I'm thinking about getting a Radioddity DB25-G GMRS Mobile Radio 25 watt.

[WSBX980]

I'm thinking about getting a Radioddity DB25-G GMRS Mobile Radio. Just asking if anyone has any experience with this radio before I take the plunge?

Thanks

WSBX980 Pikeville TN

[Northcutt114]

I have one in my Jeep and love it. It's a pretty loud radio, which is nice in a Jeep. It gets out just fine using a Midland MTX25 Ghost antenna. If I had two complaints, and they are minor, one is that I don't like the metal hanger tab on the mic. There's no puck on the back of it like there is with most mics. It's not a big deal because I just stow it in the console where my power window switches would be if I had them. The other thing I don't like is the PTT button is a little easy to trigger and doesn't have a lot of travel. It doesn't have the big tactile clunk that I like for a mic to have. But like I said, minor things. The big thing is has going for it, for me, is how small it is. In a Jeep, space is a premium and when you're already running a CB, it needs to be a small unit.

Two more things, actually. I should also say that before I got the BTech GNRS 50v2 as a base, I used the Radioddity DB25 in the house as my base. It was totally sufficient. Lastly, I was not able to get the radio to work with CHIRP so I downloaded the Radioddity software. It works, but it's clunky and full of Chinglish. So just be prepared for a bit of learning curve if you're used to CHIRP.

 

[WRYS709]

I recommend you look instead at the DB-20G, which is now supported by Chirp; as well as by RT Software 

With a separate cup-holder mount, a mag-mount antenna and its cigarette lighter plug; I can easily install and remove it as needed. 

Alternatively, it easily permanently mounts as well. 

I use another one in my shack with a power supply and external rooftop Comet CX-333 tri-band antenna and it outperforms my Yaesu FT-857d on 2 meter and 70cm FM. 

[WRUU653]

I think it’s probably a decent radio but the DB-20G also has 500 memories while the DB-25 has 200 if that’s important to you. 

[WSBX980]

Does the 5 watt less really make a difference between the 20G Vs the 25G?

[SteveShannon]

Almost never. 

[Northcutt114]

10 hours ago, WSBX980 said:

Does the 5 watt less really make a difference between the 20G Vs the 25G?

No, it doesn't. I also looked at the DB-20G. I ultimately went with the 25, not because of the additional power but because of the ability to quickly cycle through four channels instead of only the two available on screen with the 20. We have a dedicated channel for family communication that is always at the top of all of our radios. And then a local repeater under that, a NOAA channel, and then the last one is for simplex channels. If that doesn't matter to you, I'd go with 20, too. But the 25 does look cool and you can have a custom welcome screen. 

[GreggInFL]

I bought one about a year ago. I had it replaced because it was going through some weird power on-off cycle when the PTT was pushed, but the replacement has worked fine. It was on sale for $5 less than the 20 and had good reviews (thanks Randy) and a few more features.

[Destro]

12 hours ago, Northcutt114 said:

 But the 25 does look cool and you can have a custom welcome screen. 

You can have a custom welcome screen on the DB20G as well.

[Northcutt114]

9 hours ago, Destro said:

You can have a custom welcome screen on the DB20G as well.

But is is it five lines tall with a blue background? 

[Destro]

7 hours ago, Northcutt114 said:

But is is it five lines tall with a blue background? 

I do not believe so.

[WRDJ205]

On 9/3/2025 at 8:06 PM, WRYS709 said:

 

I recommend you look instead at the DB-20G

 

I’m also using a DB-20 with the midland ghost.  It is the second one though.  The first got extremely hot so I sent it back.  The second one is working very well.   

[TrikeRadio]

I have one, and in general it is a good radio, but if you are getting it because of being able to monitor 4 channels at a time... it is maybe less than ideal. I don't care for how it will jump to any of the four channels when it hears activity on one of them... when you want to transmit one that you currently had selected. There is not a good way to quickly and easily to switch from monitor all four channels (or three or two) and then only transmit on one without jumping to any of them that have activity. Yes, you can shut off the multi channel monitoring and use it one channel at a time (through a sequence of 4 or 5 separate button presses! .

If you use it this way... only have four on the screen for easily switching to one for your four favorite channels but focus on only one at a time.. then it works great. 

if they would make a single button way to switch between monitor all and focus and transmit and monitor only one - which could be done fast and easy.. I would be 100% recommending it.  And if you use it only to do one channel at a time... then I recommend it. That is my opinion anyway. 

[GreggInFL]

8 hours ago, TrikeRadio said:

I have one, and in general it is a good radio, but if you are getting it because of being able to monitor 4 channels at a time... it is maybe less than ideal. I don't care for how it will jump to any of the four channels when it hears activity on one of them... when you want to transmit one that you currently had selected. There is not a good way to quickly and easily to switch from monitor all four channels (or three or two) and then only transmit on one without jumping to any of them that have activity. Yes, you can shut off the multi channel monitoring and use it one channel at a time (through a sequence of 4 or 5 separate button presses! .

If you use it this way... only have four on the screen for easily switching to one for your four favorite channels but focus on only one at a time.. then it works great. 

if they would make a single button way to switch between monitor all and focus and transmit and monitor only one - which could be done fast and easy.. I would be 100% recommending it.  And if you use it only to do one channel at a time... then I recommend it. That is my opinion anyway. 

Agreed. I have mine set to monitor one channel only, the one I'll transmit on. It's convenient to have the other three available with the touch of a button, but monitoring four channels, and being forced to switch to transmit on the last active channel, is not appealing.

[WRTC928]

17 hours ago, TrikeRadio said:

I have one, and in general it is a good radio, but if you are getting it because of being able to monitor 4 channels at a time... it is maybe less than ideal. I don't care for how it will jump to any of the four channels when it hears activity on one of them... when you want to transmit one that you currently had selected. There is not a good way to quickly and easily to switch from monitor all four channels (or three or two) and then only transmit on one without jumping to any of them that have activity. Yes, you can shut off the multi channel monitoring and use it one channel at a time (through a sequence of 4 or 5 separate button presses! .

If you use it this way... only have four on the screen for easily switching to one for your four favorite channels but focus on only one at a time.. then it works great. 

if they would make a single button way to switch between monitor all and focus and transmit and monitor only one - which could be done fast and easy.. I would be 100% recommending it.  And if you use it only to do one channel at a time... then I recommend it. That is my opinion anyway. 

Same here. I have the QYT ham version of the same radio and I ended up using it as a dedicated 1.25 meter unit. I did leave 2m and 70cm frequencies on it and I put some of my favorites on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th displays. If you're fine with doing something like that, it's a good unit for the price. The ham version does a full 25 watts on 1.25 meters (mine actually does 27) whereas most other tri-band radios do ~5 watts on 1.25m. The only other tri-band radio I'm aware of that outputs 25 watts on 1.25m is the Anytone AT-5888UV III, which is what I eventually settled upon for my mobile. I will say the little QYT radio has good audio both tx and rx. There's nothing wrong with it exactly, but it's very inexpensive ($89 IIRC) and as such has some limitations. In a GMRS application, I think they'd be less significant but still perhaps a bit limiting.

[WRYS709]

1 hour ago, WRTC928 said:

Same here. I have the QYT ham version of the same radio and I ended up using it as a dedicated 1.25 meter unit. 

220 MHz activity in OK?! Interesting!

Simplex in addition to repeaters?

[WRTC928]

14 hours ago, WRYS709 said:

220 MHz activity in OK?! Interesting!

Simplex in addition to repeaters?

I didn't say there's activity.  I'm trying to breathe some life into the 220 repeater. Very limited success so far, but if I don't occasionally get on it and put out my call sign, nobody will know. 

[WRYS709]

1 hour ago, WRTC928 said:

I didn't say there's activity.  I'm trying to breathe some life into the 220 repeater. Very limited success so far, but if I don't occasionally get on it and put out my call sign, nobody will know. 

Oh dear! That was my experience when I purchased a triband HT specifically to add 220 MHz coverage. 

That HT has been collecting dust for years now.