TrikeRadio

Yep. Took me doing it in reverse order and getting it wrong a few times before I figured that out. But it can be useful like you said, when you know how it works.

One bit of weirdness that I have noticed about the TD-H3 is that if you enter a CTCSS or DCS for the RX it automatically puts that same value in the corresponding TX too. and if you clear the RX tone/code it will clear out the TX tone/code. Does the repeater you are trying to use have a different RX vs TX tone or code, or does it use a CTCSS tone for one and DCS for the other?

Never have used it. Reading about the intent of it, I understand the idea.. but this seems like a "feature" that no one really every asked for, and I am not surprised that it does not work well.

Is this just on the H3 PLUS firmware? Stock firmware? The TD-H3 (original) update files seem to be named different from that... latest for the (NON PLUS) version seems to be H3_250317 Does anyone know anything good or bad about that one?

Let me know if my PM reply to your PM on this helped.. if so I can post it here to help ohters in the future.

Sent you a PM after you PM'd me about this. if what I send you solves it.. I'll repost it here to help others with the issue.

I fully agree. I could not figure out why I would want to use my phone to talk on my radio if they were both right there within Bluetooth range.

Yeah, I am sure it is not the ideal radio for everyone. The two TD-H3s I bought were the first ones I bought for GMRS and they are great for getting into it.. .and still are great for my main use which was using it mounted on my bicycle. Nice and light and small for that use. Also great that it can get popped into a jacket pocket and is not heavy and large. They have actually surprised me at how much range they can do - simplex and to the local repeaters. And honestly i like how they do a/b channel watch more than the radioddity DB-25G mobile unit I bought. They have a separate indicator/marker for activity received on the A or B channel... and another marker showing which channel you have your transmit set on. I like this much better than how the DB-25G does it.. where there is only one marker and it jumps the active transmit selector to every channel it hears activity on .. which can cause you to transmit on a different channel than you intended to! if TidRadio made a nice Mobile unit with the kind of multi channel handling that their TD-H# has.. I would buy it!

I have tried it a few times... I much prefer using CHIRP to program... and doing quick changes on the keypad of the radio itself is pretty easy. so yeah I would likely use OD master as a last choice if I had to.

Ok, my not mean anything but I have seen some people who are trying to figure out what has cause some TD-H3s to fail and one theory is that when the battery is fully charged it might start outputting high voltage before the charger cable is unplugged. They are thinking that surge might be affecting the radio if it is attached at the time.

Did you by chance charge it on the cradle or via the direct battery plug with the battery still attached to the radio while charging?

THAT... depends on where you are. In the area I live in, there are repeaters on every GMRS frequency, many overlap and even with tones to squelch others out, there is crossover interference at times. It would actually be nice to have a few more GMRS repeater pair frequencies in some places where there is a larger populated area.

Interesting. I have two of the original model... and when this one came out I was not really all that interested in the "expanded bluetooth" functions... and now it sounds like it was done only to promote ODmaster, not to make it more compatible with bluetooth speakers or earphones. Yeah, I'll stick with what I have. I have been very happy with the original TD-H3's ... have not had a problem with mine.

LOL... pretty fake looking photoshop work with it floating in front of the hands. I don't think there is any relationship of actual scale between the radio and hands.

The "Ham version" and the "GMRS version" are EXACTLY the same radio. They only sell them as Ham or GMRS so as to include appropriately tuned antennas with them (which you can replace with anything anyway). either "Ham" or "GMRS" radios can be switched into either Ham or GMRS or "Normal" (unlocked) modes and then will obey rules for Ham or GMRS as far as transmit power levels and allowed frequencies for transmitting. GMRS will also adhere to the +5 offset for repeaters that are setup properly (at least under channel 55 it seems)

The "ham version" and the "GMRS version" are EXACTLY the same radio. They only sell them as ham or gmrs so as to include appropriately tuned antennas with them (which you can replace with anything anyway). either "ham" or "gmrs" radios can be switched into either HAM or GMRS or "Normal" (unlocked) modes and then will obey rules for Ham or GMRS as far as transmit power levels and allowed frequencies for tranimitting. GMRS will also adhere to the +5 offset for repeaters that are setup properly (at least under channel 55 it seems) You may not have the offset + - or whatever set right for the HAM repeaters? a guess.

Ooo.. I like that idea need to do that one. Great idea.

Yep, I have a pair of H3's and they work great. Love the ease of programming, the duel frequency watch, e display that shows the channel custom name, Channel number, as well as the frequency! Also like the size - easy to stash in a pocket or strap to a bike handle (one thing I use them for). And their range always surprises me (the stock antennas are surprisingly better than one might expect... but I like to put the 771G on them and they perform much better.

so... all this time when you bag on the Tidradio units ... and you've never even tried one? How do you have an opinion on them?

That would be good if we can get the Charlie and tumbleweed repeater coverage maps!

Agree.. I personally have two TD-H3s (and I bought them off amazon) for over 8 months, never had a problem with them, in fact they have surpassed my expectations for them. several other friends have bought them... for a total of 8 radios. Of all of those one had a problem and like you said it was quickly replaced no questioned asked.

I use CHIRP to program my Radioddity DB25-G without any problems. What are you having trouble with? .. just connecting and reading the radio... or have you been able to read it into CHIRP but not update it? define your problem with a bit more for us to go on.

You all need to stop rag-chewing and chatting about this subject here on the forums because that is not covered in Part 95 and is not allowed you know.

So... if three out of five do not open the repeater... and you think it might be a PL tone issue... it kinda sounds more like a problem with your setup than the radios themselves. Or maybe you are actually hitting the repeater but just not hearing the squelch back. or you are "testing" by listening to the repeater with one H3 and transmitting to the repeater with the other, but the two radios are too close together so they are de-sensing each other. too many variables to give you a single answer without more information. But for you to just say it is the radio's problem seems a bit more like your frustration speaking than what the actual issue is. 1. how do you know that they all are "transmitting"? just because the screen shows the bar going across or do you know they are transmitting? 2. do you know if they are all transmitting at the same output power levels? 3. have you cloned the working radios to the "not working" radios (using the wireless cloning feature) to assure they are all setup exactly the same? 4. are you using the same antennas on all of them? 5. are you using stock antennas that came with the radios? (In my experience the stock antennas are ok... but not best... )

I created and 3d printed a holder to go on the vertical bar on my ride... also made a wooden box to keep some of my radios, antennas, and other junk in.