Adapters

These little SMA adapters are SMALL and lightweight!

All forms of radio technology use all sorts of various cables and antennas.  It's been that way since Guglielmo Marconi started the whole radio gig.  That's why radio at ALL levels (and especially amateur radio) is a mess of stuff that needs adapters to "talk" to each other.  The sheer number of different adapters is probably unknown at any human alive.

Anyway, one of the first things I do any new radio is to start buying adapters.  It's a lot like coin collecting, only different.  With the TD-H3, I quickly ordered six SMA adapters so all of my Wouxun KG-UV8D PLUS stuff will work with the TD-H3.  Luckily, both radios use SMA connectors so buy an assortment of SMA adapters only set me back $7.  That's just a whisker over a buck a pop so we're good with it.

The TD-H3 is a Female radio.  The radio body gender takes the lead, not the gender of the antennas or cables.

My brain is wired to think of the gender of the antenna--which for the TD-H3 would be male.  But that's WRONG!  I have to rewire my brain to think of the radio body itself

Well, whatever.  Anyway, one of the first things I wanted to do with my TD-H3 was to use an antenna I bought for my Wouxun.  No can do, katmandu!  You need a "gender changer".

This is a nice antenna.  Might as well be able to use it for the TD-H3, too.

So now that I used the tiny little adapter on the TD-H3 which converted it to a male radio body, I can screw on my TWAYRDIO RH660S.

The stock antenna that comes OEM with the TD-H3 is about 15 inches.  This RH660S is over 40 inches.

I used to keep a stubby on my Wouxun but I'm now just using an SMA adapter.  It makes it easier to pack in my radio bag.  I feel there's NO point in exposing ANY radio's antenna port to the elements of chance.  Who knows what could work it's way into the antenna port.  Why risk the unknown?

This little puppy won't even register on my digital scale. I figure it's probably 2 grams.

Barely six millimeters wide.

Of course, you can find radio-related adapters at any number of physical and online vendors.  Here in Idaho Falls we actually have a Radio Shack.  I feel like I'm walking into some sort of time travel machine whenever I go to that store.  But their prices are astronomical.  ONE of these adapted cost as much as I paid for six of them!

Amazon has numerous iterations of SMA adapters in all possible permutations and combinations.  You can do your own due diligence and find whichever flavor(s) you prefer.  Happy shopping!