Tidradio TD-H8: Ham Radio Repeater Hunting with 10 Watts and a Yagi

[@jalpa9642]

Also, when selecting a vacant Channel to Store a new Channel, if a Channel has the "CH" in front of the Channel #..it is Occupied... look for a Channel w/out the "CH"...!

[@TravelinHam]

Excellent tip! Pinned to the top. Thank you for contributing.

[@runproserun]

So well done! I learned a lot about the TID H-8 as well as some cool "repeater hunting" techniques. You have the gift of gab - no additional grey hairs after listening to you for 28 minutes! :)

[@TravelinHam]

What a nice compliment! Thank you so much! Maybe more to come to work those rubber ducks a little better.

[@NickWindham]

Great field test comparison video. Much appreciated real world rage info that we’re looking for. I’ll be buying one of these and a handheld yagi. That was impressive range.

[@TravelinHam]

Check out videos on making your own Yagi. Some make the antenna from an old tape measure.

[@seansolina895]

This was actually a cool video. Thanks.

[@TravelinHam]

Thanks for watching!

[@Peter_1512]

Nice review, thank you!

[@TravelinHam]

Pleasure!

[@jamesfranklin4030]

Very informative. I love TIDRADIO's

[@TravelinHam]

We’ll use it through the year and se what I think in December.

[@justinh8167]

🎵Black Hole Sun, won't you come....🎶 😂 (Just picked up the TD H-8 and this was the best tutorial/intro I've seen. Thank you.

[@TravelinHam]

Aww, thanks! Enjoy! Feel free to come back and comment on your experiences with it.

[@eddiemansell6293]

Great field test, I am looking at purchasing a pair of TidRadio 2nd Gen H8 to add to my bug out bags. I am starting to look into getting my HAM License. I appreciate the time you took to compare the 2 radios.

[@TravelinHam]

Thanks for watching and thanks for the comment! Good luck on your exam!

[@keathrhymer5449]

using my H8 since June love it. only issue I had was the batteries went bad they replaced overnight. bluetooth is so handy with the app. just make sure BT is turned on via the button on the front of the radio and you see the icon. I got the package with 2 bats 2 ant spkr mic and the extended length ant works very well.the odmaster ap is super but got one question on it. it shows aprs to set up in it anyone know ?? This has replaced my good old FT60r which sits on my desk now at home to monitor with. i use this H8 for my volunteer work for things like the marathons airshows etc we do local comm for the mine outputs 9.5 to 11 watts and that is very useful in the field

[@TravelinHam]

Hey, thanks for the comment, and for the sub! Are you saying the app mentions APRS somewhere?

[@keathrhymer5449]

@@TravelinHam yes it does when you open and login as i do i then click the me icon bottom right and then click the me far right bottom that will bring up another menu in it is aprs.F1

[@keathrhymer5449]

@@TravelinHam yes after you login to the app click the me bottom right that will brinbg up anothr menu and there you will se aprs.F1 never used aprs so i dont know how to set it up

[@TravelinHam]

@@keathrhymer5449 Okay, thanks. I wasn’t planning on doing anything with the app, but I haven’t seen any other reviews talk about APRS. So I might give it a shot.

[@gregpearson7013]

New ham here. Can you tell me the name, brand and where to purchase the hand held antenna in the video. Thank you

[@TravelinHam]

www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-004403. You can also shop at Gigaparts or DX Engineering. There is another version with a duplexer so you can run both 70cm and 2m on the same radio.

[@NickWindham]

@@TravelinHamthanks, I had the same question

[@donnakano3697]

FM is different from side band in that FM has a capture ratio which is important in reception. My personal record, handheld to handheld is about sixty miles. I was in my car in town and the other station was on 146.520 at the top of a mountain. My personal record for a 10W mobile with a 5/8 whip was over 100 miles, but I was at over 11,000 ft and the other ham was near sea level. A 3 element yagi should be about 7dB or about 3x power. Overall, a useful video. Thanks and 73!

[@TravelinHam]

Thanks for the comment! That’s a good point on the FM capture effect. Another benefit to more wattage if you’re in a competitive environment with multiple signals. Thanks for watching!

[@teeroyjenkins6801]

Hey im a complete newbie just got a pair of these for me and my fathers house a mile away and mothers house 6 miles away and whats the best way to start learning the ropes here. My grandmother was a ham and i always thougjt it was so cool and id love to carry on the tradition until shtf anyways... point me in the best starting direction i aprecoate it.

[@TravelinHam]

Honestly, watch preparatory videos for the Technicians license exam. It sounds like you’re interested anyway. That’s going to answer so many questions for you or it will give you the base knowledge to figure out questions you haven’t thought of yet. For your family, a GMRS system would likely make the most sense. You can purchase a license with no exam and it covers your immediately family as well. Even if you take the Technicians test, it’s like pulling teeth getting others convinced they should do the same. The 6 miles is going to be tough with handhelds. Try it, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up. Unless the topography is perfect you’re going to need more power to reliably cover the distance. 50-watt mobile stations would be the way to go. If there’s hills or worse between the homes that may prevent any kind of VHF/UHF comms possibilities. Your Dad’s house is possible being a mile away, but if there’s lots of trees, buildings or any terrain, you may need 50-watts there too. Does that help?

[@teeroyjenkins6801]

@TravelinHam it's all Wisconsin flat ground. If it's not successful we will surely look into the 50 watt mobile stations I appreciate the immediate response. you just earned another subscriber my friend. Godspeed !

[@TravelinHam]

@@teeroyjenkins6801 Thanks for watching! Let me know if you have more questions.

[@user-dennisl54]

By hitting menu button you can then use the quick link buttons for the blue items

[@TravelinHam]

Correct! I did get there later in the video. Thanks for the comment!

[@rdaugherty52]

Nice yagi I’ve been playing with some hand talkies and made a 1/4 wave ground plane put it about 15 ft up and it gets out good without a lot of white noise I may raise it up to 20ft anyway thanks for the review.

[@TravelinHam]

Thanks for watching and for the nice comment!

[@cbtone8482]

Hi. In this video you mentioned that this radio has a walkie talkie function. Can you do a video on that function?

[@TravelinHam]

This is a good idea. I may just do that in the future and demonstrate switching the radio between the different modes. For you, for now, let's do this. With the radio off, while holding down the zero key and the push-to-talk button, switch the radio on. This will set the radio into GMRS mode. IMPORTANT NOTE. THIS PROCESS WILL FACTORY RESET THE RADIO. Now, common walkie talkies are FRS, not GMRS, which is a little different but they use the same frequencies. At this point the radio should have the bottom 22 channels pre-programmed to work with FRS and should be compatible with your walkie-talkies. I have family members out traveling today with my radio so I can't test this myself, but it SHOULD work this way. Now keep in mind, these radios are not type certified by the FCC for FRS use with your typical walkie-talkies. The removable antenna is an indicator of this. FRS radios cannot have removable antennas. The TD-H8 is also capable of putting out more power than legally allowed on FRS frequencies. (If you purchase a GMRS license for your family, all of this goes away.) Now, many will say no one will know and no one will care, and for the most part they're right. If you set the power on the radios to low and operate on channels that allow more power (1-7 or 15-22) and don't make any upgrades to the stock antenna, you're operating as close as you can in good spirit to FRS guidelines. However technically, it's still not legal. $35 (and a good chunk of your time figuring out the FCC website) for a 10-year family GMRS license removes all these issues if any of this bothers you. That's what I have done. My TALKPOD review video which includes the process to apply for a GMRS license. No test is required. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2PVqGt-drGbr9ksi=67X_f-x7dX_-_TkW&t=1919

[@cbtone8482]

@@TravelinHam Awesome. I can't wait to see the video. Thank you for the breakdown. I'm very new to all of this, and $35 is a small price to pay to make sure I don't do anything “wrong.”

[@cbtone8482]

Just an update. I booted my radio in GMRS mode and the first 30 slots are filled and the last 11 are NOAA

[@Ninermania99]

What antenna do you recommend for mobile , travel in my work truck and I can’t mount it outside of the company vehicle ? Like one for both ham & grms ?

[@TravelinHam]

Hmm. Interesting. No antennas on the outside at all, or just no drilling holes for a permanent installation. There are magnet mounts and clip on mounts. Are those off limits, too?

[@nats50]

I also have that radio, and there's one thing I couldn't figure out how to do it without using the manual, until now. You spoiled my fun. 🤣

[@TravelinHam]

Glad I could help! 😉

[@1000MileVision]

I am a Ham tech level & GRMS licensee living around the Towanda/ Eldorado Kansas area.. love the vid, I learned a lot about TD-H8; I have two TD-H6 s and was thinking buying two more. Maybe now I will just upgrade to the TD-H8s. Now I want to go find my 2 meter yagi.......best wishes Therin KF0CIF, WRYF461

[@TravelinHam]

I picked my Arrow Yagi up at Ham Radio Outlet in Phoenix. Good luck and thanks for watching! 73

[@Mo_feezy]

I'm pretty sure that other than squelch and lock, etc. The other blue functions just correspond to the menu items. Squelch is menu 0, etc. It helps to find those menus without searching I guess.

[@Mo_feezy]

Nevermind. You got it at the end. Kd0ynj EW county

[@TravelinHam]

@@Mo_feezyThanks for watching and commenting!

[@DavidM2002]

I see from Tid's web site that this has Bluetooth but, when I look in the manual, it doesn't mention bluetooth at all. It appears that Bluetooth is only used for programming with a phone. I'd like to be able to use my motorcycle Bluetooth communicator to connect to the Tid. Can you shed any light on this or did you look into Bluetooth at all ?

[@TravelinHam]

The manual that came with the radio I just received did in fact come with a Bluetooth section. At this time, Bluetooth is only to connect to your computer for programming. I’m with you. I’d love to have an earbud option so I could use it while hiking with no wire. I’m not sure if it’s even possible to add that capability. For now, for your potential purchase, assume it’s always going to be just for programming. I may do another video focusing on Bluetooth. This one was just too long already.

[@DavidM2002]

@@TravelinHam Watch a video by Jake TheGardenSnake called The Best Motorcycle Communications Setup. I'd be really interested in your opinion.

[@TravelinHam]

Looks like solid info. I would recommend the GMRS option for the higher available transmit power. I'm not sure what model Baofeng the co-host had, but many of those allow you to transmit either on frequencies on which you may not be licensed or on FRS frequencies on which the Baofeng is not FCC type accepted. But GMRS is a simple solution for higher power with no required tests and would be reasonable for a group of guys to acquire for motorcycle or off-roading communication.

[@DavidM2002]

@@TravelinHam Thank you.

[@mikesey1]

​@@TravelinHam Nope, BLUETOOTH on this radio is to programme it without a computer. Download the app to your phone, then connect with your radio to programme it.

[@mrtonicsvls3624]

cross band transponder function is present?

[@TravelinHam]

Doesn't seem to be. There's nothing that indicates it either in the radio functions or in the manual. I've seen nothing about cross band repeating on other reviews either. If anybody learns anything different...

[@clearsailing7993]

If you were vacationing out in the western states, would you bring a handheld or else mount a mobile unit in the car? I am thinking if you needed the radio for an emergency with no cell towers around.

[@TravelinHam]

We are in the western United States a lot, and love it so much we'll be out there much more in the future. Our challenge is that we're often in very remote locations and VHF/UHF doesn't cover enough ground. I need to get a mobile rig in the RV with a directional antenna to have any chance. The best solution for me is HF radio. With a General level ham license, I can communicate locally, regionally and internationally. Calling for help is no issue. Even in a challenging location and in poor conditions I can almost always reach SOMEONE. Check out any of my park activation videos on this channel and you can see how far I can reach with such a radio.

[@adambatchelder4121]

And it's unlockable.

[@legallimitoutdoors9917]

How do yeah know what is ham or gmrs? H8. Td-h8

[@TravelinHam]

You change the mode of the radio by holding the Push-to-Talk button and the *, 0 or the # keys while simultaneously turning on the radio. *=ham mode, 0=GMRS and # unlocks the radio completely.

[@DonzLockz]

Good practical testing. I can't hit my repeaters with my VX-6R on 5w, but I need to try my Wouxun 9w radio. I live in a valley. :( I need that Yahi and wouldn't mind that H3 also. :) As others have mentioned, the music can be annoying, especially when we are trying to hear the HT audio. As an ex video editor for a Gov agency, we used music tracks often but always dropped them right back when we needed to hear talking, etc. Music levels were turned up with B-roll overlays, etc. It takes a fair bit more time to do but worth it. My youtube videos are simple and cut down to take out my normal blabbering. I dont do music but normalise my speaking talking levels, etc. Lol. Take care, I enjoy the practical demo test... just subbed, keep it up.😊👍

[@TravelinHam]

Thank you for all of the comments. I actually just dropped another review video and neglected to put background music in it. That’ll make some happy I guess. 🤪 I’m in a new editing program now, so I’ll have to start from square one in finding the right volume level.

[@DonzLockz]

Brilliant, thank you. Looking forward to more.😊

[@tzm1843]

Open the squelch?

[@TravelinHam]

Squelch is the function that cuts off the sound when all you’re receiving is static. We call it opening the squelch when the radio receives a signal and turns the sound back on. When the signal goes away, the radio will go back to static before the squelch closes again.

[@Kens1966]

I have been able to reach 2 repeaters sitting in my house the repeaters are both about 12 miles from my house

[@johntrinkl7257]

Great Video

[@TravelinHam]

Why thank you!

[@rickpalmer9518]

HUH! The blue keys are triggered like Baofeng's MENU THEN SELECT BLUE KEY(instead of scrolling thru the menu) EXIT button to get out of menu

[@TravelinHam]

Correct! I did figure it out by the end of the video, but thanks for backing me up. Also you can enter a double-digit number if you know which one you need.

[@rickpalmer9518]

YEP, like the ctcss and offset in frequency mode, It took me 2 yrs before I discovered it, lot easier than the up/dwn buttons.73 rick va3ev@@TravelinHam

[@Kens1966]

I bought the kit which came with an extra batter improved antenna and hand mic

[@Kens1966]

I didn't have to look at the manual other than I think for the app. When I first used it programmed by hand which was easy

[@robertyoung9589]

Is this radio easy to program from the keyboard?

[@TravelinHam]

I haven’t tried it yet. Another commenter mentioned an APRS button in the app, so I might have to try the Bluetooth app. I know other reviewers have demonstrated the Bluetooth programming. You could check them out in the meantime.

[@royholmes9010]

A quick press on the pound sign will take you reverse on the repeater frequency so you can listen on the input

[@TravelinHam]

Well, that’s handy! Thanks for sharing!

[@TG-lp9vi]

Nice test but one dose not know the antenna pattern of the repeater. Some repeaters use directional antennas so that they don’t interfere with other repeaters. But at lease you’re outside having fun.

[@TravelinHam]

That could possibly affect a repeater to repeater comparison, but for a radio to radio comparison (5 watts to 10 watts in this case) on the same repeater there’s no impact.

[@MikhelKovak]

Can you please do a video of how to exactly punch in a repeater?

[@TravelinHam]

I program in a repeater at the 3:00 mark, but I do blow through it kind of quickly.

[@MikhelKovak]

@@TravelinHam i know that you go to the gmrs channel that's set to the frequency you want to program but I don't know what exactly button you press after that to enter in the tone and how you set the tone . I go to the frequency channel on a uv 9g n then I press menu and go to tones but there are many options like r-dcs and then r ctcs n then t-dcs and then there is t-ctcs..... It's confusing as all hell.

[@TravelinHam]

@@MikhelKovak okay, I can help you through it. First thing first. You need to know the repeater you want to connect to and get its information. Do you have a particular repeater in mind?

[@MikhelKovak]

@@TravelinHam it's Wisconsin, Dodge. And it says 462.600 D244 location 103.5.

[@TravelinHam]

Okay. Here we go! 1. Put the radio in channel mode (VFO/MR button at the top) 2. Tune to channel 25. That will set the correct receive frequency to 462.600 MHz and it will automatically set the proper offset for talking to the repeater. 3. Go to Menu item #11 "Rx CTCSS" and set to 103.5 Hz This tells your radio to listen for this sub-audible tone from the downlink of the repeater. 4. Go to menu item #12 "Tx Dcs" and set to 244N. This will add a digital sub-audible tone to your signal and will instruct the repeater to open its squelch and repeat your signal. That should be it. The radio will keep those settings on Channel 25 and you won't have to set those again. If for some reason you want to speak to someone radio-to-radio (or simplex as we would call it) on 462.600, then you would use channel 17 which is not set to work with a repeater. When you transmit, you'll see the frequency change up 5 MHz. This is normal as you and the repeater can't be transmitting on the same frequency simultaneously. Now keep in mind, repeaters are set up and run by individuals. These individuals may or may not be welcoming to new operators hitting their repeater. It's kind of a crap shoot. Don't be too disappointed if you call and get ignored, or worse. At least you will have confirmed you know how to program in a GMRS repeater!

[@bunnytoo3710]

Which model Arrow directional is that, please? Thank you!

[@TravelinHam]

www.gigaparts.com/arrow-ii-dual-handheld-yagi.html

[@bunnytoo3710]

@@TravelinHam Thank you good sir!

[@dsmasynergy]

Thx for your video, very informative. What ant is that you used?

[@TravelinHam]

It’s a 2m/70cm Yagi-Uda by Arrow. I got it to access repeaters on satellites but haven’t had much luck in that venture. I’ll keep trying!

[@dsmasynergy]

@@TravelinHam Thanks for your super fast response!

[@TravelinHam]

@@dsmasynergy The timing worked out!

[@allenlark]

im assuming the blue text is just the menu item under that number. so you press menu, and then the key to get to the blue. its not a shift key but more of a legend.

[@TravelinHam]

Correct!

[@deaningram3]

The blue keys work with the menu button

[@TravelinHam]

So I figured later in the video. Slightly confusing but still moderately intuitive.

[@ChrisHirner]

You were so close when you were trying to figure out the menu shortcut buttons. It was as suspensfull as the last episode of the sopranos.

[@TravelinHam]

Hahahaha! We got it…… eventually!

[@stahpit1971]

Thanks for the video!

[@TravelinHam]

Thanks for watching!

[@jetsbme1]

Hey folks, how’s everybody doing? I’m a SECURITY OFFICER in St. Petersburg, Florida I use a security radio, Motorola cp200d how do I get it to replace? My CP200D RADIO can I I mean I wanted to work on my job that’s why I bought it for so I didn’t have to use my companies radio. Do I need to know the frequency and if so is it compatible to scan the The radio of my companies frequency is it compatible this radio to scan and program for my job from the model radio that I have

[@TravelinHam]

I wouldn’t recommend replacing your work radio with any other radio. Obviously, I don’t understand the exact nature of your work or employer, but I can’t imagine they’d be happy if they learn you replaced their preprogrammed $500+ Motorola with a TidRadio. Particularly if there happened to be any comms issues. Theoretically, yes, if you knew your companies frequencies, you could program them in and scan them on the TD-H8.

[@PatricksDIY]

Its weird, the Blue Buttons for Scan, Lock are a Hold button, the others, you press menu then the Blue, its just menu shortcuts. for Example Press Menu then the Number 5 (W/N) and it brings up the Wide/Narrow band option in the menu. Edit : once i got to the end of the video i seen you figured it out :)

[@TravelinHam]

Ha! Thanks for watching all of the way to the end!

[@GiantSequoiaNation]

Nice video. Very good audio. Can i ask what type of mic you're using? Mine audio sounds muffled on my videos compared to yours. I'm Subscribed! 404/Roadblock/KD2MOT waving at you from NW, GA. 73

[@TravelinHam]

Thanks for subscribing. I have the Rode shotgun-style mic plugged directly into my iPhone with the Rode dead cat cover. It worked well until I dropped my phone this winter and the lightning plug broke off of the microphone. Now I about to receive a pair of DJI wireless mics and we’ll see how they do.

[@GiantSequoiaNation]

@TravelinHam interesting... ok great. I appreciate you sharing. 73

[@zyphrumzypheny2631]

odd that they don't ask for my call sign when buying

[@TravelinHam]

There’s nothing wrong with owning a Tidradio with no license.

[@zyphrumzypheny2631]

@@TravelinHam sure, as long as you listen, transmitting, you need a license

[@TravelinHam]

@@zyphrumzypheny2631 So are you saying you should have to have a callsign to purchase the radio?

[@zyphrumzypheny2631]

@@TravelinHam all I'm saying is that IF you want to transmit on a HAM radio you ought to have a license; if someone doesn't that's between them and their governmental radio agency

[@TravelinHam]

@@zyphrumzypheny2631 👍

[@carlosalexandredasilva9469]

In 22:14 on this video a ufo in the sky on the left side

[@TravelinHam]

Wow! You guys watch really close! 🤣 Likely white gulls that stay by the lake. I mean…. yeah, there are UFOs. Definite UFOs in my video spread the word!!!

[@Kens1966]

Flash light come in handy when power goes out

[@TravelinHam]

I mean… yeah. But you should really have another option on you in that case.

[@Chris-hy6jy]

Yeah and when it's dark 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@Kens1966]

I found the app was decent. What I don't like I had to use the app to adjust the mic gain

[@TravelinHam]

I think “decent” is a reasonable expectation.

[@timmturner]

Something I'm not understanding, isn't this more about the repeater your hitting and not the radio? I can easily hit a repeater 39 miles away (by air) with a 5W RT-470x but the repeater is 50W so of course I can.

[@TravelinHam]

Yes, you’re hearing the repeater and that’s all about the repeater’s power and my receive antenna. However, it’s my transmitted signal that triggers the repeater in the first place. That’s really what we’re testing. The return signal is just how I know I made it into the repeater.

[@timmturner]

@@TravelinHam I totally misunderstood the video, thanks for the clarification.

[@TravelinHam]

@@timmturner no problem. I’m glad you asked.

[@bryanpuckett3023]

Their there for looks!

[@christophe241273]

Hello le clavier 'e s'éclaire pas ?.

[@TravelinHam]

Yes, the keypad does light up. Even the blue text!

[@christophe241273]

@@TravelinHam une dernière question, comment faire pour envoyer la tonalité 1750hz ? Car je n'arrive pas à ouvrir le relais près de chez moi ! Merci d'avance.

[@TravelinHam]

@@christophe241273It’s menu item #32.

[@Kens1966]

You forgot to mention hair falling out lol

[@johnorrells3797]

Mine measures 7W on high VHF

[@TravelinHam]

Thanks for sharing the data point.

[@Kens1966]

I pressed and held the button for scan

[@joecizin9357]

👍👍

[@TravelinHam]

🤘

[@timdietz350]

The focus was a bit off for a sec, it wasn't clear which of your beard hairs was the gray one.

[@TravelinHam]

It’s just my amateur filming skills.

[@cdaworldnav]

Please redo this great information VDO without that distracting and annoying music…Please!

[@cdaworldnav]

I can’t finish it!

[@TravelinHam]

Ha! Taken into consideration. No, I’m not going to redo it, but I’ll likely turn down the volume by half in the next review video. Thanks for the production comment and the compliment on the info.

[@drdeputy]

@@TravelinHamI agree on the background music. At least it’s not incredibly annoying, but a decrease by half would be a big deal for listenability for me.

[@TravelinHam]

@@drdeputy Thanks for commenting. I do want the productive comments to help me learn.

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

Seriously? I am very sensitive to background music while a creator is talking yet in this video the music was only a bit loud and quite brief. I am not even certain what music you are referring to. Be specific when you ask someone to invest their valuable time in an effort to make you happy.

[@ericsteger4972]

Could do without music

[@TravelinHam]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@Mgoblu87]

I’m studying for my ham license, so I just use mine for GMRS. Side by side, my listeners like the H-8 over the H-3.

[@TravelinHam]

@@Mgoblu87 More power more better! Good luck on your test!

[@K1NGA-EM74]

the technology was built based on the need for intuitive application. TID Radio's H8 and H3 far exceeds BOAFENG's idea of what a programming interface should be.

[@K1NGA-EM74]

@TravelinHam when you mentioned going from 25 to 50w, did you get a new radio? I'm new to your channel and looked at a glance through your videos for the answer and didn't see what might lead me to listen to a specific video about that. Can you describe?

[@TravelinHam]

That was in reference to my HF POTA activation in Grand Canyon. I started that activation at 25 watts and bumped it up to 50 watts. You can see that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKKmq6umo99sepIsi=rDOjBJwiS7CJoXeE

[@TravelinHam]

I don’t know about “far exceeds” but I do think it’s better.

[@TravelinHam]

After the power increase I immediately made my two long distance contacts.

[@K1NGA-EM74]

@@TravelinHam will watch it. Thank you for the reply! You have a great channel.

[@ricdonato4328]

My Tidradio are two H3. These can be booted to either HAM or GMRS, though not 10 watts, five only. Please turn off the background music. We came to hear you not fight the music. Some folks have hearing difficulties, thus the background music makes it difficult understanding you.

[@TravelinHam]

I’ve definitely gotten the background music comment several times. If I use it again in the future I’ll roll the volume back further. Thanks for the comment. I do have a couple H3 videos to make as well if life would ever settle down.

[@JoseArrom]

Good review, but be prepared and read the manual.

[@TravelinHam]

Generally speaking….of course. But the whole point was intuitive ease of use for the basic operations. I shouldn’t have to refer to a manual for basic usage. There is simply too much hardware and software in our lives. They need to be intuitive.

[@Kens1966]

Exit to stop

[@TRIPPLEJAY00]

I absolutely hate the term HT. It's Walkie Talkie. 😊

[@TravelinHam]

To me, walkie talkie refers to an FRS radio…or a toy.

[@TRIPPLEJAY00]

@TravelinHam I'm from UK. I prefer walkie-talkie because that's what inspired me. And I love CB 11m. Has more character. Have a good day Sir. 😊

[@paulbeauregard6120]

Thank You That was a nice video. KC6YLT

[@TravelinHam]

Tank you for watching!

[@Knarf14]

All these radios basically all the same

[@TravelinHam]

Depends on what you mean by “these radios”.

[@Knarf14]

@@TravelinHam the Chinese stuff , i think once you master one the others are similar, thats my experience

[@TravelinHam]

@@Knarf14 okay, gotcha. Yes, if you’re choosing between the Chinese radios, it’ll come down to little things like Airband, USB-C charging, ease of programming, or maybe just price.

[@Kens1966]

Lol

[@paulziminskin2ghr282]

Tidradio H8 has to be the worse radio ever.. I happen to own 3 paper weights 70 cm Gmrs all work fine , when it comes to 2 meters the radio is useless, it will shock your hand when transmitting if the palm of ur hand is on the gold battery contacts, it also will squeel and oscillate , I am very disappointed with this radio and don't recommend it..

[@TravelinHam]

Thanks for sharing. I have heard of the shocking issue, though reviewers who have gotten one recently don’t seem to have the issue. These are legit comments though. Thanks for adding to the conversation.

[@paulziminskin2ghr282]

@@TravelinHam I wouldn't of posted if it was just one radio but the fact I have 3 I think makes it something to be said, And I surely dont wish other hams to suffer the same , I have noticed Amazon is now showing them as GMRS radios, Like I said 70 cm is super , It will make a great GMRS rig for sure.. 73

[@TravelinHam]

@@paulziminskin2ghr282 Did you have the shocking issue on all three?

[@paulziminskin2ghr282]

@@TravelinHam yes

[@paulziminskin2ghr282]

What it is it's rf and you get a burning sensation , and rf can feel like a shock Plus do you want 10 watts at that frequency near your head ,?

[@KU8RLY]

Never seen one of your videos until today, and already not impressed. You was sent that radio for a POSITIVE review, not an honest review. The radio has been proven to be dirty, and does not put out 10 watts.

[@TravelinHam]

I’ve never read one of your comments until today and I’m already not impressed. YOU WERE (“you was” is grammatically incorrect BTW) on a mission to give a negative comment and not a fair one. You trolls have been proven to be the scourge of social media. As for my review, it was totally fair. I stated exactly what I was looking for and demonstrated how the radio did in that regard. I don’t recall ever saying buy it or don’t buy. I never said it’s better than anything else. I assume my viewers are intelligent enough to process information and decide these things subjectively for themselves. Dozens of channels have already tested the spectral purity of the radio. There’s no need for me to repeat it. I also feel I made as practical a demonstration on the power level as can be made. Sure I could have tested the power level of the output just like EVERYBODY else, but there’s still a “so what?” factor. If it’s 8 watts, so what? If it’s 12 watts, so what? What does the power difference really mean in the real world? Therefore I feel I’ve made a meaningful addition to the conversation instead of merely repeating what others have already done.

[@dazzp2]

hi, are these programmable for HF RX?

[@TravelinHam]

No they are not. I’d recommend some web SDRs if you’re interested in just listening to HF. I’m not aware of any handheld that can.