Just bought the GS-5B from Amazon this morning after watching and reading various reviews. I need yet another HT like an additional hole in my head but I got sucked into the idea of programming the HT via the iPhone over Bluetooth.

After setting up the app on my iPhone, I attempted to throw in a few frequencies. The app is good, but more work is needed to polish it. At a glance it appears that the app provides a way to set up frequency ‘banks” but the Windows software doesn’t include the “banks” feature. More to come on the “bank” issue after I push the code plugs around. An obvious enhancement would be download and update the CPS with repeater info from an online database.

In addition to the phone app, programming can be done via Windows software and programming cable. I loaded up several freqs into the Windows software and checked out the options panel. The options panel has the features like many other Chinese HT’s. However, one caveat is that the version of the software I downloaded from Radioddity did not exactly match their programming manual.

The mismatch may or may not be a deal breaker for you. Programming repeater offsets is no problem while entering standard channel information into the Windows software but the options panel A and B band programming DOES NOT provide for negative repeaters offsets (unlike the instructions in the manual). So, if you are just going to load the A and B bands with repeaters with positive offsets or using the A B setup for simplex freqs then the offset problem is a non-issue.

PROS:

  • Fairly Rugged Case For Outdoor Use
  • Micro USB Cable Charging Circuit (cable not included)
  • Decent Color Display
  • Solid Feel in the Hand
  • Good TX Reports
  • RX Has Adequate Gain
  • HT Menu System Adequate
  • User Manual is a Decent Translation
  • Windows 10 CPS and USB Cable Work as Documented

CONS:

  • Bluetooth App for IOS Incomplete
  • Bluetooth App for Android Complete But Would Not Connect To Radio (see below)

SUMMARY:

The lack of connectivity using the Android app may be due to the age of my Android tablet. The IOS app needs a lot of work to bring it up to spec. As I mentioned during my initial write up, the IOS App is missing the SHFT_D field in the Options Panel which prevents loading repeaters with negative offsets into the Options Panel A and B band slots. The IOS App is missing some buttons and overall functionality is totally inadequate compared to Android app.

If you don’t care about Bluetooth app programming, then there is little reason to purchase the Radioddity GS-5B. Save yourself some cash and buy another non-Bluetooth Baofeng or Baofeng knockoff. Out of all the Chinese HT’s I have owned, the UV82 is IMHO the best bang for your Chinese bucks!

Interested? Check out the new Radioddity GS-5B Dual Band HT here!