The radio is loaded with bugs. Retevis is very slow with new firmware and CPS. Analog audio is distorted, radio reboots for no reason. No, it’s not due to high swr. It happens during receive. APRS doesn’t work. Building a codeplug is a nightmare due to the CPS deleting data, zones, and merging data into zones where you don’t want it. Mic doesn’t have up and down channel functionality or ability to control volume. Retevis doesn’t want to refund it. They want you to send it back the least expensive way possible which means no insurance. If it is lost or stolen you will receive 10 dollars since this is what Retevis want you to declare the value as. From the US it is appx. 43 dollars to return it to China uninsured and about 65 dollars with insurance. But, again, they won’t pay if you send it insured. I will not be buying another Retevis/Ailunce product based upon my experience.
The Retevis RT-73 seemed like a great idea-compact size, reasonable power, packed with features. As a very early adopter of DMR, I found this radio to be one of the worst units I've ever dealt with in terms of quality. The RT-73 I received arrived with the display mounted crooked and the following issues straight out of the box: high BER, dual RX does not function, database loads but does not display, buttons do not program correctly, DCDM not implemented correctly, corrupt CPS that will scramble other zones when adding new zones, etc. On top of that, the most recent firmware by Retevis that was supposed to correct the above faults actually killed communications with the CPS (yes, installed correctly and passed checksum test), rendering the radio useless as well as the radio now will not accept an older firmware version. Retevis offered a refund of my $208.05 for return of a unit that never worked with me responsible for return freight of $101.60 to China. Never again will I purchase anything from Retevis. Lesson learned & caveat emptor.
In my opinion, I have to disagree with previous posts. The only problem I had so far is the microphone, intermittent ptt, so I am using one for an HT, it works great. Good audio reports using a hotspot. Good radio for the money.
This radio has essential mal and disfunctions A radio, which has no reliable RX, is a piece of junk, see and CPS has big issues e.g set TOT to off factory reset is not working here is the FB group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1536709219852223 where you can see more issues, also in the Kydera group https://kydera-ham.boards.net The best in KYdera group is a workaround from Dave for the antediluvian CPS. And the German reseller writes here https://www.dd1go.de/retevis-rt73-mobilfunk-mit-dmr/#comment-7434 we should be happy grateful and those who have problems do not have an elementary school certificate and problems with reading. So nice supporter....
Use it a while and whatch the issues, you will find a lot of them, but many you cant reporduce, IMHO due to the bad coding of the CPS, this software overwrites internal registers
Hmh, Retevis RT3 with the firmware hack is still a good radio, also my RT90 I am satisfied with. But this 2 radios seem to be a co-work Tytera and Retevis. This radio was/is launched by Kydera as GD 300, now it seems that Kydera dont develop firmware and codeplug any more and Retevis tries to make it better. The CPS is awful and the firmware also, the radio is advertised with built in GPS, but its useless, and when asking the seller, see above, he answers, we should be happy and its a wonder, what Chineese technican are producing, we should be grateful. I am wondering what Chineese are producing in 2020!!! other companies as Anytone made it better.
