This ham Radio Has a Built In REPEATER Retevis RA89R Review

The radio: https://www.retevis.com/products/ra89r-high-power-dual-band-handheld-ham-radio-with-bluetooth-app-programming?ref=RYANMERCER&utm_source=affiliate Until April 15th 2026 save more with coupon code: RYANMERCER5 So this is the Retevis RA89R, and honestly, this thing is kind of a sleeper hit if you’re into ham radios. Right away, it’s a dual-band handheld, so you’ve got VHF and UHF, and it’s pushing up to 10 watts, which is solid for getting out in rural areas or anywhere with rough terrain. But what really makes this interesting is the cross-band repeater feature. This radio can actually receive on one band and retransmit on another, which basically lets it act like a mini repeater and extend your range without extra equipment. That’s something you usually don’t see at this level. Another big win is Bluetooth programming. You can pair it to your phone and handle your channels and settings right from an app, no computer needed. It also supports wireless accessories like Bluetooth headsets and PTT controls, so you can run this hands-free pretty easily. You’ve also got dual PTT buttons, which means you can manage two channels or even two groups at the same time without switching around constantly. That’s actually super useful if you’re coordinating between teams. On top of that, it supports things like NOAA weather alerts, aviation band listening, customizable scanning, and up to 200 channels, so there’s a lot going on under the hood. Battery life is decent too, with a 2800 milliamp battery that’s designed to last through a full day, and it charges over USB-C, which just makes life easier. Overall, this feels like a really capable radio for things like off-grid setups, emergency comms, or even just messing around with repeaters and learning more advanced features. If you’re licensed and want something that’s powerful but also modern and convenient to use, this is definitely one worth checking out. #retevis #RA89R #hamradio ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 💼 Business Inquiries: ryan @ ryanmercer . com 📷 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦: https://www.instagram.com/ryanmercer/ 🌐 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ryancarlmercer.bsky.social 🌐 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563800814991 🌐 X: https://x.com/ryancarlmercer 🌐 𝗪𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞: https://www.ryanmercer.com/ 🌐 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ryanmercer Affiliate Disclaimer: Some of the links in this description may be affiliate links. If you use them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the channel and keeps reviews like this coming. Thank you for the support.