Also known as: KG-1000G Plus, KG1000G Plus, Wouxun KG-1000G
Reader-supported. GopherTrunk is free, open-source software. Some
hardware links on this page go to Amazon with our Associates tag
(gophertrunk-20); if you buy through them we may earn a small
commission at no extra cost to you. Links to out-of-production gear may go to
eBay searches instead; we have no affiliate relationship with eBay and earn
nothing there. It never changes which gear we recommend, and
the software stays free either way. How GopherTrunk is funded →
The Wouxun KG-1000G Plus is the GMRS mobile the enthusiast community actually recommends to each other: 50 watts, 999 memory channels, full split-tone support, wideband VHF/UHF receive with FM broadcast and NOAA, a detachable remote-mountable faceplate, and the party trick nothing else here matches — pair two of them and you have a full duplex GMRS repeater.1 Around $390 new, ~$300 refurbished, sold almost entirely through specialty dealers.
Key takeaways Best features for the price in the 50 W class. 999 channels, split tones, 136–174/400–470 MHz receive + FM broadcast + 7 NOAA channels, dual watch, remote head kit in the box, CHIRP support, repeater pairing — a genuine Part 95E grant (TX locked to GMRS; the wide coverage is receive-only). Known weak point: the mic — PTT failures are documented, keep a spare. Mostly a dealer-channel radio; Amazon listings are marketplace resellers at a markup. GMRS license to transmit: $35, 10 years, no test, covers family. Rankings: best GMRS mobile radios.
Overview
The Plus superseded the original KG-1000G in late 2022 (the non-Plus is still sold at ~$300 and remains a fine cheaper substitute — same family). Where the Midlands are appliances, the KG-1000G Plus is a radio: four power levels up to the 50 W legal max, dual watch with simultaneous dual-mode receive, DTMF, and a channel map deep enough to store every repeater you’ll ever meet with its own tones — the exact flexibility the MXT575’s one-repeater-per-channel model lacks. The detachable faceplate with the included extension cable solves the tight-dash problem the mic-centric Midlands solve, but without giving up a real control head.
It’s certified honestly: a genuine FCC Part 95E grant, with transmit locked to the GMRS channels. The wide 136–174/400–470 MHz coverage is receive-only, which is precisely what keeps the grant legal — worth saying plainly, because “Chinese import” and “uncertified” are not synonyms in this class.
License note: transmitting requires a GMRS license — $35 to the FCC, valid 10 years, no test, and one license covers your immediate family. Listening, including all that wideband receive, requires none.
Channels, power & repeater use
- Power: 50 W max, four selectable levels.
- Memories: 999 channels with full CTCSS/DCS encode/decode including split tones.
- Receive: 136–174 and 400–470 MHz, FM broadcast, 7 NOAA weather channels; dual watch.
- Repeater use: everything a club repeater can ask of it — and two units pair as a full duplex repeater, remote head kit and cable included.
- Programming: Wouxun CPS or CHIRP (support landed ~2024).
- Antenna: SO-239 for standard PL-259 feedline.
Known issues, honestly
The pattern to know about is the microphone: mic/PTT button failures are documented across owner forums, reportedly acknowledged by Wouxun engineering. The radio’s transmit audio is otherwise praised, so the practical advice is unglamorous — budget for a spare mic. Beyond that: Wouxun’s CPS software has been reported to write bad values for some fields (Rpt-Dly/Ring — another reason CHIRP support matters), and there are scattered reports of external-speaker routing quirks and power dropouts on repeater channels. Distribution is the last quirk: this is a BuyTwoWayRadios/myGMRS specialty-dealer radio, and there is no confirmed first-party Amazon listing — anything the search above surfaces is a marketplace reseller, likely at a markup, so compare against dealer pricing before clicking buy.
GopherTrunk alternative
GMRS and FRS are analog narrowband FM at 462/467 MHz — dead center in a ~$30 RTL-SDR’s range. Before dropping $390 (and before paying the $35 license), run free GopherTrunk on a dongle for a week: it monitors and records all local FRS/GMRS simplex and repeater activity, which tells you whether the repeaters that justify a radio this capable actually have users near you. GopherTrunk cannot transmit — it’s the scouting-and-logging complement to the KG-1000G Plus, not a substitute. Download GopherTrunk and listen before you buy.
Who it’s for
- Buy the KG-1000G Plus if you’re the household’s radio person: repeater hopping, 999 memories, wideband listening, maybe a repeater build of your own. It’s the most radio per dollar in the 50 W GMRS class. Search on Amazon →
- Buy the BTECH GMRS-50PRO instead if GPS, Bluetooth app programming, and a modern firmware pipeline appeal more than channel depth — it’s ~$100 cheaper.
- Skip it for the Midland MXT575 if you want an appliance with US-brand support and don’t care about receive coverage or deep programming, or the compact 20 W Wouxun KG-XS20G Plus if 50 W is overkill. Full rankings: best GMRS mobile radios.
Sources
-
Wouxun KG-1000G Plus — Buy Two Way Radios — dealer product page: 50 W output and power levels, 999 channels, split tones, wideband receive, remote head kit, repeater pairing, and Part 95E certification. ↩
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a license for the Wouxun KG-1000G Plus?
To transmit, yes — a GMRS license: $35 to the FCC, good for 10 years, no test, covering your immediate family. Its wide VHF/UHF coverage is receive-only, and listening needs no license at all.
Is the Wouxun KG-1000G Plus legal for GMRS?
Yes. It holds a genuine FCC Part 95E grant — transmit is locked to the GMRS channels, which is exactly what keeps an import with wideband receive certified. ‘Import’ does not mean uncertified here.
Does the KG-1000G Plus work with CHIRP?
Yes — CHIRP added KG-1000G support around 2024, alongside Wouxun’s own CPS software. Note the CPS has been reported to write bad values for a couple of fields (Rpt-Dly/Ring), so many owners prefer CHIRP.
What is the known weak point of the KG-1000G Plus?
The microphone. Mic/PTT button failures are documented across owner forums — reportedly acknowledged by Wouxun engineering — so a spare mic is a sensible line item. The radio itself has a strong reputation.
Can the KG-1000G Plus be used as a repeater?
Yes — two units can be paired to form a full duplex GMRS repeater, and the radio ships with a remote-head kit and extension cable for flexible mounting. That combination is unique in this class.