BTECH GMRS-V1 Review

[mcallahan]

I recently purchased a BTECH GMRS-V1 handheld radio and have been quite impressed.  This radio is a great option for someone looking for an affordable, repeater capable, Part 95A certified GMRS radio.  Perhaps the biggest advantage this radio offers is the ability to do split tones - a feature many other radios in this price range lack.  Read my full review here:

 

SeeSharpDotnet - BTECH GMRS-V1 Review

 

GMRS-V1:

 

[Hans]

Nice review; I especially liked all of the click through links as they were on point and informative. Thanks for posting!

[n4gix]

Very well written sir! Thanks for sharing.

[tango1]

Thanks for the review!

[dhm001]

Just got this radio several days ago and have been using it on the Baltimore 462.625 repeater with the supplied rubber duck antenna.  Was able to talk several hours and didn't even dent the 1800 mAh battery of course it's new so time will tell, but I'll take it.  I especially like the tone scanning feature it is great for figuring out repeater tones when on the road.   Decided to order the Nagoya UT-308UV 21-Inch Magnetic Mount VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna to beef things up a little.

 

Looking at the BTECH MOBILE UV-50X2 50 Watt Dual Band Base radio haven't decided yet, but maybe a good option for the condo.  I already have a Pyramid P5-21KX power supply; hoping, it will be a good fit for this radio.

[Soladaddy]

Just received a GMRS-V1 and am playing around in Chirp. Can you add into memory a repeater pair with tone? It appears that you cannot and must setup tone with the standard Repeater Channel. This works well for one repeater on a freq, but when traveling it would be nice to create a memory entry with the correct tone for other repeaters on the same freq.

[PB92]

Dhm001 is on the money. If I decide to get my ham ticket, I will get that radio....................BTech Mobile UV-50X2 50 watt for sure.

[rockhound]

I bought two of these radios a month ago 

They are worth the $50 but don't care for the digital squelch , adjustable (1-5) I prefer a knob control for better adjustment

Also the weird antenna connector is difficult (if removing the supplied rubber ducky) to find an adapter, basically you have to go with btech antennas my ham antennas being bnc or so-239 are easily adaptable for antenna upgrades.  If anyone finds an adapter please let me know.

Are these radios capable of tone scan? as dhm001states "I especially like the tone scanning feature it is great for figuring out repeater tones when on the road" I had not realized they had that capacity.  I know you can program in tones but not so sure it will scan for tones.

[cateyetech]

Hey rockhound

If anyone finds an adapter please let me know.

https://www.amazon.com/Antenna-Adapter-Connector-Converter-Coaxial/dp/B076HHDTFT/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1520088848&sr=8-16&keywords=bnc+to+sma+adaptor

I think this is the antenna adaptor you need 

 

Are these radios capable of tone scan? 

 

Scanning for CTCSS Tone 

1. Press the [MENU] key to enter the menu.

2. Enter [11]  on your numeric keypad to come to Menu 11: R-CTCS 

3. Press the [MENU] key to select. Insure you have a tone activated (and it is not off)

4.Press the [*SCAN]to begin CTCSS scanning

A flashing "CT" will be in the left status display to indicate the radio is in CTCSS scanning mode.

In this mode, whenever the radio is receiving an RF signal on the selected MR channel or VFO frequency,

the lower display will cycle through the CTCSS tones as they are being tested. Once the frequency of the received CTCSS tone is determined, the "CT" indicator will stop flashing.  
 
Press the [MENU] key to save the scanned tone into memory then press the  key to exit the menu. 

 

We have one and ordered another last night for our grandson.

I am very pleased with this radio.

[rockhound]

Hey rockhound

If anyone finds an adapter please let me know.

https://www.amazon.com/Antenna-Adapter-Connector-Converter-Coaxial/dp/B076HHDTFT/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1520088848&sr=8-16&keywords=bnc+to+sma+adaptor

I think this is the antenna adaptor you need 

 

Are these radios capable of tone scan? 

 

Scanning for CTCSS Tone 

1. Press the [MENU] key to enter the menu.

2. Enter [11]  on your numeric keypad to come to Menu 11: R-CTCS 

3. Press the [MENU] key to select. Insure you have a tone activated (and it is not off)

4.Press the [*SCAN]to begin CTCSS scanning

A flashing "CT" will be in the left status display to indicate the radio is in CTCSS scanning mode.

In this mode, whenever the radio is receiving an RF signal on the selected MR channel or VFO frequency,

the lower display will cycle through the CTCSS tones as they are being tested. Once the frequency of the received CTCSS tone is determined, the "CT" indicator will stop flashing.  

 

Press the [MENU] key to save the scanned tone into memory then press the  key to exit the menu. 

 

We have one and ordered another last night for our grandson.

I am very pleased with this radio.

Thanks I was hoping someone would come in with an answer to my questions = Gonna order a couple of those adapters and test out the tone scan - love this forum now on to getting a repeater up - not much in my area 

[Soladaddy]

I bought two of these radios a month ago 

They are worth the $50 but don't care for the digital squelch , adjustable (1-5) I prefer a knob control for better adjustment

Also the weird antenna connector is difficult (if removing the supplied rubber ducky) to find an adapter, basically you have to go with btech antennas my ham antennas being bnc or so-239 are easily adaptable for antenna upgrades.  If anyone finds an adapter please let me know.

Are these radios capable of tone scan? as dhm001states "I especially like the tone scanning feature it is great for figuring out repeater tones when on the road" I had not realized they had that capacity.  I know you can program in tones but not so sure it will scan for tones.

You can use Kenwood commercial antennas as well. I have some Laird antennas https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/laird-technologies-exh-155-sfu-2004

tuned for 155, the base is for many Kenwoods. I bought for a TK-2100. They fit my MURS radios; Btech MURS V1, Kenwood TK-2100 and TruTalk MURS-22 (Legacy/Maxon). They are beefy antennas and are stiffer than the Nagoya 701C. Not good or bad, just different depending on your preference. 

 

Don't hold me to it, but I bet any antenna claiming to fit a Kenwood TK-3100 would fit the GMRS V1 and be tuned for the freq range. This one looks promising, https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/laird-technologies-exc-450-sfu-2042. The antenna farm also has another Laird and 2 Kenwood stubbies that should fit.

 

 

Not limited to Boafeng antennas. 

[WQYR745]

It appears that the transmit power has changed from 5 watts to 2 watts. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

[mcallahan]

Looks like that may be the case.  According to the specifications for the GMRS-V1 listed on Baofeng's website, the output power is 0.5W / 2W.

 

https://baofengtech.com/gmrs-v1

[WRAX891]

This is my (only) GMRS HT as well. Likewise, would’ve liked to had seen full 5W on the GMRS channels, but overall it’s a decent GMRS HT. I’ve been receiving good audio reports with it. It’s incredibly simple to use. Speaker sounds loud to me and I’m hearing impaired to the point of wearing HA’s. I like the 82 for factor over the 5R form factor. Basically, it’s a crippled UV-82 in order to get Part 95 Type Acceptance. Works for me. I use my Otto V2-10030 speaker/mic not only with my amateur HT’s (ones with K2 port, anyway), but also this GMRS-V1. Is like to see a GMRS-V2 that puts out full allowed power...

[WRAX891]

Dhm001 is on the money. If I decide to get my ham ticket, I will get that radio....................BTech Mobile UV-50X2 50 watt for sure.

This is an old thread, so I don’t know if you did get the 50X2, but just wanted to throw out that it’s known to blow its finals. Apparently, the finals used are for portables, not mobiles. There were quite a few threads about this from folks who blew their finals. I’m not saying not that purchase it, but just be aware. Look at the “BTech UV-5X3 and UV-50X2” group on FB. I’ve been there a while, mainly for the 5X3. I don’t know your limit, but a Mobile radio that has a Big Bang for the buck is the Kenwood TM-V71A. $380, however has very nice receive and receives many bands, other than just amateur. Take a look at the specs. It even has EchoLink (including sysop mode) onboard. If money is limited, maybe a TYT TH-9800. It’s a clone of the Yaesu 8900. It’s a gamble because you don’t get support like you would from Yaesu, so if something drastic should go wrong, you’d have to RMA to China. I’ve had two of these 9800’s for two years, however, and they remained fine. I use one in the car, one inside. I’ve worked 6m on it nicely, along with 2m/70cm, obviously. My inside one is also capable of APRS, using a SignaLink USB and appropriate cables. (Could move it to the car easily to give it APRS if wanted to.) Anyway, just throwing that out. My next Mobile is going to be an Alinco DR-235, which I plan on using for my AllStar node. (I’m a 220, 1.25m, “fan”, having a Bridgecom BCH-220, two UV-5X3’s, 220 amp, and a 220 coppper j-pole outside.)

 

Good luck..

[civileng]

Anyone purchased a GMRS V1 recently?  Does it make much of a difference since now it only transmits 2W?  I'm looking to purchase one of these with the high gain antenna (701).

[WRAF213]

I bet they dropped the output power to 2W so they can use the same hardware as the MURS-V1 and maintain type acceptance. An interesting choice to make; the 2W finals must have also saved a fair bit of money in production in order for the GMRS-V1 to see the same change.

[Elkhunter521]

I bought 2 GMRS-V1 radios from Amazon several monthes ago. Using a Browning 1170 mag mount (swr 1.2) I measured 2.7 watts and 3.0 watts ona MJF874 swr/power meter. At the time they were advertised as <5 watts. Misleading but not a lie.

[mcallahan]

As with all CCRs, I never expect the actual output power to match what the specifications state.

[jwalling]

I purchased a BTECH GMRS-V1 April 16, 2018 via Amazon

The FCC license label = 2AGND-GMRS-V1

These are the power levels according to the FCC license information

   https://fccid.io/2AGND-GMRS-V1

 

If there has been a new FCC license issued for lower power levels, it's not listed

  https://fccid.io/2AGND

[jwilkers]

I bet they dropped the output power to 2W so they can use the same hardware as the MURS-V1 and maintain type acceptance. An interesting choice to make; the 2W finals must have also saved a fair bit of money in production in order for the GMRS-V1 to see the same change.

IMHO, They dropped it to be compliant with their FCC grant. They only got part 95 certification for a 2 watt radio.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[Logan5]

So did the original V1's actually put out more power? has anyone done a side by side? Could a firmware upgrade, unknowingly change your power output?

[civileng]

Just purchased the BTech gmrs V1 and the Nagoya 701 antenna.  Great radio, seems to be getting better range than my Midland GXT 1000vp4. 

[Elkhunter521]

There appears to be 3 different versions of this radio.

1st. (Oldest) had channel #s off by one digit.

 

2nd. I bought this from Amazon Feb 6, 2018. Power is 2.7 watt and 3.0 watt.(2 radios) Browning 1170 antenna swr 1.2 on channel 18. MFJ-874 meter. Manual and advertising said 5 watt or <5 watt.

 

3rd. Power reduced to 2 watt. Advertising and manual both say 2 watt.

[Hans]

Good information, Elkhunter521. Thanks for posting it.

 

Do you own the 3rd version and, if so, did you verify if the radio is putting out 2 watts?