Review TIDRADIO TD-H8

General Description

The TIDRADIO TD-H8 is a 199 channel handheld that comes in 2 formats. The TDH8 GMRS and the TDH8 Ham version. Unlike many transceivers that boast Extra Power, the Ham version handheld will actually produce the 10 Watts advertised.

In the Box

The TD-H8 is comes with the following:

- TIDRADIO TD-H8 Handheld
- Charger / AC Adapter
- 2500 mAh Li-Po Battery
- Antenna
- Belt Clip & Lanyard
- User Manual
- Antenna 6"

FCC ID: 2AWL3-TDH8GMRS

2nd Generation Additions

- Power Level Upgrade
     Mid power now 5W, Low power now 2W
- Bluetooth program capability
     Using a BL1 Programmer
- Custom Boot Icon
     A customized boot icon can be added
- Microphone gain
     Gain control added (0-32)
- Standby LED
     Green LED can be set to flash when in standby mode

A detailed list can be found at TDH8 Gen 2.doc

Enclosure

The TD-H8 weighs in at 10.6oz (.30 kg)
Case size is 5.0" (H) x 1.5" (D) x 2.4 (W)" (127 x 38 x 61 mm)

The keypad functions include MENU/EXIT, Scan, Key Lock along with various menu selections. Above the keypad are 3 buttons allowing you to switch MR/VFO, A/B, and activate Bluetooth programming.

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The red button on the top is used for sending an alarm signal.
The 2 buttons below the PTT are programmable keys for selecting:
- FM radio
- Lamp
- Tone
- Alarm
- Weather
- Power Level
- Monitor (open squelch)

Transmitter

The audio quality is very good when speaking about 1" across the front of the radio. Power levels were right at the advertised rating of 10W. The power levels below were taken a calibrated Bird Wattmeter.

TD-H8 Ham	High	Med	Low
VHF	10.5	3.2	0.7
UHF	9.8	4.3	0.7

Receiver

Receiver sensitivity is very good with plenty of loud audio. A press of the side button activates the FM broadcast radio which stays active until activity is detected on the main channel. When the received signal disappears, the FM broadcast station will return after 5 seconds.

A Long Press of the scan key activates the scan mode with a speed of approximately 5 channels per second.

Display

The 1.7" LCD has excellent resolution . The channel name supports up to 8 characters.
Here are display samples.

Programming

The TD-H8 can be programmed in a variety of ways. Of course there is always manual programming, but along with the Factory Software the radio can also be programmed using CHIRP.

If you do not have a computer handy, TIDRADIO also has a recently introduced BL-1 Bluetooth Programmer which has apps for both Android and iOS.

Programming Cable

The required cable uses a UART chip in the USB connector. The proper drivers for this cable should load automatically. The connector is a standard K1 so standard accessories are compatible.

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Batteries

The new 2nd Generation batteries batteries are 2500mAh and include USB-C type charging capability as well as the traditional desk charger.

Charger

The Charger and AC adapter are included. The charge indicator shows Red while charging and Green when charge complete.

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Frequency Ranges of the TD-H8

There are two distinct frequency ranges for the TD-H8 series. Each has 199 channels available. The software for these radios can be found at the TIDRADIO Support Site.

TD-H8 GMRS (US)

Channels
1-7 15-30	Wide / Narrow
8-14	Narrowband
31-188	GMRS Receive only
189-199	NOAA Receive

TH-H8 HAM (US)

1-188	Rx = 136-174 400-520 MHz
	Tx = 144-148 420-450 MHz
189-199	NOAA Receive

     For Outside US only

There is a third option available for stations operating outside the US.
The firmware and software can also be found on the TIDRADIO Support site which allows full operation in the frequency range of 136-174 and 400-520 MHz.

In Summary

Both TIDRADIO radios (GMRS & Ham) are solidly built handhelds. The Ham version will produce a solid 10W power output. Both versions are supported by CHIRP and use a standard Kenwood / Baofeng K1 style programming cable.

Both are available on Amazon:
      TIDRADIO TD-H8 (HAM)
      TIDRADIO TD-H8 (GMRS)

Note: Some packages include extra accessories.
Such as 2 batteries, 2 antennas, Spkr/Micr