TIDRadio H8 Dilemma: Will the newest firmware finally solve it?

No video

TIDRadio H8 Dilemma: Will the newest firmware finally solve it?

Рет қаралды 1,167

9 ай бұрын

Let's take a look at the TIDRadio H8, and put it on the Truth Detector (aka the Rigol Spectrum Analyzer). This radio has been thru several iterations, various firmware updates, and battery changes. This is the first one I've had my hands on. One of the most important things I look for in a radio, is how clean does it transmit.
According to CFR 97.307 (e) - the FCC sets the standards for HT power between 30-220Mhz.
Affiliate Links Below -
TIDRadio H8 - amzn.to/3MucWwj
Rigol DSA-815 TG Spectrum Analyzer - amzn.to/3FOOmT3
FULL DISCLOSURE - This radio was sent to us at Coffee and Ham Radios, for our evaluation, with no expectations of a specific video review. I'm dropping the video here, and my opinions are my own!
Click the 👍 Like Button, 🤡 Leave a Comment, ❤️ Subscribe
👉 Support The Channel 👈
❤️ Patreon: / feplabsradio
📺 KZfaq Memberships: / feplabsradio
Either membership option gets you access to our monthly support live Zoom call, with TheSmokinApe, TO, Chuck, and myself.
It also gets you access to our exclusive supporters chat in TOADS Discord!
👉 Fun Stuff 👈
👉 TOADs Discord: / discord
🕊️ Twitter: / thejimperry
Check out these other great channels!
🗿 Temporarily Offline: / temporarilyof. .
🦍 TheSmokinApe: / thesmokinape
🔥 KK6USY Ham Radio Adventures: / kk6usyhamra. .

Пікірлер: 27

@Gruuvin1 7 ай бұрын

Does TIDRADIO post release change notes for these firmwares? I just purchased my H8, and it has revision 230911. I haven't seen change notes published anywhere. I would like to know what has been updated in version 230923, and determine if I want to upgrade the firmware. One thing I wish they would fix in the firmware is to make the MONITOR function as a toggle when you press the button, instead of as a momentary action that stops monitoring when releasing the button (monitor just opens/removes the squelch).

@FEPLabsRadio 6 ай бұрын

I hadn't seen a lot of release notes. In fact, finding upgraded firmware is a treasure hunt. I know you can change modes on it with some power-on key combinations.

@K5QBF 8 ай бұрын

Hmm, I thought that the rule did not apply over 220mhz? I just assumed that if a harmonic is over 220mhz it wouldn't be considered a fail.

@FEPLabsRadio 8 ай бұрын

It covers up to 225 - above 225 it's the wild west.

@HOAHamRadio 9 ай бұрын

Thanks Jim for putting the work into this for the rest of us.... This isn't as difficult as the manufactures are making it; I'm puzzled.

@AppleUser 5 ай бұрын

"The Device is not open". what does this mean? I can't update the firmware because it keeps saying that. yes, I selected the COM port.

@FEPLabsRadio 5 ай бұрын

Without looking at it, I'd guess a driver problem, or (this is common) the cable is not quite in all the way.

@HamRadioDX 9 ай бұрын

Great job Jim!

@matthewkitchen5425 7 ай бұрын

Is there anyway to use an oscilloscope like a Hantek DSO2D15 using the FFT to check a radio like this?

@FEPLabsRadio 6 ай бұрын

Absolutely - mostly. The limiting factor is bandwidth. For HF frequencies, it will pretty well do the job. At VHF/UHF, it is going to attenuate the signal down because that's a 150Mhz scope, and you're gonna be pushing the limit pretty hard. It should still show you harmonics, but you will need to take into account how much attenuation you use from the radio to the scope, and I don't know if the FFT on the hantek let's you input that. You won't blow it up, but I would put a 30db attenuator on the output of the radio.

@Aaron43618 9 ай бұрын

Did you test it after switching versions? I have tested the H8 ham version before. If I switch the version, there will be spurious harmonics. But if I don't switch, I won't have this problem.

@FEPLabsRadio 8 ай бұрын

Aaron, I only have the ham version of the radio. Technically, there are no real emission standards for GMRS except power output related stuff. At 225 and below, the FCC is pretty specific about harmonics and spurious emissions.

@LeeMcc_KI5YPR 9 ай бұрын

As a guy who has been in many anechoic chambers for FCC Part 15 testing and had to make expensive hardware changes for 2 dB, I am aghast at Tidradio's failure. As a ham who knows 2 dB is a fraction of an s-unit, I am 🤷🏻. If it has a cool, unique feature, I would get it.

@FEPLabsRadio 8 ай бұрын

I know, and it pains me sometimes, but I look at it as a pass/fail, based on the rule. This one is sooooo close....

@KK6USYHamRadioAdventures 9 ай бұрын

Nice job Jim pretty close though!

@FEPLabsRadio 8 ай бұрын

So close!

@temporarilyoffline 9 ай бұрын

They Can't Even.

@WECB640 9 ай бұрын

Without using very complex feedback (like Flex does in their "Pure Signal" technology), NO firmware update can fix an improperly filtered final output. That is always done with a properly designed low pass filter on the output. FULL STOP! Thank you Jim for CONTINUING to expose these bad radios! 73 OM

@Hamradioman 9 ай бұрын

I got the H8 last week and it works great

@FEPLabsRadio 8 ай бұрын

Sigh. Dude, you missed the point of the video. Yeah, it has a nice feature set, and it "works", as long as your definition of work doesn't include "violate FCC rules every time you key up".

@kjbathe 6 ай бұрын

Sigh. Change the frequency and test again. Grab a second handset and test again. Figure out if this is a one off or consistent condition. Or do you only want failures? 🙄

@TheSmokinApe 9 ай бұрын

They are steering the ship in the right direction but it’s still a little off course 😮

@Aaron43618 9 ай бұрын

Hello Ape, after watching your previous videos, I exchanged the H8 from Amazon and got a new H8 with no harmonic spur. You did a good job!

@W4TRI 9 ай бұрын

You can't fix stupid. This goes for radio makers. Great video but I'll still never do this or Talkpod.

@45auto 9 ай бұрын

Why on earth would these manufacturers not test their own products for spectral purity? Instead, they send them to KZfaqrs that reach thousands (hundreds of thousands in some cases) to test the products and reveal any failures to a huge segment of the market. What a way to ruin your company's reputation.

@kubectlgetpo 8 ай бұрын

Because we all keep these cheap Asian companies in business by purchasing their radios.

@FEPLabsRadio 8 ай бұрын

I really think they may test a "reference model" or prototype, get it to pass, then start mass manufacturing with lesser components. I just can't see how any of these TID radios ever passed a real test.