Today we're going to take a look at
the Retevis RT52 DMR dual band handheld radio.
So please keep watching for more.
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Hi I'm Michael, KB9VBR, your host for Ham Radio Q&A.
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I've been really fortunate over the last year to have the
ability to review several different DMR handheld radios.
Each has had their own unique features and benefits.
But the latest radio I've come into, the Retevis RT52,
offers a level of familiarity,
and also raises the bar in the DMR world.
But first before I get into that review,
I'd like to first thank Retevis for
sending me a review copy of the radio.
And also just to let everybody know,
I wasn't otherwise compensated for this review,
so my opinions are my own.
The Retevis RT52 may look quite familiar
on the outside, it has the same dimensions
and look as the Retevis' RT3S dual band HT.
In fact, just about every appearance between
the RT3S and RT52 seem identical.
Same size and shape and the same 2 pin connector
for the speaker mic or programming cable.
But the differences are apparent as soon as
you turn on the radio.
First off, you are greeted with a high contrast
TFT screen with light colored text on a black screen.
This is the opposite of other DMR radios which
use a blueish background with darker blue text.
This high contrast level makes the text
a whole lot easier to read.
The second big difference of the RT52
is the addition of dual Push to Talk operation.
The radio has dual watch and dual standby
so you can monitor two channels or frequencies
at the same time, but instead of having to switch between
the main and sub band in order to transmit,
all you need to do is press one of the
two independent push to talk buttons.
I found this really handy, I can monitor a DMR
talk group on the main band and the local analog
repeater on the sub band, and effortlessly
switch between the two when I want to take up a QSO.
With those two notable features out of the way,
the RT52 specs are quite similar to other
DMR handhelds on the market.
Features of the RT52 include VHF and UHF operation,
DMR Tier II mode, dual Push to Talk,
scanning, Single or Dual Standby switch,
4000 channels, 250 zones, 16 channels per zone,
SMS Messaging, voice recorder, VOX operation,
a Power Save mode, monitor button, and also built in GPS.
The RT52 comes standard with the GPS.
GPS operation is enabled by default,
but you can turn it off to extend the battery life.
With the GPS you can tag your location information
with each transmission, and you can also send your location
to another party using the radio's messaging feature.
The radio seems to be quite power efficient,
even with the GPS function turned on.
The RT52 has a 2200 milliamp-hour lithium-ion battery
with a belt clip integrated on the battery.
I left the radio on to monitor a DMR talk group and
received about 24 hours of standby operation.
Of course transmitting will shorten the battery life,
but otherwise I'm pretty impressed.
The radio also has a power save feature,
that when enabled will increase its standby time.
Moving into programing, the RT52 software
is similar to other DMR radios.
If this is your first DMR radio,
I do have a video that goes through the
steps in creating a code plug.
You may want to check that out.
I'm going to go over some the key differences
I found with the RT52.
First off, you can add up to 100,000 private contacts
to the radio and the private contacts are
separate from your group call contacts.
I like this as you can download a list of DMR users
and import them into the radio.
When I imported my list into the RT52 from the amateur
radio.digital website I did run into a little snag.
There wasn't an RT52 specific contact file option,
so I needed to do a little playing around until
found that the MD380 format worked with this radio.
Other things you can so with the software is to
import a custom image for the welcome screen,
remap certain function keys, and also
set up a default VFO frequencies.
Setting up a default frequency for the VFO is a feature
I haven't seen on other DMR radios.
Other than the Ailunce HD1, which has that feature,
the RT52 can do that also.
One thing I didn't like about the software is that
it has import and export buttons for the channels
and contacts, but the import process doesn't seem
to be compatible with anything else.
Why can't there be some sort of standard so that
you can easily import your codeplug
from one radio to another.
So breaking it down, this is what I like
about the Retevis RT52.
Compact size with a good physical layout,
sharp easy to read display, Dual Watch with a Dual push
to talk button, loud audio, and of course that built in GPS.
Downside of the RT52 are programming software not
compatible with other models, the volume can't
be controlled independently for the main and sub bands,
only 16 channels per zone, enabling the GPS
is gonna shorten your battery life, and also speaking
of the battery, the belt clip is integrated
as part of the battery.
So where does the RT52 fit in the Retevis DMR radio lineup?
I feel that this model is almost a replacement to the RT3S.
They have similar price points, yet the RT52
has a better screen and the dual push to talk feature.
So really, the RT52 could be an entry level DMR radio,
as it doesn't have the weatherproofing like the RT82
or the advanced features and power
of the larger Ailunce HD1.
The RT52 would be a excellent choice as your first DMR
handheld or as an inexpensive 2nd or
spare radio to round out your collection.
Overall, I'm happy with the operation of the RT52.
If I had my choice between the RT3S and the RT52,
I'd go with the RT52 route just for the better screen.
The dual push to talk feature is a nice bonus.
The Retevis RT52 dual band DMR handheld radio
is available online from Retevis.com.
Links are in the description below.
Do you have any questions about the Retevis RT52?
Please leave them in the comments below.
I'll try to answer them and also highlight
a few of the best ones in my monthly
question and answer video.
For more articles and information be sure
to check out my blog at www.jpole-antenna.com.
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I'm Michael, KB9VBR, thanks for watching,
have a great day, and 73.