looking for a small hand held radio

[spacecase0]

so I am looking for a small hand held radio that would be good for every day use.
(meaning listening 12 hours and likely about 15 min. of talking a day.)
I have had 2 of the Yaesu VX-3, each broke in less than a year of daily use (IF filter failure), so not trying that one again.
had an alinco that was super tiny as well, it lasted 5 years of daily use, and it ran on 3 rechargable AA batteries perfect. (forgot the model number, but it is long ago not made anymore)

the tytera MD380 has horrible battery management, so not going to keep buying batteries for it. (and the volume mostly broke anyway), I used it for about a year before I gave up on it

currently I am using a baofeng UV-3R that I have used daily for about 6 years,
it uses very low priced batteries that I can charge separate from the radio, and it does not weigh down my pocket.
I tried buying extras, the first one showed up defective, the other broke in 3 months...

so, I am wondering what radio to get as a backup.
I have a Yaesu VX-7 that works just fine, but the battery life is quite short, easy for me to be out working longer than it will run for.
I have a wouxun KG-UV3D that is starting to have battery connector issues, and it has this horrible audio feed back problem if you turn the volume up at all, so it is not that ideal.
then I have a commercial Motorola radio that is super super heavy.

can anyone think of a good radio I should be looking for that can be carried for years and still run while being easy to charge and not be heavy enough to be annoying ?
when I go looking, it kind of seems like that sort of radio that I am looking for is a thing of the past

[ghrit]

Have a look at the Kenwood TH 6.  IIRC, there used to be an optional battery pack that "they say" would last a while.  It's about the size of a pack of cigarettes, and not out of line heavy.  Mine sits on the table rather than in my pocket, and gets several hours of listening every day, recharge once a week or so.

[spacecase0]

that looks like a fantastic radio
to bad it is discontinued,
I will start looking for a used one in good condition

[ghrit]

that looks like a fantastic radio
to bad it is discontinued,
I will start looking for a used one in good condition

The replacement is the TH 74A with slightly upper to dater features.  The 6 is replaced by the 72, which is a also a tribander.  The two guys I know with the 72s are delighted.
https://www.kenwood.com/usa/com/amateur/th-d72a/

[AD]

My FT-60 is still going strong after 8 years.  Still the basis for everyday comms

[BTPost]

Nope, the 72 is only a Dual Bander, where the 74 is a TriBander.. AND it is an Analog/DMR Radio as well... Both have built-in GPS, and both do APRS...

[spacecase0]

the TH-D72A looks like it will do almost anything...
I had no idea things like that were even out there.
I would need 2 of them, I just don't have $800

I would seriously consider the yaesu ft-60r if I had not had so many failures in yaesu radios under condensing humidity conditions (where I live was below the dew point for about 3 months this winter)
just downloaded the schematic and looked for the design flaw they keep building in, and they put 0.74VDC across the ceramic filter...
I just can't bring myself to try another yaesu

[BTPost]

I have had a pair of TH-D72As for the last 8 years, and they both are still going strong...  They interface well with my three TM-D710As and my TM-D710GA...  They are solid Good Radios, all of them, and have served me well... All are OPENED and have many different Radio Service frequencies programmed in them, both Wide and Narrow FM splits...

[Tempstar]

Baofeng UV-5R. Tough radio, $35,, great battery life.

[GreekMan]

the TH-D72A looks like it will do almost anything...
I had no idea things like that were even out there.

the same goes for us, here in Europe. we barely know of the Yaesus, we all have TH-F6/7s ..LOL
They are also some sort of waterproof following a mil standard.

why dopn't you have a look at the second hand market, you might just get lucky.
But even a new battery is expensive