Digital HTs

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JASII

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I have not been particularly active with the hobby the past year or so. Anyway, when I was looking at portables a while back, I really wanted a dual-band DMR radio. It looks like there is one available now, but the reviews haven't been good. Is there currently just one dual-band HT?

What about more than one digital mode in a single radio? I recall Connect Systems talking about both DMR and D-Star in one radio. Did that ever happen or is that dead?

Also, with regards to the various digital modes, it seemed like DMR was picking up interest. How are Icom D-Star and Yaesu System Fusion doing? It sort of seemed like some were leaving Icom D-Star to go DMR in my area.
 

N4KVE

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Ailunce, Anytone, TYT, & Radioditty. They are all pretty new, & undergoing weekly FW updates trying to work out bugs, & glitches. Wait 6 months until they are finally "proven".
 

AI7PM

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If you want dual band, wait.

Seems everything DMR that has come out, (except Motorola) has been rushed to market without being proven or certified by any meaningful technical body. People have basically been paying to be guinea pigs and beta testers. A few models are even prohibited from use on many systems due to technical inadequacies causing system blocking.

It'll be worth the wait.
 

N4KVE

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If you want dual band, wait.

Seems everything DMR that has come out, (except Motorola) has been rushed to market without being proven or certified by any meaningful technical body. People have basically been paying to be guinea pigs and beta testers. A few models are even prohibited from use on many systems due to technical inadequacies causing system blocking.

It'll be worth the wait.
People do not want to wait until a product is proven trouble, & bug free. They want to have it now, They'd rather buy an unproven product that needs 2 FW updates a week to make it right, but the next update makes things worse. Anyone following the new Anytone radio? I'm sure one day these radios will be fine. I just dont understand why people don't have the patience to wait until all the problems are worked out.
 

CQ

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Go with a reliable System Fusion FT-2DR HT.

As long as they keep the troubled DMR units out of the Wires-X network, we're happy.
 

ButchGone

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As a user of DStar and Fusion/Wires-X, I can tell you that both are growing. They were designed for amateur use and have much more functionality than DMR, which was designed for commercial use. Many users have their own hot spots, like the SharkRF OpenSpot or DV Mega, so no repeaters needed, if repeaters are not in your area. I think the best value for a dual band radio is the Yaesu FT-70DR, dual mode and Wires-x operability. With a SharkRF you can use an FT-70 on Fusion networks and DMR networks. DStar is also loaded with features and functionality, but the Icom and Kenwood radios are more expensive and can be complex to program. Yaesu Fusion is simple to program and operate.
Do a little online research to see what suits what you want to do.
BG..
 

Drumbum

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I have a FT2DR and a hot spot since we have no repeater around seems like there is only 1 talkgroup that's very active FCS 002 , TG90, America link all the rest are ghost towns even looking straight at the reflector last heard, much more on DMR and we actually have a repeater, the Anytone works great and the TS violation was 3 Firmwares ago and only on one version , was less than a month before it was corrected, the Firmwares now for this radio are honing in on extras and some of them are very nice like the last heard similar to the 380 tools last heard etc, the radios go through a lot of Firmwares getting bugs out that's correct , even my Yaesu had some bugs, like the APRS hanging on transmit only to have to pull battery, its all in what you want to do the equipment is never perfect.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
 

ButchGone

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I have a FT2DR and a hot spot since we have no repeater around seems like there is only 1 talkgroup that's very active FCS 002 , TG90, America link all the rest are ghost towns even looking straight at the reflector last heard, much more on DMR and we actually have a repeater, the Anytone works great and the TS violation was 3 Firmwares ago and only on one version , was less than a month before it was corrected, the Firmwares now for this radio are honing in on extras and some of them are very nice like the last heard similar to the 380 tools last heard etc, the radios go through a lot of Firmwares getting bugs out that's correct , even my Yaesu had some bugs, like the APRS hanging on transmit only to have to pull battery, its all in what you want to do the equipment is never perfect.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

Try the YSF reflectors: https://register.ysfreflector.de
You can drill down on this list from most nodes logged, by country, etc. These reflectors were created by the same guy who set up the IRCddb network for DStar, which is used worldwide. The FCS reflectors were set up by the folks who make the DV4 mini hot spot.
BG..
 

jaspence

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Motorola and Hytera (not Tytera) are commercial brands at much higher prices and have shown no plans for dual band. I have the GD-77, and a couple of the firmware updates were a pain and introduced other problems. The latest has solved all problems I had and improved the capabilities of the radio. When you do decide, make sure to get the CPS software that matches the firmware you choose. If you don't, you will create problems that are worse than the ones the firmware fixes.
 

N4KVE

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Also all Chinese manufacture...
Negative. HYTERA is made in China, but is light years ahead of the Johnny come lately CCR mfr's. Hytera is professional grade, while the others are cheap junk designed solely to be sold as cheaply as possible. Rushed to market, still with many problems, they are getting 2 FW updates a week trying to fix them. I'm sure one day they will work properly, but why people buy them now, with so many problems continues to baffle me.
 

joncleve

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For DMR, I have used BFDX, TYT, RadioOddity, Kydera, Kirisun, Anytone, Connect Systems, Motorola, Hytera and Vertex. I can say IMHO, most of the Chinese stuff is junk, with exception to BFDX and Connect Systems which are pretty decent. Hytera is top shelf along with Motorola. Still in the end, I ended up with my Vertex which is a great radio. I always wanted to try a Tait but my budget won't allow it!
 

joncleve

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Yes, I guess the VXD-720 is a re-branded XPR, but what others are you speaking of that were Motorola?
 

N4KVE

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Not familiar with Vertex model numbers. I do remember for several years Motorola owned Vertex, & they issued several DMR radios that were almost twins to the XPR6550, & XPR4550.
 

joncleve

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Yeah, the VXD-720 which I have is pretty much a re-branded XPR6500, no GPS and 512 memories. The newer Vertex DMR line is totally different.
 

Project25_MASTR

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Yes, I guess the VXD-720 is a re-branded XPR, but what others are you speaking of that were Motorola?
All of them. As of today, Vertex Standard has been absorbed by Motorola. Lines that were not given a notice of cancellation in the last quarter are to be relabeled and resold under the Motorola name in the low to mid-tier categories.
 
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