My Current hand held Radios

So a short post on what Hand Held Ham Radios (HT’s) I own and what I use them for:

Ham Radios

Yaesu FT5DR

The FT5DR is my current EDC radio. It supports various analog and digital modes, including System Fusion (C4FM) digital mode, allowing for a seamless transition between analog FM and digital voice and data transmission. It features a compact and lightweight design, making it convenient for portable use. Additionally, it offers advanced features such as dual-band operation, built-in GPS, APRS functionality, and extended battery life, enhancing its versatility and usefulness in various amateur radio applications.

I use this in my Bronco on trips broadcasting APRS and for talking in Fusion / Wires X talk groups. Bad news is that doing more than beaconing in APRS with this Radio is a bit of a pain given the keyboard limitations. I really wish they would have added an accessible TNC to pair with a phone or tablet to do a lot more with APRS.

Anytone D878 UV II Plus

Since DMR is opensource and my work ham club has a DMR Talkgroup, I had to get a DMR Radio. I ended up with the Anytone D878UVII Plus. Frankly its the current DMR standard bearer. It offers wideband reception, dual-band operation (VHF/UHF), and supports both analog and digital modes, including DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) and APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System).

I don’t carry it every day but its with me on trips. Plus I have it on in the home office with my hotspot for my company’s DMR Talkgroup.

Gigaparts Explorer QRZ-1 / TYT-UV88

The QRZ-1 is a simple dual band HT radio from Gigaparts. I got it for free when I passed my Technicians license. Its simple low cost and is in my HT go bag as a great backup radio to hand out to another operator should their HT die. I also am working on getting my Digi-Rig cable for it so I can do more packet radio work with it.

GMRS

Wouxun KG-UV9G Pro GMRS

The KG-UV9G is my lone GMRS radio that I bring along on overland trips. I’ don’t really use GMRS much beyond that and prefer to stay on the Ham Bands. One benefit of the GMRS radio is that it does operate with the FRS radios my family owns. Also the UV9G has a decent scanner (not the greatest but good enough) so I sometimes just set the radio on the side and let it scan various frequencies.

USB-C

Each of these radios have different batteries and connectivity options. Which means a lot of dongles and charge cords to bring along. The good news is that the ham radio industry has taken notice and a lot of the newer radios are coming out with USB-C options for both connectivity and charging. Now I can’t change the connectivity options of my current radios but I have been able to change the charging options.

Almost all of the above radios now have batteries available that include a USB-C charge port. This means one cord can charge all of my radios no more hauling around the various charging cradles. This makes it really easy to charge in the field and reduces what I have to pack

The lone exception here is hte Yaesu FT5DR however there is a an adapter to connect a USB-C PD device to the radio directly and it will charge the battery. This is almost perfect in that the adapter is ver small and in expensive. I’ll list the batteries and adapter below for your reference.

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