BAOFENG UV-17M 5W Long Range Ham Radio - Professional Two Way Walkie Talkie with USB-C Charging, 1800mAh Li-ion Battery, NOAA Weather Alert & VOX Function (Black) - Ideal for Outdoor Adventures, Hiking, Camping and Emergency Communication

For the price, this is not a toy obviously, and it’s clear when you hold it. I also have other Baofeng (BF-777S’s) as well as TalkPod (A36Plus) and other radios for the kiddos. I’ll be comparing this to the TalkPod but trying to tune in to the BF-777S channels as well. I will keep this brief (as I can) as you can write a whole book on everything available.. and they have. Mostly the design and basic out-of-box functions. I will not get into the in depth radio functions.The Baofeng is a much beefier radio to hold. Its girth and weight are both more significant than the comparison radio. It has a significant 1800mAh battery for its 5W radio output and the 2 bright LED lights that are available as well. I like how they are positioned on the bottom. It feels more professional that all my others.Most of the RADIO features are very comparable to others, with very similar adjustments available. Each has its own flavour of interface of course. Both easy to navigate even if sometimes with the aid of the manual. It comes with a bunch of accessories including a charger station, wired mic/speaker, lanyard and clip etc. I was able to tune in to local radio stations but not the NOAA weather (I’ll dig in more later, but neither could the TalkPod)Biggest disappointment is the fact that I can’t Bi-directionally talk to the BF-777S’s or the others that I know the frequencies to. I enter FREQ mode and enter the exact frequency for channel 1 let’s say, but there is only Receiving available on the UV-17M (this one) and I can’t transmit back. I believe I looked into this when I first got the TalkPod, as I was very frustrated after a long time manually programming the Radios, but I believe it comes down to a licensing thing (Receiving Only for UHF 400-470 MHz). I can transmit from UV-17M to the TalkPod but not back.. It’s also locked to armature channels only (no commercial) I need a lot more time to play with all these things but we’re in the process of moving so I have little time ATM.With the Baofeng devices, I have more confidence, but I still need to play more as these can go deep. Overall I like the look and feel better and better voice prompts. The number pad is large and easy to press. Again, the radio functions are similar to most others at this level including the 5W power out (range is the same). The larger screen is a little easier to read as well. It’s a complete kit (of 1 rugged unit). 5 Stars!