An Amazon review of the Talkpod A36plus: Good, but dirty, GMRS radio for a newbie

Bucky Katt: First, I have to admit I have absolutely no background in GMRS communications. I am about as new to this as you can get. So, unfortunately, that means this review of the Talkpod A36Plus radio will be a little on the light-side. That is, it will be almost completely devoid of the specs, tech-talk, and learned observations that many other users can/will provide. I can only provide you with what I've learned thus far. If you're still with me, here goes my review:I came across this radio transceiver by accident while looking through the Vine program listings. What caught my eye was not the ability to talk with others per se, rather it was having the ability to monitor the aircraft bands (channels). I live near a regional airport and there is a lot of air traffic overhead and, as I am a big aviation nut, I thought it would be fun to have it to use as a scanner. So I ordered it without really knowing what I was getting into. In the time between placing my order, and actually receiving the radio, I started doing online research and found there is so much more to GMRS communications. First thing being that I needed a license to use it (unsure, at this moment, if that also includes just turning it on to monitor the radio and not actually transmit). Better safe than sorry, so I completed my FCC application online and paid the $35.00 fee (license is good for ten years). The process is quick and painless - I had my license and call sign the next day.The radio arrived as shown in the pics. It really appears to have almost everything you need to get started using GMRS radio. The build quality of the radio, especially for the price, is really good. The screen is bright and legible (sorry, didn't photograph that, but it looks like the listing), accessories include a docking station, USB cables (for charging and programming), wrist lanyard, belt clip, and battery. The instructions are pretty bad, and are hampered by Talkpod using the smallest font you have ever seen (hyperbole - but you get my point). I literally had to use a magnifier to read it. In any case, you'll be better-off going to the Talkpod web site and downloading a real manual (a pdf file) which is much more useful and legible.There is soooo much to learn. If you are, like me, new to GMRS, you'll be overwhelmed by the volume of information concerning the service, and the radios / repeaters used in this type of communication. Thankfully there are several good websites to help get you started. I still have not actually used the radio, rather I am trying to learn what settings I should use (oh the jargon!) and how to program the radio. But while reading and watching videos for GRMS and, in particular, the Talkpod A36Plus, I've found out that it is a "dirty" radio. What that means is, and I hope I am explaining it correctly, is that when it transmits on a given frequency it can bleed-over into other frequencies. This is far from ideal, but also appears to be a common problem with some of the lower-cost GRMS radios. So be mindful of this when transmitting.I am looking forward to getting into this more and more. I only hope that GRMS doesn't devolve into the fetid swamp that CB radio did years ago. I think the Talkpod A36Plus has a lot of features that I'm only starting to learn about, and I look forward to using it to start into GRMS communications. I can see its value for hiking in the mountains near me as well as for weather alerts / emergency communications.I do hope that my review and pics have been helpful to you. Regards.