TD-H3 transmitting but not showing up on SWR meter

[hxpx]

Hello! I'm new to mobile radios so I want to make sure I'm not doing something wrong before I send my radio in.

I've got four TIDRadio H3s, two GMRS units and two ham units that were unlocked and changed to GMRS mode. I've been trying to hit a local repeater unsuccessfully so I picked up a Surecom SW33 to make sure my radios/antennas are actually working correctly. Three of the four are showing a VSWR around 1.4 and an output wattage around 5W with the same antenna so I think I'm just too far out from the repeater to hit it.

The problem is the fourth radio (one of the ham units) doesn't show anything on the SW33 when transmitting. Other radios can hear it transmit short range - I've tested it on simplex channels across the house and through some walls but nothing long distance - but the SW33 is acting like it's not doing anything.

(Edit: Should note I also tried it with the 50 ohm dummy load that came with the meter and still got no output reading.)

Are there other things I can check or change in my test setup or was this radio DOA and needs to be replaced?

 

(Side question: regarding forum etiquette, should I have piggybacked off GrouserPad's similar thread for this or was starting a new thread appropriate?)

Edited May 9 by hxpx
Added test note

[SteveShannon]

4 minutes ago, hxpx said:

Hello! I'm new to mobile radios so I want to make sure I'm not doing something wrong before I send my radio in.

I've got four TIDRadio H3s, two GMRS units and two ham units that were unlocked and changed to GMRS mode. I've been trying to hit a local repeater unsuccessfully so I picked up a Surecom SW33 to make sure my radios/antennas are actually working correctly. Three of the four are showing a VSWR around 1.4 and an output wattage around 5W with the same antenna so I think I'm just too far out from the repeater to hit it.

The problem is the fourth radio (one of the ham units) doesn't show anything on the SW33 when transmitting. Other radios can hear it transmit short range - I've tested it on simplex channels across the house and through some walls but nothing long distance - but the SW33 is acting like it's not doing anything.

Are there other things I can check or change in my test setup or was this radio DOA and needs to be replaced?

 

(Side question: regarding forum etiquette, should I have piggybacked off GrouserPad's similar thread for this or was starting a new thread appropriate?)

Based on GrouserPad’s experience that’s not uncommon, unfortunately.  There’s no reason to doubt your (or his) experience.  TD H3s apparently arrive dead or die shortly after.  Don’t waste time double checking yourself. Send it back, preferably for a different radio.

You’re fine starting another thread but you would have been okay piggybacking on GrouserPad’s thread.

Welcome to the forum!

[hxpx]

@SteveShannon Ah, beans. That's what I figured but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something simple. Thanks for your help!

@Socalgmrs Interesting, I'll have to read up on that. What's not accurate about the SWR on a handheld and would they typically read high or low on an HT? I got the meter just make sure I didn't have anything Obviously Wrong (like low/no wattage or abnormally high SWR) even if it wasn't particularly accurate. 

Regarding the repeater, I'm about 25 miles out from it. Listening with a second radio, the repeater acts like like someone kerchunked it (I think that's the term). I'm not sure I have clear line of sight to the tower so I figured there's just too many obstructions for a 5W handheld to deal with. A little disappointing but I'm not too concerned. Gives me an excuse to build a base station sometime down the road.

[GrouserPad]

6 hours ago, hxpx said:

Hello! I'm new to mobile radios so I want to make sure I'm not doing something wrong before I send my radio in.

I've got four TIDRadio H3s, two GMRS units and two ham units that were unlocked and changed to GMRS mode. I've been trying to hit a local repeater unsuccessfully so I picked up a Surecom SW33 to make sure my radios/antennas are actually working correctly. Three of the four are showing a VSWR around 1.4 and an output wattage around 5W with the same antenna so I think I'm just too far out from the repeater to hit it.

The problem is the fourth radio (one of the ham units) doesn't show anything on the SW33 when transmitting. Other radios can hear it transmit short range - I've tested it on simplex channels across the house and through some walls but nothing long distance - but the SW33 is acting like it's not doing anything.

(Edit: Should note I also tried it with the 50 ohm dummy load that came with the meter and still got no output reading.)

Are there other things I can check or change in my test setup or was this radio DOA and needs to be replaced?

 

(Side question: regarding forum etiquette, should I have piggybacked off GrouserPad's similar thread for this or was starting a new thread appropriate?)

I have tried everything from firmware, to reset, to ptt+Star+power on reset, to using cps, and chirp, and copying the files from my only working tdh3. Nothing fixed my transmit issue. The dead or no output radios will work a few hundred feet apart but they all register no wattage on my meter. Learn from me!!! Don’t waste your time on trying to get them to work. You won’t. I’ve wasted HOURS messing with mine and still no joy. 

[LeoG]

46 minutes ago, GrouserPad said:

I have tried everything from firmware, to reset, to ptt+Star+power on reset, to using cps, and chirp, and copying the files from my only working tdh3. Nothing fixed my transmit issue. The dead or no output radios will work a few hundred feet apart but they all register no wattage on my meter. Learn from me!!! Don’t waste your time on trying to get them to work. You won’t. I’ve wasted HOURS messing with mine and still no joy. 

The radios are sensitive enough to hear the local oscillator or using the wire to the antenna as an antenna.  I'm betting all these units showing up like this have a wire not connected to the center pin of the antenna.  I have a couple and eventually I will take one apart to see if it's as simple as a bad solder joint.  Which is what I expect.

[GrouserPad]

4 minutes ago, LeoG said:

The radios are sensitive enough to hear the local oscillator or using the wire to the antenna as an antenna.  I'm betting all these units showing up like this have a wire not connected to the center pin of the antenna.  I have a couple and eventually I will take one apart to see if it's as simple as a bad solder joint.  Which is what I expect.

My 4 non transmitting tdh3’s all receive exceptionally well. They work great on receive. FWIW. 

[hxpx]

Just as a quick update: I contacted TIDRadio about it and they sent me a new unit. Confirmed the new one outputs 5W with a dummy load and a 771 antenna. If nothing else, their customer support was pretty responsive and got this handled in a reasonable timeframe.

[LeoG]

12 minutes ago, hxpx said:

Just as a quick update: I contacted TIDRadio about it and they sent me a new unit. Confirmed the new one outputs 5W with a dummy load and a 771 antenna. If nothing else, their customer support was pretty responsive and got this handled in a reasonable timeframe.

I think they know they have this problem and really don't care because it's easy sending out a new radio that costs them a dollar or two to make than it is to have QC testing these things.  With the advantage that people will just shrug it off and either not report it or just buy a new one without complaining.

If you plan on being cheap (like me) and buying these inexpensive radios you are going to have to expect a couple of duds here and there.  But with a responsive company like this it's just a bit inconvenient and somewhat frustrating to have to go through the process of swapping them out.  And it's not even a swap out, they just send you a new one and don't care what you do with the old one.  Usually they receive just fine so set them up as scanners.

[GrouserPad]

1 hour ago, LeoG said:

I think they know they have this problem and really don't care because it's easy sending out a new radio that costs them a dollar or two to make than it is to have QC testing these things.  With the advantage that people will just shrug it off and either not report it or just buy a new one without complaining.

If you plan on being cheap (like me) and buying these inexpensive radios you are going to have to expect a couple of duds here and there.  But with a responsive company like this it's just a bit inconvenient and somewhat frustrating to have to go through the process of swapping them out.  And it's not even a swap out, they just send you a new one and don't care what you do with the old one.  Usually they receive just fine so set them up as scanners.

A couple!?! Bruh I’m 4 out of 5 failure on these pos.

[LeoG]

21 minutes ago, GrouserPad said:

A couple!?! Bruh I’m 4 out of 5 failure on these pos.

I think you found the motherlode of the bad batch.  This is what happens with mass produced stuff.  If you get a problem it's not one or two, it's hundreds or thousands if they don't catch it.  Apparently I've been luckier than you with 2 out of 14 being non transmit.

[SteveShannon]

24 minutes ago, GrouserPad said:

A couple!?! Bruh I’m 4 out of 5 failure on these pos.

How many were DOA and how many died after being programmed?  I’m not saying you made a mistake; I’m simply mildly curious about the sequence of events. 

[GrouserPad]

55 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

How many were DOA and how many died after being programmed?  I’m not saying you made a mistake; I’m simply mildly curious about the sequence of events. 

I’m not sure. It’s not my problem. I did nothing to them that should have made them fail.  The very first tdh3 I bought still works today and it was programmed abd used identically as the other 4. And none of these were DOA. All worked out of the box. Then approx 2 to 3 weeks later I noticed issues hitting repeaters and at that point realize no output. So not sure when these failed after charging or after programming. 

[hxpx]

14 minutes ago, GrouserPad said:

I’m not sure. It’s not my problem. I did nothing to them that should have made them fail.  The very first tdh3 I bought still works today and it was programmed abd used identically as the other 4. And none of these were DOA. All worked out of the box. Then approx 2 to 3 weeks later I noticed issues hitting repeaters and at that point realize no output. So not sure when these failed after charging or after programming. 

Same issue here - I programmed one radio, did a wireless copy to the rest, and at least two batteries were charged in the charging stand while attached to a radio. So all four have the same setup, two were charged while attached and turned on, and no idea which one the dead one was because they all look the same and I wasn't smart enough to number them beforehand.

They do seem to be aware of the battery charging issue - at the bottom of the "we're shipping you a new radio" email, they added this at the bottom:

Quote

When charging the battery, please separate the walkie-talkie from the battery and charge the battery individually.
By this way can the machine and the battery be protected!

[LeoG]

1 minute ago, hxpx said:

Same issue here - I programmed one radio, did a wireless copy to the rest, and at least two batteries were charged in the charging stand while attached to a radio. So all four have the same setup, two were charged while attached and turned on, and no idea which one the dead one was because they all look the same and I wasn't smart enough to number them beforehand.

They do seem to be aware of the battery charging issue - at the bottom of the "we're shipping you a new radio" email, they added this at the bottom:

Gotta be the battery BMS because you use standard USB wall wart chargers.  The battery itself shouldn't allow the charger to cause it harm.

[Socalgmrs]

An h3 with issues? Really?   So you seam to have 2 things going on.

1 Not hitting the repeater with any of the radios.  If your programming is correct the only other thing would be distance/line of sight.   

 

2nd measuring swr on an ht is not accurate at all. But it should atleast do something similar to the others.  Bad radio? Probably. 
 

id send them all back asap and get some better radios.  Note, better, not more expensive.