TD-H3 GRMS vs Ham

[WSFQ673]

TdiRadio is selling two (at least) versions of the TD-H3. Is there a significant difference between the two?

I know there is a difference in what is included in the package, but it appears to be the same radio. 

Is the only difference which band is unlocked for Tx?

[GMRSJohn]

Interesting.. I know the H3’s can be both ham and GMRS. I’ve been looking at them recently myself but for strictly GMRS use.

[LeoG]

Both the same radio.  I believe the only difference in the package is what antenna it comes with.  GMRS tuned or Ham tuned.

Both radios can be changed to either GMRS, Ham or Normal which is unlocked.

[WSAQ296]

They are effectively the same radio. Depending on how you order depends on the antenna(s) shipped with the unit.  Upon powering up, there's a sequence of buttons that can be pressed to change it from gmrs to ham or 'normal' (open to all). 
I leave mine gmrs, as the whole point is to be able to hand a channelized radio to someone for use, not to accidentally have them dial up some unknown freq. 

 

[WRXB215]

3 hours ago, WSAQ296 said:

not to accidentally have them dial up some unknown freq

Who you calling a freak?

[RIPPER238]

On 11/28/2024 at 3:45 PM, WSFQ673 said:

TdiRadio is selling two (at least) versions of the TD-H3. Is there a significant difference between the two?

I know there is a difference in what is included in the package, but it appears to be the same radio. 

Is the only difference which band is unlocked for Tx?

The H3 for GMRS & Ham are effectively the same radio, just comes with different antennas and different initial programing (GMRS-Ham). I have 2 Ham and 1 GMRS and other than a slight power difference they work the same with the current updates. 

[WSFI971]

On 12/7/2024 at 2:00 PM, RIPPER238 said:

The H3 for GMRS & Ham are effectively the same radio, just comes with different antennas and different initial programing (GMRS-Ham). I have 2 Ham and 1 GMRS and other than a slight power difference they work the same with the current updates. 

What’s the power difference?

[LeoG]

1/2 watt or so near 5 watts

[RIPPER238]

1 hour ago, WSFI971 said:

What’s the power difference?

My 2 Ham models seem to have more consistent power across all bands where the GMRS model when in Normal does not. Not that its a huge difference, but its there. Could also just be inconsistency for a $30 radio. 

[WSFM959]

I have both the HAM and GMRS versions, the only difference I've found so far is that the HAM Radio doesn't seem to like working in GMRS repeater mode, as in even with the correct DCS programmed it wont send... It keys up and sends on 467 fine, but i don't get the kick back and it cant be heard on other radios. On standard channels it works fine, it just with repeaters it has problems.

[LeoG]

There is no difference between the TD-H3 Ham and GMRS radios.  When they send you the radio it tuned to the frequency of the band you bought.  The radio will come with antennas specific to the radio you bought.  HAM will come with antennas tuned for those frequencies and GMRS will come with an antenna tuned for that frequency.

It's just the mode you choose to put it in.  Most of the H3s I have are HAM versions and I bought a GMRS version and the only difference is the antenna(s)

[WSEZ864]

1 hour ago, WSFM959 said:

I have both the HAM and GMRS versions, the only difference I've found so far is that the HAM Radio doesn't seem to like working in GMRS repeater mode, as in even with the correct     DCS     programmed it wont send... It keys up and sends on 467 fine, but i don't get the kick back and it cant be heard on other radios. On standard channels it works fine, it just with repeaters it has problems.

Most repeaters are 'tone coded' (CTCSS) and not DCS. Double check your repeater's requirements.

[Socalgmrs]

1 hour ago, WSFM959 said:

I have both the HAM and GMRS versions, the only difference I've found so far is that the HAM Radio doesn't seem to like working in GMRS repeater mode, as in even with the correct DCS programmed it wont send... It keys up and sends on 467 fine, but i don't get the kick back and it cant be heard on other radios. On standard channels it works fine, it just with repeaters it has problems.

What is a repeater kick back?  Never heard of that and I use repeaters every day.  Second I’m betting your tones are. It correct or your not close enough to the repeater.   You wo t be heard on other radios u less the repeater gets your transmission. 

[Socalgmrs]

3 minutes ago, WSEZ864 said:

Most are 'tone coded' (CTCSS) and not DCS. Double check your repeater's requirements.

TOTALLY wrong.  Completely depends on the repeater owner and what they set. Many of our local repeaters have a dcs tone for in and a ctcss for out. Some of the others use digital only.  So I wouldnt say most    Maybe most of the ones you know of In your area. 

[marcspaz]

Actually, if you look at RepeaterBook and MyGMRS public listings, you will see that use of CTCSS grossly outweighs DCS. 

[Jaay]

On 11/28/2024 at 2:45 PM, WSFQ673 said:

TdiRadio is selling two (at least) versions of the TD-H3. Is there a significant difference between the two?

I know there is a difference in what is included in the package, but it appears to be the same radio. 

Is the only difference which band is unlocked for Tx?

The TID- H3 Plus has some added Bluetooth features the previous model apparently didn't have, but that's all I've read so far.

[BoxCar]

10 hours ago, Socalgmrs said:

What is a repeater kick back?  Never heard of that and I use repeaters every day.  Second I’m betting your tones are. It correct or your not close enough to the repeater.   You wo t be heard on other radios u less the repeater gets your transmission. 

Nana NoNo hasn't heard of a term describing squelch tail? Oh, the horrors......

[WSFM959]

Kickback, Handshake, Squelch Tail = Response from the repeater in my language, sorry, i'm a Brit living in the US. Oh and all of our local repeaters use DCS. Everything is set up the same on both radios, but the GMRS version gets the signal out and i get a response, the Ham radio set to GMRS mode doesn't.

[WSFM959]

Oh to add, both radios work fine in simplex mode, GMRS to HAM versions Set to GMRS mode, I can send and receive on both. It's when I go to Duplex (repeater mode) the HAM version set to GMRS mode just will not transmit. Ive even had my SDR set to the channel, monitoring it... and I get nothing.

I would like to invite others with both versions to try, IMHO there is a very subtle difference between the two versions, which was in response to the initial question.

[WRTC928]

On 3/24/2025 at 9:53 PM, marcspaz said:

Actually, if you look at RepeaterBook and MyGMRS public listings, you will see that use of CTCSS grossly outweighs DCS. 

I have noticed that. I assumed it's just a matter of habit. Of course, repeaters that have been up for a long time aren't likely to change from CTCSS to DCS, but AFAIK, there's no significant advantage of one over the other and any radio built in the last 10 years is probably capable of both. Repeaters installed recently certainly could use DCS, but apparently most of them still use CTCSS.

[WSFM959]

Well on further research, i noticed there was another post regarding the H3 not opening repeaters, It would be interesting to see how many H3's were bought as the HAM variants

[TrikeRadio]

4 hours ago, WSFM959 said:

Well on further research, i noticed there was another post regarding the H3 not opening repeaters, It would be interesting to see how many H3's were bought as the HAM variants

The "Ham version" and the "GMRS version" are EXACTLY the same radio. 

They only sell them as Ham or GMRS so as to include appropriately tuned antennas with them (which you can replace with anything anyway). either "Ham" or "GMRS" radios can be switched into either Ham or GMRS or "Normal" (unlocked) modes and then will obey rules for Ham or GMRS as far as transmit power levels and allowed frequencies for transmitting. GMRS will also adhere to the +5 offset for repeaters that are setup properly (at least under channel 55 it seems)