TIDRADIO TD-H3 GMRS Radio Handheld, USB-C Charging & Programming, Multi-Band Two Way Radios Long Range, NOAA FM AM, Copy Frequency, Rechargeable Walkie Talkies with 2500mAh Battery, 3 Pack-Black

I've had this less than a day but so far I like it a lot. I assume most people looking at this are familiar with Baofeng's offerings so I'll be making a few comments on the less obvious differences, but I can say this feels like a little step up from the ones I've used, and worth the money. Its smaller than I expected and fits nicely in my hand. Roughly the same size as a UV-5(R/G/etc) but slightly narrower and slightly fatter. Reception is as expected for a handheld, and the longer whip antenna in this kit is pretty nice. The standard rubber antenna isn't GMRS specific but at least its UHF instead of dual band like the Baofeng UV-5G. Some people report having high SWR from dual band antennas on GMRS frequencies but I don't have a way to test that yet. The audio + squelch seems a little better than the Baofeng (doesn't seem to cut in and out, but needs more testing) and this one has a cool if slightly confusing at first feature of dual PTT. The battery should also be a nice upgrade if you're transmitting a lot, and you can actually change saved channel settings from the menu (CTCSS, transmit power, etc). First thing though: throw the paper manual in the trash and get the one from tidradio's website. The paper one is weirdly translated in some parts, contradicts itself, and some parts seem to be written for an entirely different radio. But the online version fixes a lot of that. So far the only thing missing is a timed display brightness setting. I'd personally rather dim it and leave it on than have it completely turn off after a set time, so maybe that would be a nice feature for the next model. I saw some people online talking about issues with programming these but I had no issues setting everything up with CHIRP and my Baofeng cable. Edit 12-17-24: It's been a while since I got this and I'm still liking it. I got a Smiley Slim Duck and Mini Duck tuned for GMRS along with a tool to test the SWR, Slim is great right at 1.1 and Mini seems a little higher but acceptable around 1.5. The antennas that came with the radio have SWR around 1.2, no complaints there. The Mini seems to work about as well as the stock antenna on this or a Baofeng assuming physical height is the same, which is nice compared to other stubby antennas I've tried that are absolutely horrible if you want to transmit at all. To be honest I haven't used the whip much, not likely to put something that big on a handheld but I do keep it in my backpack since I usually have the Mini on the radio now. After using this for a while I can say I'm not the biggest fan of the shape. With the clip on it, it just feels too thick and a little awkward, but not a dealbreaker. I like everything else enough to get over it. The interface and features are nice. I've also recently installed the 3rd party UMod firmware which makes a few minor changes to the radio. Not really in the scope of this review to get into the details but I think it's pretty cool that it's available and easy to install. I haven't messed with air band at all but I have been listening in on VHF and UHF ham repeaters without issue. I found that it's even capable of listening down into the CB band which is a nice touch. Haven't picked anything up in the wild there but I did verify that my handheld CB can break squelch on it and come through clearly at short range. Really cool radio for a ~$35 kit.

The TD-H3 GMRS is a feature-packed, highly functional HT and constitutes a fantastic bargain at this price point. With the proper FCC license, the H3 GMRS can transmit GMRS simplex communications several miles and supports access to repeater systems. The audio quality is excellent. Even without a license, a hobbyist can use the TD-H3 as a scanner to receive FM, HAM, Weather, Trains, Public Service, Air Traffic, and more. The radio is compact, easy to take along with you, and it has excellent battery life. TIDRADIO also has fantastic customer support and stands behind its products. Unlike other brands, TIDRADIO continually updates firmware to add new features and improve the performance of its radios. This radio does not list an IP weather rating, which should be considered if you go out in extreme weather conditions. Just buy it, you will be glad that you did.

After having gone through 2 or 3 other handheld GMRS radios, I decided to pick one of these up after watching a number of YouTube guys hearlding how good it was. There's a lot of functionality packed in this little guy. It's pre-programmed with all the GMRS channels, including repeater channels, plus NOAA frequencies. That leaves you over 140 more channels to setup as you like. And speaking of setup, this radio could not be easier. With Bluetooth integrated, all you have to do is browse to ODMaster, create an account, select the phone type and pair it to your radio, all from your browser. From there you can configure all the settings on the radio, plus configure your customer channels. Honestly, it's a breeze. This radio includes Airband and FM radio as well, so that's a plus. I bought the clear model of this radio because it just looks different. I also considered the green one. I like that they have those two options because let's face it, too many radios are boring black. After trying out several GMRS radios, I've found one I can live with. The only downside I see to this radio, is it's size. It's really tiny. The lettering on the keys is hard to read, so you just have to memorize what the keys do. Great radio. Get it.

UPDATE: Going from 4 to 5 stars after a couple months of casual use. When I first got the radio, it worked just fine but I really did not prefer it over my other radios in use. However, now that I have got used to it, I have grown to love this little radio. It has a lot of great features that are useful without being overwhelming. It has also been performing above its price point on transmit and receiving ability. The Bluetooth programming didn’t interest me much early on as a CHIRP user but I have grown to enjoy using the Bluetooth and app to make programming changes. An unbeatable value for anyone needing a GMRS radio with a small form factor. I knew this was a smaller radio when I ordered it but was still shocked at just how small and compact it was when I opened it. The overall function has been great so far and it’s helpful to have such a small radio that can just slip into a pocket. The only con for me so far is the screen layout which is a little too cluttered in my opinion. I prefer the cleaner screen layout of my other radios. However, this having air band reception at this price point is a plus. A good radio overall so far.

This is the 13 TIME I have to return the same model Radio reason I keep getting these radios because I like them so much but after all this 13 times something’s not rightdo to the radios not transmitting Amazon is sending me replacements but do we know if they work or do not work we don’t know I guess we will find out tomorrow Sunday, September 21, 2025

It works well and for EDC...

This radio is very good it has some great features and the battery last all day if you listening or monitoring with it It has good clear sound and seams to have a good range Its easy to program you can do it with the cps,chirp and threw odmaster app on your phone with the radios blue tooth theres alot of features and its well worth the price I recommend this radio to anyone looking for a good gmrs radio with lots of features

Great little radio. I have used it daily since my purchase in April 2024. Allot of cominity suport for this radio. allot of features that no other radio has. I must for a GMRS operator, and for people like me are studdied for the HAM lisence. The Battery lasts for hours and hours. and days for just scanning. I live in the mountains and this radio from in my house reaches the repeaters that are miles fom me. My other Beofeng doesn't at all. The scann feature is a little slow. but works great none the less. This readio can be programmed with your phone and a free easy app. or from your pc. with or without Chirp.