Talkpod A36Plus Review - Does it Compete with Baofeng and Quansheng?

[@richlovin2173]

WOW, AN HONEST, THOROUGH AND USEFUL REVIEW WITH NO "BS". YOU JUST GAINED ANOTHER DEDICATED VIEWER. i am a retired software and systems engineer.

[@akiddoo8113]

I have had my A36+ about 6 months. Great audio reports and receive audio is better than any other radio I have every listen to. I like it, use it, and don't understand why everyone is crapping on it. It Is money well spent.

[@yannisgk]

i have the same question...it's a decent little radio and for the price is very good....maybe people are too spoiled nowadays....they want everything free!!!

[@ScottPasternak]

Thanks!

[@ModernHam]

Holy cow. Thanks Scott! That will go towards a decent lavalier microphone. Thank you!

[@yannisgk]

wow!!!

[@W6IWN_Radio]

They sent me one too...Mine fell 2 feet, and the antenna mount broke. I emailed them, and they never replied. The 5 bands are cool and USB charging. It's not durable at all, though! My Baofengs have taken some hard hits and bounced back. Thanks for the video, Billy. 73

[@vk4ice]

I have an early A36 Plus. I normally have the radio in my shirt pocket and find the antenna a bit long, so I purchased a 2 inch (bright orange) flexible stubby antenna for it. Here is the weird thing....I get one transmission with this configuration, then the receiver goes dead. Obviously, you turn it off, then on, but the receiver is still dead, so it gets turned off and put aside. Picking it up 20 minutes later, the radio is too hot to touch (even though it has been turned off). Removing the battery, will allow it to cool down. Later, I repeated the test with the Tiny SA in close proximity. I believe the A36 goes into a self oscillation when this fault occurs, and the power switch does not isolate the power from the PA. Only removing the battery shuts it off. When in this self oscillation state, the radio transmits over the majority of (in my case) the UHF band. As this is an early model, and I had it for several months before I realised the poor harmonic suppression of this radio, Talkpod would not give a warranty replacement. I have firmware Ver 1.25 at the moment and a "real" 512 memories is really handy as a receive onlyVHF/UHF device with Aircraft band reception (plus FM VHF broadcast). It's a fun radio, but I am reluctant to purchase another. Dave - VK4ICE

[@sparxz2145]

Great review. BUT pity you missed on a major design flaw. The MODE keys as blue characters on the alpha numeric are impossible to see, only the white numbers A/B and FM visible. Incredibly on the tinniest buttons I have seen yet on a handheld ! I have a Quansheng and others to compare to. If Talkpod do not want people to read the Alpha numeric mode keys, necessary to use the transceiver. Then why bother putting them on, and have bigger numbers instead, and give the user a laminated diagram of the mode keys, on a card, you will loose quickly, and have to print out another one ? I regret buying a Talkpod, and not one reviewer on KZbin mentioned the problem I have just outlined. If TalkPod was sincere, they would send customers out a replacement keypad and instructions on how to fit.

[@maggdoodle1729]

Thank you for being assistant net control last week on the Grundy county tn Ares net.

[@josemmontes5810]

I am a student pilot and I need an inexpensive radio to listen to the airband, is the Talkpod A36 Plus a good option for me? Thank you.

[@DonzLockz]

That colour screen is on many new radios. They are not lcd, so dont display the info without being lit up. My Wouxun KGUV9PX has a partially lit display after the first 15 seconds. It's adjustable, but obviously, it would use more power than an old style lcd display... I love the Wouxun, but that display going completely black was my only dislike. ;)

[@ErnieKolep]

How much how good

[@W4TRI_Ronny]

Every Talkpod is garbage. The company is unresponsive and just want to keep trying to save face by sending this junk out to KZbinrs. TIDradio too. DO not buy this trash people!

[@KQ4JVA]

My TDH8 actually tested clean after I updated it. Customer support at TidRadio sent me the download link for the latest firmware when I emailed them. Obviously YMMV, but I prefer it over Baofeng or Talkpod as a beater radio.

[@yannisgk]

make something better for $49.99 you fool!!!