Best GMRS Radio 2024 TD-H3

[@jessies9081]

As a Yaesu fanboy, your review convinced me to give this little HT a try.

[@JuliansRandomProject]

I love Yaesu too for HTs, mobile and base. but $30 in this world of inflation is very near Free. So it's worth checking out to see if it fit in your life. If not, re-gift to a new operator. :D

[@soldermecold7456]

Also a huge Yaesu fan, have many handheld and mobiles. I bought 2 of these too, too good to pass up.. Yaesu Rant… I’ve spent good money with those guys… it’s almost insulting that their flagship Hats can’t do Bluetooth app for programming, or USB-C charging. Amazing…

[@georgespeck8761]

I like the idea of USB c cable for charging

[@H3cJP]

i just bought this radio a week ago, i love that it has more frequency range than the usual low end cheap radios like the widely known uv-5r, and the fact of being programmable with chirp over USB C is really hand something i already did was listening to air traffic, it sounds quite well considering the airport is at 10km and with a mountain in between ive also talked with someone who had a uv-5r and it worked quite nice being at 6km of distance; no repeater used, just radio to radio

[@AskIveSolar]

Pretty sweet video. Definitely nice to hear you mention meshtastic. I'm keeping my eye on that stuff for sure! But regarding this radio. I did a ton of research and the h3 is where I landed. It's a fantastic radio especially for a tech guy like myself.

[@georgespeck8761]

great video really enjoyed it. lots of great information

[@MyTube4Utoo]

I bought a TD-H3 maybe 5 months ago, and I love it! I've probably got 9 or 10 HTs, and it's probably my favorite. Especially considering the price. Actually, I'm probably going to buy another one......or two.

[@JuliansRandomProject]

They really nailed it with this one. Top radio for 2024 for sure. And so affordable I bought a few for neighbors to give them a life line for times when cell service goes down or to use as dinner bells for the kids :)

[@cabindweller8421]

Very nice ,waiting on my radio to arrive, thanks for the info.

[@baileymoto]

Check out smiley stubby antennas. They make one tuned for GMRS. 👌

[@Tsch6373]

Thank you, I just ordered 2 of them. It was what I was looking for.

[@DistinguishedMenofCulture]

$34 today I just ordered 2

[@zuriel13g]

It got even better now with the new software update. It can go down to 18MHz among other things.

[@JuliansRandomProject]

Yeah! I was listening to FM guys on 26.805 and my base antenna.

[@ricdonato4328]

Very good review. My issue with the TD H3 is their firmware update software. Yesterday, after downloading the file their software it is a .rar file, nothing bad about .rar. When double clicking the .rar download, it opens as a single .exe file not as other files and folder for updating their firmware. The .exe can be installed but that is it, there are not other files to point to for updating. Thus there must be another part of the download not available. Whether I used their GMRS or HAM the download opens to a .exe only. Now I am noticing other KZbinr's and users having the same issue. 10:42, Odmaster works on Android as well. Over 70% of the world's cellphone market is Android. Also, worldwide Android is the most used OS for many other electronic products as well. Not everyone is accepting Apple's walled garden of compromises and exclusionary business practices and attitude towards the rest of the computing world.

[@plutonium76]

Nice review of the radio. Very concise and no nonsense. Also TIDRADIO just released an updated firmware of the radio about 2 days ago. BTW, what year is your Tundra/Sequoia?

[@JuliansRandomProject]

Thanks for the kind words. The Tundra is a 2014 if memory serves. Loving it. After being able to drive a Toyota Hilux I fell in love with these trucks

[@plutonium76]

@@JuliansRandomProject was 2014 a typo and you mean 2004? I recognized the 4wd switch on the bezel and the overhead console. Great trucks and it's nice to see someone who has a 1st gen Tundra is also into ham radio. 73

[@butchpope9472]

Excellent info but Keep that constantly jerking right hand still unless you’re pointing to something. Lol

[@Tsch6373]

I do use the wrist strap. I put the strap on my wrist, my phone is suspended from a ring attached to its back, both are secure. The strap will catch the radio if I drop it. The phone won't fall. So, yes, the strap is a necessity.

[@JuliansRandomProject]

That makes sense.

[@kchaney56]

I love my H8 but I have gotten two of these and may replace my Baofeng with these.

[@marcosmellooficial7544]

Esse rádio é um ótimo custo benefício 👏

[@W6IWN_Radio]

The thumbnail got me 😉

[@todgak2070]

On TIDs website they indicate AM band is 108-136 which is outside our US range. Can you confirm you cannot pickup AM radio? This will be a deal breaker for me as I like to DX on AM stations and plan to use this as a travel radio.

[@raunchyNO]

108-136 is airband. just like 87-108 being commercial radio you can never just send there. only receive.

[@mikesey1]

108-136mhz am, is the air band for the whole world. You set "AM" in the set up menu.

[@JuliansRandomProject]

I get AM for the air band (it needs to be turned on in the menu) and FM everywhere else.

[@NanG1466]

I'm a baby nubie female non tech older gal who's in charge of preparedness in my little family group. Always trying to close gaps and looking for alternative communication. I know these aren't for real long range but would help for monitoring and close communication needs. My problem is being so unfamiliar with terms, tech talk and just how the dang thing works has me sitting on a limb. I don't want to purchase, get the license and then stare at the radio like a cow at a new gate. Is there a group, teaching site, slow step by step instruction that can give this ole gal some confidence to buy and do all the things with these radios?

[@JuliansRandomProject]

Hi Diane! Right now your best bet is to watch some "GMRS for Beginners" videos and to find a Dad at church thats just geeky enough and has the heart of a teacher to walk you through it. No one is reinventing the wheel here with radio. Folks are just adding on new features and moving things forward. You can do it! If you'd like some 1:1 help I'd be happy to hop on a quick call with you. Shoot me an email: [e-mail]

[@jimdelmedico7053]

So the TD-H3 compared to the TD-H8 you think it way better? Also where do you find all the channels

[@JuliansRandomProject]

Unless you really need the extra power out the TD-H8 can produce, the TD-H3 just edges it out for best features. Not sure what you mean by "where do you find all the channels?"

[@doskraut]

About three months ago I paid for my GMRS license and yes I got a email confirmation, as yet I have nothing to show for it. I did try a GMRS License Search but it shows No matches found. Thanks FCC for stealing my $35

[@JuliansRandomProject]

FCC has a clunky website. Check some of the tutorials here on YT to see if a box wasn’t checked or a step skipped. Holding out hope that they’re being slow and you get something in the mail soon

[@jeepman2018]

How long does the Battery last

[@JuliansRandomProject]

2 days with normal use for me.

[@Glassed_in_Nature]

Is the antennas the SMA female like the baofengs?

[@JuliansRandomProject]

yes, its the same.

[@obiscio54]

so is the vhf/uhf the same radio as the gmrs as far as being able to select transmitting bands

[@JuliansRandomProject]

I believe the firmware is set up to prevent transmitting on bands that are not authorized for the selected type.

[@elmobascle8182]

How do you receive the air band frequencies? Can it be on GMRS mode? Thanks

[@JuliansRandomProject]

I had to turn on air band in the menu. Then move to VFO mode and select the frequency I wanted.

[@scottcarroll1229]

Will the bluetooth allow for wireless headsets?

[@JuliansRandomProject]

Sadly, no.

[@scottcarroll1229]

Thank you for the video and information

[@HEG_Plays]

link does not reflect stubby ant for gmrs freq?

[@JuliansRandomProject]

Link is for a multi pack of the same antenna that ‘says’ it’ll cover Frequency: 144/430MHz (136-174MHz+400-520MHz). But doesn’t do a very good job at GMRS freqs. Meaning even if one buys a GMRS stubby from China, one will get whatever random tune the factory is putting out, they don’t care. :) I still use it because it beats having nothing connected and keep swr in a safe enough range. If you have a link I’ll buy it and take a look, would be a good video to compare the two. Thanks!!

[@SuperAjej]

will it copy a cb's frequency?

[@johnszczepaniak8679]

no

[@graylion72]

Not even a little

[@zuriel13g]

It can now with the update that recently released. It goes down to 18MHz now

[@nicholasmakepeace8748]

Can you leave to fire department

[@JuliansRandomProject]

If they have an analog dispatch frequency, yes! Check radio reference website

[@nicholasmakepeace8748]

@@JuliansRandomProject thank you

[@NickWindham]

I wonder if someday we’re going to find out these unbelievably cheap Chinese radios are bugged. When you see extremely underpriced priced Chinese computers and tv boxes, they usually have malware. Surely some radio nerd would have found that by now though, right?

[@JuliansRandomProject]

If a bug existed it would need a high bandwidth way of getting sent back to the mothership. Easy for always plugged in devices with an internet account, less for battery powered, few miles range walkie talkies. My concern is an undocumented "kill tone" that if heard would erase the firmware and leave you with a brick. Unless the company/hobbyists publish the source code (and some have) this is possible.

[@NickWindham]

@@JuliansRandomProject Yeah, that could be a legit issue. Good point

[@wanjockey]

Julian, I love your random video's but you are really showing your colors where you say if bob shows up without your specific "APPle" cult shit. You loose me and your clan

[@JuliansRandomProject]

Glad you're enjoying the videos! I'm not sure what you mean by "apple" cult. Do you have a time stamp I can jump to? Aside from the iOS (and Android) app I mentioned I'm not sure what you mean.