.

When a product gives one a very tough time, it's hard to relax and enjoy it. I have no confidence that this little white puck of a device will be smooth sailing from now on. I hope it works flawlessly, but that has not been my experience so far. I really need this to work so I can use it while walking. At home I use my IC-9700 and Zumspot. I will test of my OS3 again this afternoon when I walk to pick up my wife from her job. I don't look forward to it.

I purchased the OS3 solely for use when I take it out portable, while walking.

And before anyone says anything. I followed the instructions to the letter, but what was suppose to happen at times, just did not happen.