TIDRadio TD-H3 GMRS - Channel Restrictions?

[danlag]

After upgrading handhelds from Baofeng and Quanshengs to a TD-H3, I'm running into some limitations. I'm aware of being able to reset the radio into either Ham/GMRS modes. And it's nice that the GMRS reset populates the radio with default channels.

Would it be typical to program a separate GMRS channel, including a tone to a radio? For example, GMRS3 is in slot 3. But I want to add GMRS3 (Tone 1) in a separate slot. Between using Tidradio's software, Chirp, and Odmaster(Bluetooth) it looks like the default 1-22 channels and 8 repeater channels are what they are. The remaining slots up to 54 are repeater only (you can only select repeater frequencies and the Tx is offset automatically) And slot 55-199 are any Rx frequency, but no Tx is permitted. 

My question is, if I want a tone on a channel, I need to edit the existing channel? This is my first "almost real" GMRS radio, so I'm learning what can and can't be done.

Thanks!

 

[marcspaz]

16 hours ago, WRXP381 said:

I don’t see how this is an “upgrade”.   I can do more with any of my different boofwangs than any of my “real” gmrs radios. And they all sound and transmit exactly the same distance.  I’ve got many different boofwangs, wouxons and Motorola xts series “professional”radios.   The boofwang $30 water proof model is what gets used more than any other.  THey transmit well over 30miles and sound exactly the same to every one I talk with on the 7 local repeaters and simplex.  I’m not limited by some manufacturer’s opinion on what they will let me do. I can program repeaters or tones on simplex on any slot/channel I want on all 999 channels.  Don’t fall for the “real” radio talk. They cost more for less features. 

 

 

6 negative votes?!  That may be a new forum record! 

[amaff]

8 minutes ago, danlag said:

My question is, if I want a tone on a channel, I need to edit the existing channel? This is my first "almost real" GMRS radio, so I'm learning what can and can't be done.

Thanks!

 

That's correct. And annoying...and why I have mine in 'Normal' mode. I have a separate list of 22 channels with tones that all my radios run for when we're out doing stuff, but I want to have the plane jane ones on there as well and Chrip at least was unhappy about letting me do that. With it in normal, you  can put whichever GMRS channels you want wherever you want.

 

[WRXB215]

I think it has to do with the manufacturers not understanding the spirit of the law in the US, that is, we can do anything we want until there is a law that states otherwise. Instead, they think we can't do anything until there is a law that says we can.

The FCC regulations on GMRS do not forbid having multiple channels of the same simplex frequency with a different tone, or no tone on each one. Same with repeater frequency pairs. They give us lots of channels but lock down those channels in ways that are not necessary, and like @amaff said, very annoying.

[WQAI363]

  There are too many radio manufacturers out there, trying to compete with each other. Knowing someone's pulling a fast one on the consumer.  Those Bubble Pack Radios have to the biggest scam, claim 35 miles or more, when the majority of those BPRs are only simplex about not even 5 watts. 

I like Motorola Kenwood and Vertex. Of course, non them of them ventured into Part 95E Typed Acceptance for GMRS repeater capable mobiles & portables. I know that Motorola had some GMRS consumer grade radios, but they never had a mobile.

[amaff]

I'm not sure how anyone could use an H3 and a UV-5R and not see that one's got a good bit more capability than the other. I have multiple of each. Haven't touched the 5Rs since the H3s came in.

[SteveShannon]

12 minutes ago, marcspaz said:

 

 

6 negative votes?!  That may be a new forum record! 

He may consider that a challenge. Don’t encourage him.

[WSDA306]

On 6/5/2024 at 3:44 PM, danlag said:

After upgrading handhelds from Baofeng and Quanshengs to a TD-H3, I'm running into some limitations.....

 

I have some of the same questions, when I try to enter a random frequency between 31-54 it Chirp barks at me and tells me I cant do it.  

So any custom channels I have been entering above 54.

However, watching this video from a guy who is reviewing the TD-H3 it seems he is actively replacing all the standard channels with his own channels that he had saved from another chirp image.  Also even just entering one manually in slot 1 by typing it in.  So its a little confusing.

Personally Ive just decided to not mess with changing anything in the base channels for GMRS as they are all coded to accepted legal frequencies approved by the FCC.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OAUSRLQ14c&t=766s&ab_channel=HamRadioTube

By the way, I am very new to this so if I state anything incorrect, feel free to correct me.

[amaff]

9 minutes ago, WSDA306 said:

However, watching this video from a guy who is reviewing the TD-H3 it seems he is actively replacing all the standard channels with his own channels that he had saved from another chirp image.  Also even just entering one manually in slot 1 by typing it in.  So its a little confusing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OAUSRLQ14c&t=766s&ab_channel=HamRadioTube

He's a Ham, and was likely programming it in Amateur or Normal (IE: unlocked) mode.

9 minutes ago, WSDA306 said:

Personally Ive just decided to not mess with changing anything in the base channels for GMRS as they are all coded to accepted legal frequencies approved by the FCC. 

That's fair. You can see my post above about how I have mine set up and why. But if you're new to GMRS and not comfortable manually programming in all the rules, you can leave it be and run it the way the GMRS 'programming' wants it to be and not run into any issues. Then once you've got a better grasp for it, if you want to expand its capabilities some, you always have that option.

Just know that changing modes WILL blow away your entire configuration, so be prepared for that.

 

[SteveShannon]

20 hours ago, WSDA306 said:

I have some of the same questions, when I try to enter a random frequency between 31-54 it Chirp barks at me and tells me I cant do it.  

So any custom channels I have been entering above 54.

However, watching this video from a guy who is reviewing the TD-H3 it seems he is actively replacing all the standard channels with his own channels that he had saved from another chirp image.  Also even just entering one manually in slot 1 by typing it in.  So its a little confusing.

Personally Ive just decided to not mess with changing anything in the base channels for GMRS as they are all coded to accepted legal frequencies approved by the FCC.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OAUSRLQ14c&t=766s&ab_channel=HamRadioTube

By the way, I am very new to this so if I state anything incorrect, feel free to correct me.

When you say you are “entering random frequencies” are you truly entering random frequencies or are you trying to enter the 30 specific frequencies GMRS is limited to use?  It sounds like maybe you are truly “entering random frequencies” rather than staying on the established channels:

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95/subpart-E/section-95.1763

[amaff]

Ah, I missed the 'random' part there. 31-54 are supposed to the 'DIY" GMRS frequencies.

[LeoG]

A GMRS radio is restricted to GMRS frequencies by design.  You can't get around it.  You can very likely listen to any frequency that the radio will allow you to input.  But as for transmitting you are only allowed to put GMRS specific channels.

On an open radio you can transmit willy nilly but it's likely not legal if you aren't licensed to do so.  My Tidradio has an open mode and you can input whatever you want and transmit if it's in the range of the radio.

[DenMRadio]

On 6/26/2024 at 9:52 AM, WSDA306 said:

I have some of the same questions, when I try to enter a random frequency between 31-54 it Chirp barks at me and tells me I cant do it.  

So any custom channels I have been entering above 54.

However, watching this video from a guy who is reviewing the TD-H3 it seems he is actively replacing all the standard channels with his own channels that he had saved from another chirp image.  Also even just entering one manually in slot 1 by typing it in.  So its a little confusing.

Personally Ive just decided to not mess with changing anything in the base channels for GMRS as they are all coded to accepted legal frequencies approved by the FCC.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OAUSRLQ14c&t=766s&ab_channel=HamRadioTube

By the way, I am very new to this so if I state anything incorrect, feel free to correct me.

I had the exact same error in Chirp when I was programming my 2nd Gen TD-H8. The radio will allow any GMRS frequency in channels 31-54 but Chirp only allows the repeater frequencies. I ended up letting Chirp do what it wanted, and then correcting a few channels using Odmaster. I did it this way because I have other radios that I program with Chirp and I want them all to have the same non-GMRS monitoring channels. I reported this as a bug to Chirp, but there's some question as to whether it's a difference between 1st gen and 2nd gen H8's, and might call for a new driver instead of a bug fix.

[WSDA306]

On 6/27/2024 at 4:54 PM, LeoG said:

A GMRS radio is restricted to GMRS frequencies by design.  You can't get around it.  You can very likely listen to any frequency that the radio will allow you to input.  But as for transmitting you are only allowed to put GMRS specific channels.

On an open radio you can transmit willy nilly but it's likely not legal if you aren't licensed to do so.  My Tidradio has an open mode and you can input whatever you want and transmit if it's in the range of the radio.

The radio I am using is the TD-H3, it will let you listen to pretty much any frequency outside of GMRS and add it to your custom channel positions.  Except for 31-54 apparently.  Any channels that are not GMRS specific I only listen to.  Trying to get a sense of what is happening in this area on radio chatter and unfortunately, even though I live in a fairly decent size city, there is almost no GMRS talk going on.  And the stuff that there is is mostly people actually exchanging information about whatever it is they are doing which usually isnt anything I want to hear.  So I put in HAM channels into my chirp list so I can hear some of the net groups in the area.

[danlag]

6 hours ago, WRXP381 said:

I don’t see how this is an “upgrade”.   I can do more with any of my different boofwangs than any of my “real” gmrs radios. 

My fault for not mentioning coming from a UV-5R. Charging with a USB-C was an upgrade? Scanning CTCSS codes and STILL seeing information on the COLOR screen was an upgrade? Power at the antenna being over 5w on the TD-H3 was an upgrade. Having 2 PTT buttons instead of switching from A/B manually, upgrade.

And to be fair, the only thing I see as a downgrade is not being able to listen to a channel while the other is scanning. 

You must have nicer boofwangs.

[Socalgmrs]

I don’t see how this is an “upgrade”.   I can do more with any of my different boofwangs than any of my “real” gmrs radios. And they all sound and transmit exactly the same distance.  I’ve got many different boofwangs, wouxons and Motorola xts series “professional”radios.   The boofwang $30 water proof model is what gets used more than any other.  THey transmit well over 30miles and sound exactly the same to every one I talk with on the 7 local repeaters and simplex.  I’m not limited by some manufacturer’s opinion on what they will let me do. I can program repeaters or tones on simplex on any slot/channel I want on all 999 channels.  Don’t fall for the “real” radio talk. They cost more for less features.