UV-5X3
 
Although the case design is familiar, the radio inside is not.  BTech has recently introduced the new UV-5X3 to the US Ham Radio market.  This radio is a true tri-band transceiver with internal filters specifically configured for tri-band operation.

The firmware in this radio has been reworked to include several new features not found in similar appearing radios.
 
 
In the Box
 
Included with the radio are the:
-  1500mAh Li-Ion Battery *
-  Charger base & AC adapter 
-  Hand strap
-  Belt clip
-  PTT Earpiece / Microphone
-  Antenna (1) –  VHF / UHF   6 5/8" (16.9cm)  A-V85
-  Antenna (2) –   220 MHz    6 3/4" (17.4cm)
-  84 page User Guide (English)
 
* This is the identical battery that is commonly mislabeled as 1800mAh on some handhelds.
 
 
Tri-Band - VHF  220  UHF
 
The UV-5X3 was specifically designed as a Tri-Band transceiver.  The internal filtering allows not only the traditional VHF and UHF frequencies, but also includes the 222-225 MHz Ham band for the US. 
  Case Design
 
The UV-5X3 has the traditional case design, which allows me to use my high capacity  BL-5L  3800mAh battery with no alteration to the base. Accessories such as my mobile battery eliminator, Spkr/Micr, etc. are fully compatible.
 
 
Transmitter
 
The frequency range is VHF 130-176 / 222-225 / UHF 400-480 MHz, supporting both Wide and Narrowband with 2.5kHz steps.
 
The radio's filtering scheme allows for full power on all bands. My OTA audio reports have been clean with clear with mellow audio.  Power levels are respectable using a Bird VHF/UHF Termaline.
  

 
DTMF / IRLP Access
 
Something new also appearing on this model is a DTMF gain adjustment. This allows me to adjust the DTMF audio to the transmitter to a comfortable level for both repeater control and IRLP access.
 
 
Tone Burst
 
If you are in a area that requires tone burst for repeater or network access, the 1000Hz, 1450Hz, 1750Hz, and 2000Hz burst are accessible by pressing the PTT along with one of the four pre-assigned keypad keys.
 

Receiver
 
The receiver sensitivity is excellent, and the audio quality is clear, loud, and undistorted. Along with the 3 TX/RX bands, the receiver also includes the traditional commercial FM radio band.
(65MHz-108MHz)
 
The 5X3 has one watt audio output to the speaker (similar to the UV82) as compared to the 500mw output in similar style radios.
 
Tone Scanning - The receiver also has the ability to identify the CTCSS tone of a repeater.
 
 
Scan Add / Delete
 
This feature gives me the ability to add / delete channels from the scanning list using the keypad. No longer a software only function. The more I can do from the keypad, the better I like it.
 
 
Scanning
 
A Long Press of the [*SCN] button will start the scanning process.

Channel Mode - When scanning with the Display Sync set to ON, the upper and lower display will scan together. This is explained below under Display Synchronization.

Frequency Mode - When entering Scan, the image below will appear on the screen. Enter the first 3 digits set the range start, the second 3 digits sets the stop.
Example: Entering   146 : 146
Start  the scan range at  146.000
Ends the scan range at  146.999
 
  
Antenna
 
I found two antennas included with the radio. One was the standard upgraded A-V85 antenna, and a slightly longer one for the 220MHz band.  
Antenna (1) – VHF / UHF  6 5/8" (16.9cm) A-V85
Antenna (2) –  220 MHz    6 3/4" (17.4cm)
The separate antenna specifically tuned for 220 MHz is a great addition. The SWR shows 1.3 which is excellent. No compromise. I labeled my 220 antenna, as they are very close in appearance.
  Display
 
The radio has a tri-color display, allowing the color options of the blue, orange and purple.  The LCD can be displayed in either of three formats. Choices are Frequency, Channel number, or Alpha tags.
 
Side Note: The 5X3 has a 7 character alpha display (as compared to 6) and supports both Upper and Lower case letters.
 
 
Display Synchronization & Tracking
 
The UV-5X3 supports display syncing, which gives ability to track both the upper and lower LCD. I keep mine set to display the channel name in display A, and the frequency in display B.
When you change the channel, both the upper and lower displays change together.
 
 
Programming
 
Manual programming is pretty straight forward once you enter a few channels. A programming guide can be found at Manual Programming with a Menu Definition summary available at Menu Definitions.
 
 
Software 
 
The software support for the UV-5X3 can be found in the Latest Daily Build of CHIRP and CHIRP Next..
 
 
3rd Generation Chipset
 
The new chipset (RDA1846S and RDA5802N) provides reduced AGC switching noise and a low-IF digital audio processor for improved sound quality.
 
 
Programming Cable
 
The programming cable requires a traditional two pin Baofeng / Kenwood style. There are several cables available. The generic cables may require special drivers, due to the use of cloned chips. For Plug and Play, a cable using an FTDI chip is recommended.
 
Comparison to other UV5R Tri-Band
 
A feature comparison summary can be found  HERE

 
Conclusion
The UV-5X3 firmware has obviously been reworked to include:
-  Tri-Band Support: VHF/1.25M/UHF
-  D-ANI  (Display incoming DTMF Tones)
-  Synchronized Displays
-  DTMF audio gain level adjustment
-  Add / Remove Channels from Scanning list via keypad (LCD Dot Indication)
-  On the Fly scanning by Frequency Range
-  4 Tone Burst options
-  Remote Stun, Kill, Revive
-  One watt audio output

It appears that BTech has once again managed to stay one step ahead of the curve. With the 220 MHz ham band operation back on the rise in the US, this radio hit the market at the right time.  Even if 220 isn't popular in your area, the additional new features still gives it an edge over the traditional dual band series.
 
 
Note: This radio was received for the purpose of a fair and unbiased review. All findings are factual based on the radio I received. Any issues found have been reported both here and back to the seller or manufacturer.