Retevis RT47   FRS 
 
The new RT47 is a 16 channel FRS radio with 2 watts of power designed specifically for License Free operation in the US. The channels are hard coded into the radio, s the radio is ready to use right out of the box.

What's in the Box
 
- The Retevis RT47 FRS handheld radio
- 7.4V 1100mAh Li-Ion Battery
- USB charging dock
- 39" USB Charging Cable
- Belt Clip
- English User Manual
- Hand Strap

Enclosure 
-  Case size - 4.5 x 2.3 x 1.0"
-  Weight - 6.5 oz.  
-  FCC Part 95 FRS - 2ASNSRT47
 
Basic Operation
 
Out of the box, the radios are pretty much ready to go. They come preprogrammed with 16 different channel combinations. I snapped on the batteries and set them in the charger to top them off. After that, I set the two radios on a common channel by using the up/down side keys and they were ready to go.
 
Power and Battery
 
The radio is rated at 2W on all channels, the maximum power allowed for FRS operation.  It is supplied with a rechargeable 3.7V  1100mAh Li-Ion battery. With moderate use, I can easily get a full days use between charges.
 
The battery is held on by a clip on the bottom.  The charger base is powered by USB. Red when charging, green when complete.
Distance
 
The distance on FRS depends mostly on elevation and obstruction.  
Many of the department store low power 'bubble pack' radios are advertised as having a 20-35 mile communication range between radios. Realistically, unless you are both on unobstructed mountain tops, that's not going to happen.
This DISTANCE CHART will bring the expected range of these radios to reality.
 
Waterproof
 
I would be remiss if I didn't give them a good soaking. I filled my sink with 8 inches of water and let the radios sit at the bottom for about 10 minutes. I towel dried them and checked the battery compartments. Both were totally dry. When I made a test call between the units, both transmit and receive audio was fine.

I ran the same test a second time. This time one of the radios had muffled transmit audio that cleared up after drying for 10 minutes. This may have been caused by a droplet of water blocking the case microphone hole. I would definitely classify this radio as water proof/resistant.

Programmable Keys
 
The RT47 has has two software programmable side keys. These key options include Channel up/down, monitor, scan channel lock and VOX.
CTCSS/DCS tones can be assigned to the channels to block out unwanted interference.  
 
The programming cable connector is a bit unique, designed for water resistance. It is similar to that of the Ailunce HD1 and Motorola GP328. The UART chip is inside the cable and the driver for this radio will load automatically.
 
General Observations
 
- The audio quality on both transmit and receive is very good. There's plenty of undistorted volume for noisy environments.
- The antenna is fixed. This is a requirement of FRS radios, but the 4.5" antenna included with the radio is quite sufficient.
-  Software and Drivers for the RT47 can be downloaded from the Retevis Resource page. (LINK)
 
Conclusion
 
The RT47 is a great choice for basic communications while Camping , Hiking, Fishing or at the Beach. FRS radios are an excellent license free two-way radio option.
 
 
Note: This equipment was received for the purpose of a fair and unbiased review. All findings are factual based on the equipment I received. Any issues found have been reported both here and back to the seller or manufacturer.


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