Radio Radio...
So hopefully this will be the first of a number of mini reviews on my new found hobby...handheld radios, walkie talkies etc....
For my first review / ramble , we're going to look at a Radtel RT-900 clone, the BinTolk BT8000, a very chunky 'disposable' radio for the sum of £26 for the Bluetooth version..
Ok so as it goes the spurious emissions could be a concern with this radio, so use with caution. If I'm honest I do not plan to be broadcasting with this, unless in an emergency...but that's what phones are for...but as a scanner this thing is epic...
18 to 1000mhz 18-108 RX/(TX) 108-136 RX aviation 136-580 RX/TX 760-999 RX/TX
all ranges tested and although the Stock firmware doesn't seem to TX on 18-108 the Radtel fw will (also as a byproduct this radio gets pushed from 256 channels to 512) which seems to have remained with swapping the fw back to stock
You have a couple of use case choices...so you can If you wish upgrade the firmware to the Radtel RT-900, but be aware this comes with a couple of caveats...
Primarily you lose the capacity to be able to switch between A nd B and also the capacity to switch between VFO and Channel setting, without resorting to software.
The reason behind this is, the BinTolk unit does not have the extra buttons you find on the RT-900 to change A/B/CH/VFO and relies on long press on the OK / EXIT button, which becomes disabled on firmware change.
That said the firmware upgrade does (afaik) assist with the above spurious emissions (please don't quote me various online sources say yea or nay ) and it also provides the capability to transmit on CB channels which if on long journeys would be useful. You can however switch between A and B / VFO and CH in software as previously stated (the Radtel CPS works fine as does CHIRP), that said there is an upgraded firmware from another clone which you can install if you decide you want to return the handheld to its normal state here:
I've personally tested this with no obvious issue.
The Bluetooth seems to differ from unit to unit, this unit worked fine as does noise suppression.
At time of writing there isn't a CHIRP driver but the beta RT-900 driver works fine. This can be accessed by utilizing the CHIRP developer mode in the help section, going to the CHIRP site and downloading the beta RT-900 driver and works fine, as stated prior, as does the Radtel CPS, so the choice is yours.
In my limited experience, this unit seems to be perfect to be thrown around in a car. Packed in a chonky body, you get decent bang for buck. Aviation band seems clear (with a decent antenna obvs, the stock ones are as you would find ), sound is good with PMR GMRS channels and have had fun scanning from the lower band, hitting a number of foreign broadcasts with a 27Mhz antenna.
Given its price range, it is the cheapest Handheld that comes with CB capacity and has albeit slightly older hardware, Radtel tech at its heart.
For me, this is a great little radio to mess with without breaking the bank and being in fear of bricking.
photos to follow.
Edit: 28/06/25
So after a bit of tinkering I realize that the the signal scope was missing, as luck would have it I had already ordered a second unit so the plan is to copy the firmware from the new one and write it to the old....hopefully
@porphiron