Not everyone in our family needs to have a GMRS handheld with a DTMF keypad, as most of our Baofengs have, which is why we purchased the Retevis RB27 handheld. There are a lot of things we really liked about this little radio, plus a few downsides we’ll discuss later.
Unboxing and Setup of the Retevis RB27
The first thing we noticed when unboxing the handheld was that the antenna was already attached. The ad stated that the antenna was non-removable, which I suspect is to satisfy FCC rules prohibiting handhelds from having a removable antenna if they have low power channels 8-14. The antenna is definitely removable and features an RP-SMA female on the radio, which is the exact opposite of the RP-SMA male that our Baofeng UV-9G has.
We tried a quick test using channel 16 and our other handheld, but found that all of the channels on the RB27 have either CTCSS (tone squelch) or DCS (Digital Coded Squelch) enabled. In order for your RB27 to talk to other GMRS radios you must either remove the CTCSS or DCS code on the receive end, or program the other radio to transmit that code.
No Programming Cable or Chirp Support for Retevis RB27, Radio is Not Listed on Retevis Website!
We noticed there was no programming cable or disk that came with the RB27. We tried our Baofeng UV-9G’s programming cable on the side port and it sort of fits, but doesn’t snap all the way in. We checked Chirp webpage to see if the radio might be supported but it’s not yet. No programming cable for the Retevis RB27 is found on the company’s website and the radio isn’t listed on the website anymore, despite being for sale on Amazon.
Manually Programming the Radio
Manual programming of the RB27 is fairly straightforward, with all functions accessed through the Menu key, with channel up and down buttons used to scroll through the items. When you get to an item you want to change, press Menu again to select it, Channel up or down to choose, and Menu again to save. Removing the privacy tones for each channel was a pain, but we found we could hold the button down to scroll through all the numeric choices until “Off” was displayed.
We also noticed all channels were set to narrow-band, which we changed to wide-band for channels 1-7 and 15-22. We also disabled the voice prompt and key beep to preserve sanity while programming.
Range Test of Retevis RB27
We did our usual range test of the radio, nothing fancy, just trying a local repeater about 12 miles away, then calling a friend who lives 7 miles across town to “play radio” with us. On GMRS channel 16 we had no trouble talking on simplex and our chat on the repeater was with full quieting. The audio quality from the speaker was good, maybe even better than our Baofeng UV-9G, though that radio has IP67 waterproofing protecting the speaker.
Pros and Cons of the Retevis RB27
Pros
- USB C charging port
- Good size for pocket carry
- Repeater Capable, 5 watts
- Easy to use controls which can be locked.
- Affordable GMRS handheld (Under $40)
- FM broadcast band receive, built in flashlight and SOS signal.
Cons
- Programming cable and radio no longer listed on Retevis website.
- Not supported by Chirp programming
- Not waterproof
- Comes with all channels locked down with DCS/CTCSS codes
- Supporting documentation not listed on Retevis website.
BAOFENG GMRS Radio GM-15 Pro GMRS Handheld Radio NOAA...
- Professional GMRS Radio :GM-15PRO feature 250 memory channels，With 30 default...
- GMRS Repeater Capable and DIY CH Extended:GM-15PRO is also equipped with 24...
- NOAA Weather Alerts and Dual Band Scanning Receiving:With 11 NOAA...
- 2-Charging Methods Optional:Equippend with USB-C Charger Cable+US Charger +1Pack...
- Multifunctional Use:With SOS alarm, flashlight, VOX - Hands Free etc Practical...
- Professional GMRS Radio :GM-15PRO feature 250 memory channels，With 30 default...
- GMRS Repeater Capable and DIY CH Extended:GM-15PRO is also equipped with 24...
- NOAA Weather Alerts and Dual Band Scanning Receiving:With 11 NOAA...
- 2-Charging Methods Optional:Equippend with USB-C Charger Cable+US Charger +1Pack...
- Multifunctional Use:With SOS alarm, flashlight, VOX - Hands Free etc Practical...
The Bottom Line
The Retevis RB27 is a good little radio for those who don’t want as many buttons or features yet still need a 5 watt, repeater capable handheld. We liked that it’s USB C chargeable and that the charging base also can be plugged into a USB port. There is probably a programming cable for the RB27 somewhere out there, along with software, but we didn’t find it on the Retevis website, despite it apparently being there a short time ago.
We often travel to places that have different repeaters using various tones and like to program our handhelds for these before arriving, so having a radio that’s software programmable is nice to have. That lack of support on the Retevis website was the deal breaker for us. We’re sending ours back, but this is still a nice simple to use GMRS handheld for those people who aren’t picky about certain features. Our Baofeng GM-15 is very similar in size, but can be programmed with a cable. See our review of the GM-15 for more info.
What Did We Get Instead?
We ordered a Retevis RB23, an even simpler GMRS handheld with no display, just two knobs and a PTT button along with IP67 waterproofing. A review of the RB23 will be coming soon.
If you decide to get a GMRS radio make sure you get an FCC license, which is required to use these radios. A license only costs $35, requires no test and covers a family for 10 years.
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