Which commercial HT's are popular for use on GMRS?

[Lscott]

Excluding the specific low cost radios, typically of Chinese manufacture like the 805, Baofengs and their derivatives etc., which HT's from the major manufactures seem to be popular choices to use on the GMRS band? I'm more interested in the use of commercial, LMR (Land Mobile Radio), types. 

 

I typically use Kenwood radios because I have the programming cable and accessories for them, and they are mostly interchangeable between the radios. Also I've had very good luck finding the manufacture's programming software, which seems to work up to so far on Windows 10 with no real issues.

 

The radios I do have for use on GMRS are:

 

TK-370G-1 (128 channel, wide and narrow band)

TK-3170-K (128 channel, wide and narrow band)

TK-3173-K (128 channel, wide and narrow band)

TK-3140 (250 channel, wide and narrow band)

TK-370-1 (32 channel, wide band only, Chip seems to work OK for this radio to program it)

 

A buddy, licensed GMRS only for the moment, here at work was complaining about his high power Baofeng radio. He felt the receive wasn't working well on it, poor sensitivity. I explained the radio uses a cheap "radio-on-a-chip" design and the poor performance wasn't unexpected. After all what do you expect from a $25 radio? I suggested he get a good used commercial quality radio model I recommended.

 

He picked up a good used TK-3170 which included the antenna, battery pack, speaker microphone and charger package on eBay for $65. I gave him a code plug I built for my radios and the software to get him started. The Baofeng programming cable works just fine on these radios. He immediately commented on the quality of the radio and he doesn't get the interference he experienced frequently with the Baofeng. He travels frequently, mostly driving, for work and I'm sure he is going to be happy with how this radio works compared to the Baofeng.

[axorlov]

He picked up a good used TK-3170 which included the antenna, battery pack, speaker microphone and charger package on eBay for $65.

Must be before January. I'm now looking for a Kenwood handheld in decent condition on Ebay, and it's dry. The TK-3170 in working condition with a good battery now commands $125 and more. I blame recent events. The good inexpensive mobiles like 860, 880, 8180 are also disappeared.

[Lscott]

He got that deal about a week or so ago on the TK-3170 as an auction. I picked up 3 TK-3173’s, 2 at $40 each with shipping and one for $30 with shipping. The $30 one needed a volume knob, which I had. None had antennas or battery packs. I already had those.

 

If you want a good deal on eBay you have to check several times a day. Then jump on a good deal when you see one.

[Lscott]

The TK-3173's are the same as the TK-3170's except they also do trunking, which for GMRS you don't care about anyway. Both use the same software to program them, KPG-101D Version 2.40.

 

http://www.secomwireless.com/KWLIT/LIT_TK-3173.pdf

 

I really never consider the inclusion of a battery pack that great of an extra value unless the seller states it's new. I have at least a dozen used Lithium Ion battery packs that fit the above radios, from past purchases, and several more Kenwood models. I'm in the process of testing them for capacity using an "electronic load" with a built-in battery test feature. So far the best pack tested at 79% of the spec's on the back of the pack while the worse so far is at 23%. The typical figure of 80% of new rating is generally considered the EOL, end of life, for a battery pack.

 

This is the equipment I'm using for the pack testing.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Siglent-Technologies-SDL1020X-Programmable-Electronic/dp/B07RS2B8VT

 

The packs are tested at a "C/5" rate with the low cutoff voltage of 6.00 VDC. There isn't much variation in capacity if a lower discharge rate is used with Lithium batteries. The 6.00 VDC cutoff is where the Kenwood HT's will shut down so there is no point in testing to a lower voltage.

[nyc787]

I have several TK3180. I like the performance of this model but it’s bulky on the belt and at times people stare at me suspiciously like I’m a cop or something. I would want to acquire a couple of more compact units like TK3170 but how much of a performance difference will I notice with its shorter antenna and being a 4 watt radio? Will it be a big downgrade from 3180 or 5 watt vs 4 watt is negligible difference?

[axorlov]

4W vs 5W - negligible difference if any at all. Performance difference will come out of receiver and transmitter details, that I can't comment on because did not see schematics, tests, etc. Antenna  is removable. Actually, they are interchangeable between 3170 and 3180. There are two types I own and I prefer longer antenna (KRA-27) on my 3170. And 3170 is not that much smaller than 3180. Maybe inch and a half shorter. If you already have a setup for 3180, cables and other accessories, it's not worth to move to 3170 in my opinion.

Being it fat bulky in-your-face radio may be a positive. To one crowd you may look like a cop, to another like a vigilante militiaman. Exploit possibilities!