Can anyone speak to how well the AnyTone AT-D878UV does in analog mode? What type of receiver does it have? Superheterodyne or direct conversion? Has anyone used them in public safety work? Is it the same performance of other Chinese radios or can one expect better?
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Anytone AnyTone AT-D878UV analog performance
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N4KVE
Member
They are direct conversion, and should ABSOLUTELY NEVER be used in any form of public safety work. They are a “radio on a chip”, & when people connect them to a base antenna, they become useless on receive, & susceptible to any radio transmitter on any frequency within 10 miles. But for ham radio use, with the supplied antenna, people seem to like them.
The 878 does just fine in analog mode. Very hot receiver actually, darn near on par with my XPR7550e radios, which have very hot receivers. As @N4KVE mentioned, they are definitely susceptible to overloading, though not nearly as bad as some of the Baofengs and other cheaper CCRs.
They are great Part 90 radios for business and ham. I would never recommend using any such radio in public service.
They are great Part 90 radios for business and ham. I would never recommend using any such radio in public service.
Thanks for the response. Is there a certification or specification I should look for to determine if a radio is public safety compatible? For example, the Motorola XPR7550 (and similar Motorola radios) is often used in public safety though it is designated as a "commercial or business" radio. What things define if a radio is going to work well in a public safety setting? Please note that I am not talking about the removal of a VFO or something that restricts the user, rather I am focusing on specs such as superheterodyne vs direction conversion. I also do not require an intrinsically safe radio. Thanks!
Hit_Factor
Member
Price tag has four digits (or more) to the left of the decimal point, and a capitol M molded into the case.
Joking aside, MPSCS approved radio list would be a start in finding out what's required in Michigan. It's not just Motorola for HTs.
I was about to suggest the intrinsically safe certification, but you said you do not need it. I would strongly encourage it, for any public safety use.
Stick with the brands that make specific lines for commercial use, such as Kenwood, Icom, Tait, Thales, or Motorola.
Stick with the brands that make specific lines for commercial use, such as Kenwood, Icom, Tait, Thales, or Motorola.
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Let's not steer the poor guy into overbuying a radio. Public Safety means a lot of things to a lot of people. Are we talking police, fire, security, or what? The end user's line of work plays a lot into the radio choice. If they're going to be hard on them, you need ruggedized radios. If they work outside, you want radios that are weather resistant. If you don't work in explosive environments, then you don't need to pay the extra $$$ for intrinsically safe radios. Motorola is considered the de-facto standard for Public Safety radios, but they do have a large price tag. Kenwood and Harris also make good radios. The ultimate cost will be determined mainly by what features you need for your radios.
Your best bet would be to find a local radio shop and see what they sell. You need support to go along with whatever radios you purchase! You'd want someone that can turn around programming, repairs, and preventative maintenance checks quickly. Having to ship off radios for programming or repair will get old in a hurry.
I can understand what you are saying. I am only in EMS so I am usually staged away from the explosives and such dangers.
I love the Motorola radios I have seen but the APX series is just way out of my price range. The XPR7550e though is in my price range but I do not do anything with DMR (or any digital for that matter) so I am wondering how the analog capabilities of the XPR7550e fare, or should I look to a dedicated analog-only radio.
rescuecomm
Member
Since you are in EMS, I would suggest a radio with little or no keypad due to the pain of biological decontamination after calls. This is especially important if you are going to carry it off duty and handle it during meals.
I carry a 7550 at work, and it is a decent radio. We use it for digital modes, but have NOAA Weather programmed in one channel. It receives the semi-distant station fairly well.
Since you don't need digital, the question becomes, which band do you need (VHF/UHF) and are you narrowband or very-narrowband? How many channels do you need? There are a handful of options that may work for a fraction of APX prices, depending on your actual intended operation.
mitaux8030
Silent Key
Don't get too hung up over the receiver type (superhet vs direct conversion) - ALL Motorola XPR series use a direct conversion receiver too, with their Rodinia chip.
It's more about the overall receiver chain design & quality. In the case of the Anytone they utilize a four pole varactor tuned band pass filter ahead of the direct conversion receiver chip, which does result in better receive than the typical CCR which does not have this. Also Anytone have worked out a way to get the direct conversion receiver to quietly switch gain profiles, while many others make Geiger counter like clicking sounds, even with strong and noise free signals.
The Anytone is definitely a step up from the regular budget models, but still really only suitable for non critical duties.
It's more about the overall receiver chain design & quality. In the case of the Anytone they utilize a four pole varactor tuned band pass filter ahead of the direct conversion receiver chip, which does result in better receive than the typical CCR which does not have this. Also Anytone have worked out a way to get the direct conversion receiver to quietly switch gain profiles, while many others make Geiger counter like clicking sounds, even with strong and noise free signals.
The Anytone is definitely a step up from the regular budget models, but still really only suitable for non critical duties.
KD8DVR
Member
In my opinion, the analog receive of an Anytone 868 and 878 is kind of poor. It is poor in the sound quality department. Almost as if analog was added as an afterthought. It *works* just fine,,, just sounds poor.
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