BTECH F8HP vs BTECH uv5x3 vs other

[WSJW650]

Preemptive thank you for any advice/commentary/etc

Newbie proud owner of an AR5RM and a Radioddity DB20-G….couldn't possibly need anything more….but I crave a GMRS capable radio with the simplicity of synchronization of the Main channel “A” Name displayed up top with the frequency of channel A displayed below in “B”

It is my understanding from reading reviews that the UV5x3 has this channel synchronization utility and that the F8HP does not.  Posting to confirm this. 
 

I am also attracted to deals and low cost like a moth to a flame….and the F8HPpro is currently on sale on the Bezos store front. 
 

Or, if Newbie is wrong about most of what was just typed; please suggest a similarly priced ($40-$70) option that has this nice, simple channel synchronization display ability 

Thankyou. 

 

[GreggInFL]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDKMWYGR?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_14

Note display. Set menu item #41 to SYNC = ON.

 

[Lscott]

1 hour ago, WSJW650 said:

I am also attracted to deals and low cost like a moth to a flame….and the F8HPpro is currently on sale on the Bezos store front. 

Yeah, same with the bug zapper. They end up in the collection tray on the bottom sooner or later, but they seem they just can't help themselves. 

After a while of spending money on CCR's many people end up buying a much higher price radio. 

I like to tell people looking at the CCR's, cheap Chinese radios, you get what you pay for, and often not even that.

[WSJW650]

Thank you Gregg and Lscott. Very helpful. 
 

The GM-15 is also currently on sale in the preferred colorway. 
 

much appreciated. 

[WRYS709]

The BTech UV-5x3 is a tri-band Ham Radio that also supports the 220 MHz band and has some nice programming features over my older Baofeng UV-5Rx3. 

I do not know if the 5x3 supports transmission on GMRS. 

[WSJW650]

Interesting potential modification of the GM-15pro/UV-13/Radioddity GM30.

Would be curious if the GM-15pro keeps it's sync function after the firmware modification.

https://youtu.be/G44BtmgYqhw?si=4Ni5-nVrD4FNZB_P

[WRYS709]

1 hour ago, WSJW650 said:

Interesting potential modification of the GM-15pro/UV-13/Radioddity GM30.

Would be curious if the GM-15pro keeps it's sync function after the firmware modification.

https://youtu.be/G44BtmgYqhw?si=4Ni5-nVrD4FNZB_P

Yes, the Radioddity GM-30 and it’s clone, the Baofeng UV-15 can be flashed with the firmware from the “unlocked” Baofeng UV-13Pro Ham Radio; making it, in effect, a UV-13Pro!

I purchased a UV-13Pro from AliExpress when it first became available, as it gave me portable tone scanning for my hobby “war driving” of finding repeaters and “sniffing” out tones.

It never occurred to me that the 13Pro was a hardware “clone” of my Pofung UV-15 (Baofeng UV-15 a/k/a Radiodd GM-30) even to the extent of battery swapping!

And now with Chirp support, all of these models have tremendous potential and continued versatility. 

What is this “sync” function you are referring to, and I can see if my UV-13Pro supports it. 

[UncleYoda]

TYT UV-88 is also the same hardware-wise - ham not GMRS (no longer for sale but they were popular).  [TYT made the original UV5Rs, so they might be the actual manufacturer of the others.  But with CCP-run businesses, it's never clear anyway.]

[WRYS709]

16 minutes ago, UncleYoda said:

TYT UV-88 is also the same hardware-wise - ham not GMRS (no longer for sale but they were popular).  [TYT made the original UV5Rs, so they might be the actual manufacturer of the others.  But with CCP-run businesses, it's never clear anyway.]

It’s a common myth that the TYT-TH-UV88 is an unlocked clone of the Radioddity GM-30. 

While there are physical similarities, that myth is not true. 

I retired my TYT TH-UV88 after I acquired my Baofeng UV-13Pro. 

[WSJW650]

On the Baofeng GM15 pro SYNC is option #42 in the menu. SYNC can simplify the display screen by showing the top “Main” line A in channel name format…..then below displays the same Channel’s frequency in the B line  

From the Baofeng GM15 pro manual

 

 

[WRYS709]

21 minutes ago, WSJW650 said:

On the Baofeng GM15 pro SYNC is option #42 in the menu. SYNC can simplify the display screen by showing the top “Main” line A in channel name format…..then below displays the same Channel’s frequency in the B line  

From the Baofeng GM15 pro manual

 

 

Yes, on my Pofung P15-UV, a direct clone of the Radioddity GM-30 (and Baofeng UV-15Pro) and locked to GMRS, Menu 41 is the SYNC function and works like you describe. 

On my Baofeng UV-13Pro, the Ham Radio that also transmits on GMRS out of the box, it is Menu 42 and works like you describe. 

Note: my Pofung has firmware V06.03.006

My UV-13Pro V06.01.014

[TerriKennedy]

15 hours ago, WSJW650 said:

Newbie proud owner of an AR5RM and a Radioddity DB20-G….couldn't possibly need anything more….but I crave a GMRS capable radio with the simplicity of synchronization of the Main channel “A” Name displayed up top with the frequency of channel A displayed below in “B”

It is my understanding from reading reviews that the UV5x3 has this channel synchronization utility and that the F8HP does not.  Posting to confirm this. 

I am also attracted to deals and low cost like a moth to a flame….and the F8HPpro is currently on sale on the Bezos store front. 

As much as I like the BF-F8HP Pro (in many ways, "it's my baby"), I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that it isn't type certified for operation on GMRS frequencies (or any other frequencies outside of the Part 97 amateur bands). It does have the most complete feature set of any of the Baofeng analog models, though. If you're just listening, you can set "SK Disable" to "PTT" and the radio will not transmit, either from the radio itself or from an accessory microphone. Of course, if you eventually get an amateur license you can just re-enable PTT.

[TNFrank]

If you want a "Bang for the Buck"radio the Baofeng K61 is hard to beat at $16 bucks and it's a Tri-Band that'll get you 2M,1.25M,70cm and it'll do MURS and GMRS.

The Radtel RT-900 St $25 bucks gives you multiple bands from 10M,6M,2M,1.25M,70cm and it'll do MURS and GMRS. 

The BF-F8HP Pro will do 2M, 1.25M, 70cm,MURS and GMRS and the nice thing is that you have 10 channel banks of 100 channels each so you can put the frequencies you want into their own bank and not have to deal with the ones you don't want at that moment.

 The radios aren't necessarily  "legal" to TX on all those frequencies but I honestly have never heard of someone being busted for using a HAM radio on GMRS or MURS so you'd probably be ok. 

P.S.

I have a quick look at each radio on my YouTube channel by the same name.

[WSJW650]

Thanks all for the guidance. 
Got a couple of the simple GM-15 pros on order.  Wanted something simple with a positive display and sync for me to learn on and that my family could intuitively turn on and quickly find a GMRS channel to transmit/receive on…..but also with potential for other frequency listening/emergency use only.   That and $46 for two of them with upgraded antennas was too good of a deal for me to pass up. 

[WRTC928]

9 hours ago, TNFrank said:

If you want a "Bang for the Buck"radio the Baofeng K61 is hard to beat at $16 bucks and it's a Tri-Band that'll get you 2M,1.25M,70cm and it'll do MURS and GMRS.

The Radtel RT-900 St $25 bucks gives you multiple bands from 10M,6M,2M,1.25M,70cm and it'll do MURS and GMRS. 

The BF-F8HP Pro will do 2M, 1.25M, 70cm,MURS and GMRS and the nice thing is that you have 10 channel banks of 100 channels each so you can put the frequencies you want into their own bank and not have to deal with the ones you don't want at that moment.

 The radios aren't necessarily  "legal" to TX on all those frequencies but I honestly have never heard of someone being busted for using a HAM radio on GMRS or MURS so you'd probably be ok. 

P.S.

I have a quick look at each radio on my YouTube channel by the same name.

I like the Baofeng K61. It covers pretty much all the frequencies I want, including the 1.25 meter band. It's intermediate in size between the UV-5r and the Uv-5RM, which is handy because it's small enough to shove into a pocket but not too small to be easily manipulated. 

In terms of features, as far as I can tell, the UV-5RM Pro GPS is virtually identical to the BF-F8HP Pro except for the ability to update the firmware in the future. It's about 2/3 the price of the F8Hp. I guess it's a matter of how much you care about the ability to update firmware.

[WRYS709]

52 minutes ago, WRTC928 said:

In terms of features, as far as I can tell, the UV-5RM Pro GPS is virtually identical to the BF-F8HP Pro except for the ability to update the firmware in the future. It's about 2/3 the price of the F8Hp. I guess it's a matter of how much you care about the ability to update firmware.

Doesn’t the Quenshang UV-K5(8) family of radios have the most sophisticated library of alternative firmwares at this point?

For about $20 from AliExpress and the free IJV-3 firmware, I finally have a 5 watt HT thst  an communicate with 2 meter SSB Ham Radio stations. 

With my 5/8 2 meter telescoping antenna I made a 65 mile QSO to another Ham and he found my DSB transmission good reception quality. 

[TNFrank]

The thing that really sets the BF-F8HP Pro ahead of the others is the CPS. It makes it really easy to program the radio. We have Terry to thank for that. 

[WRYS709]

6 minutes ago, TNFrank said:

The thing that really sets the BF-F8HP Pro ahead of the others is the CPS. It makes it really easy to program the radio. We have Terry to thank for that. 

CPS easier than Chirp?

[TNFrank]

3 minutes ago, WRYS709 said:

CPS easier than Chirp?

Yep, I think it is. It's just well set up so it's easy to get around on and you have access to all the radio functions. 

[WRYS709]

1 minute ago, TNFrank said:

Yep, I think it is. It's just well set up so it's easy to get around on and you have access to all the radio functions. 

Download link to Terry CPS please