WSAA635

The H8 seems to be working fine. I set it up using CHIRP Next with the GMRS and MURS frequencies and the 4 DPS(Highway Patrol) channels that I scan and it's doing fine. I don't dare try to do a firmware update or mess with it anymore because I'm afraid that something might mess up.

I'm hooked straight into the meter, no coax and out to the large heat sink/dummy load that came with the unit.

I couldn't get the radio to work with usb-c for programming or trying to do the firmware upgrade. ODmaster worked on but I like using CHIRP Next better. I have the H8 programmed with CHIRP but I'm not messing with anything else. I don't want to risk bricking it.

Here's the meter set up I'm using. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08ZC7HS75?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title I have the HAM version that's Bern unlocked. From what I understood all the radios are the same only the firmware changes depending on the setting(HAM, GMRS, Unlocked) so with it being unlocked it should give max power. As far as doing the power tune, nope, not touching anything. I already bricked an H3 trying to do a firmware update, not going to risk the H8. I'll live with it just the way it is.

Please note that I sent the H3's back because of programming issues. I also bricked one trying to update the firmware. I think they're trying to pack too many features in to small of a package. The H8 on the other hand seems to be doing ok so far and I'm curious to see how the Retevis RA89 works out. Just be aware that the RA89 takes an SMA Male antenna, not the standard female that we're use to seeing on the Baofengs.

The H8 is rated at 10 watts as a HAM radio. It's easy to unlock so you can use it on other frequencies and my power test on VHF/154.600MHz, MURS 5 Green Dot were as follows: Low+.39 watts Medium=2.45 watts High= 9.35 watts I then tested it on UHF/462.550MHz, GMRS Ch.15 and got these results: Low=.57 watts Medium=2.45 watts High= 4.75 watts So even unlocked it won't be "illegal" on GMRS even on high power. Still under the legal 5 watts. I'll be curious to see what the Retevis RA89 does power wise as it's also rated at 10 watts.

Or like I said, $20-$23 for the UV-82.

Ok, so I used some of the refund for the H3's and ordered a Retevis RA89. I saw a "hack" to unlock it so it'll work with GMRS and it's also CHIRP Next compatible so I should be able to program it easily. Yes, I KNOW it's a 10 watt HAM Radio so it's not "legal" for GMRS but truthfully I don't think it matters all that much out in the middle of the desert and the extra power will help me reach out just a touch further. I just hope my H8 doesn't give me any issues because it seems like a good, solid built radio. I don't plan on upgrading the firmware on it either, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, LOL.

LOL, wasn't even thinking about that.

Sending them all back. They won't/don't play well with CHIRP Next. Channels that have been deleted still show up. Channels that I install won't show up. Firmware update bricked one of my radios. These are a HUGE Cluster F#@K and I don't have time to deal with or put up with it. I'll order something else to play with that won't give me such trouble.

I have no clue what a "CRM113 Discriminator" is. LOL. All I know is that NONE of the H3's I have work in CHIRP. They all miss uploading channels or show channels on the radio that are not downloaded from the radio. I think it's some issue with the radio's memory and the way it handles channels. All 4 are going back and I'll figure out what to get next. On a positive note, the H8 seems to be working ok(cross my fingers) so I'll hang onto it for now. Maybe I'll try a Talkpod A36Plus. They're suppose to have Airbands.

Never mind, I give up. Word of caution, DON'T try to upgrade your Firmware on the H3.

I tried to update the firmware on one of my H3's to see if it'll fix the issues I've been having. I've tried dozens of times but it keeps failing at about 10% to sometimes 40% download. I'm running the .exe in WINE on my Linux Box, I've installed extra drivers in hopes that it would fix things, no luck. I've tried using Win7, Win10 and even Win11 in WINE and still no luck. Any ideas of how to get the update into the radio? If I can't get this figured out I'll just have to send the radio back because right now it's a "brick". Thanks

I did notice with the H3 that medium is actually the high power setting. The radio has Low/High but in CHIRP you get Low/Med/High. I've just been using medium after I found this out.

So has no one else had this issue? Do ya'll think it's a CHIRP issue or an H3 issue? If I could do a firmware upgrade I wonder if it would fix this problem? I'll have to see which firmware version I have and if there's a newer version available.

I now have 2 of these since they're pretty handy little radios and I've ordered 2 Clear ones to use for my Airband Radios. Anyway, I was swapping the one I had set for Airband scanning over to GMRS and some of the frequencies that I would upload (especially in memory slot 33) wouldn't show up OR channels that I would delete in CHIRP Next would still be there after upload to the radio. Not sure what's going on. I did a reset to try and clear things and I did manage to get the GMRS channels install then manually delete the DPS channels that were in the totally wrong memory slots but I'm not sure why they keep showing up or won't delete without manually doing it on the radio. Has anyone else notice anything like this? I really love this little radio, I'd hate to think it has something wrong with it so soon. Thanks.

Don't count out the TIDRadio H3 and H8. They're both pretty decent for the money and IMHO a step up from the UV-82. I really do like the UV-82 though, it gives me a decent power output(not underpowered like the UV-5R) and it has a nice feel to it. You can also get USB-C batteries and a lot of different SMA Female antennas for it. Unlocked you can do MURS, GMRS, HAM and a lot of other frequencies that you'd be licensed for or need to use in an emergency. I really think the TD-H3 is a real sleeper right now and the price will probably go up once people learn how good it really is. FM Broadcast radio, Airbands(108MHz to 135MHz), VHF-136MHz to 174MHz and UHF-400MHz to 600MHz gives you a lot of range.

So this info begs the question "How did the Tidradio TD-H3 get it's FCC Cert.?" It IS an FCC Certified radio and it has this feature. Did the FCC drop the ball or do they just not really care about that rule or maybe they don't know about it.

So I guess I used the wrong term when I said "scramble". It's actually Simple Voice Inversion which is legal from all accounts that I've read and watched. It's not hard to break if you know how but most folks won't know how so what they hear sounds like they're hearing Single Side Band. This could be useful if you're talking to someone and giving your location or a meeting place so that others won't know where you're going.

Encryption is a no no on GMRS but the scramble feature is fine from all that I've read. I've watched a few YouTubes that explain the feature and even Randy talked about it and how it made the voice sound like SSB if you don't have de-scramble code set on your receiving radio.

Ahh, interesting. I don't think I'll need those functions. I can see them on a commercial grade radio but I'm not sure why they'd be needed on a consumer grade radio. Anyway, thanks for the info.

I didn't know I also got a Phaser function with the radio,LOL. Really though, what do "kill" and "stun" do?

I mostly scan. Don't really have anyone to talk too. On a side note, you CAN get channels to "skip" during scanning if you use CHIRP Next to program the radio.

Oh Happy Days. I managed to get CHIRP Next installed and working on my Linux Box. I had to install WINE to get the factory programing software working(but it didn't work all that well) and I thought "I'll bet I can get the .exe for CHIRP Next working under WINE too and low and behold, IT DOES. I also saw that in CHIRP Next I can "skip" channels from scanning on the H3 so YES, it can be done. I ordered an H8 because I want to play with that 10 watt beast to see what it'll do. Anyway, just wanted to share and let ya'll know that you CAN get CHIRP Next working under Linux by using WINE. Talk to ya'll later. TN.Frank Out.

The H3 is only a 5 watt radio. The H8 is the 10 watt. I may pick one of those up as well to add to my collection. The H3 really feels like a well build radio but only time will tell.