Retevis RB17V radios.

[TNFrank]

I wanted a couple of actual MURS radios to use so I ordered a pair of RB17V radios. Retevis says that they'll only talk with other Retevis radios and if you want to talk with other MURS radios you need to install special firmware.  I can't understand why since all MURS radios should TX/RX on the same 5 frequencies.  The only thing I can think of is they have tone squelch set for TX/RX.

I did notice that CHIRP lists this radio so when I get them I'm going to connect to it and look at the settings to see if they have ant CTCSS or DCS tones set. 

Does anyone have any info on these radios that they'd like to share?

[WRYS709]

I suspect you are correct and that Tones are pre-set.

If you had asked before you purchased, given the popularity of their entry level GMRS HT, the Radioddity GM-30, I would have recommended their MUR-5 HT:

https://www.radioddity.com/collections/consumer-radios-frs-gmrs-radios/products/radioddity-mu-5?_pos=8&_fid=0d98037cd&_ss=c

[TNFrank]

I saw that radio but a pair of them would have been over $62 bucks plus tax. I picked up the RB17V's for $43 bucks a pair plus tax on a Black Friday deal on Amazon so that's $20 bucks that I didn't have to spend.

Also, what good are 250 channels when I can only TX on 5 MURS channels? I mean I guess I could have some RX only channels but I've got  a lot of other radios I can do that with if I need too.

[WRYS709]

7 minutes ago, TNFrank said:

I saw that radio but a pair of them would have been over $62 bucks plus tax. I picked up the RB17V's for $43 bucks a pair plus tax on a Black Friday deal on Amazon so that's $20 bucks that I didn't have to spend.

Also, what good are 250 channels when I can only TX on 5 MURS channels? I mean I guess I could have some RX only channels but I've got  a lot of other radios I can do that with if I need too.

Any HT in a storm I always say!

I avoid MURS to be honest in favor of higher power on 2 meters!

The only value I see for MURS HTs is the ability to hand them out to family and friends to use on a lawful unlicensed basis. 

[WRYS709]

1 hour ago, TNFrank said:

Retevis says that they'll only talk with other Retevis radios and if you want to talk with other MURS radios you need to install special firmware. 

Can you link me to this statement, please. 

Perhaps the $20 is not much of a savings after all!

[TNFrank]

I'll do one better. Here's a screen shot. Please read the 1st paragraph. 

[TNFrank]

I just checked my radios in CHIRP and there's no CTCSS/DCS codes set so I guess I'll have to try them on one of my other radios that I have programed with MURS frequencies. I'll report back on what I find out. 

OK, just to update, I checked the RB17V TX/RX on my UV-5R Mini that I have MURS on(for emergency use only, of course) and it worked just fine. I guess whatever they were doing they've stopped doing which makes sense because it'd be crazy to only allow YOUR radios to talk with ONLY your radios.

 

Now if I can just figure out how to make the side button do the scan function. 

[kirk5056]

I have run several RB17Vs in the last few years, they are good radios, especially for the price.  Few Programing options, but are very programable with the ones they have.  They work very well with all of the radios in my group.

[TNFrank]

I sent a set to my grandson and his wife in Washington State. They ski and hike alot and I figured MURS would work better for them than FRS. Way less "chatter" and VHF seems to work better in the out of doors.

I wanted a set because I think it'll be easier for my non-technical wife to use, plus when we go shooting in the desert they should work well enough.

[WRTC928]

On 11/26/2025 at 12:36 PM, TNFrank said:

Also, what good are 250 channels when I can only TX on 5 MURS channels? I mean I guess I could have some RX only channels but I've got  a lot of other radios I can do that with if I need too.

The reason I want at least 10 channels is so that I can have 5 "open" channels and then another 5 with CTCSS/DCS codes enabled. However, as little use as MURS gets, it might not matter. My thought was that the open channels would allow me to talk to other users while the coded channels could be used to filter other users, but maybe I'd never encounter other MURS users anyway.

[WRYS709]

Walmart employees on Green Dot (Channel 5).

Drive over there and listen 

[TNFrank]

The local Wally World here uses 154.600MHz/Blue Dot which makes sense since their logo is blue.

Costco is using Red Dot which is not a standard MURS channel.

[amaff]

40 minutes ago, WRYS709 said:

Walmart employees on Green Dot (Channel 5).

Drive over there and listen 

[LeoG]

I have that programmed on my TD-H3 and when we shop there I have the radio tuned in.  Usually you can here the overhead announcements and some of the behind the scene communications.