The Retevis A1, to paraphrase Retevis’ literature, is a GPS IP67 waterproof analog amateur two-way radio aimed for use in camping, outdoor exploration, emergency rescue, etc. It is waterproof and dustproof, has a 2200mAh battery, supports Type-C charging, and can receive aviation band frequencies.
Believe it or not, the Yaesu VX-8G was my first Yaesu radio, and my third ever handheld radio. I saved up some money and wanted to buy a really top-of-the-line radio to replace my Kenwood that was having problems. My new radio had to also have a bevy of the latest features and most capabilities of anything out in 2011. That’s a lot of pressure on a little radio.
The JJCC JC-8629 is another in a group of recent radios that all claim a large number of bands (in this case, 7), high-power output, a large battery, a full color screen and a bevy of other features, in this case Bluetooth and GPS. All this in a radio slightly bigger than a UV-5R and at a price between $60 and $90. Most fail to live up to the hype, and some fail spectacularly, like my recent review of the Abbree AR-518. Read it if you want a laugh.
The Baofeng 5RH Pro is one of a new platform of radios. That is, a set of radios that share a lot of common things like basic key layout, size, battery type, etc. The older platform was the UV-5R and its many variants. This new platform is definitely a step-up in just about every way, with a few caveats.
This BF-F8HP Pro is billed as a better F8HP than the original, but is it? Let’s start with it being from Btech, which has a pretty good reputation for selling upscaled Baofeng radios at a premium. These radios are generally better built, have better accessories, and a better manual. They do, however, cost a little more.