We like using versatile GMRS radios made by Baofeng/Btech for camping and exploring, so we were excited to try the Btech GMRS-V2 handheld, which was promised to be “weatherproof”. Having a GMRS handheld that’s water resistant is a big plus for us since one situation we use them for is keeping in touch with camp while kayak fishing. We tested the Btech GMRS-V2 handheld out over a period of two weeks in outdoor settings, including exposing it to some pretty hard rainfall. How did it hold up? Not quite as well as expected, but we’ll get to that later.
We did not receive any compensation or free radios for this review.*
Unboxing and Initial Setup of The Btech GMRS-V2
We already owned a Baofeng UV-9G (same company) and were looking for a slightly smaller, pocket friendly GMRS handheld that was also water resistant. Our initial, side-by-side comparison of the Btech GMRS-V2 vs. the Baofeng UV-9G was that it was about half an inch slimmer and about 1/3 lighter. The antenna on the Btech GMRS-V2 is one inch shorter than the Baofeng UV-9G.
The radio comes with a charging base, belt clip, hands-free earpiece, lanyard and manual. Below is a photo showing the size difference between the Btech V-2 vs. Baofeng UV-9G and the difference in chargers. One disappointment was that we couldn’t use our UV-9G charger for the Btech V2.
Setting Up The Btech GMRS-V2 Handheld
After charging the radio for a few hours we powered it on and were greeted with welcome voice message and a loud beep. To disable these, we pressed menu and used the channel up/down keys to scroll until we found “Voice”, pressed menu once more, then channel up or down to toggle it off. We followed the same steps to disable both “Roger” and “Beep” and to set our squelch at “1”. You’ll most likely want to set Power on high and VOX off. Some users may find the double PTT button function confusing (when set to DB-PTT you have two separate push to talk buttons, one for the upper and lower channels displayed. We don’t use this, so we disabled it as well.
The V-2’s manual was easy to read and can also be found at Baofeng Tech’s website here.
Programming the Btech V-2 With Chirp
Using the Chirp programming software – which you can download from the same link above – we programmed our local repeater’s tones, plus added in a custom simplex channel with tone squelch that we sometimes use where there’s a lot of FRS radio interference. Below is a screenshot of programming the Btech V-2 with Chirp software.
With our Nissei SWR/Power meter we gave it a quick bench test and the V2 showed to be putting out around 4.7 watts, with 1.1 SWR into the antenna.
Field Testing The Btech V-2
Our unscientific field testing of the Btech V-2 GMRS involved taking it on a camping trip to Granger Lake, near Austin, TX. On the drive out to the lake we connected to a local GMRS repeater and got a good signal report from another GMRS user. The farthest distance at which we talked handset to handset was when out kayaking and calling back to the campsite, 3.5 miles away and we had excellent reception. Update: We just tried handheld to handheld with a friend who lives 7 miles away – worked!
Dual PTT – Great For Those Who Need It
Most people don’t really need a GMRS handheld with a dual PTT (push to talk) button and dual channel watch. Where these come in handy are when you’re actively using two channels. An example would be if you’re talking to someone on channel 16 through a repeater and want to try reaching them directly via simplex on the same channel. Another would be if you’re keeping in touch with different groups on different channels. Most of the time though, we keep our V2’s dual PTT on the same channel, or disable it, to keep things simple.
Caught in the Rain
Shortly after talking to camp, we got caught in a heavy downpour that soaked our clothes. The GMRS-V2 was sitting out in the open in a mesh pouch behind the kayak’s seat and it got all the rain that was pouring off the back of our jacket as we paddled furiously back to the dock. Maybe we should have listened to the radio’s built in NOAA weather channels first?
Below is a photo of what the radio looked like when we got back to camp, with water clearly having entered the LCD display.
Btech GMRS-V2 is Not Waterproof
The IP54 rating is the second to lowest overall protection rating and really is more for dust resistance than waterproofing. At this rating the radio should handle “splashing of water from any angle”, just apparently not being drenched by heavy rain, as we sadly found out. On a positive note, after taking out the battery and removing the antenna and port covers and drying in the hot sun for a couple hours, the water drained out and the radio seems OK for now, although we don’t know if there was any lasting corrosion or water damage we couldn’t see.
We really can’t fault this Btech radio for failing to withstand a heavy rainstorm. The GMRS-V2 was never advertised as being waterproof and our exposing it to a heavy, driving rain was simply outside of the IP54 rating’s ability to protect the inside electronics.
Pros of Btech GMRS-V2
- Lightweight, feels good in pocket
- Easy to program with Chirp
- Custom simplex and repeater channel options
- Keys are backlit and color changeable
- Has Dual Watch and Dual PTT Buttons (Like having 2 radios in one).
Cons of Btech GMRS-V2
- Not very water resistant
- Can’t use same charger base as other Baofengs (UV-9G)
- Costs slightly more than UV-9G
Would We Buy The Btech GMRS-V2 Again?
After seeing how easily the V2 was damaged by water we’ll probably give it a pass next time. If we need to use a GMRS handheld while out kayaking, we’ll probably take our Baofeng UV-9G along, which has IP67 waterproofing. This rating means it can be submerged at a depth of one meter for thirty minutes with no damage.
Another thing we didn’t like about the GMRS-V2 is that it uses a different charging base (seen in photo above) than our Baofeng UV-9G (see our review of that radio) When camping, we don’t like to carry multiple radio chargers and already have a USB charger for the UV-9G. While our UV-9G is heavier, it’s $20 cheaper and waterproof.
A similar radio, the Baofeng GM-15 – which we just purchased, is USB-C chargeable and is about same size and durability, so we’ll probably carry it instead of a V2 for activities that don’t involve heavy H20 exposure. You can see our review of the Baofeng GM-15 for more info about that model. For those who like to keep things simple, the Retevis RB27 is a full featured handheld with basic controls (no keypad) and a lock button, which is good to have when carrying in-pocket. (We’ll have a full review of that radio soon.)
- GMRS 2-Way Radios - The GMRS-V2 Features 200 Customizable Channels that can be...
- Customizable - Quickly add any GMRS/NOAA Channels/Scanner Channels to any...
- Feature Packed - Nuisance Channel Scan Skip, Display Sync, FM Radio, NOAA Radio,...
- Kit Includes: GMRS-V2 Radio, 1800mAh Battery, V-85 Dual Band Antenna, CH-8...
- BTECH is proud to be in the USA, which allows you to have the best available...
Caution About High-Gain GMRS Antennas For BTECH/Baofeng Handhelds
Just a side note – We purchased an $8 ABBREE AR-771 “extended range” antenna measuring 15″ to see if it would boost range, which it didn’t. The stock antenna has a perfect SWR reading of 1.1, but the AR-771 had a SWR reading of 2.0 on GMRS channels – not so good.
Many add-on, range-boosting antennas for GMRS handhelds aren’t tuned specifically for those channels and some can even damage your radio. We sent the other back and got a couple 5.5″ Nagoya NA-701G antennas, which are tuned for 462 MHz GMRS channels. Having seen how well they work we now use them on most of our handhelds. For longer range, the 15″ Nagoya NA-771G works slightly better, but isn’t as practical for everyday carry.
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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