TIDRadio TD-H3 GMRS

[WRWE456]

7 minutes ago, wscu331 said:

ordered the HAM twin pack from Amazon.  Should I return it and order the GMRS twin pack?  The HAM  had a one week delivery time when the GMRS had a six week delivery date.  My research shows it's the same radio.

It's the same radio. You just unlock which ever mode you want.

Here is a video explaining how: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZhuJRNGpJc

[wscu331]

Just now, WRWE456 said:

It's the same radio. You just unlock which ever mode you want.

Here is a video explaining how: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZhuJRNGpJc

Amazon just delivered them.  

[wscu331]

Anyone with a Mac been able to use a USB C cable and CHIRP?

[OffRoaderX]

1 hour ago, wscu331 said:

Anyone with a Mac been able to use a USB C cable and CHIRP?

Yes.

[nokones]

On 5/8/2024 at 12:42 PM, WRFT961 said:

I bought two of the H3's to replace my Cobra Microtalks. I only used them on the FRS channels for several years because I was worried the Men in Black would show up and cuff me. Got my GMRS license and was slightly upset the GMRS channels on "high" power didn't work much better.

We'll see how 5 watts and a better antenna work.

 

-Dan

Insofar as farz, you more than likely won't be able to tell the difference.

[wscu331]

On 5/11/2024 at 5:39 PM, wscu331 said:

Anyone with a Mac been able to use a USB C cable and CHIRP?

 

22 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

Yes.

With the Kenwood port or the USB C port?  I ended up using odmaster on the chrome browser. 

[OffRoaderX]

4 minutes ago, wscu331 said:

With the Kenwood port or the USB C port?  I ended up using odmaster on the chrome browser. 

I used the USB-C Port on the radio (not on the battery) and i could not get it to work with one of my own USB-C cables, only with the cable that came with it.

[WRXB215]

12 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

i could not get it to work with one of my own USB-C cables

That's what I don't like about some cables, they will only charge. 

[wscu331]

On 5/12/2024 at 5:46 PM, OffRoaderX said:

I used the USB-C Port on the radio (not on the battery) and i could not get it to work with one of my own USB-C cables, only with the cable that came with it.

I have an M1 Apple silicon iMac. I tried using the third party USB C to USB hub I bought, it’s not seeing the radio. I’m going to pick up an Apple usb c to usb adapter and see if that makes a difference. 
https://a.co/d/d6Jvw1Y 

[wscu331]

On 5/12/2024 at 5:46 PM, OffRoaderX said:

I used the USB-C Port on the radio (not on the battery) and i could not get it to work with one of my own USB-C cables, only with the cable that came with it.

I have an M1 Apple silicon iMac. I tried using the third party USB C to USB hub I bought, it’s not seeing the radio. I’m going to pick up an Apple usb c to usb adapter and see if that makes a difference. 
https://a.co/d/d6Jvw1Y 

 

The Apple adapter worked. I also tried a USB C on both ends cable and it did. It did not see the radio. 

[marcspaz]

I played around with this radio a bit today.  I can confirm that the 2-pin speaker-mics from  Baofeng, Pofung or BTech (like the QHM22) and the 2-pin speaker-mics that fits Kenwood radios (like the TH-D74A) do in fact work with the TD-H3.  Oddly enough, of the BTech QHM22 had the best audio.

[quarterwave]

Just got one, in hi vis yellow-green. Cool little radio, does what I need it to. Easy program. I switched it to NORMAL mode, all open. It retained the GMRS program it shipped with, and I just added my HAM channels on the end, and locked out the FRS channels from scan. 

I am surprised how well it receives just riding around in the truck, much better than my UV5R I have had for a few years. 

For the money and performance, I can get behind these radios. Seems like a good unit. 

[LeoG]

Does anyone know if the H3 GRMS antenna that comes with the radio is different than the one that comes with the H3 Ham radio?

 

[amaff]

45 minutes ago, LeoG said:

Does anyone know if the H3 GRMS antenna that comes with the radio is different than the one that comes with the H3 Ham radio?

 

I wouldn't have put a single dollar on them being different for a $35 radio, but I bought a pair of GMRS, then needed a couple more and liked them enough and accidentally bought a pair of Ham. They are indeed different.

 

GMRS top, Ham bottom:

GMRS:

 

Ham:

[LeoG]

Yup, I definitely have the Ham antenna.

Do you notice any difference with the GMRS antenna vs the ham antenna?  Is the compromise to get the lower frequency bands 136-174 hurt the transmit or receive efficiency of the Ham antenna vs the GMRS antenna?

Or is it not noticeable?

 

 I'm like you, I like these radios and would like to get a few more.  Just wondering if getting the GMRS version is any step up because of the antenna.

 

I have ordered a couple of Smiley Rubber duck antennas for 2 of my radios.  But they are close to $30 each which is about what you pay for the whole radio.  So getting an optimally tuned antenna would be slightly advantageous to getting a compromise antenna that is good for GMRS and Ham.

[amaff]

The main difference I've been able to actually notice in real life use...

...is that the GMRS antenna is ~2" shorter, which means I can store them in 1 of my cases with the antennas on, but can't with the ham antennas

 

I'm sure there is some difference at the very edges of the performance envelope, but the ham antennas seem to do fine on GMRS for me. They can talk on the same repeater at 50 miles as the GMRS antenna, with similar signal reports, and can talk simplex to my family at 4 miles (we're up on a hill, which obviously helps).
In my use, I've not been able to tell any difference.

[LeoG]

That's kinda what I figured.  It is designed for 400-470 which easily encompasses the 462-467 that we need.  Like you said, shorter is a little more convenient.  The Smiley's are something like 4" tall and 5/8 wave instead of the 1/4 wave the OEM antennas are.  Looking forward to seeing if there is any real life differences between the two.

Thanks for the info.

[LeoG]

On a different note.  I have gotten a different antenna when I ordered a second pair of the Ham radios.  It's got a yellow bottom instead of red and doesn't have a range on them, just specified frequencies.

[WSDC407]

I'm new to GMRS, read the manual for my TD-H3 GMRS radio, and am confused on the usage\purpose of menu items 32 R-TONE,  52 (200TX), 53 (350TX), and 54 (500TX). Will someone please explain how or when to use these menu items or direct me to a good resource? 

Thank you!

[LeoG]

52, 53 and 54 allow you to use those frequencies when you are in the open mode (unlocked)

 

Not sure what the #32 is for.

[LeoG]

Does anyone know what the "S" is on the display here?

 

[amaff]

20 minutes ago, LeoG said:

Does anyone know what the "S" is on the display here?

 

Power Save.

[LeoG]

Bingo.

 

Thanks.

[peatious]

On 4/17/2024 at 8:17 AM, WRVY822 said:

I just got this radio. Which mode do you guys run in? I have a GMRS license, but no HAM license yet. Is there any advantage to running in Normal mode versus GMRS mode?

I had some issues with some channels that I was programing somehow becoming RX only even though they were GMRS frequencies. trying to set some shortcuts to tones and repeaters I frequently use with people and so I just normalized it and now I never have the RX only problem. ...this was in the upper channels past 100 etc.

[TrikeRadio]

14 hours ago, peatious said:

I had some issues with some channels that I was programing somehow becoming RX only even though they were GMRS frequencies. trying to set some shortcuts to tones and repeaters I frequently use with people and so I just normalized it and now I never have the RX only problem. ...this was in the upper channels past 100 etc.

I ran into that too. in GMRS it seems that above a certain channel number there are issues of making it both TX and RX... at some channel slot it is RX only and I'm not sure why. I just keep all my GMRS channels below 100 and it seems to all work. Not sure if that is a "Bug" or a "feature". Only thing with using the NORMAL mode is that you do need to be very careful that you are programming things correctly for all your channels since it does not lock out some things that you may not be licensed for and/or could get into some trouble if you transmit on.