The All New Retevis A1

[@brianwashburn5583]

I know its popular to hate on Chineseium radios, but Retevis seems to listen to its customers better than most other companies. They make changes that seems to move in the right direction. I have to give credit where credit is due. They are doing the right things and obviously trying hard to make a name in the amateur radio community. I've become a Retevis fan and have several of their radios. I may add this one soon. Now if we could get them to make a remote mount mobile radio with a hand held control head!

[@temporarilyoffline]

I completely agree. I'm a retevie fan also.

[@M9A1MAN]

Very neat radio. For the price, you get a lot of features looks like. I've had several Retevis radios throughout the years, and usually very impressed by them. Will have to keep this one on the ole' Wish List to try one day.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Gotta catch 'em all!

[@n3vmt126]

the programming cable is of the Baofeng/Kenwood style speaker/mic variety

[@temporarilyoffline]

Doesn't that just stink?

[@m_a_s6069]

Cute little piece of kit. Love that they have USB charging from the getgo. But I am not so keen on the water proofing of the USB connector or the other jacks. Honestly, in this day and age... For example Amphenol makes IPX-8 USB-C connectors. (And they aren't the only one.) Combined with a flexible dust cover that doesn't pop off, it would be a big improvement.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I agree - but you know how it goes... one step at a time!

[@rafaelgcpp]

With some of those HT using high-end microcontrollers, I wonder when one of those Chinese radios will get a decent and usable data port...

[@temporarilyoffline]

100% agree

[@BertClaes]

Meanwhile, the aoic cable will have to do?

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@BertClaes Right - we're hams... we got this.

[@btraindavidlemke312]

Can you access NOAA weather easily?

[@temporarilyoffline]

I didn't check the programming software, but I'd guess you can make a button for that.

[@gabrielsierra6890]

Love your Tanto-Like knife!

[@temporarilyoffline]

Thanks! Its a Tiny but useful spring opener from Gerber that I've been using for almost a year now.

[@gabrielsierra6890]

@@temporarilyoffline I have a Gerber Multi-Tool that ias about 35 years old and still looks like new, despite heavy use, great tools! 73 de WP3BM

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@gabrielsierra6890 I have the one with the offset screwdriver and I love it. I don't like the bulky carrying case on my him. I've been using multi-tools on every single project since 2014 when I bought my farm. Once you start carrying it, you realize how valueable it is - its simultaneously the wrong tool for the job and the tool you go to for every job. Love 'em.

[@SendLead]

Unless there's a possibility to use the GPS for weather alerts, what is the point of having GPS if it can't beacon APRS. Seems these Chinese radios are putting useless features in to advance the model number. Thoughts?

[@temporarilyoffline]

There are a lot of simple features missing from budget radios. The quansheng's have been hacked to include most of them at a dang good price!

[@timdietz350]

I've never had luck getting any HT antenna to read a decent SWR on that meter. Indoors/outdoors, plate attached/not attached. Even a nagoya 771 and signal stick read like crap on it. Not sure what I've been doing wrong since I've seen others on YT appear to get good readings from the same antennas. And yet other folks have said there's no point trying to measure HT antennas on that meter (or any really). Do you get consistent good readings on decent antennas on that thing?

[@temporarilyoffline]

Readings are always suspect with "amateur" equipment. I like the meter and the stock antenna because that's what you get in the box. Power into a dummy load is nice. But who tries to make contact on a dummy load? HTs usually rely on your body to provide the other half of the antenna... And all of us are built differently also.

[@keeler1160]

Can you do a review on the retevis C1 radio?

[@temporarilyoffline]

Its on the list... but the list is long. Looks like a fun radio, I'd be interested in that noise reduction feature.

[@keeler1160]

@temporarilyoffline I really like the extra display size. I hope it can display both call sign and frequency on channel mode. I'm just looking for a video review of it.

[@W7LDT]

1I haven’t checked but there is probably a driver to download for windows to connect to the radio. Windows is famous for that.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Could be!

[@jean-lucaudoin8538]

Linux users have forgotten the sad days when, if you connected your mouse to another USB port, windows would re-install the driver! If your radio is not detected in Linux, it's likely because it's not meant to communicate through the usb port 😢

[@hooked911]

For a non dmr HT I think I would rather have the Radtel RT 580. Wider RX/TX GPS and Bluetooth audio and programming.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I'm pretty sure if I set about making a radio, I'd have quite a few things on the features list. I'm not really sure how the "obvious" things don't make the list.

[@Pounder480]

Nice review! Interesting that they are still using that same Beofeng voice... Also intriguing that the manuals have gotten bigger, even if they haven't gotten significantly better.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Bigger, but still empty ;-)

[@robertmeyer4744]

working GPS ! so many have the logo on top and no GPS. their may be a GMRS version of that. have to check. I can see loosing the dust covers in the field. most of them come with not so good antenna. 73's

[@temporarilyoffline]

I'm not sure what I do with that GPS info at the current moment?

[@jean-lucaudoin8538]

Imagine what the community could do with the GPS feature if the software was hackable (like the UV-K5)!

[@victorcharlie7491]

Great review nice lookin radio, tnx Man!

[@temporarilyoffline]

Thanks VC!

[@phillyedhrj]

I hope the woman who did the vocal prompts for Retevis and Baofeng gets a royalty check. 😉

[@temporarilyoffline]

I think about that with ole Flo from progressive. At least geico has a fictitious reptile.

[@daomingjin]

she probably does not. it was likely an ESL teacher that did a part time job doing voice recording...

[@Tommy-K4BWN]

Hey do they do a GMRS with DMR

[@temporarilyoffline]

Not that I know of.

[@Tommy-K4BWN]

@@temporarilyoffline Thanks 73 K4BWN

[@KK6USYHamRadioAdventures]

I just received this radio need to dive in

[@temporarilyoffline]

It looks pretty promising

[@haxwithaxe]

The first step in amateur radio anonymous is acquiring one of every radio. No one has come up with a second step.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Let me know if you get there first... I'll do the same.

[@Stan_DaniPaget]

Thanks for the review. I ordered one the other day. Like I need another HT?!? 😂 KI5HDT

[@temporarilyoffline]

Of course you need another HT. This is what we do.

[@TomT73]

Thanks for the video. But, as with the TD-H3, bunches of compelling features but the spurious emissions test makes it a no-go for me. Oh, and may I ever-so-humbly request that you turn off the beep when showing the menu? 🙂73

[@temporarilyoffline]

Tid got a lot of heat for dirty radios. You'd think they would be more aware of issues!

[@killz66]

Another dirty radio. Throw it in the trash.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Right!

[@JoeFramo-uw9fp]

Those numbers are terrible man the radio is like $70 even your cheap Baofeng for $25 they're putting out 8 watts this is the worst video I've seen the worst I hope it's that meter you got it looks like a cheap meter off of Amazon

[@temporarilyoffline]

2 minute rule.

[@JoeFramo-uw9fp]

Is rated for a 10-watt radio how do you consider that being good for high power are you sure you're a licensed ham operator that is terrible that ain't worth the money to buy supposed to be 10 wat radio stop sucking up to the company do you think we as ham operators are stupid or something😂

[@temporarilyoffline]

Watch the video a few more times to understand what you missed.