Retevis RB17P GMRS Two Way Radio

[@ajc60803]

Looks like the repeater channel frequencies have been fixed in the software. I just downloaded it from the Retevis website and it has the RX/TX freqs in the right columns.

[@AndrewWells527]

Really recommend getting your GMRS license. I have a GMRS mobile in my Jeep, and I will pass out FRS radios when riding with friends. Not as good as everyone having a GMRS or ham radio, but it's better than nothing and might be an intro to something better for anyone interested.

[@shank0]

Thanks for being that jeep guy who seeming follows the rules. I got so much hate from local jeep club about it i left and sold my jeep. Haha.

[@AndrewWells527]

@@shank0 hate in what way? I'm not a part of any local Jeep club, but I hear that many standardize on specific radios (ham/GMRS/CB), and you're pretty much an outsider if you have something different.

[@shank0]

@@AndrewWells527 oh just the whole "you don't know what you're talking about. You're an idiot. Blah blah blah." anytime i told them they were operating the radios illegally. Never said i cared, just that they should know. They got a hold of a bunch ov uv5r radios and would program them and then resell to new members. As a licensed amateur, it got old real quick, and they were just too dedicated to being wrong.

[@FOREMAN3301]

Mine will let you turn off CTSS/DCS by using the side button. Select CTSS/DCS, press ok, push side button and it will cycle through CTSS/DCS/Off

[@jdock32778]

That is correct. Use the lower secondary button on the side.

[@gadgetsense3981]

At 4min 25sec you say the ctcss can not be turned off. That is not correct. My radio arrived today. So what you do is when you get to the ctcss menu, tap the programmable side button to cycle through CTS/DCS or off (no tone), it will be an open squelch, no tone required.

[@hamradiotube]

Thank you so much for this tip! Even Retevis couldn't tell me that. I didn't think it was possible but just tried and it worked.

[@gadgetsense3981]

@@hamradiotube Retevis also claims the antenna is not removable in an Amazon inquiry. LOL

[@alflores4220]

I need to buy a set of the "star" screwdrivers, I wanted to ask if you know what size that set screw on the base of the factory antenna is? I see one tool set for sale on Amazon has a little T6 size, but some of the other sets for sale do not have them that small. I want to upgrade and buy a Nagoya antenna.

[@jdock32778]

Glad to see repeater frequencies are correct and not backwards and CTCSS can be set to none on the pair of RB17P's I have. Earlier releases should have never been sold with those issues. EDIT: My favorite GMRS HT is now the Tidradio H3.

[@Siskiyous6]

It is so good to see so many radios for GMRS coming to market. For decades we used Garmin Rinos, and their niche is not going away, but with the ability to change antennas, and with inexpensive battery packs, the new breed bring a lot to the table! Now if Govt would wake up to the idiocy of having a licensing scheme for GMRS. While I am licensed, my various hunting "brothers" use mine, we are family! Now if we can just find a way to unlock these, because as hams using them on the ham bands is legal for us.

[@hamradiotube]

GMRS is gaining a lot of traction recently. Theres a lot of activity in my area. Apparently it's actually against regulations to have a removable antenna on a GMRS HT for some reason, even though you can use whatever antenna you want as far as I know for mobile radios. Retevis emailed me and said they are going to change the antenna to comply with regulations.

[@RKingis]

@@hamradiotube FRS can't have removable antennas, but GMRS can.

[@FarmRanchHomestead]

@@hamradiotube GMRS can have removable antennas, FRS cannot. I just received this model yesterday, and the antenna on mine is removable with loosening of the set screw.

[@guestservices5736]

A firmware update has fixed the up/down issue, as well as you can now turn on/turn off the ctcss/dcs codes from the radio itself.

[@hamradiotube]

It sure has. It's nice when they listen isn't it?

[@nimblehealer199]

I was unable to get the newest firmware update, so I bought another one, and it has a newer firmware version which has corrected all the issues I had, including the up/down buttons. It also has a few MORE settings in the menu.

[@58Alpha]

What is the signal stick antenna that you are using, model number?

[@K3JRZOnTheAir]

Nice looking & sounding radio.

[@hamradiotube]

It is pretty decent. I'm quite happy with the quality.

[@FarmRanchHomestead]

The default programming on the radio, as well as the defaults built in to the software (see Ch. 23 @ 13:07 in the video), have the Rx and Tx frequencies reversed on channels 23-30, so this radio will not work with GMRS repeaters. Does the "developer" version of the software allow this to be corrected? It looks like it's correct on your radio, so I am wondering if you received it that way, or if you fixed it via software.

[@FarmRanchHomestead]

Never mind, you answered this a minute or so later...

[@hamradiotube]

Lol, happens to me too.

[@hamradiotube]

yes

[@fullreleaseblake]

Sorry, late to the video review after buying this radio late last year. Went out on an offroading trip and gave up on it when others could hear me on their gmrs radios, but I couldn't hear them. Is that due to the frequencies being backwards in the programming?

[@hamradiotube]

It could be a number of things but make sure there are no receive squelch's turned on. CTCSS, DCSS etc. That would be the first thing. Your offset could be wrong as well. Or it could just be they may have a better antenna. It's hard to say.

[@fullreleaseblake]

@@hamradiotube that was it 😀 Turned off the C-CDC option in menu 2 and bam! Now I can transmit and receive. Thanks!

[@AbrahamCastillo-u7h]

can you receive transmisions from channel A & B at the same time?

[@RisingTidesAC]

retevis will send you a developers version of the programming software if you email them from their website. The software has the ability to use alpha tags however it does not enable alpha tags on the radio itself. It also has the ability to program narrow and wide band on an y channel. Why do you program a repeater in narrow band? They are wide band.

[@hamradiotube]

Yes, I have that as well. They seemed to not want me to mention that due to fcc regulations not allowing the free programming of frequencies on gmrs radios.

[@RisingTidesAC]

@@hamradiotube Of course it's allowed if the radio is FCC certified as a Part 95 radio.

[@FarmRanchHomestead]

Does that version of the software allow correction of the repeater frequencies which are reversed (and therefore useless) by default?

[@RisingTidesAC]

@@FarmRanchHomestead It does.

[@FarmRanchHomestead]

@@RisingTidesAC Good to know. Thank you!

[@ERodz230]

what brand is that antenna you connect. Thanks

[@ciucciopipa]

Where do you get the stick antenna you mentioned on this video , and is it any better then the Nagoya NA771g. Thanks

[@richkauffman7794]

So, are you saying that this radio is programmed WRONG? I just got my radios couple weeks ago. When I hit the talk button, it goes to 462...is that wrong?

[@DDBWG]

Can you upload the fixed file that retevis sent you?

[@mikegianfrancesco9431]

It does repeater also

[@bryansmith1407]

Do you know if they fixed the frequency codes I been waiting over a month from them about this and have not heard anything from them.

[@thereisnoneRighteous-but-GOD]

Great video, thank you! Noob here. Question, if I purchase 4 of these, do I need 4 separate licenses or just 1 license for all 4?

[@RodgerNixon]

One license covers you and your extended family even includes inlaws, but the license holder is responsible for radios operating under their license.

[@thereisnoneRighteous-but-GOD]

@@RodgerNixon excellent and thank you for taking the time to respond/confirm! All the best!

[@FelixLantiguaCamacho]

Narrow or Wide?

[@everydaymartialartist]

It actually does not come with the wall charging adapter

[@rkelly5803]

Not being able to program makes it a hard pass for me. Looks decent hopefully they change that though.

[@gaptastic]

While Chinese radios seem to have a plethora of functionality, the quality is not there. Don't get me wrong I have Baofeng, AnyTone and Wouxun radios, but it's like they don't have a QA/QC department. It's extremely frustrating. The kinda of crap that sends you down a million rabbit holes only to find out they screwed up the most basic of elements. But I like tinkering and we (hams and radio peeps) have an excellent community out there that's always willing to help. Thanks for sharing ... I will not be buying this radio, cause I just bought a couple of Wouxun 509G HT's. Enjoy the holidays.

[@hamradiotube]

I think it's funny that they steal from each other too. How many fake Baofengs are out there? A lot. Wish.com is full of them. There are some good ones out there though. I like the G90 and X5105. Are they Icom quality? No. But they are a quarter of the price too. It does suck when they release something that isn't ready though. The X6100 comes to mind.

[@bmwrider1]

nice hand made pen you have

[@hamradiotube]

Thanks. Scott from Ham Radio For Non Techies made it. He sells them if you're interested.

[@finalkidlawex]

Can I please get the program software for the rd-17p and the fix for the channels

[@barrykem8876]

Thumbs up for "sibilance". ...Hanks should be proud.

[@hamradiotube]

Lol you got it. I do that in every radio review video and no one has ever caught on to that.

[@Gta2O13]

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