Talkpod A36plus at a glance
The A36plus is a small hand-held radio for amateur radio, also called ham radio. Hams are hobbyists with a license who talk on set bands, often through local repeaters. Talkpod sells the A36plus on its own store for $49.99, and Hackaday called it about $50 in 2023.
It is built for the amateur bands at 144 MHz (2 meters) and 430 MHz (70 centimeters). Talkpod's F40 is its license-free radio.
Who the A36plus is for
It suits a beginner who has passed, or is studying for, an amateur license and wants a low-cost first handheld. A color screen, USB-C charging and an air band receiver make it a friendly first radio.
CQ Blind Hams, a podcast for blind and low-vision hams, called it a good replacement for a UV-5R and said it works well as a first radio. Talkpod sent the podcast the unit for review, so read that as a vendor-supplied opinion.
For a radio you can use on day one with no exam, look at PMR446 walkie-talkies in Europe or FRS and GMRS walkie-talkies in the US.
License you need for the A36plus
On the amateur bands, you need an amateur license to transmit. Talkpod's own brochure says amateur radios require a special amateur license.
- United States: the FCC requires a licensed operator, and you earn the license by passing an exam from volunteer examiners (47 CFR 97.5).
- United Kingdom: Ofcom requires an amateur license before you set up or use a station. The license is free when you apply online, and the Foundation license comes after an RSGB exam.
- Australia: since February 19, 2024, operators need an ACMA recognition certificate or an equivalent qualification. They then operate under the Amateur Stations Class Licence.
- European Union: amateur licenses are national. CEPT recommendation T/R 61-01 lets a visiting amateur operate for a short time in other member countries.
The CE mark on the radio shows it meets EU product rules, and it does not give a right to transmit.
Talkpod's table for the USA version of the MAX also lists FCC Part 95E frequencies at 462 and 467 MHz, and a Canadian certificate lists the A36plus as an FRS/GMRS device. The FCC grant file that Talkpod links, 2ADQZA36P, is a Part 15B scanning receiver grant. Check which version you buy and which rules apply to it before you transmit on anything other than the amateur bands.
Which radios need a license?
Pick a country: every kind of radio is listed with whether you can use it freely, need a license, or may not use it there.
Bands, power and what it receives
For transmitting, the MAX manual guarantees 144 to 148 MHz and 430 to 440 MHz. The EU version covers 144 to 146 MHz, and Talkpod's USA table lists 430 to 450 MHz.
For listening, the 8W international version covers 108 to 136 MHz (the AM air band, which the radio switches to AM by itself), 136 to 174, 200 to 260, 350 to 400 and 400 to 520 MHz. FM broadcast covers 76 to 108 MHz on that version, 88 to 108 on the USA version and 87.5 to 108 on the EUR version.
The sources give different power figures:
| Source | Power |
|---|---|
| Talkpod store text | 5 W high, 1 W low |
| CE certificate B2304257 | 4.5 W |
| MAX manual (USA, EUR, UK) | 5 W high, 2.5 W middle, 0.5 W low |
| MAX international page | 8 W, 5 W, 2 W |
| Alafone, a shop blog | 5.7 W high and 1.89 W low measured on 145 MHz with the 3200 mAh pack |
Hackaday relayed a video review by Josh of Ham Radio Crash Course, who found the power "isn't that high" and the spurious emissions excessive. Spurious emissions are unwanted signals outside the channel. The MAX manual lists spurious emissions at least 60 dB below the main signal at high and middle power.
Hackaday also said the scanner is not very fast. It called the AM aircraft band something most cheap radios cannot do. Retail reviews on a desertcart listing differ: one calls airband reception pretty good on the newest firmware, another calls its audio poor.
Battery and USB-C charging
The supplied pack on the MAX page is the TBL20, 1500 mAh. A TBL12 pack of 3200 mAh with USB-C and a 2000 mAh TBL06 also fit.
The USB-C port sits on the bottom of the battery pack, not on the radio body. A desktop charger comes in the box. The MAX manual gives about 8 hours to full charge, with the radio switched off.
Talkpod's MAX brochure gives 12 hours at a 5-5-90 duty cycle and, in its feature list, over 15 hours with the 3200 mAh pack. A 5-5-90 cycle means 5 percent sending, 5 percent listening and 90 percent standby. Nominal pack voltage is 7.2 V in the manual and 7.4 V in the brochure.
Display, keys and body
The screen is a color LCD. The A36plus store text says 1.44 inch, and the MAX page says 1.4 inch with 280 by 280 pixels. It shows two lines, A and B, so you can watch two frequencies at once. A MAIN marker shows which line transmits.
On the front you find Menu, Up, Down and Back keys and a number keypad. The power and volume knob is on top beside an orange SOS key. The PTT key and two side keys are on the left, and a cover on the right hides the 2-pin K-type jack for an earpiece or a programming cable. PTT means push to talk: you hold it while you speak.
The menu has numbered entries from 00 to 59, including squelch, tones, scan, VOX (voice-activated transmit) and power saving. Typing a menu number jumps straight to it. The MAX manual rates the body IP54 with the battery, the flexible antenna and the jack cover fitted. The antenna is a 195 mm flexible whip that screws into the socket on top.
Size is 108 by 52 by 28 mm with the thin pack, per Alafone and the A36 manual. The MAX brochure gives 122 by 51.2 by 38.5 mm with the thick pack.
Versions: A36plus, 8W MAX, A36SE and A36
Talkpod uses one body for several labeled versions.
| Name | What it is | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A36plus | The $49.99 model, added to Talkpod's store in July 2023. Colors: green, black, crystal | Talkpod store data |
| A36plus MAX / 8W | Larger color display claim, louder audio, 999 channels on the international version, 8 W on that version only. Listed at $59.99. Model numbers A36P-M13B5UV1 (international), A36P-M12B5UV3 (USA), A36P-M12B5UV4 (EUR) | Talkpod MAX page |
| A36SE | Sold as UHF/VHF/AM/FM multi-band with 5 W in the 144 and 430 MHz bands; has GMRS and Australian UHF CB manuals | Talkpod store data and documents page |
| A36 | The older model: manual V1.0 from 2021, 400 channels, 2000 mAh, a power knob | Talkpod A36 manual |
The channel count differs by source. The older A36 has 400. The A36plus store text says 512. Hackaday said 500. For CHIRP, firmware 1.22 raised the usable channels from 256 to 512, and the MAX international version has 999.
The MAX brochure carries the name VOYAGER Technology and the label VR-10W, so this hardware is also sold under at least one more brand.
Programming with CHIRP and custom firmware
CHIRP is free software that edits a radio's memories on a computer. It has a driver for the A36plus (issue 10559, by Jim Unroe KC9HI). The driver worked at firmware 1.17, and a later fix covered the changed ID string in 1.18. Firmware 1.22 broke it for a time and raised the channels to 512. Issue 11067 reported the 8W version missing, and it is closed. On the MAX with 999 channels, CHIRP lists 512 (issue 11354, open in May 2024).
Talkpod offers its own program software on its firmware page. The programming cable for the K-type jack uses an odd USB chipset, according to Hackaday, so drivers can take some work.
Talkpod's developer page also links an OpenRTX branch (community radio firmware) and an M17 project (a digital voice mode for hams) for the A36plus MAX. The M17 mod guide says the change needs soldering, removing capacitors near the radio's main chip and cutting the microphone and speaker connector. It says an external modem is required for M17. The OpenRTX README calls the project highly experimental. Treat this as a hobby project for the MAX, not a feature of the radio as sold.
What reviewers said
- Hackaday (July 2023): about $50, with AM air band, FM broadcast, a USB-C charge port and a large, colorful screen. Its video source flagged excessive spurious emissions, and Hackaday called the scanner not very fast.
- CQ Blind Hams, episode 100 (about November 2024): Joel W0CAS, on a unit Talkpod supplied, called it a good replacement for a UV-5R, with USB charging on the battery and the air band making it a good first radio.
- Alafone (shop blog): a compact design with a Chinese-language voice menu and the 5.7 W and 1.89 W readings above.
Talkpod A36plus buttons and ports
Turn the radio to see every side, the top and the bottom. Tap a row to find the part.
| Antenna | Top left; flexible whip on an SMA connector, screwed in clockwise |
|---|---|
| Power and volume knob | Top right; turn to switch on and set the volume |
| SOS key | Top, between the antenna and the knob; small orange key, hold it to send an SOS alert |
| Status light | Top front edge; red while sending, green while receiving |
| PTT button | Left side, long key with a silver rim; hold it to talk |
| Side keys | Left side, two round keys under the PTT button; one of them opens the squelch to monitor the channel |
| Color display | Front; shows the two frequencies or channels the radio watches |
| Keypad | Front; menu, arrows, exit and number keys for typing frequencies |
| Speaker | Front, behind the slotted grille above the display |
| Earpiece and cable jack | Right side, under a rubber flap; two-pin Kenwood-style plug for an earpiece or a programming cable |
| USB-C port | Bottom of the battery pack; charges the battery |
| Battery pack | Back; removable pack |
How big is the Talkpod A36plus?
The Talkpod A36plus next to other radios, a phone and a bank card, drawn to scale. Pick up to three to compare.
Talkpod A36plus full specifications
Values come from the maker's pages and manuals listed at the end of the page. Range and battery life are the maker's claims.
| Radio service | Amateur |
|---|---|
| Bands | VHF (144–148 MHz), UHF (430–440 MHz) |
| Channels | 512 |
| Transmit power | 5 W |
| Battery | 1500–3200 mAh |
|---|---|
| Charging | USB-C on the battery pack, desktop charger |
| Water and dust | IP54 |
|---|---|
| Size | 52 × 108 × 28 mm |
| Features | hands-free VOX, scan, dual watch, NOAA weather, emergency alert |
|---|
Questions
What is the Talkpod A36plus?
It is a dual-band amateur radio handheld for 144 MHz and 430 MHz. Talkpod sells it for $49.99 on its store in November 2026.
How powerful is the A36plus?
Talkpod's store says 5 W, and the CE certificate says 4.5 W. The 8W MAX international version is rated 8 W, and Alafone measured 5.7 W on 145 MHz.
Do I need a license for the A36plus?
Yes, to transmit on the amateur bands in the US, UK and Australia. In EU countries the license is national.
Can the A36plus listen to aircraft and FM radio?
Yes. It receives the AM air band from 108 to 136 MHz and FM broadcast stations. Hackaday called the air band something most cheap radios cannot do.
Can I program the A36plus with CHIRP?
Yes. CHIRP has a driver for the A36plus, and Talkpod also supplies program software. The 8W MAX lists 999 channels, and CHIRP shows 512.
Does the A36plus do M17 or OpenRTX?
Only as a hobby project on the MAX. The M17 mod needs soldering and an external modem for M17, and the OpenRTX README calls the work highly experimental.
Sources
- A36plus MAX (8W) product page · Talkpod
- Talkpod store product data · Talkpod
- A36plus MAX Basic Manual, UK edition · Talkpod
- A36plus 8W Manual · Talkpod Online
- A36plus MAX brochure V1.1 · Talkpod
- Certificate 22327-A36PLUS · Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
- Talkpod A36 user manual V1.0 · Talkpod
Show all 22 sources
- A36plus series documents · Talkpod
- Talkpod developers page · Talkpod
- Talkpod A36Plus unbox testing · Alafone
- A36plus mod for M17 · M17 Project
- OpenRTX branch for the A36plus · GitHub
- 47 CFR 97.5, station licensed by the FCC · Cornell LII
- Amateur class licence · ACMA
