TYT TH-UV8200 VHF/UHF Dual Band Radio

This radio was brought to market by TYT in Feb. of 2017, and is targeted toward the same user group that would be considering the TH-UV8200D (except, at the moment, those requiring Cross-Band repeater capability). It uses the same waterproof body as the MD-390, and therefore the same accessories. It expands the channels to 256, and has a color display. Although there will be GPS and maybe dual band options in future models, these early release units do not sport those features.

We have done some preliminary field testing and like the radio, it looks like it will become popular with recreational users and aspiring guides who cannot afford the extra expense, or do not need the advanced features, of the digital big brother, the MD-390 GPS. And like that radio, do not consider using the stock VHF antennas above 155 MHz, or in rugged field conditions encountered by guides or AT Skiers.

For programming, there is the free OEM software available. This radio can be programmed with the same USB cable that is used by other Chinese radios that use the Prolific, FTDI, or Sil Labs chipsets. The software is presently "Ver 1.0", and it is rudimentary but gets the job done.

This below clip illustrates some of the VHF characteristics of the TYT UV8200 10W water resistant dual band radio by performing a series of field and bench tests after demonstrating Ver 1.0 of the stock programming software.

Timeline:
0-5:00 Intro, overview, and specifications
5:01-10:30 Software Programming
10:1-12:50 Features discussion
12:51-22:00 Field Tests of simplex signal propagation
22:01-27:45 Bench tests, stock vs tuned antenna comparisons, forward power output, reflected power, standing wave, etc
27:46-29:53 Ending credits and pack horses doing the heavy lifting.

Ordering: Order Form Link

In Dec 2017 we received a note from a guide who felt our criticism of the Icom F1000t was unjustified. He pointed out that he 'trusted' Icom, and therefore, implicity trusted the quality of the antenna that we criticised in spite of the fact he had not had the opportunity to subject the antenna to a proper bench or field test. He was under the misimpression that Chinese manufactured radios do not carry certification, and therefore are not suitable for use by members of a professional organization. We have offered to bench test his antenna for him, and clarified a few salient points to shed some light on some prevalent urban myths this communication from him seems to support:

Many radios from China have for years been sneaking into North America by flying under the radar via mail orders direct from China (yes, Amazon sellers can ship directly from China). But when a North American radio dealer buys a shipment of radios from China, the MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) is typically 100 pieces. If you are stocking 3 models, that is 300 radios. They do not fly under the radar via your local post office, they arrive at a specified border clearing point for clearance. If any one of those models does not have FCC certification, they are sent back to their origin, and the buyer is out of luck. Not many dealers are willing to risk $10,000 or more as a gamble in the hope they can sneak an uncertified radio through the back door. Another fact that is not widely known about how to assess the compliance of radios that have been approved in the USA for use in Canada. One of the reasons so many dealers have been able to sell the US Type approved models relates to a clause under Canadian Legislation which states:

"FCC Standards - Industry Canada wants to reduce the burden on manufacturers and importers and to expedite the process of certification in Canada. As a result, the Department will accept reports that show equipment complies with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) standards."

​It is often said "Opinions are like a**holes, everyone has one". That sentiment seems to reign prolifically on many amateur radio user forums, especially when it comes to Trolls casting shade on offshore radios. Before you consider feeding the Troll, consider the fact that many of us in North America forget that most countries in Central and S.E. Asia, and many others in other parts of the world, as well as people in possession of MARS/CAP status, are not restricted by the same laws that we are. ​ Hopefully this can help shed some light on what is agreeably a very confusing topic which is more so by virtue of being jurisdictionally dependant withal.

All the radios on our website carry FCC Type approval.

For more information on the FCC documentation, including the certification and test reports for the model on this page, click this link. To download your own copy of any of the reports listed there right click on it and choose "save attachment as". If the link is not working feel free to send us an email requesting a copy of the report. :

This demonstration shows the steps required for programming a repeater channel on the TYT UV-8200 from the front panel.

Timeline:
00:30 Cable types required
01:30 Information Required for repeater
02:30 Calculating Offset
03:20 Getting required menu numbers from the manual
03:35 VFO and MR modes defined
04:00 How to toggle between VFO/MR modes
04:15 Enter Rx frequency
04:45 Enter other settings: Offset, Wide/Narrow, and Tone Code
07:30 Entering an encode tone
09:45 Selecting Wide or Narrow Band
11:30 Creating a memory channel from VFO channel
13:35 Gap in video due to editing error, no video until 14:10
14:10 Discussion of some other settings that that are outlined in manual.
16:08 End