Item Weight | 1.7 pounds |
---|---|
Product Dimensions | 1.18 x 2.36 x 4.72 inches |
Item model number | 386012309 |
Batteries | 2 Lithium Ion batteries required. |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Display Type | No Display |
Warranty | 18-month warranty, lifetime supports |
Weight | 1.64 Pounds |
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Radioddity GA-2S Long Range Walkie Talkies for Adults UHF Two Way Radio Rechargeable with Micro USB Charging + Air Acoustic Earpiece with Mic, for School Retail Business (2 Pack)
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Save 5% on Radioddity RS22 Remote Speaker Mic when you purchase 1 or more Qualifying items offered by Radioddity. Shop items
Purchase options and add-ons
Brand | Radioddity |
Color | Black |
Number of Channels | 16 |
Special Feature | with 2 acoustic earpieces, with micro-USB charging |
Frequency Range | 400 - 470 MHz |
Talking Range Maximum | 3 Miles |
Age Range (Description) | Adult |
Tuner Technology | UHF |
Voltage | 3.7 Volts |
Water Resistance Level | Water Resistant |
About this item
- 16 pre-programmed frequency right out of box, can be used to communicate directly with each GA-2S on the same channel.
- By connecting a micro USB cable, you can charge it like a mobile phone without worrying about running out of battery. With the USB desktop rapid charger, you can easily charge in car and through a laptop.
- True 2 watt power can reach up to 3 miles range, 96 hours long standby time allows you to use it the whole day without charging.
- Easy to program through PC with programming cable. CHIRP supported. We offer programming support under Technical Specification Section on the listing page.
- 155 CTCSS/DCS privacy tones, squelch, VOX and air acoustic earpiece can keep your conversation secure with crystal clear audio and allow hands-free communication when you are on duty. Great walkie talkies for adults and business.
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This Item Radioddity GA-2S Long Range Walkie Talkies for Adults UHF Two Way Radio Rechargeable with Micro USB Charging + Air Acoustic Earpiece with Mic, for School Retail Business (2 Pack) | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
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Price | $27.99$27.99 | $71.99$71.99 | $89.99$89.99 | $28.99$28.99 | $19.99$19.99 | $49.99$49.99 |
Delivery | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Easy to use | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 5.0 | — |
Battery life | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 | — |
Sound quality | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.2 | — |
Value for money | 4.4 | — | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.3 | — |
Sold By | Radioddity | KETELESE direct | Retevis Direct | Arcshell | TIDRADIO Direct | topsung technology |
talk range maximum | 3 miles | 3 mile | — | — | 4 kilometer | 20 mile |
number of channels | 16 | 22 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 22 |
frequency range | 400 - 470 MHz | 462.5500~462.7250 MHz, 467.5625~467.7125MHz | FRS | 406.1-470 MHz | 400 - 470 MHz | — |
power source | AC & Battery | AC | — | Corded Electric, Battery Powered | Battery Powered | Battery Powered |
battery quantity | 2 lithium ion | 2 lithium ion | 6 lithium ion | 2 lithium ion, 2 unknown | 2 lithium polymer | 2 lithium polymer |
tuner technology | UHF | FRS | FRS | UHF | UHF | UHF |
water resistance | water resistant | not water resistant | not water resistant | water resistant | water resistant | not water resistant |
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PRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)
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Product information
Technical Details
Additional Information
ASIN | B07DKHCZQR |
---|---|
Customer Reviews |
4.4 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #364 in Portable FRS Two-Way Radios |
Date First Available | June 8, 2018 |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Product details
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Product Dimensions : 1.18 x 2.36 x 4.72 inches; 1.7 Pounds
- Item model number : 386012309
- Batteries : 2 Lithium Ion batteries required.
- Date First Available : June 8, 2018
- Manufacturer : Radioddity
- ASIN : B07DKHCZQR
- Customer Reviews:
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Radioddity GA-2S Two Way Radio (UHF)
Radioddity
Product Description
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Acoustic earpiece block the noise in noisy scenes
Comfortable silicone in-ear earbud, are small and snugly fit, very pleasant for all-day wearing
Highlights
Support CHIRP
Not only compatible with GA-2S CPS software, but also CHIRP software. Any programming tips, please refer to the User Manual & User Guide
Louder Clear Sound
This radio completes with 1W audio output speaker, you would get a clear crystal sound while transmitting and receiving.
Lightweight and Rugged
Compact and solid built, hardly feel its weight in hand on the go. They are sturdy enough for field work, warehousing or disaster relief, etc.
Customizable Side Button
The side button under PTT key, which can be programmed to 2 different functions (Monitor or Alarm), customize your GA-2S to meet your need.
Technical Specifications
Frequency Range | UHF |
Channel | 16 |
Power | Max 2W |
Battery Capacity | 1500mAh |
Private Codes | 50 CTCSS/105 CDCSS |
FCC ID | 2AN62-GA2S |
Standby Time | Up to 96 hours |
Other Functions | Busy Channel Lock Out, Time-out Timer(TOT), Alarm Function, Battery Saving Mode |
Comparison Table
GA-2S (2pcs) | GA-2S (4pcs) | GA-2S (6pcs) | FS-T1 | GM-N1 | FS-T3 | |
USB Desktop Charging | ✓ | ✓ | 6-way Charger Station | X | X | X |
Micro USB Charging | ||||||
Frequency | UHF | UHF | UHF | FRS | GMR S | FRS |
Power | 0.5 / 2W | 0.5 / 2W | 0.5 / 2W | 0.5 / 2W | Max 2W | 0.5 / 2W |
Earpiece Type | 2 -Pin Air Acoustic Earpiece | 2 -Pin Air Acoustic Earpiece | 2 -Pin Air Acoustic Earpiece | 3.5mm 1-Pin Earpiece | 2 -Pin Original Earpiece | 2 -Pin Original Earpiece |
From the brand
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About us
We are a professional radio technology company specializing in ham radios, GMRS radios, cb radios and other radio accessories.
At Radioddity we believe in quality products that will benefit the needs of communities and surrounding areas in times of need. We concentrate on providing our customers with the best value and up-to-date radio equipment.
Looking for specific info?
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the quality, performance, value, ease of use, and sound quality of the two way radio. For example, they mention it's well made, works well, and is excellent value for money. Some appreciate the simple operation of the channel selector and volume control. That said, some complain about the range.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the quality of the two way radio. They mention that it's well made, sturdy, and can withstand a beating. Some say that it works well and is good enough for their needs.
"...The construction of the radio is solid and feels good in the hand while transmitting. Charging took about 2-3 hours depending on the battery level...." Read more
"Good radio, worked out of boxtho of course batteries needed charging ( good feature to charge from any usb cable )..." Read more
"...1. Pros: Good audio loud and crisp, good feel in hand, nicer antenna than older BF-888s, scan function actually works...." Read more
"...Despite it's low price, the radio seems well made and just performs well. I keep mine in my vehicle and office...." Read more
Customers like the performance of the radios. They mention that they work well straight out of the box, have no issues working with repeaters, and can operate over a nice distance. Some say that the knob controls work well when wearing gloves. Overall, most are satisfied with the performance and durability of the product.
"...Out of the box the radios work great, but I wanted to make them fully compatible with my Midland radios...." Read more
"I purchased this 6-pack of radios recently and I have to say they work well...." Read more
"Good radio, worked out of boxtho of course batteries needed charging ( good feature to charge from any usb cable )..." Read more
"...All six radios functioned well and all controls, indicator lights, and voice channel annunciation worked fine...." Read more
Customers like the value of the two way radio. They mention it's well worth the purchase, inexpensive enough to provide insurance, and works well for the price.
"...I feel this is an exceptional value if you need multiple radios to communicate with...." Read more
"...In closing : Great deal for the money. Has clean signal and clear audio for its class of radio. Programs with CHIRP...." Read more
"...The current price is so low, it's almost ridiculous. Despite it's low price, the radio seems well made and just performs well...." Read more
"...These are a better value than many other brands...." Read more
Customers find the two-way radio easy to use. They mention that programming is easy, the radios are simple to operate, and the included cable makes programming simple. Customers also appreciate the large clicking knob controls and the fact that the radio is programmable with the free CHIRP programming software.
"...Programming was easy and I do recommend reprogramming the frequencies that are included as some might not be legal to operate right out of the box...." Read more
"...All six radios functioned well and all controls, indicator lights, and voice channel annunciation worked fine...." Read more
"...The radios are programmable with the free and popular CHIRP prgramming software. A programming cable is not included though...." Read more
"...These radios are easy to operate, require a licence and seem well built and durable...." Read more
Customers like the sound quality of the two way radio. They say the microphones are sensitive, the speaker is loud, and provides clear and understandable communication. They also appreciate the audible announcement to tell you which channel you're on. Overall, customers are happy with the sound performance and functionality of the product.
"...There was a little static at that distance, but the voice was still clear and easy to understand...." Read more
"...offered on the radio and they are marked but there is also an audible announcement to tell you which channel you are on as you dial through them...." Read more
"...Audio good and loud, ear piece not the highest quality but works. Range for wooded level ground over 2 miles for me.Overall a 4/5...." Read more
"...The other muted the sound out of the handle and was only audible through the ear piece...." Read more
Customers like the range of the two way radio. They mention it has a decent range, they're impressed with the signal range, and it seems to have a long range. Customers also say that the frequency of the antenna reached out pretty far, and the radios are able to transmit further and better through different channels.
"...I had my two boys help test the radios out and I was pretty impressed with the signal range...." Read more
"...In closing : Great deal for the money. Has clean signal and clear audio for its class of radio. Programs with CHIRP...." Read more
"...There was a little static at that distance, but the voice was still clear and easy to understand...." Read more
"...1. Good sensitivity. This allows for good range of reception with the provided antenna, and even weaker signals can be understood easely...." Read more
Customers like the charging of the two way radio. They mention it's simple, easy to use, and can be charged directly from a USB cable. Some appreciate the docking feature and the ability to charge either by micro USB or with the included charging stands.
"...Love that these can be charged either by micro USB or with the included charging stands...." Read more
"...a 1500mAh battery, belt clip, antenna, carrying strap, headset, charging base, micro USB cable and user manual...." Read more
"...Excited about the ability to charge in car with new Micro USB port and provided cable included with each radio.2...." Read more
"...Comes with earpieces, batteries, chargers and cables on the cheap. The only thing I don't like about them is their laughable name...." Read more
Customers like the battery life of the two way radio. They mention that it charges quickly, and lasts much longer than expected. Some mention that the radio comes with a 1500mAh battery.
"...The antennas mount solid and so far the batteries have held their charge when not in use...." Read more
"...Each radio comes with a 1500mAh battery, belt clip, antenna, carrying strap, headset, charging base, micro USB cable and user manual...." Read more
"...Battery life seems great too. I've been using the radio all day and it's still going strong...." Read more
"...3. Battery life is excellent4. The speaker is loud and provide a clear and understandable communication, though it sounds a bit nasal.5...." Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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The antennas mount solid and so far the batteries have held their charge when not in use. Feels solid in your hand and the inputs are solid with covers that fit snug. Love that these can be charged either by micro USB or with the included charging stands. Batteries and clip snap in solid, although the clip seems a bit thin. Each radio came packed well in it's own box with all the advertised accessories included. Seems to be a good little set of radios.
[Update - 2/3/2019] So I wanted to update my review to include some helpful hints for Windows users. Mac Users can skip down to the 'Chirp' section. If you are having trouble reprogramming these you may want to read on. Out of the box the radios work great, but I wanted to make them fully compatible with my Midland radios. Since the Radioddity's are programmable, I decided to alter their profile to fit the Midlands.
Fixing the Missing Driver
So I plugged in the cable to the radio, then plugged it into the computer via the USB. The information balloon in the lower right popped up indicating it was installing the drives for the radio. However, the installation failed. Checking the Device Manager it was showing under "Other Devices" that a USB-Serial Controller was having an issue. I first thought it was a motherboard issue and I would need specific drivers from the manufacturer, however I later determined that it was missing a USB driver that was not part of the motherboard set, but missing from Windows itself.
What you'll want to locate is the "Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port driver". Provided your system is 64 bit you want to find the PL2303_64bit_Installer.exe file. You can try ifamilysoftware dot com or you can find it on prolific dot com.tw with some digging.
Installing this will add a port under the "Ports (COM & LPT)" in the Device Manager called "Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port (COM3)", but could be any COM other than 1. Mine was COM4 so make note of this as it will be important later. This should resolve the missing driver issue, but you can check to see if it appears under "Ports" in the Device Manager to be sure.
Chirp
Now that you have that installed and working, you'll need a program called Chirp. Chirp is how you will access the radio's currently programmed frequencies. It can be found on danplanet dot com in their download section. Download it for your platform. In my case Windows. It will highlight the installer file, so just download and install.
Once that is done you can open Chirp, but there won't be much to see for now. Next connect the programming cable to the computer and then connect the other end to the radio.
Programming the Radio
Once it's connected to the computer, you must then turn the radio on to obtain it's profile or upload one to it. Volume level does not matter, but I kept it low.
Now click on the menu item labeled "Radio" inside the Chirp program, then "Download from Radio". You'll need to choose the COM port number I mentioned earlier, then select the radio make, then the radio model and click "OK". This will load the current channel profile programmed into the radio and display it in Chirp. This will not alter the pre-programmed frequencies. I suggest you make a copy of it in 2 ways though. One, go to "File" and "Save as" which becomes a '.img' file. Call it what you like. Maybe tag on the word "original" on the end so you know it's the radio's given profile. Next I would also export it as a csv. This way if you decide you want to manipulate it you can. I will go into that in a bit.
Building a Profile
So now you have access to the radio and it's up to you about what kind of profile you wish to build. As I mentioned before I wanted to match these with my Midland radios. If you search Google for a file named FRS-GMRS_channels.pdf, it will breakdown what can and can't be used. Please note that you can create a profile with the frequencies in any order you wish, but the radio will refer to them in numerical order.
With FRS frequencies you do not need a license. If you use GMRS over 0.5 Watts, then you'll need a license to use any of those channels. Since these radios are 2 Watts, the GMRS channels would be considered illegal to use. So I just programmed my radios with the FRS Channels so I didn't have to worry about any of that.
If you want to view a prebuilt profile of FRS and GMRS frequencies you can go to "File -> Open stock config -> US FRS and GMRS Channels". You could do a "Save as" and build your radio profile from there if you wanted. Just open the program in notepad or csv program and simply manipulate the data to your liking.
If you like a tone that chirps at the end of your transmissions, you can go down the "Tone Mode" column and double click the word "None" and choose "Tone" there.
Once you have your profile built, you can choose "Radio->Upload to Radio" and you will see it clone the data to it. That's it, your radio is reprogrammed. Unplug the cable and turn the radio off. Now programming the second radio is easy, just connect the cable, turn the radio on, choose "Radio->Upload to radio" and that's it. Now unplug that radio, turn it off then back on. Turn on the first radio and test. If you did everything right you should have a matched set.
Don't worry if you don't get the frequencies right the first time, you can always update the profile and upload any needed changes as many times as you need to.
Well I hope that helps anyone who might have been stuck or had questions on just how to program the radios. I am not a Chirp expert so I don't know much about it, but there is some great documentation on their site if you want to dig into it more.
I had my two boys help test the radios out and I was pretty impressed with the signal range. During testing I had my oldest son at the local park and the other a street over from our house while I walked away from them. I was about 1.5 miles away from our house during transmitting and could hear them both perfectly fine. I even had one of them go back to our house and transmit and I could hear him still without a problem. Now keep in mind the area we tested in is flat terrain with only houses being between us all. The audio sounded good and I did hear them both clearly. I also had my youngest son try out the headset and it did sound a tad muffled but I could still hear him.
There is 16 channels offered on the radio and they are marked but there is also an audible announcement to tell you which channel you are on as you dial through them. The construction of the radio is solid and feels good in the hand while transmitting. Charging took about 2-3 hours depending on the battery level. You can charge the battery with the included charging base or by micro USB which I find is handy if you are on the go and need to charge it up. Just simply plug the micro USB cable on the side of the radio with the battery installed and it will start charging. I feel this is an exceptional value if you need multiple radios to communicate with. Radioddity does offer a 2-pack and 4-pack version as well depending on your needs and they are nicely priced too.
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2019
I had my two boys help test the radios out and I was pretty impressed with the signal range. During testing I had my oldest son at the local park and the other a street over from our house while I walked away from them. I was about 1.5 miles away from our house during transmitting and could hear them both perfectly fine. I even had one of them go back to our house and transmit and I could hear him still without a problem. Now keep in mind the area we tested in is flat terrain with only houses being between us all. The audio sounded good and I did hear them both clearly. I also had my youngest son try out the headset and it did sound a tad muffled but I could still hear him.
There is 16 channels offered on the radio and they are marked but there is also an audible announcement to tell you which channel you are on as you dial through them. The construction of the radio is solid and feels good in the hand while transmitting. Charging took about 2-3 hours depending on the battery level. You can charge the battery with the included charging base or by micro USB which I find is handy if you are on the go and need to charge it up. Just simply plug the micro USB cable on the side of the radio with the battery installed and it will start charging. I feel this is an exceptional value if you need multiple radios to communicate with. Radioddity does offer a 2-pack and 4-pack version as well depending on your needs and they are nicely priced too.
tho of course batteries needed charging ( good feature to charge from any usb cable )
But users be ware that in order to change channels you need to buy the programing cable too. Most of the freqs may not be usable for the average person unless licensed or for special public services. So buyer beware
I even dropped one and no damage occurred so they are solid enough for the money
Audio good and loud, ear piece not the highest quality but works. Range for wooded level ground over 2 miles for me.
Overall a 4/5.
BTW, looks like programing cable is half price now if bought at same time as radio... great!
Stock Freqs out of box are as follows;
Location Name Frequency Duplex Offset Tone rToneFreq cToneFreq DtcsCode DtcsPolarity Mode TStep Skip Comment URCALL
1 454.225 0 TSQL 88.5 69.3 23 NN FM 5 S
2 454.325 0 TSQL 88.5 100 23 NN FM 5 S
3 454.425 0 TSQL 88.5 151.4 23 NN FM 5 S
4 454.525 0 TSQL 88.5 203.5 23 NN FM 5 S
5 454.625 0 TSQL 88.5 241.8 23 NN FM 5 S
6 454.725 0 DTCS 88.5 88.5 23 NN FM 5 S
7 454.825 0 DTCS 88.5 88.5 23 NN FM 5 S
8 454.925 0 DTCS 88.5 88.5 23 NN FM 5 S
9 455.125 0 DTCS 88.5 88.5 23 NN FM 5 S
10 455.225 0 DTCS 88.5 88.5 23 NN FM 5 S
11 455.325 0 DTCS 88.5 88.5 23 NN FM 5 S
12 455.425 0 DTCS 88.5 88.5 23 NN FM 5 S
13 455.525 0 DTCS 88.5 88.5 23 NN FM 5 S
14 402.125 0 88.5 88.5 23 NN FM 5 S
15 435.55 0 88.5 88.5 23 NN FM 5 S
16 468.95 0 88.5 88.5 23 NN FM 5 S
Top reviews from other countries
essai réalisé moi en voiture, ma femme à la maison....1.8 kms de distance....
un peu plus de 3 kms en pleine nature....
très bon rapport qualité prix et surtout bien accessoirisé....
je recommande
Un petit bémol sur la solidité des clips ceinture, qui n'est pas géniale, mais je garde 5 étoiles pour le service client qui est extrêmement rapide à répondre et solutionne le problème.
Do NOT expect these to work with PMR radios, as supplied, they won't. (If you want a nearly-identical radio, but configured for license-free PMR446 use, look at the Retevis RT24. As far as I can tell they're extremely similar except they have a different PTT button, an antenna you can't remove (without tools) and power fixed to 0.5W ERP, on the 16 PMR frequencies.)
As another (extremely helpful) reviewer pointed out, to get proper use out of these you have to get a programming cable for them, and get yourself a copy of CHIRP (which is free). I used a Retevis branded cable bought to go with different Retevis PMR radios - it cost about half what the Radioddity brand cable did (on Amazon) last I checked (although someone said Radioddity will send you a cable on request - I haven't asked so can't confirm). The cable I have works without any additional drivers with a Linux laptop, and I would expect it to work also on a Mac.
(People seem to have problems with these cables on Windows. They typically use FTDI or Prolific serial comms chips, and there are lot of cheap clones of those. A few years back, Windows drivers started refusing to play nice with older, or clone, FTDI chips, and Prolific clones suffered a similar clamp-down. The fix is to revert to an earlier version of the driver, or get a cable with a genuine (and recent) FTDI or Prolific chip. If the cable is suspiciously cheap, and "doesn't work" with Windows, it probably has an old or clone chip. Clone or old versions can be made to work, but it's a pain.)
If you set these radios to narrow FM, on PMR446 frequencies, set a limit on transmit time, optionally set CTCSS or DCS (N) privacy codes, and set 0.5W output, technically they can interwork with PMR446 sets, but it's a reasonable amount of hassle, and still not legal because these sets are not licensed PMR radios (they have removable antennae for a start). There is no control on the radio itself for the CTCSS or DCS tone/code ("sub-channel") - you get whatever you pick for each of the sixteen channels when you program it.
If you don't know what you are doing, it would be very easy to set these up in such a way as would likely get you into trouble - for example, over-power and/or overmodulation on PMR446 frequencies, the latter of which would be quite obvious on any PMR446 radio within range.
At least one reviewer reported great range with them as supplied, in Snowdonia, and that's not really surprising as they come set to 2W, on probably-uncontested channels, with broad modulation, and open, high ground is ideal for UHF radios. I would not, though, use these, as supplied, to transmit in the UK/EU, you have to configure them first, and you can only do that with a programming cable.
The configurability does mean that it's easy to make them fool-proof. For example, you could set all channels the same. Or you could set them to use the same base channel and different CTCSS tones on each "channel". Or whatever - they're super flexible. Each channel can be individually configured for frequency, power output (0.5W or 2W), modulation bandwidth, CTCSS/DCS.
On the subject of the antenna, the supplied ones are OK, but they're a bit unwieldy - they jab you in the side if wearing them on a belt, and get in the way if dangling them from a wrist strap. I have four of these radios and no two of the supplied antennae are precisely the same physical length (though the wire inside them probably is). I replaced them for general use with some stubby antennae, that are also less fussy about orientation. If you like, you can attach a BNC adapter and run cables to proper aerials.
These radios are super-cheap and simple, and fun for HAM use, if you don't mind that the radio itself has barely any controls. They could function as "prepper" radios, at a pinch, but their dependence on a computer for setup, and their limited power, makes them less than ideal for that. They seem like they were designed to be a kind of general purpose personal recreational or business radio that can cover all the bases, without having to have multiple versions in different territories, but otherwise stripped to bare essentials.
The supplied accessories are a mixed bag.
The charging bases are fine, if cheap and cheerful, likewise the (rigid) belt clips, and the antennae aren't too bad.
With the wrist straps, it's best to add stitching at the bit where they join the thin part that goes through the hole in the radio, a couple of mine fell apart at first use, and the way they are made is very poor - the wrist strap braid is just melted together at the end where the thin string loop is joined, and the join to that is simply a knot in the thin string pulling against a hole in the braid. I have stitched all of mine, now.
The "secret agent" style curly-air-tube earpieces look the part, but are super quiet and have very poor sound quality, at least that's how the ones I got were. The mics are OK but the earpieces, not so much. The mic and speaker built into the radio for traditional handheld use, though, are absolutely fine - excellent, in fact.
The radios feel solid in the hand and appear well-made, built on a metal chassis. When the wrist straps broke on mine, they dropped from bicycle handlebar height onto a concrete surface and suffered no damage. They're clearly not particularly "ruggedised", or waterproof, but they've a quality feel. For the price they are excellent.
Battery life is excellent, and you can charge them on the supplied bases. There's no mains adapter supplied, the bases are powered by USB-A. You can also charge them via micro-USB plugged into the radio, handy for charging in the car etc. If you had spare batteries, the design is such that these could be charged in the bases without the radio attached. The spare batteries appear to be listed as "discontinued", but I have found Retevis RT24 batteries to be nearly identical, and they fit and work fine.
The scanning feature is weird. They scan the channel slots as configured, when scanning is activated, but only if you set the channel switch to 16. If you leave the "scanning" feature set to its default behaviour, and leave the radio set to ch 16, it goes into scanning mode after a short idle period. This means that it takes a relatively long time to respond to transmissions on that channel, as it has to go around its scan until it hits ch16. It's not *at all* obvious that this is what it's doing, it just seems like it has become mysteriously laggy and unresponsive. I have turned off the scan feature on mine. Again, you need the programming cable to do this.
Overall, nice radios, with the low price more than making up for any niggles or missing features. However, if you're looking for something to use for PMR446 out of the box, or don't like the idea of having to hook them up to a computer and reprogram them before you can use them at all, then look elsewhere (eg the RT24, or more expensive PMR sets with screens and controls for sub-channel setting.)
At the price, I think these are very good value, and I like their simplicity.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 29, 2023
Do NOT expect these to work with PMR radios, as supplied, they won't. (If you want a nearly-identical radio, but configured for license-free PMR446 use, look at the Retevis RT24. As far as I can tell they're extremely similar except they have a different PTT button, an antenna you can't remove (without tools) and power fixed to 0.5W ERP, on the 16 PMR frequencies.)
As another (extremely helpful) reviewer pointed out, to get proper use out of these you have to get a programming cable for them, and get yourself a copy of CHIRP (which is free). I used a Retevis branded cable bought to go with different Retevis PMR radios - it cost about half what the Radioddity brand cable did (on Amazon) last I checked (although someone said Radioddity will send you a cable on request - I haven't asked so can't confirm). The cable I have works without any additional drivers with a Linux laptop, and I would expect it to work also on a Mac.
(People seem to have problems with these cables on Windows. They typically use FTDI or Prolific serial comms chips, and there are lot of cheap clones of those. A few years back, Windows drivers started refusing to play nice with older, or clone, FTDI chips, and Prolific clones suffered a similar clamp-down. The fix is to revert to an earlier version of the driver, or get a cable with a genuine (and recent) FTDI or Prolific chip. If the cable is suspiciously cheap, and "doesn't work" with Windows, it probably has an old or clone chip. Clone or old versions can be made to work, but it's a pain.)
If you set these radios to narrow FM, on PMR446 frequencies, set a limit on transmit time, optionally set CTCSS or DCS (N) privacy codes, and set 0.5W output, technically they can interwork with PMR446 sets, but it's a reasonable amount of hassle, and still not legal because these sets are not licensed PMR radios (they have removable antennae for a start). There is no control on the radio itself for the CTCSS or DCS tone/code ("sub-channel") - you get whatever you pick for each of the sixteen channels when you program it.
If you don't know what you are doing, it would be very easy to set these up in such a way as would likely get you into trouble - for example, over-power and/or overmodulation on PMR446 frequencies, the latter of which would be quite obvious on any PMR446 radio within range.
At least one reviewer reported great range with them as supplied, in Snowdonia, and that's not really surprising as they come set to 2W, on probably-uncontested channels, with broad modulation, and open, high ground is ideal for UHF radios. I would not, though, use these, as supplied, to transmit in the UK/EU, you have to configure them first, and you can only do that with a programming cable.
The configurability does mean that it's easy to make them fool-proof. For example, you could set all channels the same. Or you could set them to use the same base channel and different CTCSS tones on each "channel". Or whatever - they're super flexible. Each channel can be individually configured for frequency, power output (0.5W or 2W), modulation bandwidth, CTCSS/DCS.
On the subject of the antenna, the supplied ones are OK, but they're a bit unwieldy - they jab you in the side if wearing them on a belt, and get in the way if dangling them from a wrist strap. I have four of these radios and no two of the supplied antennae are precisely the same physical length (though the wire inside them probably is). I replaced them for general use with some stubby antennae, that are also less fussy about orientation. If you like, you can attach a BNC adapter and run cables to proper aerials.
These radios are super-cheap and simple, and fun for HAM use, if you don't mind that the radio itself has barely any controls. They could function as "prepper" radios, at a pinch, but their dependence on a computer for setup, and their limited power, makes them less than ideal for that. They seem like they were designed to be a kind of general purpose personal recreational or business radio that can cover all the bases, without having to have multiple versions in different territories, but otherwise stripped to bare essentials.
The supplied accessories are a mixed bag.
The charging bases are fine, if cheap and cheerful, likewise the (rigid) belt clips, and the antennae aren't too bad.
With the wrist straps, it's best to add stitching at the bit where they join the thin part that goes through the hole in the radio, a couple of mine fell apart at first use, and the way they are made is very poor - the wrist strap braid is just melted together at the end where the thin string loop is joined, and the join to that is simply a knot in the thin string pulling against a hole in the braid. I have stitched all of mine, now.
The "secret agent" style curly-air-tube earpieces look the part, but are super quiet and have very poor sound quality, at least that's how the ones I got were. The mics are OK but the earpieces, not so much. The mic and speaker built into the radio for traditional handheld use, though, are absolutely fine - excellent, in fact.
The radios feel solid in the hand and appear well-made, built on a metal chassis. When the wrist straps broke on mine, they dropped from bicycle handlebar height onto a concrete surface and suffered no damage. They're clearly not particularly "ruggedised", or waterproof, but they've a quality feel. For the price they are excellent.
Battery life is excellent, and you can charge them on the supplied bases. There's no mains adapter supplied, the bases are powered by USB-A. You can also charge them via micro-USB plugged into the radio, handy for charging in the car etc. If you had spare batteries, the design is such that these could be charged in the bases without the radio attached. The spare batteries appear to be listed as "discontinued", but I have found Retevis RT24 batteries to be nearly identical, and they fit and work fine.
The scanning feature is weird. They scan the channel slots as configured, when scanning is activated, but only if you set the channel switch to 16. If you leave the "scanning" feature set to its default behaviour, and leave the radio set to ch 16, it goes into scanning mode after a short idle period. This means that it takes a relatively long time to respond to transmissions on that channel, as it has to go around its scan until it hits ch16. It's not *at all* obvious that this is what it's doing, it just seems like it has become mysteriously laggy and unresponsive. I have turned off the scan feature on mine. Again, you need the programming cable to do this.
Overall, nice radios, with the low price more than making up for any niggles or missing features. However, if you're looking for something to use for PMR446 out of the box, or don't like the idea of having to hook them up to a computer and reprogram them before you can use them at all, then look elsewhere (eg the RT24, or more expensive PMR sets with screens and controls for sub-channel setting.)
At the price, I think these are very good value, and I like their simplicity.