TYT TH-UV88/Retevis RT85 vs. Baofeng UV-5R (Which is the best sub $50 Radio?) 

Have a bunch of UV5Rs of various flavors stashed all over the place. Years and years of UV5R in my life. It was really super cool to have a cheap, "do it all", radio. A younger me recommended them to all sorts of folks. Now I'm working to replace all of my "kit" UV5Rs with UV88s. A UV88 paired with the 3200mAh battery feels beefy in the hand. It doesn't feel like a toy! It is darn close to my old Motorola RDM20820/2080D radios I have for passing out to buddies at special events and staying legal. Those radios were $250 each back in the day! To outfit a UV88 with battery, NA-701, and speaker mic for less than $90 each is insane! The only, and I mean only, downside to the UV88 over the UV5R for a "prepper" type radio choice, is that you cannot buy the USB-DC barrel adapter to charge in the field that you can for the UV5R extended battery. So you lose that piece of mind. I did solve this by ordering a Retevis GM-30 battery, which it turns out is fully compatible, and offers a USB-C port in the bottom of the battery! So now I have that as my emergency backup battery in my kits sitting next to a USB battery bank. The quality of the Retevis clip and battery case material is slightly lesser than the TYT UV88, but it functions fine. I'm hopeful that someone will push the UV98 through to get it part certified for import into the US. I'm not overly interested in the additional power it claims to have, I just think the case looks nicer. Also interested in the UV8200 as a budget, analog, waterproof option, though it too isn't certified. UV88 is in fact the Baofeng killer. At least in this house!

I've been in amateur radio operator since 1989 and you and I have the same things in common I don't know if it's because we kind of understand radio but everything you talk about it's right on point awesome videos keep making them don't stop 🌞

I like your plain speaking, no frills approach.

My main reason for loving the UV88 over the UV5R is that I don't have to be delicate when I place it on the table. It just stand's up without teetering and falling over! Especially with the big battery on it. It thunks right on the table!

I’m on a tight budget and this review was eye-opening! How’s the Retevis’s transmit/receive versus the the FT65/FT4X? Cheers.

If you long press 0 on the UV5R the voltage appears 😊 thanks for your great channel 👍 PS: there is a 3200 mah battery for the Tyt/retevis. 73 OZ9ANT

How do I do that radio rest procedure that you talk about by 7:45 in the video?

Hello! Thanks for your work here! Can you tell me, please, does UV-6R works well with TYT MD-680?

I've been really enjoying your

Thanks for the information. I’ve never heard of Retevis (very new to the scanner world). My only hedge on trying either the Retevis or the TYT is that the clip screws into the battery.

I just learned that 1500mAh batteries for Baofeng UV-13 Pros fit and work in these radios (and have a USB-C charging port too.) I'm curious whether the Baofeng poor battery power retention is due to the Baofeng radios or due to their batteries. Ive read reviews of the Yaesu FT-70DR that say its battery discharges even with the radio turned off, maybe the 'fengs are that way too?

+1 on the battery latch on the UV5r. I just ordered a batch of latches to repair a handful of radios with broken latches.

A twin pack of RT85s is on sale for $9.99 on Amazon US. No cable included.

Thanks for the video!!! I have a UV-5R that does the job... I wish the Squelch was better..... but still, I got it for $25.00. Can't complain! By the way, what's the antenna on your UV-5R? thanks. 73s from KJ4BGW

Loving your approach and content so far, and glad to see you over 1K! Wondering if you've experienced this on a UV88 or RT85 - I have a UV88 that, for some reason, on at least one repeater channel, can clearly receive, but I don't hear anything unless I hold down the Monitor button under the PTT. So I can see a transmission coming in, but I can't hear it unless I hold down the button. I was considering getting a few more of this radio - same reasons as you - but this is a key repeater for me and part of our group comms chain. I can't not hear it. Any thoughts on this issue welcome. Thanks!

I think you bring up a lot of good and I certainly agree with you I can't argue about the price point you're right for a couple dollars more go with the one you really like 👍

I'm not sure about the Retevis, although it's probably the same, but field programming a repeater on the TYT UV88 is painful. Setting the offset correctly without Chirp and a computer is nearly impossible, especially on 70cm. My new favorite CCR is the Quansheng UVK5.

which have the best RX ?

Thanks, this was an awesome video. Ordered some RT87 since watching :)

Thanks for the helpful video. Can you point me to the frequency unlock instructions for the TYT?

Hi I'm Brazilian and I don't speak the English language, I was very confused about the video and the translation technologies didn't help much. Could you inform me objectively about the quality of the emission of the rt85, if it has spurious emissions as in the uv5r and if it is difficult to find antennas for the rt85?thanks in advance.

The cables are compatible. I use a bf cable to program my tyt and Kenwood.

I have one of the first UV5R that was out in the US. Still on the first battery and I can let it set for months and the battery will hold a charge

You and I have the same choices cuz I love TYT an RT87 the fact they both have an SMA connector the kind that I'm used to like iCom Kenwood yaesu 👍

i own a Cignus UV-87, a variant of the Retevis and TYT UV98,its a very good radio,costs me about 1500 Philippine Peso,or about $28 US. the only downside is its just 5 Watts,but that is ok with intended purpose

Which one is More rugged Feels better in the hand ,ye it not ft 60

Good review on these radio's. I'm a relatively new ham I have the TYT UV88 and I like it. Could recommend a decent for not a lot of money mobile radio 2M & 70 cm for my truck. reliable decent quality? Thank you

Bonjour la batteries du retevis rt85 et celle du TYT uv 88 sont elles compatibles ?

I have the RT 87 totally waterproof and I love out of all my I like it better than the yaesu because of the S Meter is bigger and I like the fact that I could drop it in water for 30 and it really works you have the 85 I hold onto it 👍🌞👍

Hello, could you let me know if the battery of the tyt th uv88 or the tyt th uv 98 would work on the retevis rt 85?

Why did you choose the older version of baofeng? How do you feel if you were to compare the uv-9R!?

Just a quick comment. I would recommend the TYT TH-UV88 since it lets you upgrade the firmware on the radio. There have been around 5 or 6 firmware updates since its release so far. I don't know if the Retevis will also work with the TYT firmware updater (since they are technically the same radio) or if the firmware update feature was removed from the Retevis. Just something to keep in mind 😊

I wish the GM30 & GM15 had the same firmware as the UV88. The only one I can actually dim the backlight. Plus it's quite feature rich. I like the C-DCS & C-CTCSS if there's no split tones.

That's why I like the RT 87 because of the SMA female 👍

If you want to get usb-c rechargeable batteries for these radios you can actually get radioddity GM-30 batteries.

i really had a huge hesitation, they are not the same. aesthetically the speaker grid of the TYT is kind of ugly, and looks firmer on the Retevis. Also the knob, that is more accessible for people with big hands. finally the branding. ReteVis looks more pro-ish than TYT. which sounds more like a toy brand. just kidding; they are both equally okay, i'll just slap a random decal on it, maybe a Kenwood/Panasonic/Yaesu/Band&Olufsen for max credz on it.

The Retevis has a 3200mAh battery available.

Saw this somewhere !!! CHINESE RADIO

See you got a counterfeit Nagoya antenna.

Fake Nagoya 771 on the UV-5R??

The TYT UV98 is the real same radio as the RT85, not the TYT UV88...

Hold the 0 (zero) key down to get the battery status on the Baofeng. As for looks - no accounting for taste - I agree the Retevis looks slightly better than the TYT - but the Baofeng looks better than both in my book. "Dated" sounds like a yuppie on HGTV... ;)