retevis RA87

[WSHM765]

Hello everyone , Newbie to the GMRS world. Purchased the retevis RA 87 for a base unit w/ Btech power supply.  one small issue i can't figure out how to get the preprogramed channels to appear . first day they displayed . Today i just see the frequencies , i want to scan the channels and not the frequencies..any help for dummies ? Thanking you in advance. WSHM765

[MSnow]

There should be a button to press to make it switch back to showing the ch numbers. Most HT's its labeled V/M or maybe FREQ.

[WRUU653]

The VFO button will put your radio into displaying the frequency and the MR button will put your radio back into memory mode showing the names. 

[Socalgmrs]

I’d be very willing to bet the owners manual says how to do this.   If not I’d also bet there are already several places and tutorials online that could have helped faster than posting here.   I’d even bet if you just started pushing buttons you would eventually figure it out.    

[CoffeeTime]

Just an FYI..

One thing I did not understand about my RA87 is that certain menu features can easily become deactivated as you experiment with the buttons/settings.

On page 9 (see Channel Display) is a list of these menu functions.

Please note the reference for a simple RESET process of pressing the REV button while pressing/powering up the RA87.

This info might help you as you experiment. 

When you wrote Pre-programmed channels, I don't know if you are referring to the limited factory test channels or channels you manually entered or entered using software.  I highly recommend Chirp software for the programming of your radio.

A valuable evolution is to use Chirp to save your Code-plug/choices, and then write the CP to the radio again after any experimenting goes sideways.  Afterwards, your RA87 channels' names are displayed again --- provided you set your Chirp settings to show channels by Name instead of by Frequency.  Chirp is your friend. 

 

In case you do not have your original manual: 

https://www.retevissolutions.com/Assets/files/20230518/1000309129/RA87-ENGLISH-MANUAL--1-.pdf

 

Best Regards!

 

 

 

[WRUU653]

11 hours ago, Socalgmrs said:

I’d be very willing to bet bla ba bla ba bla bla bla

Yeah but some of us enjoy helping others out. 

[WRUU653]

2 hours ago, CoffeeTime said:

 

A valuable evolution is to use Chirp to save your Code-plug/choices, and then write the CP to the radio again after any experimenting goes sideways.  Afterwards, your RA87 channels' names are displayed again --- provided you set your Chirp settings to show channels by Name instead of by Frequency.  Chirp is your friend. 

 

In case you do not have your original manual: 

https://www.retevissolutions.com/Assets/files/20230518/1000309129/RA87-ENGLISH-MANUAL--1-.pdf

 

Best Regards!

 

 

 

Good info here. Thanks. Chirp really is your friend with this radio. I would add for someone new to remember that the programming for the RA87 has a left and right side. Cut and paste makes it nice going from side to side if you want to duplicate things. I’ll use Chirp to set one side for local channels and repeaters and set up the other for travel repeaters.

[The219]

22 hours ago, Socalgmrs said:

I’d be very willing to bet the owners manual says how to do this.   If not I’d also bet there are already several places and tutorials online that could have helped faster than posting here.   I’d even bet if you just started pushing buttons you would eventually figure it out.    

yes but its not clearly written and I was not able to find much as far as setting for the RA87 online. some reviews here and there and some tutorials on how to set two up as a repeater but not much else.

 @WSHM765 Press the "FUN" button on the face then the "MHZ" button on the face and scroll to "MDF" its "menu #16" press the "MHZ" button on the face again turn the dial to"MN" then press the the "MHZ" button on the face to lock it in. you have to do it to both "sides" of the display. 

[dosw]

13 hours ago, The219 said:

yes but its not clearly written and I was not able to find much as far as setting for the RA87 online. some reviews here and there and some tutorials on how to set two up as a repeater but not much else.

 @WSHM765 Press the "FUN" button on the face then the "MHZ" button on the face and scroll to "MDF" its "menu #16" press the "MHZ" button on the face again turn the dial to"MN" then press the the "MHZ" button on the face to lock it in. you have to do it to both "sides" of the display. 

Yeah, the radio doesn't get the love that some of the Wouxuns and other fairly popular models get. But it's really pretty solid. Very close to the full 40w across the GMRS range (within, say, 5% in my most recent testing). Good sound quality. I kind of wish that it had more than six character channel labels. I like the "left" and "right" side option; I set the left up for scanning repeaters, and set the right up for the channels my family is most likely to use, as well as for open scanning. Signal reports are favorable, though that has a lot to do with the antenna and geography.

 

It has some quirks. From the front panel you can only swap between low and high power. But within chirp there are five power options. I usually set "medium" power in the programming using Chirp, knowing that I can push the power button to get to high if I need it, for example. But I've been using it about a year now in my dusty old Bronco and it has held up great.