Radioddity GD-88

The GD-88 is aimed at Technician and General class operators ready to step into DMR without abandoning their analog repeater network. It sits in a practical middle ground: more capable than a basic FM handheld, but more accessible in price than Tier II DMR radios from Motorola or Hytera.

The headline draw is the combination of DMR Tier II, APRS, and integrated GPS in a sub-$160 package. That trio is genuinely uncommon at this price. The cross-band repeat function adds real utility for portable base or SOTA-style activations, and dual-standby across two independent VFOs means you can monitor an analog and a digital channel simultaneously without mode-switching.

Where it earns high marks is value; where it loses ground is usability. The learning curve for DMR codeplug management is steep on any radio at this tier, and the GD-88 does not smooth that path much. It is a solid buy for operators who already understand DMR workflow or are willing to invest time in CHIRP and community codeplug resources. If you want plug-and-play simplicity, look elsewhere.