Compare handheld radios

Photos to the same scale — each radio cut out from the background and scaled by the case width from the manufacturer’s datasheet, so the size difference on screen is real. The side bar is 10 cm.

Digital modes — Yaesu uses C4FM (System Fusion), Icom and the Kenwood TH-D75E use D-STAR, AnyTone and TYT use DMR. These systems don’t interoperate; the common language of all radios is analogue FM. Choose the system used by repeaters in your area — you can check that on the repeater map.

Chinese radios — The Baofeng UV-5R has no European version, so I show the manufacturer’s ranges (136–174 and 400–480 MHz); in Poland amateurs transmit only on 144–146 and 430–440 MHz. Quansheng, AnyTone and TYT are factory‑limited to the amateur bands. No data means the manufacturer does not state that value.

Mobile and HF radios — in the “mobile VHF/UHF” tab the photos show just the front panel, i.e. what you see in the car (manufacturers shoot the panels with the main unit and microphone in shot); I corrected a slight tilt on the FTM-500DE panel. The “HF base” tab compares base transceivers. The photos there are scaled by the width of the front panel, and the bar underneath is 10 cm. I list the 4 m (70 MHz) band only where the manufacturer states it for the European version; Yaesu gives 4 m only for the UK version. I count built-in LAN as a plus — an optional module does not.

Power and battery — 5 W instead of 2 W is only +4 dB, which means not much more range; a good antenna and height matter more. You can work out how many kilometres that gives in the range calculator. The green marker ▲ shows the better value: more power, larger battery, lower weight.