Radioditty DB40G or Retevis RA87

[SierraCharlie]

I'm stuck between the db40g and the ra87.  Both are 40 watts, I can't really find any major difference.  I hear the Mic on the db40g is sturdier than the ra87.  price isn't a big difference......Thoughts?  I really want 40 watts, I live in Boston and the repeaters are spread kinda thin out this way.  I would like your input here to help me decide.......

[CoffeeTime]

No experience owning a DB40, but I do RX and TX with a guy who owns a mobile DB40, and that radio sounds very loud and clear through my mobile. It sounds good! 

I have been running a RA87 mobile in my dusty 4x4 farm PU truck for about 2 years with no issues.  I leave it on 20 watts, and it does fine with good reports from other stations. No fan, so the dust stays outside it. FYI, It can get warm on 40 watts if very long-winded.

I also have a DB20 (20-watt) on a power supply set up as my home base unit, and I love it.  It uses a dual-band/mag-mount/mobile antenna riding a baking sheet set in my first-floor window.    I receive good reports back.

I just ordered another DB20 since they are currently less than $90.

Note: The RA87 is TX on GMRS only.  No jailbreaking/expanding the TX per Retevis- I asked them.

The RA87 has been a mobile good radio for me so far.  

My DB20 TX and RX frequencies can be expanded and easily returned to GMRS only as desired. However, I am not sure about the DB40. 

 

I have received good customer service from Radioddity (easy radio replacement),  and I have received good Tech Support from Retevis for programming questions. 

Radioddity was extremely easy to work with. 

My experiences with Retevis reveal a much slower process. It simply takes much more effort to communicate with Retevis and more hoops to navigate through to get your need/point across and get results.  It will take a lot of emails /and repeated efforts to solve problems with partial shipments/ missing items/ damaged items when purchased from their Retevis site. They shipped an order of 3 units to me in multiple separate shipments, and I was missing items. Communicating the issues was difficult and took repeated emails and pictures of packaging, etc.  

I no longer buy direct.  I prefer to use Amazon for the 30-day returns/ local return drop-off. 

Test all gear as soon as it arrives so you meet any return deadlines. 

Either brand-- please save all packing materials and take a picture of all of the small parts items you receive -- just in case of a return or missing items. 

Radioddity wants everything back, in the original box. A picture taken when opening the box will help repack it all later and ensure that you return only what is needed.

Radios bring more money on the resale market when the original box and manual are present.   

The shipping materials I held onto from Retevis proved that there was no way three mobiles arrived in the package I received from China. There wasn't room for three units. 

Best Regards!

 

[SierraCharlie]

I appreciate your input.  good to know on both radios.....thanks

[dosw]

I have an RA87, and have been satisfied with it for the most part. Things to consider:

• Left side, and right side are each a distinct bank of memories.
• Single radio: When you are listening to left and right, the radio quickly flips back and forth internally to listen on both, and the one that receives traffic first wins.
• You can scan within both banks.
• Max output is 40w, but it's always a little below the max. This is true of almost any radio.
• It's a SOC radio; it will be more subject to interference than a superhet style radio (at 2x the cost, or more).
• It's a GMRS only radio. You can listen to other 70cm traffic, but you can only transmit on GMRS.
• The mic is lightweight, but works great. Good sound, lots of buttons that I never remember when switching between radios.
• The speaker is plenty loud. I have this mounted in a '95 Bronco with a 5.8L v8 and oversized exhaust. If I can hear it while I'm driving, it's plenty loud.
• Power levels are H/L through the faceplate. You can get to four or five levels of power through Chirp.
• Each channel can have a 6-letter label.
• It is Chirp compatible.

I don't have a DB40G. I do have the following mobile radios to compare it to:

Midland MXT275 - Lower featured, no channel labels, only one memory slot per channel, so only one repeater can be configured to 462.7000 at a time, for example. Only 15w. Much smaller. All controls are on the handset only. 1.5x the price.

Wouxun KG-UV980P - Amateur radio (that can be set up for other services, in which case it's almost identical to the KG-1000G). 50w max. Dual super-het radios, so you can actually hear two conversations on two different frequencies at the same time (and when that happens, it's a little confusing). Quad band (11m/10m FM, 6m FM, 2m FM, 70cm/GMRS FM, plus you can listen to AM in the 11/10m bands). However, my experience is only with a 2m/70cm antenna that works adequately with GMRS; I haven't tinkered in 6m/10m yet. Excellent sound with speakers on both the main unit and the mic. More than 2x the price.

[WRUU653]

Excellent break down by @dosw.

I also have the Retevis RA87 and I feel like its a good solid basic radio. I say basic because it does GMRS and thats what I want it to do. I will say I get just over 40 watts on mine.

I don't know anything about the DB40G other than what their website shows but it looks like it could be a good choice also. I would be interested in hearing feed back on it as well.

[WRUU653]

3 hours ago, dosw said:

When you are listening to left and right, the radio quickly flips back and forth internally to listen on both, and the one that receives traffic first wins.

This can be changed in menu 14. Also in Chirp change it in response mode under basic settings from D/RX to S/RX and it will only receive the side you select (left or right) while the unselected side remains mute. Should you only want to hear one side. 

One other thing I like even though it’s a small thing really is the ability to have the screen be different colors based on what is taking place. For instance I have my screen set to green for normal, orange for transmit and red for receive. This comes in handy if you have turned the volume down and forgot and then the screen will change color when it receives a transmission. Or if you send out a call it remains in orange until it receives a response returning to green. You can certainly leave the screen one color but I like the visual cues.