New or Used Radio

[WhiskeySierra]

Hello to all. I just joined MyGMRS and I would like some help. I just bought a "new" BTECH GMRS PRO radio from Amazon. Everything seemed OK and the radio arrived two days later. I opened the shipping box and was a bit surprised to see the radio box was not sealed in any way. I began going through the box and was surprised to see the antenna loose in the box and the charging cable with rust all over the USB plug. Most of the ads I have seen for the GMRS PRO say that the antenna has been glued in place since the FCC has some ban against swapping to a better antenna if the transceiver offers texting to other radios. Rust on the USB charging cable was also a concern. Obviously, I have other cables I was able to use but I was surprised to see rust on a BTECH product. My question is simple: Does this seem like a "new" Baofeng radio or a one just returned to Amazon? I do have other Baofengs, four for ham radio in fact, and they were all well packaged, professionally built, etc. Thanks in advance for your help.   

[OffRoaderX]

Unless otherwise stated, when you buy something from Amazon, it should be new.

Return it (Amazon makes it VERY easy) and tell them that you paid for a new one.. Wait until they accept the return and refund you, then order another one.

 

[WRUE951]

I remember hearing awhile back that a chinese shipping company had to recover several shipping containers that fell off a ship in a China Harbor.  

[WSAQ296]

You've gotten your answer, send it back. Likely someone else did too, and when they did they said 'new unopened' on their return form. So it got sent out again. 
As far as GMRS, the antennas are not glued on. GMRS allows external antennas.  FRS, does not. So you may find if an imported FRS radio is sold, it may have the antenna glued on. Typically they're just molded in the radio. 
 

[WRUU653]

1 hour ago, WSAQ296 said:

As far as GMRS, the antennas are not glued on

In this case they are. When the radio does digital data it needs a non removable antenna.

95.1787 GMRS additional requirements.

4) The antenna must be a non-removable integral part of the GMRS unit.

[WSAQ296]

On 9/16/2025 at 9:05 AM, WRUU653 said:

In this case they are. When the radio does digital data it needs a non removable antenna.

95.1787 GMRS additional requirements.

4) The antenna must be a non-removable integral part of the GMRS unit.

Thank you, and interesting. Btech's new GMRS pro radios are designed to do just that, and have removeable antennas. I know, as I was just hanging with the repeater owners for central Michigan last Saturday and one of them had one.  But I see they 'loctite' it from the factory, so it takes a little work (or lack of knowledge that it shouldn't come off. 
Thanks for the education!  (Now I get to beat on the guy with the GMRS pro LOL)

[OffRoaderX]

2 hours ago, WSAQ296 said:

Thank you, and interesting. Btech's new GMRS pro radios are designed to do just that, and have removeable antennas

IIRC from some guy that made a video about the radio on the Youtube's, to remain complaint with the FCC rule, they put a tiny little itty-bitty drop of glue on the antenna to make it "non removable".  So if someone with man-hands puts 1/2-A-ft-lb of torque on it and breaks the glue, that's not BTech's problem.

[WRUU653]

2 hours ago, WSAQ296 said:

Thank you, and interesting. Btech's new GMRS pro radios are designed to do just that, and have removeable antennas. I know, as I was just hanging with the repeater owners for central Michigan last Saturday and one of them had one.  But I see they 'loctite' it from the factory, so it takes a little work (or lack of knowledge that it shouldn't come off. 
Thanks for the education!  (Now I get to beat on the guy with the GMRS pro LOL)

I don’t think it’s a lack of knowledge that it shouldn’t come off. It’s pretty common for people to go ahead and bust the glue loose on those. I probably would.
Not to long ago I seem to remember Midland asked for an exception to this rule to develop a mobile radio that would send limited gps data in non populated locations with the idea of sharing info amongst off-road groups I believe. I have not seen this yet but it would be interesting to see if the rule stays or goes.

[WSAQ296]

On 9/17/2025 at 7:18 PM, WRUU653 said:

I don’t think it’s a lack of knowledge that it shouldn’t come off. It’s pretty common for people to go ahead and bust the glue loose on those. I probably would.
Not to long ago I seem to remember Midland asked for an exception to this rule to develop a mobile radio that would send limited gps data in non populated locations with the idea of sharing info amongst off-road groups I believe. I have not seen this yet but it would be interesting to see if the rule stays or goes.

Trust me, if they didn't want them coming off, they wouldn't/couldn't.  I was first in line in the FRS craze 30 years ago (ish) and they made sure they were integrated antennas.  Many radios were 'caught in the car door' and antenna casings broken and extended. It worked, but looked like garbage. 

[WRUU653]

29 minutes ago, WSAQ296 said:

Trust me, if they didn't want them coming off, they wouldn't/couldn't.  I was first in line in the FRS craze 30 years ago (ish) and they made sure they were integrated antennas.  Many radios were 'caught in the car door' and antenna casings broken and extended. It worked, but looked like garbage. 

I am well aware of the antennas that you speak of. My comment was about owners of these radios wanting to remove the antenna. 

[MSnow]

I bought 2 GMRS Pros from Btech website, both came in nice sealed boxes and every part inside was individually bagged. including the antennas that were not affixed from the factory. beyond charging them and programming them they haven't been used much, maybe 10 to 15 mins. not a fan of them personally.