New TidRadio H3 PLUS

[RIPPER238]

Got an email there is a new TidRadio H3 Plus coming out next week. 

Its going to have over the old H3:

-Odmaster app communication

- Wireless Repeater signal relay

- Bluetooth PTT

- Screen refresh/update. 

Pricing looks the same and may be a bit bigger. 

 

 

https://tidradio.com/products/h3-plus-5w-bluetooth-radio?srsltid=AfmBOop7EgZljqaSGOCBI0lBh-vWv7PV47nWNNHr5GuX6FujMXDOKKoq

[Socalgmrs]

Oh nice another radio that won’t work very well.  Nice.  

[RIPPER238]

1 minute ago, Socalgmrs said:

Oh nice another radio that won’t work very well.  Nice.  

Kind of like forum members that don't work very well. 

[Jaay]

20 hours ago, Socalgmrs said:

Oh nice another radio that won’t work very well.  Nice.  

According to YOU ??

[RIPPER238]

This just might be a great radio. Nothing comes close to the features of the H3 and if this has been improved and be made to be more consistent it can be a truly great radio. I haven't had any issues with my 3 H3 radios, but i wouldn't deny the quality/refinement could be improved for the more technical user. It also appears TidRadio listens to its customers and has done improvements and refinements even if they have fell short. 

But i guess we will see..... 

[GrouserPad]

Wonder if they’ll also do an h8 plus??

[RIPPER238]

4 hours ago, GrouserPad said:

Wonder if they’ll also do an h8 plus??

To be honest the H3 is superior anyway and focusing on 1 model is a smarter way to go. 

I was soo disappointed with my H8, power was way off and nowhere near the features of the H3.  

[Jaay]

2 hours ago, RIPPER238 said:

To be honest the H3 is superior anyway and focusing on 1 model is a smarter way to go. 

I was soo disappointed with my H8, power was way off and nowhere near the features of the H3.  

I prefer the H-8, simply because it's Larger and fit's my hand better... I can't do tiny radios lol!

[RIPPER238]

14 hours ago, Jaay said:

I prefer the H-8, simply because it's Larger and fit's my hand better... I can't do tiny radios lol!

It appears this new H3 Plus is larger than the old H3, somewhere between the H8 & H3. But there doctored photos are terrible to 100% confirm. 

 

[SteveShannon]

6 minutes ago, RIPPER238 said:

It appears this new H3 Plus is larger than the old H3, somewhere between the H8 & H3. But there doctored photos are terrible to 100% confirm. 

 

They need a banana for scale?

[RIPPER238]

found a real video! Only slightly different in size: 

 

[Jaay]

4 hours ago, RIPPER238 said:

It appears this new H3 Plus is larger than the old H3, somewhere between the H8 & H3. But there doctored photos are terrible to 100% confirm. 

 

Or someone's got very tiny hands? 

[TrikeRadio]

On 3/25/2025 at 7:25 AM, RIPPER238 said:

It appears this new H3 Plus is larger than the old H3, somewhere between the H8 & H3. But there doctored photos are terrible to 100% confirm. 

 

LOL... pretty fake looking photoshop work with it floating in front of the hands. I don't think there is any relationship of actual scale between the radio and hands.

[The219]

On 3/25/2025 at 7:31 AM, SteveShannon said:

They need a banana for scale?

 

[Jaay]

Has anyone researched the supposed differences between the former H3 and the H3 Plus ? Probably Still too small, like my Yaesu FT4X.

[GrouserPad]

1 hour ago, Jaay said:

Has anyone researched the supposed differences between the former H3 and the H3 Plus ? Probably Still too small, like my Yaesu FT4X.

I believe the plus offers Bluetooth connectivity for an auxiliary ptt, ear piece and some other things. The prior h3 was only Bluetooth compatible with their phone app.

[WSHH887]

If it's blue tooth, could it use your vehicles sound system as a speaker?

[Jaay]

9 minutes ago, WSHH887 said:

If it's blue tooth, could it use your vehicles sound system as a speaker?

Good question ?  Maybe see if it will pair up with your vehicles audio system ?

[LeoG]

H3s speaker is pretty loud already.

[WSHT525]

I've had mine for a few weeks. I don't have the standard H3 so I cannot make comparisons. 
Understand that the H3 Plus is a beta radio that has had 4 firmware updates since I've gotten mine. It still has a few issues but those primarily are on the ham side of things and shouldn't be an issue for GMRS. 
Pros: it is small and light. Charges pretty quick. Battery life seems decent considering the size. Speaker is loud enough to be heard with the windows down while driving 60, though if you have loud exhaust, maybe not. Receive quality is good. Signal reports have been decent. 

Cons: The bluetooth PTT only works with the ODMaster app. If you want to use bluetooth with a speaker mic, you are still going to have to use a dongle. I suspect this is because any BT device you pair to it, it sets the radio as "Emitter" and if you change that to "Receiver" it drops the connection. Maybe a later FW release will fix this but currently, no joy. If you want to program with software you are stuck with either the ODMaster app, website, or a really clunky CPS. The rest of the cons are on the ham side.

[TrikeRadio]

10 hours ago, WSHT525 said:

...
Cons: The bluetooth PTT only works with the ODMaster app. If you want to use bluetooth with a speaker mic, you are still going to have to use a dongle. I suspect this is because any BT device you pair to it, it sets the radio as "Emitter" and if you change that to "Receiver" it drops the connection. Maybe a later FW release will fix this but currently, no joy. If you want to program with software you are stuck with either the ODMaster app, website, or a really clunky CPS. The rest of the cons are on the ham side.

Interesting. I have  two of the original model... and when this one came out I was not really all that interested in the "expanded bluetooth" functions... and now it sounds like it was done only to promote ODmaster, not to make it more compatible with bluetooth speakers or earphones.

Yeah, I'll stick with what I have. I have been very happy with the original TD-H3's ... have not had a problem with mine.

[GrouserPad]

6 hours ago, TrikeRadio said:

Interesting. I have  two of the original model... and when this one came out I was not really all that interested in the "expanded bluetooth" functions... and now it sounds like it was done only to promote ODmaster, not to make it more compatible with bluetooth speakers or earphones.

Yeah, I'll stick with what I have. I have been very happy with the original TD-H3's ... have not had a problem with mine.

ODmaster is terrible imo. Am I the only one who dislikes that horrid app?

[TrikeRadio]

1 hour ago, GrouserPad said:

ODmaster is terrible imo. Am I the only one who dislikes that horrid app?

I have tried it a few times... I much prefer using CHIRP to program... and doing quick changes on the keypad of the radio itself is pretty easy.

so yeah I would likely use OD master as a last choice if I had to.

[WSHT525]

12 hours ago, TrikeRadio said:

Interesting. I have  two of the original model... and when this one came out I was not really all that interested in the "expanded bluetooth" functions... and now it sounds like it was done only to promote ODmaster, not to make it more compatible with bluetooth speakers or earphones.

You can pair with a speaker and it works, but anything with a mic no joy unless it is your phone. I still cannot see the benefit of answering my phone on my radio since if the radio is in range of my phone, I can just use the phone? It is dumb. Seems to me that they could make this a full-functioning TNC and corner the cheap market, at least on the ham side where you can do digital modes. 

Agreed on Chirp, not only is it a much better application and interface, I've found that some of the settings won't stick if I use ODMaster (such as channel display and dual watch) but will if I use Chirp. Since all my radios except one (5RH Pro GPS) are compatible with Chirp, I have basically one file that I can use for all my ham radios and one for GMRS radios. 

Honestly, this radio wasn't worth buying in my case as far as being a good addition to my collection, I have several others that work as well if not better that don't have the bugs and quirks this one does. It is small and light, I'll give it that, but that can be a con as well as a pro. At least if it does an Alice Cooper and goes under my wheels, I won't shed a tear. Then again, that fits for most of my radios as they were purchased with that possibility in mind  . 

[TrikeRadio]

28 minutes ago, WSHT525 said:

... Honestly, this radio wasn't worth buying in my case as far as being a good addition to my collection, I have several others that work as well if not better that don't have the bugs and quirks this one does. It is small and light, I'll give it that, but that can be a con as well as a pro. At least if it does an Alice Cooper and goes under my wheels, I won't shed a tear. Then again, that fits for most of my radios as they were purchased with that possibility in mind  . 

Yeah, I am sure it is not the ideal radio for everyone. The two TD-H3s I bought were the first ones I bought for GMRS and they are great for getting into it.. .and still are great for my main use which was using it mounted on my bicycle. Nice and light and small for that use. Also great that it can get popped into a jacket pocket and is not heavy and large. They have actually surprised me at how much range they can do -  simplex and to the local repeaters. And honestly i like how they do a/b channel watch more than the radioddity DB-25G mobile unit I bought. They have a separate indicator/marker for activity received on the A or B channel... and another marker showing which channel you have your transmit set on. I like this much better than how the DB-25G does it.. where there is only one marker and it jumps the active transmit selector to every channel it hears activity on .. which can cause you to transmit on a different channel than you intended to!

if TidRadio made a nice Mobile unit with the kind of multi channel handling that their TD-H# has.. I would buy it!