This video is a model for succinctness, candor, informativeness (is that a word?). No 3 minute musical extravaganza introduction, no droning on and on and on, no BS. I wish other Ham RUclipsrs would watch this and take note. Thank you House of Ham!
I have them both, and I’m very satisfied. Fortunately I live near a fantastic repeater, and am able to talk for hundreds of miles, on GMRS. I can’t wait to use them when I get my Technician’s license !
Great review. I purchased a pair of these on the non-ham freq. I think there is a repeater in the next town about 25 miles away. I'm in Florida east coast so its flat everywhere. I used to be a ham ( advanced lic ) but lost interest and lic expired KA4FLA, cool for living in Florida. You are easy to understand and spoke in clear concise manner which along with the expert analysis made this video very useful. Do you have any suggestions for a base station antenna? Basically all this hand held radio stuff started when I became interested in being a middle of the road prepper. Every person in the local militia has to have access to a radio to cover short city block distances. Thanks again, Ted in Sebastian, Fl.
If you travel like I do, the bluetooth programming via the ODmaster app is super easy for programming in local repeaters. Very easy to do with my Android phone. Used to do it via Chirp and laptop while on the go...not necessary and much easier this way. Cool review...I bought two of these and really like them so far.
ODMaster is convenient. The database of repeaters isn't the most up to date but I agree that the ability to have different configs/code plugs saved is a real benefit.
Thanks! One of my goals going into the RUclips realm was to give a different perspective to the others. I appreciate the diversity of content on a particular item when doing research.
It checks many boxes for me for an HT but from what I have seen from other YTers on the spurious emissions, I just can't go down that road. If they fix that, I am in for two right away - one for ham and one for gmrs. Rats. Good video, thanks.
If you want assurance of a spectrally clean radio, stay clear of the Chinese radios and go with one of the Japanese makes. You will spend more but you are paying for quality.
I watched a different RUclips video regarding spectral anomalies and he demonstrated on a scope so viewers could see. It showed the thresholds the FAA requires and the "improved" Tiradio td-h3 didn't cross over any of them, came close in two harmonics. It kinda kissed them but not over. I know that is a different radio than we are discussing here but its representative of low priced HTs I would think, I may be wrong.
Was going to jump at the H8 for the additional Output but as you stated, 10W near my 'Potato' just might not be a good idea. One question, do you know if a typical Baofeng Speaker/Mic fits these Jacks on the side of the H3? Good Review...thanks!
Great summary video. I just received one of these this morning, so your video is very timely. Is it perfect? No. Is it a great evolution to the cheap, throw away chinese radios? Yes. Is it better than a UV-5r ? Yes. At $18 versus $35 I would still spend the extra for the better interface (usually dual batteries) and the USB-C ports. Honestly the USB-C ports are worth the extra $$ alone over the UV-5r.
I think the TD H3 a great radio on 2m, 1.25m & 70cm. Sensitivity and audio are great. However, I find the Aircraft band seems to clip audio on stronger signals. The more costly RadTel RT490 has perfect Airband audio.
Agreed. The air band is tricky due to it being AM and putting that into a small handheld that wasn't really designed for it. I doubt they included AGC since FM doesn't need it.
Looks like a great radio, but the 6-character channel naming limitation is a deal breaker for me. I don't know why these manufacturers won't allow enough room for a repeater's Callsign/Name and location (e.g. "Shaw725 Shaw Butte"), or maybe something even a little longer. They've got that nice-sized display to work with, so why not make it more useful?
If you can switch your H 3 from Ham to GMRS why do they ( Amazon ) show a H 3 Ham model and a H 3 GMRS model? also the Ham model is a couple dollars less. Thank you in advance.
Bricked it using baufeng data cable during upgrade. It didn't brick it using usb but didnt work for upgrade either. It say using the right fable s hould still upgrade it but we will see
My 1st H3 went out in flames while charging, replacement radio doesn't transmit at all. TID refusing to send the replacement, advising me to put the battery of replacement radio to 1st radio (one that burned out in flames LOL). Tragi-Comedy...
@@houseofhamradio Beyond belief. I guess I was extremely unlucky. I was shocked by some negative, even insulting , and in some cases horrible comments on TID Facebook groups where I shared my experience, I had no idea people can be so extremely mean. I guess those were TIDRADIO employees because they actually joined the group the day I posted the comment, just to be able to mock me and make ME look bad. Also I was shocked by the comments from older group members, who are for sure TIDRADIO affiliates, and they went a great lengths to prevent other people to see my comment, to the extent that I was blocked from both Facebook groups. That confirms how badly TIDRADIO doesn't want the people to hear the truth, at least mine, about their H3 and their customer service. TIDRADIO official blocked me as well btw, unbelievable. My entire house could have ended up in flames if I wasn't there to put out the fire when I felt burning plastic smell...
There’s something a bit “odd” about these batteries. I’m working on it on my review. The charging base is nothing but a basic Op-Amp current limiting circuit which clamps to 5V 1A, then the battery has its own clamp and current limiting arrangement to 500mA as far as I’ve determined. They’re using the same “trick” as the Baofeng UV25 where everything is routed via the on-battery charging circuit so what that charging base proves I’ve no idea. Good news is that capacity wise they’re spot on to 2500mA but I’m a bit suspicious after my initial testing as to how well thought out the charging arrangement is. The H8 has a “fake” thermistor pin to really add insult to injury…
TIDRadio if you're listening, stop selling radios with spurious emissions! Improve your quality and pay your workers a reasonable wage. Then charge more for your products! If the H3 was excellent quality, I'm sure most people would be happy to pay $100 for it. Stop trying to cut costs... Improve quality!
This video is a model for succinctness, candor, informativeness (is that a word?). No 3 minute musical extravaganza introduction, no droning on and on and on, no BS. I wish other Ham RUclipsrs would watch this and take note. Thank you House of Ham!
You are too kind. Thanks for the feedback.
I have them both, and I’m very satisfied. Fortunately I live near a fantastic repeater, and am able to talk for hundreds of miles, on GMRS. I can’t wait to use them when I get my Technician’s license !
That’s great to hear!
You’re the first reviewer to tell me which channels the NOAA were programmed to :).
happy to help
I like your delivery method and plain talk. I purchased an H3 (hasn't arrived yet) based on this video ! Thanks !
I hope it works out for you.
Great review. I purchased a pair of these on the non-ham freq. I think there is a repeater in the next town about 25 miles away. I'm in Florida east coast so its flat everywhere. I used to be a ham ( advanced lic ) but lost interest and lic expired KA4FLA, cool for living in Florida. You are easy to understand and spoke in clear concise manner which along with the expert analysis made this video very useful. Do you have any suggestions for a base station antenna? Basically all this hand held radio stuff started when I became interested in being a middle of the road prepper. Every person in the local militia has to have access to a radio to cover short city block distances. Thanks again, Ted in Sebastian, Fl.
Not sure on base antennas for your situation. I am mostly an HG guy and don’t have a base antenna set up. When I did, it was a homebrew J-Pole.
I have two H3's and two H8's. I thought the H8's would be better, but I prefer the H3's for EDC. Thanks for the video. ;)
I agree. I like the H3 better too.
If you travel like I do, the bluetooth programming via the ODmaster app is super easy for programming in local repeaters. Very easy to do with my Android phone. Used to do it via Chirp and laptop while on the go...not necessary and much easier this way.
Cool review...I bought two of these and really like them so far.
ODMaster is convenient. The database of repeaters isn't the most up to date but I agree that the ability to have different configs/code plugs saved is a real benefit.
I have 3 of them. They are fantastic.
Thanks for the comment. I find most of the Chinese HTs to be hit or miss even within the same product line. Glad you got good ones.
Totally different style to mine but kudos mate - I see where you’re going here! Subbed!
Thanks! One of my goals going into the RUclips realm was to give a different perspective to the others. I appreciate the diversity of content on a particular item when doing research.
It checks many boxes for me for an HT but from what I have seen from other YTers on the spurious emissions, I just can't go down that road. If they fix that, I am in for two right away - one for ham and one for gmrs. Rats.
Good video, thanks.
If you want assurance of a spectrally clean radio, stay clear of the Chinese radios and go with one of the Japanese makes. You will spend more but you are paying for quality.
I watched a different RUclips video regarding spectral anomalies and he demonstrated on a scope so viewers could see. It showed the thresholds the FAA requires and the "improved" Tiradio td-h3 didn't cross over any of them, came close in two harmonics. It kinda kissed them but not over. I know that is a different radio than we are discussing here but its representative of low priced HTs I would think, I may be wrong.
Was going to jump at the H8 for the additional Output but as you stated, 10W near my 'Potato' just might not be a good idea. One question, do you know if a typical Baofeng Speaker/Mic fits these Jacks on the side of the H3? Good Review...thanks!
Yes, it uses the same Kenwood style mic/speaker connector as a baofeng
Great summary video. I just received one of these this morning, so your video is very timely. Is it perfect? No. Is it a great evolution to the cheap, throw away chinese radios? Yes. Is it better than a UV-5r ? Yes. At $18 versus $35 I would still spend the extra for the better interface (usually dual batteries) and the USB-C ports. Honestly the USB-C ports are worth the extra $$ alone over the UV-5r.
Well put. It all is a matter of perspective.
Will the ambree antennas work with this
Not sure but if the antenna has a female SMA, it should.
@@houseofhamradio yes it does!
I think the TD H3 a great radio on 2m, 1.25m & 70cm. Sensitivity and audio are great. However, I find the Aircraft band seems to clip audio on stronger signals. The more costly RadTel RT490 has perfect Airband audio.
Agreed. The air band is tricky due to it being AM and putting that into a small handheld that wasn't really designed for it. I doubt they included AGC since FM doesn't need it.
Perfect review. I have 3 of these.
Thanks
Thanks for a no nonsense review.
Thanks for watching!
Excellent to the point review!
Thank you for the kind words.
Looks like a great radio, but the 6-character channel naming limitation is a deal breaker for me. I don't know why these manufacturers won't allow enough room for a repeater's Callsign/Name and location (e.g. "Shaw725 Shaw Butte"), or maybe something even a little longer. They've got that nice-sized display to work with, so why not make it more useful?
That is kind of an odd restriction.
Great review!
Thanks!
I'm not saying it's better, but I bought the talkpod a36 plus and am having very good luck with it. The h3 does have more options though.
Review for new 8W version of A36+ is dropping today. Personally, I think I like the H3 better but both are good.
If you can switch your H 3 from Ham to GMRS why do they ( Amazon ) show a H 3 Ham model and a H 3 GMRS model? also the Ham model is a couple dollars less. Thank you in advance.
As far as. Know the hardware is identical and it is how it is configured and marketed.
Great ham radio channel and I may just nibble at the bait here. Have fun in FD24 73. KT1R
Hope you had a great field day. Didn't participate this year.
Usb - C charging is pretty handy.
totally agree
Does this radio receive UHF AM aircraft band? I know it receives VHF and some radios will receive the UHF aircraft band but not AM.
As far as I know, it will only receive VHF Air band on AM.
Bricked it using baufeng data cable during upgrade. It didn't brick it using usb but didnt work for upgrade either. It say using the right fable s hould still upgrade it but we will see
best of luck. I have only used USB-C cable but didn't do firmware update.
The antenne is bad, SWR 3 to 7 on all fréquences.
Wich cheap antenna can i buy to operate on UHF to replace the factory one ?
SignalStuff Signal Sticks are probably the best for the buck. About $20 and get nothing but good press.
i dont want 10 watts to the dome either haha
Just not a good idea IMHO
My 1st H3 went out in flames while charging, replacement radio doesn't transmit at all. TID refusing to send the replacement, advising me to put the battery of replacement radio to 1st radio (one that burned out in flames LOL). Tragi-Comedy...
WOW! I hope you sustained no other damage from that.
@@houseofhamradio Beyond belief. I guess I was extremely unlucky. I was shocked by some negative, even insulting , and in some cases horrible comments on TID Facebook groups where I shared my experience, I had no idea people can be so extremely mean. I guess those were TIDRADIO employees because they actually joined the group the day I posted the comment, just to be able to mock me and make ME look bad. Also I was shocked by the comments from older group members, who are for sure TIDRADIO affiliates, and they went a great lengths to prevent other people to see my comment, to the extent that I was blocked from both Facebook groups.
That confirms how badly TIDRADIO doesn't want the people to hear the truth, at least mine, about their H3 and their customer service.
TIDRADIO official blocked me as well btw, unbelievable.
My entire house could have ended up in flames if I wasn't there to put out the fire when I felt burning plastic smell...
There’s something a bit “odd” about these batteries. I’m working on it on my review.
The charging base is nothing but a basic Op-Amp current limiting circuit which clamps to 5V 1A, then the battery has its own clamp and current limiting arrangement to 500mA as far as I’ve determined.
They’re using the same “trick” as the Baofeng UV25 where everything is routed via the on-battery charging circuit so what that charging base proves I’ve no idea.
Good news is that capacity wise they’re spot on to 2500mA but I’m a bit suspicious after my initial testing as to how well thought out the charging arrangement is.
The H8 has a “fake” thermistor pin to really add insult to injury…
TIDRadio if you're listening, stop selling radios with spurious emissions! Improve your quality and pay your workers a reasonable wage. Then charge more for your products! If the H3 was excellent quality, I'm sure most people would be happy to pay $100 for it. Stop trying to cut costs... Improve quality!
Thanks for the comment. Couldn't agree more.
Yep. Also they need to stop selling batteries going in flames while charging, and H3 radios that do not TRANSMIT.