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CS800D

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N1GJB

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Thinking about picking one up for the house. I have never used any Connect Systems Products. My only experience with dual band mobiles has been Yaesu analog stuff and my experience with DMR is limited to Motorola mobiles and portables and two Tytera MD380's I had for a short time. I was not happy with the build quality or the analog audio quality. But that's for a separate thread.

Looking for a dualband DMR like the CS800D... I've read the most positive things about this mobile over the others on the market... and the price point is decent. Just looking for other people's experiences after some more long-term usage and whether you have been able to get the radio to extend the UHF range (even on receive) beyond 470 mhz. I would find this useful. Don't need to transmit that high for any reason.
 

chief21

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I've had an 800D for a few months and it has worked fine for me. But, admittedly, my use has been pretty basic (local DMR repeaters) and a bit of analog. I have read accounts of others - who may have higher demands - that this feature or that feature needs more fine-tuning. There is a Connect Systems Facebook group that you could join if you wish to explore some of those concerns.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1796114360641408/

Hope this helps,
-John AC4JK
 

bharvey2

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I haven't used the CS800D but do own the UHF version, the CS800 as well as a number of their handhelds. I've never had any trouble with it and believe the build quality is on par with other ham radios I own from 'the big three". I did ask Jerry (owner of Connect Systems) about out of spec'd band operation on another radio but was told it couldn't be done. (Not that anyone hasn't tried it but CS certainly doesn't support it.)
 

Skypilot007

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Like any Chinese radio it has it's quirks. My main beef with the CS800D is that it only allows 16 channels per zone. Scan lists can have 32 channels, go figure but it makes large code plugs a nightmare. My only guess to this is that the CPS is an obvious carry over from the CS750 portable as there are numerous options in the CPS that are portable related and should not even be in a mobile radio CPS.

I have not experimented with extending the frequency range beyond the advertised range.
 

kayn1n32008

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Like any Chinese radio it has it's quirks. My main beef with the CS800D is that it only allows 16 channels per zone.

That is my beef with the CS-800D.

In my field, there are around 400 authorized resource road frequencies, plus company channels. Having to break them up into 16ch zones would be a HUGE PITA, plus all my VHF/UHF ham programming as well...
 

natedawg1604

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That is my beef with the CS-800D.

In my field, there are around 400 authorized resource road frequencies, plus company channels. Having to break them up into 16ch zones would be a HUGE PITA, plus all my VHF/UHF ham programming as well...

I thought 16 channels per zone was standard for pretty much all radios, I know the XTS and XPR, and CS750 are designed that way. What radios have more than 16 channels per zone?
 

kayn1n32008

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I thought 16 channels per zone was standard for pretty much all radios, I know the XTS and XPR, and CS750 are designed that way. What radios have more than 16 channels per zone?

ALL my Kenwood radios can have more than 16 channels in a zone. My NX-200 has a removable stop. My NX-700 can have way more than 16 channels in a zone. My TK-8180 can do more than 16 channels in a zone, as all the radios in the TK-x180 series can. My old TK-760 could have up to 128 channels in a zone. The TK-280 series can do more than 16 channels. The NX-5xxx series can also do more than 16 channels in a zone as well.

Vertex VX-2200 and VX2500 can do more than 16 channels in a zone as can the VX-45x series and the EVX-539.

Most modern radios can do more than 16 channels in a zone.
 

bharvey2

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The sixteen channels per zone would be the main thing I'd like to see changed. It seems like it would be a firmware change only as the channel selection is done via soft keys. I recall seeing somewhere that there are plans for another, more feature rich control head so hopefully a larger zone capacity will premier there as well. Time will tell....
 

hill

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16 channels a zone isn't really a problem for me. My TK290s are set up this way, plus my MD380 and GD77. Makes it easier to find a channel, rather than looking in zone of channels with a lot of channels to find one.
 

kayn1n32008

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16 channels a zone isn't really a problem for me. My TK290s are set up this way, plus my MD380 and GD77. Makes it easier to find a channel, rather than looking in zone of channels with a lot of channels to find one.



In my NX-700 I have a zones of ‘frequently used’ road channels, a zone of just the Basic 10 and company channels, a zone of a specific geographical area road channels, a huge zone of named road channels, a huge zone of road channels with out names in ascending frequency order. A zone of ham stuff and a zone of ham simplex. I am really thankful for having zones that can do more than 16 channels.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Skypilot007

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I cannot recall out of all the mobile radios I've owned any of them having a 16 channel zone capacity limit. I can deal with a 16 channel scan list limit but this is ridiculous. I'm hoping as well when the new large display option becomes reality that some new CPS is released that changes this limitation.

Co-Value, the Chinese manufacturer of these radios has said they plan to increase the zone capacity to 160 channels in the future on the CS800 and CS800D series radios. This was a couple months ago and I'm still waiting. I gave up on programming the radio and have a small limited code plug in it.
 

N4GIX

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I did ask Jerry (owner of Connect Systems) about out of spec'd band operation on another radio but was told it couldn't be done. (Not that anyone hasn't tried it but CS certainly doesn't support it.)

My CS800 is quite happy with the few GMRS freqs I've got in it... ;)
 

kayn1n32008

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I cannot recall out of all the mobile radios I've owned any of them having a 16 channel zone capacity limit. I can deal with a 16 channel scan list limit but this is ridiculous. I'm hoping as well when the new large display option becomes reality that some new CPS is released that changes this limitation.

I seldom scan with LMR radios, so scan list member limits have never been an issue for me.

Co-Value, the Chinese manufacturer of these radios has said they plan to increase the zone capacity to 160 channels in the future on the CS800 and CS800D series radios.


It would be nice to see 160 channel zone limit. I can easily work with that.

Even my ham zones are significantly over 16 channels per zone when I program all of my ham stuff for Alberta.

I could likely live with 16 channel zones, but it would be A LOT of zones.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

bharvey2

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My CS800 is quite happy with the few GMRS freqs I've got in it... ;)

It is quite a capable radio in the GMRS band (or so I've heard ;-) CS also sells a LMR trunking radio that also has the 470MHZ upper limit. I had a need for a bit higher, up into the 490MHZ range but Jerry said it was a "no go". Had to go with a Kenwood.
 

ocn29rsc

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I have owned the CS800D for about a month now using it as a base unit. I like it so far and learning a little
bit more every day. Over all very happy.
 

scannerowner

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Has anyone within the last few weeks bought the CS800D? I was emailing Jerry, and he said the transmit frequencies are limited to 144-148 on vhf, is there any truth to that, or can it transmit out of that range?

I guess he'll open it up when the radio is Part90 certified.
 
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