Hi All!

I have a Tytera TYT MD-380 DMR Radio with the Firmware from Travis Goodspeed. (Full DMR Userbase in flash)

But now I have seen a Baofeng (actually probably Radioddity) RD-5UV.
Looking like the normal UV-5R but having dual band DMR and analog capabilities. (53 USD shipped on aliexpress ... but I guess it was a Promo ...)
Let's see how it is, it has the same formfactor as the UV-5R (just fatter battery).
It is fully DMR Tier II compliant (can be used with DMR Repeaters) unlike the Tier I DM-5R.

Anyhow ... then I saw the SharkRF OpenSpot was 50% reduced on easter, so I ordered one as well.
Was thinking about DVMega but decided for the OpenSpot instead.

I think Tony bought one as well.
How do you like it??
Do you use any special features or the API it offers?

CU, Ricsi

--- GoldED+/LNX
* Origin: The inhabitants of ancient Egypt were called mummies. (432:1/105)

Richard Menedetter wrote to All <=-

But now I have seen a Baofeng (actually probably Radioddity) RD-5UV. Looking like the normal UV-5R but having dual band DMR and analog capabilities. (53 USD shipped on aliexpress ... but I guess it was a
Promo ...) Let's see how it is, it has the same formfactor as the UV-5R (just fatter battery).
It is fully DMR Tier II compliant (can be used with DMR Repeaters)
unlike the Tier I DM-5R.

I haven't heard of this Baofeng. Have the reviewers confirmed that this is fully Tier II compliant?

I think Tony bought one as well.
How do you like it??
Do you use any special features or the API it offers?

Yes, I have an OpenSpot. I only use it on DMR, and don't use any of the special features. Overall a nice unit, though its receiver is quite deaf. The 20mW transmitter gets out well, but the receiver loses my 3W HT less than half way to the limit of the transmitter. Just a thing to keep in mind if you're using the OpenSpot in a larger area.


... BBS?? Yeah, I do BBS...but, I can control it.
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Hi Vk3jed!

06 Apr 2018 17:37, from Vk3jed -> Richard Menedetter:

Baofeng RD-5UV.

I haven't heard of this Baofeng.

https://tinyurl.com/y74xubsj

Have the reviewers confirmed that this is fully Tier II compliant?

Yes

It is on the way, I will check it out also myself.

I think Tony bought one as well.
How do you like it??
Do you use any special features or the API it offers?

Yes, I have an OpenSpot. I only use it on DMR, and don't use any of
the special features. Overall a nice unit, though its receiver is
quite deaf. The 20mW transmitter gets out well, but the receiver
loses my 3W HT less than half way to the limit of the transmitter.
Just a thing to keep in mind if you're using the OpenSpot in a larger area.

I played around today with it in our ham club meeting.
Very nice.

Did you check out the DMR base station mode?
I have much to learn here ... ;)

Up until now I only used DMR+.
Today I registered for Brandmeister DMR ...

CU, Ricsi

--- GoldED+/LNX
* Origin: Boldly going forward because we can't find reverse! (432:1/105)

Richard Menedetter wrote to Vk3jed <=-

https://tinyurl.com/y74xubsj

Thanks. :)

Have the reviewers confirmed that this is fully Tier II compliant?

Yes

It is on the way, I will check it out also myself.

Let me know how it goes, it's good to see they've finally got a Tier II compliant radio, after the DM-5R fiasco.

Re OpenSpot

I played around today with it in our ham club meeting.
Very nice.

Yes, they are.

Did you check out the DMR base station mode?
I have much to learn here ... ;)

No, have to read the manual again. I've just used it as a DMR hotspot.

Up until now I only used DMR+.
Today I registered for Brandmeister DMR ...

I've only used Brandmeister, never used DMR+. :)


... The easy way is always mined.
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Hi Vk3jed!

13 Apr 2018 09:12, from Vk3jed -> Richard Menedetter:

It is on the way, I will check it out also myself.

Let me know how it goes, it's good to see they've finally got a Tier
II compliant radio, after the DM-5R fiasco.

Yes indeed ;)

It seems it is a cooperation between Radioddity and Baofeng.
DM-5R and GD-55 were first gen.
With RD-5R and GD-77 they seem to have fixed everything.

And I like to have a very small dual band analog/DMR Tier II Radio including FM
radio ;)
It is also nice that all the Baofen accessories are working.
(ut seems including the battery. The RD-5R battery is just thicker to last longer.)

I do have my MD-380 with the modified firmware from Travis Godspeed.
It works very nicely (I have updated it yesterday from a FW from jan 2017 to one from yesterday and I was amazed on how much they added ;)

Re OpenSpot

I played around today with it in our ham club meeting.
Very nice.

Yes, they are.

Tried out SMS works also nicely.
Also the update method is nice ... USB storage.
You have 2 text files for the 2 CPUs. (if one is missing, then that CPU has an issue.
After the update you get an empty success.txt if it succeeded ;)

Did you check out the DMR base station mode?
I have much to learn here ... ;)

No, have to read the manual again.
I've just used it as a DMR hotspot.

So many things to learn ;)
I will also try the System Fusion cross repeater ...
but now I have to paint the fence ...

CU, Ricsi

--- GoldED+/LNX
* Origin: I tried to drown my problems but they can swim! (432:1/105)

Richard Menedetter wrote to Vk3jed <=-

It seems it is a cooperation between Radioddity and Baofeng.
DM-5R and GD-55 were first gen.
With RD-5R and GD-77 they seem to have fixed everything.

Sool, sounds like it's worth investing in one or two for a cheap FM/DMR radio with a little flexibility. :)

And I like to have a very small dual band analog/DMR Tier II Radio including FM
radio ;)
It is also nice that all the Baofen accessories are working.
(ut seems including the battery. The RD-5R battery is just thicker to
last longer.)

Cool, that's a nice touch too. The "Big 3" could learn from that. :)

I do have my MD-380 with the modified firmware from Travis Godspeed.
It works very nicely (I have updated it yesterday from a FW from jan
2017 to one from yesterday and I was amazed on how much they added ;)

I've never played with the MD-380, but they do sound like a nice radio, especially with the third party firmware.

Tried out SMS works also nicely.
Also the update method is nice ... USB storage.
You have 2 text files for the 2 CPUs. (if one is missing, then that CPU has an issue.
After the update you get an empty success.txt if it succeeded ;)

That sounds pretty good all round.

So many things to learn ;)
I will also try the System Fusion cross repeater ...
but now I have to paint the fence ...

Yeah, I'm yet to play with the cross mode too. Time has really got away from me lately, and I also don't know what's out on the YSF side, to have somewhere to connect to. I've never used that system.


... I read my tea leaves... They said "The bag broke".
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Hi Vk3jed!

17 Apr 2018 07:44, from Vk3jed -> Richard Menedetter:

With RD-5R and GD-77 they seem to have fixed everything.

Cool, sounds like it's worth investing in one or two for a cheap
FM/DMR radio with a little flexibility. :)

It depends on what you want ;)
I do not like huge bulky heavy HTs, and I am quit happy with the RD5R as a second HT as addition to my TYT MD-380.
Other people may have other priorities.
I am sure that it contains some bugs, but it works better than expected.
I have installed a new firmware yesterday, but see no difference ...
But again I did not find any big issues on the first quick tests.

I do have my MD-380 with the modified firmware from Travis
Godspeed. It works very nicely (I have updated it yesterday from
a FW from jan 2017 to one from yesterday and I was amazed on how
much they added ;)

I've never played with the MD-380, but they do sound like a nice
radio, especially with the third party firmware.

I like it very much.
Especially with the 3rd party FW!

So many things to learn ;)
I will also try the System Fusion cross repeater ...
but now I have to paint the fence ...

Yeah, I'm yet to play with the cross mode too. Time has really got
away from me lately, and I also don't know what's out on the YSF side,
to have somewhere to connect to. I've never used that system.

I have not used it either.
A colleague uses it, and he always complains that we cannot talk on the radio. I would try to talk to him, but first I want to get more acquainted with DMR ;)

CU, Ricsi

--- GoldED+/LNX
* Origin: Each snowflake is different - collect the whole set. (432:1/105)

Richard Menedetter wrote to Vk3jed <=-

It depends on what you want ;)
I do not like huge bulky heavy HTs, and I am quit happy with the RD5R
as a second HT as addition to my TYT MD-380.
Other people may have other priorities.
I am sure that it contains some bugs, but it works better than
expected. I have installed a new firmware yesterday, but see no
difference ... But again I did not find any big issues on the first
quick tests.

Cool, I'm not buying any new radio gear at this point in time, but making mental notes as I go. :)

I like it very much.
Especially with the 3rd party FW!

Sounds like a really nice radio!

So many things to learn ;)
I will also try the System Fusion cross repeater ...
but now I have to paint the fence ...

Yeah, I'm yet to play with the cross mode too. Time has really got
away from me lately, and I also don't know what's out on the YSF side,
to have somewhere to connect to. I've never used that system.

I have not used it either.
A colleague uses it, and he always complains that we cannot talk on the radio. I would try to talk to him, but first I want to get more
acquainted with DMR ;)

Have fun! :D



... Do not attribute to malice what can be explained by ignorance.
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Hi Vk3jed!

23 Apr 2018 18:02, from Vk3jed -> Richard Menedetter:

Cool, I'm not buying any new radio gear at this point in time, but
making mental notes as I go. :)

The RD-5R is a chinese radio, but it does 95% of the things, and is more than enough for me on the go ;)

I like it very much.
Especially with the 3rd party FW!

Sounds like a really nice radio!

Yes ... indeed it is.
The RD-5R has max. 256 contacts.
I have the complete DMR database (> 90k users) in the flash of my MD-380 ;))

dmr <-> fusion/c4fm

I have not used it either.
A colleague uses it, and he always complains that we cannot talk
on the radio. I would try to talk to him, but first I want to get
more acquainted with DMR ;)

Have fun! :D

I played around yesterday.
I sent with my DMR radio into fcs1/009 (austria room) and I could see my callsign in the fusion lastheared.
So it looks good.

I have also discovered some nice things:
9001 -> openspot tells you its IP
9000x -> switch to profile x
9999 -> local parrot (not sent to the internet) most people will know that, but:
9999 -> sms should be echoed (did not know that ... but it does not seem to work here ...)

CU, Ricsi

--- GoldED+/LNX
* Origin: Sure, drinking kills brain cells, but only weak ones! (432:1/105)

Richard Menedetter wrote to Vk3jed <=-

Yes ... indeed it is.
The RD-5R has max. 256 contacts.
I have the complete DMR database (> 90k users) in the flash of my
MD-380 ;))

Nice, sounds like the MD-380 is the go. :)

dmr <-> fusion/c4fm

I played around yesterday.
I sent with my DMR radio into fcs1/009 (austria room) and I could see
my callsign in the fusion lastheared.
So it looks good.

Cool, sounds like it's working. :)

I have also discovered some nice things:
9001 -> openspot tells you its IP
9000x -> switch to profile x
9999 -> local parrot (not sent to the internet) most people will know that, but:
9999 -> sms should be echoed (did not know that ... but it does not
seem to work here ...)

I knew 9999, have used that before, especially for "range testing" my OpenSpot. :)


... Disinformation is not as good as datinformation.
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Hi Vk3jed!

27 Apr 2018 07:25, from Vk3jed -> Richard Menedetter:

Yes ... indeed it is.
The RD-5R has max. 256 contacts.
I have the complete DMR database (> 90k users) in the flash of my
MD-380 ;))

Nice, sounds like the MD-380 is the go. :)

If you do not need 2m then yes!
But I like the RD-5R as a secondary device ;)

CU, Ricsi

--- GoldED+/LNX
* Origin: Kids-They're not sleeping, they're recharging! (432:1/105)

Richard Menedetter wrote to Vk3jed <=-

If you do not need 2m then yes!
But I like the RD-5R as a secondary device ;)

Good point, and a second 2m capable HT would be useful here, even though 2m is analogue only here, all DV activity takes place on 70cm.


... Degeneration and evolution are not the same thing.
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