TYT MD-380 Review
The TYT MD-380 is one of the latest radios to come out of China. It has a ton of interesting and useful features that will provide you with a high degree of overall functionality. There aren’t many other models like this one available. Beginners would not find this model as daunting as other radios, such as the ID-51A Plus2 built by Icom.
Design
This particular ham radio operates in both analog and digital modes, providing you with a high level of versatility that you’ll be sure to appreciate. It operates on 400 through 480 megahertz frequencies with a maximum power output of 5 watts. This ultimately gives you the ability to conduct long range transmissions with ease.
One of the best things about TYT MD-380 is its color LCD display, which is large and has a clear design for maximum visibility comparable to other ham radios. It provides you with crisp graphics and text as well as text messages. This ham radio uses a standard 2-pin connector, which gives you the ability to use headsets, speaker mics, and even earbuds.
There are 1,000 different channels to choose from, which is definitely on the higher end for these devices. You will also have full encryption for channels when using digital mode. This ensures that your transmissions are private and secure at all times.
The soft touch design of the keypad gives you easy to press buttons that don’t stick. On top of this radio you will have a knob for selecting the channel and another one for power/volume control. There is also an LED indicator light.
We were very pleased to discover that this ham radio has an aluminum design, which means that it is very durable and long lasting. The 2,000 mAh Li-on battery that it uses lasts for quite a while on a single charge. This means that you will be able to take it on the go without having to worry about it dying.
When you buy the TYT MD-380, you will also receive two high gain antennas, an adapter, charger, rechargeable battery, programming cable, CD, belt clip, screws, and user manual. Measuring 7.9 by 6.6 by 3.4 inches with a weight of 1.55 pounds, it is very light and portable. You will be able to take it with you on the go without any inconvenience whatsoever.
The dual-mode capability of this ham radio gives you a high degree of versatility that you’ll be sure to find useful. It can be used as an FM transceiver in addition to its DMR functionality.
Table of Contents
Features
Priority Scan
This radio’s Priority Scan feature will give you the ability to scan for certain channels to get the strongest possible signal at any given time.
Rechargeable battery
The lithium ion battery that this device uses will provide you with hours use of just from just a single charge. See how other ham radio models are powered: https://www.ratedradardetector.org/radio/ham/best-power-supply/.
High Gain Antenna
You will receive two high gain antennas that allow you to transmit with others up to a considerable distance from your position. This gives you a wide range of transmission, which can be useful in many different situations.
Emergency Alarm
TYT MD-380 has the Emergency Alarm feature can be very useful in situations where someone needs medical attention or something serious has transpired. It is something that both individuals and professionals will appreciate.
Color LCD Display
This ham radio also has a color LCD display that gives you an extremely high degree of visibility at all times of the day or night.
Encryption
You will have full encryption when transmitting on channels, but only in digital mode. This keeps all of your transmissions secure, which can be especially useful for professionals.
LED Status Light
The status light on top of TYT MD-380 will tell you when it is charging, on low battery, and when it is done charging completely.
- Excellent display: The display on this ham radio is nothing short of impressive. It has a color design and makes using this device very easy at all times.
- Tough construction: The aluminum body of this device makes it exceptionally rugged and capable of withstanding lots of abuse. This means that you can drop it repeatedly without any problems whatsoever.
- Custom programming: The keypad has programmable buttons on the front panel, which allows you to make adjustments without even using a computer.
- Clear audio: You can always expect very clear audio when using this radio to listen in and transmit to others.
- One of the few drawbacks of this device is that its firmware could use some improvements.
Customer Reviews
You will be hard-pressed to find many negative reviews for this radio device. It has gotten a lot of positive attention, which you can easily see when doing research online. These TYT MD-380 review lists tend to mention how rugged and practically indestructible it is. There are also quite a few comments about how this ham radio offers crystal clear audio, even with long-range transmissions. People seem to be very impressed by its overall versatility. The color LCD display gets a lot of compliments from customers as well.
TYT MD-380 vs. BaoFeng BF-F8HP
The TYT MD-380 and BaeoFeng BF-F8HP are both ham radios with a portable design, but there are a number of noteworthy differences. The BF-F8HP uses older technology and has a rechargeable battery that doesn’t last quite as long as the TYT’s. The MD-380 also has a superior antenna design that allows for longer-range transmissions. The fact is that BaoFeng’s products aren’t quite as technologically advanced, although the company itself has pretty good merits in its name (Read some of them here.)
TYT MD-380 Review Conclusion
There aren’t many other ham radios on the market like the TYT MD-380. It offers an advanced overall design with a beautiful and bright LCD color display. You will even be able to program the buttons on the keypad to match your exact needs.
It has an impressive standby battery life of just over 50 hours. You also have 1,000 different channels to choose from with analog and digital modes. The design of this device is very intuitive, making it incredibly easy to use as a whole.
This is definitely a good choice for those beginners (as well as this model) who don’t have a lot of ham radio experience. You will have lots of useful features that many other models at this price point do not offer.
Make sure you already have your license before operating the TYT MD-380, though! Thankfully, there are online ham radio classes that can help you prepare for the exam.
William Johnson is the owner and founder of RatedRadarDetector.org. He writes about car accessories, with his passion stemming from a deep enthusiasm for all things automotive. His website, RRD, focuses on in-depth reviews of car accessories to help people find the best and latest products in the market.