Considering a Baofeng GT3-TP Mark III - Opinions?

The Baofeng is a very good radio for the price. Make sure you get a good programing cable there are a bunch of them with bogus chips in them. Don't get the real cheap ones it is a crap shoot to find out if they will work. The radio is a booger to program DO NOT USE THE SUPPLIED SOFTWARE throw the CD in the trash. Instead you can use the freeware called CHIRP, http://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/Home or better yet RT Systems software https://www.rtsystemsinc.com/default.asp RT System is $49 dollars and it includes a good programing cable for the BaoFeng.. Both use online repeater data bases for frequencies, or the excellent ARRL TravelPlus for Repeaters. With CHIRP, or better yet RT systems software programing a BaoFeng a piece of cake. You can go to 409 Shop in Hong Kong they have all of the assessors for the radios. The speaker/mic for this radio costs $8.00 dollars each and I am here to tell you they are as tough as nails. http://www.409shop.com/ Great place to deal with and their turn around time is very fast. Incidentally the BaoFeng uses the same speaker - microphone as Kenwood HT's.

Oh and I almost forgot get the Nagoya NA-771 antenna is makes all the difference in the world in terms of range. This antenna is a dead ringer for the Comet SMA24J but $10 dollars cheaper. The Nagoya is available from Amazon

The BaoFeng HT's are used by the Chinese Police which explains the LED flash light and the siren, which, if you will, is an electronic police whistle.