ABBREE GMRS 42.5-inch Tactical (SMA-Female) vs Retevis RHD-771 (SMA-Female)

The Retevis RHD-771 is the clear winner here, scoring significantly higher despite costing two dollars less.

The fundamental differentiator is electrical length matching. The RHD-771's 391mm length performs as a 5/8 wave on UHF, delivering realistic gain of 2.9 dBi, while the ABBREE's 1080mm multi-wavelength design on GMRS produces only about 1.0 dBi of gain. More critically, the ABBREE's claimed 5 dBi rating is overstated by roughly 6 dB, which is a significant credibility problem. The Retevis makes honest claims: its stated 2.15 dBi aligns with what the antenna's electrical length actually supports.

On VHF, the RHD-771 becomes electrically short at 0.19 wavelengths, which is a real limitation. However, on UHF it operates at a sweet spot that leverages the half-wavelength advantage of handheld antennas without needing a ground plane.

The ABBREE appeals only to users requiring extreme portability who can accept reduced performance and misleading gain specifications. The RHD-771 is the better choice for anyone doing serious GMRS or dual-band work who wants an antenna that performs as advertised.