Anytone Anytone D878UVII Plus FM issues

[DaveInTheWoods]

My Anytone D878UVII Plus isn't loud enough on FM simplex to understand speech. @Frank06 thought the problem was his Baofeng and started another thread but it looks like his radio works fine and the problem is mine. Baofeng - [BAOFENG BF-F8HP] Receive but Transmit is very faint

Received FM simplex audio is very, very quiet on my Anytone. I can copy about 10 to 30% of what Frank says. Received audio from NOAA weather is as quiet as Frank's Baofeng audio, so it doesn't look like TX from Frank06's Baofeng is the problem. Both of our radios have all tone settings off and my Anytone has squelch off. Commercial FM audio is loud which makes me think my antenna is adequate for these tests. We have tried his Baofeng and my Anytone at ranges of 2.5 miles to 20 feet with identical results. We don't know if local repeaters have any traffic so have been working on FM simplex.

This morning I reset the Anytone. After the reset, the Anytone wouldn't do much until I also loaded the Radio ID and channels I had defined in the CPS software. These are my definitions from scratch a few weeks ago. I did not start from a known good code plug since I don't have a code plug. There's every possibility that I've done something wrong in CPS.

I'm focusing on receiving the NOAA broadcast and not bothering Frank until I get that much working. Tell me if the logic of that is flawed. I am trying to receive the local NOAA frequency using VFO A set to analog FM. I receive the signals but the audio is very quiet. Frank hears this broadcast very well on his Baofeng. I tried the other FM (for commercial radio), but it allows only commercial FM frequencies from about 88 to 107.

I should probably reset CPS and start with all new definitions there too. Please excuse me if I only work on this an hour or two each day. Maybe I need to request a simple code plug from anyone who has a working 878.

I will try other changes as I think of them, but would welcome any suggestions for tests or changes from people who know about Anytone 878 radios. I don't know enough about HTs to know where to look.

You can probably tell that I'm very new.

Thank you.

 

[mmckenna]

We have tried his Baofeng and my Anytone at ranges of 2.5 miles to 20 feet with identical results.

That's because it's not an RF signal strength issue. Sounds like the RF output level is OK if you are getting the same results at 2.5 miles as 20 feet.

I'm focusing on receiving the NOAA broadcast and not bothering Frank until I get that much working. Tell me if the logic of that is flawed. I am trying to receive the local NOAA frequency using VFO A set to analog FM. I receive the signals but the audio is very quiet. Frank hears this broadcast very well on his Baofeng. I tried the other FM (for commercial radio), but it allows only commercial FM frequencies from about 88 to 107.

This is starting to sound like an alignment or bandwidth filter issue.

FM broadcast radio sounds fine - FM broadcast uses a -much- wider bandwidth than what you'd use on the 2 meter band.
Broadcast FM is 75KHz deviation, so it's going to use a much wider filter than the FM analog you use on 2 meters.
Ham radio usually uses 5KHz deviation, or 25KHz channel width.
LMR radio uses 2.5KHz deviation, or 12.5KHz channel width.

NOAA, uses the 5KHz deviation, same as you'd use on the 2 meter band.

I suspect that the alignment is WAY off, or the filtering (whatever these radios use) is damaged.

You are not going to be able to fix this yourself. If it is an alignment issue, you'd need someone with the correct service software and a service monitor to do the work for you. If this is a new radio, send it back. It's broken. Don't waste the energy trying to repair one of these if it is a physical issue.

I should probably reset CPS and start with all new definitions there too. Please excuse me if I only work on this an hour or two each day. Maybe I need to request a simple code plug from anyone who has a working 878.

Won't hurt to try, but don't waste so much time on it that you get past the 'return window'. Way too easy to spend lots of time trying to reason with CCR's only to find out it is a manufacturing quality control issue. You won't be the first, you won't be the last.

 

[DaveInTheWoods]

That's because it's not an RF signal strength issue. Sounds like the RF output level is OK if you are getting the same results at 2.5 miles as 20 feet.



This is starting to sound like an alignment or bandwidth filter issue.

FM broadcast radio sounds fine - FM broadcast uses a -much- wider bandwidth than what you'd use on the 2 meter band.
Broadcast FM is 75KHz deviation, so it's going to use a much wider filter than the FM analog you use on 2 meters.
Ham radio usually uses 5KHz deviation, or 25KHz channel width.
LMR radio uses 2.5KHz deviation, or 12.5KHz channel width.

NOAA, uses the 5KHz deviation, same as you'd use on the 2 meter band.

I suspect that the alignment is WAY off, or the filtering (whatever these radios use) is damaged.

You are not going to be able to fix this yourself. If it is an alignment issue, you'd need someone with the correct service software and a service monitor to do the work for you. If this is a new radio, send it back. It's broken. Don't waste the energy trying to repair one of these if it is a physical issue.




Won't hurt to try, but don't waste so much time on it that you get past the 'return window'. Way too easy to spend lots of time trying to reason with CCR's only to find out it is a manufacturing quality control issue. You won't be the first, you won't be the last.

Thanks for those thoughts.

We don't get identical results at 2.5 miles and 20 feet. That's what I wrote but it's wrong. We get identical results at 800 feet and 20 feet but haven't had a recent test at 2.5 miles. In our early tests I didn't put my ear close enough to the speaker to hear Frank06's faint voice. My error. There is a hill in the way for that 2.5 mile test. I'm not going to ask for a retest at 2.5 miles until we can get them to work at 20 feet.

I will look up the warranty time and procedures and keep that in mind. Thanks.

 

[DaveInTheWoods]

That's because it's not an RF signal strength issue. Sounds like the RF output level is OK if you are getting the same results at 2.5 miles as 20 feet.



This is starting to sound like an alignment or bandwidth filter issue.

FM broadcast radio sounds fine - FM broadcast uses a -much- wider bandwidth than what you'd use on the 2 meter band.
Broadcast FM is 75KHz deviation, so it's going to use a much wider filter than the FM analog you use on 2 meters.
Ham radio usually uses 5KHz deviation, or 25KHz channel width.
LMR radio uses 2.5KHz deviation, or 12.5KHz channel width.

NOAA, uses the 5KHz deviation, same as you'd use on the 2 meter band.

I suspect that the alignment is WAY off, or the filtering (whatever these radios use) is damaged.

You are not going to be able to fix this yourself. If it is an alignment issue, you'd need someone with the correct service software and a service monitor to do the work for you. If this is a new radio, send it back. It's broken. Don't waste the energy trying to repair one of these if it is a physical issue.




Won't hurt to try, but don't waste so much time on it that you get past the 'return window'. Way too easy to spend lots of time trying to reason with CCR's only to find out it is a manufacturing quality control issue. You won't be the first, you won't be the last.

Width has been 25kHz all along.

This is a new radio. I don't see any warranty info with the manual or online. I'll ask Ham Radio Outlet.

I think I'm done with VHF/UHF and will just stick with HF in the future.

Thanks.

 

[mmckenna]

Width has been 25kHz all along.

Right, but those filters can be damaged, improperly installed, aligned, or otherwise boggered up.

This is a new radio. I don't see any warranty info with the manual or online. I'll ask Ham Radio Outlet.

Since these fall under the "disposable radio" category, it's probably not worth your time. Usually there is a way you can send them back to China for "repair", but that usually costs more than the radio is worth. If you purchased it from HRO recently, they should help you out, and at minimum, replace it with a new one. You may have to show them what it's doing.

I think I'm done with VHF/UHF and will just stick with HF in the future.

Thanks.

I wouldn't give up on VHF/UHF, too useful. Don't let one CCR turn out off from a whole segment of the hobby.

 

[ladn]

I'm going to reset my Anytone 878 to default this morning then see if I can receive NOAA any better.

The Anytone CPS has a setting for maximum volume. I don't have the CPS on this computer, so I cant tell you exactly what it's called. It's in the radio settings tab and adjusts the max volume for the internal and external speaker (if used).

Also on the Anytone, if you unsquelch the radio in FM mode with no signal present, do you hear a "rushing-static" sound?

 

[DaveInTheWoods]

The Anytone CPS has a setting for maximum volume. I don't have the CPS on this computer, so I cant tell you exactly what it's called. It's in the radio settings tab and adjusts the max volume for the internal and external speaker (if used).

Also on the Anytone, if you unsquelch the radio in FM mode with no signal present, do you hear a "rushing-static" sound?

The Anytone is in a box to go back to Ham Radio Outlet. No more tests.

The max volume is set to 8 out of 8. I do hear static when the squelch is turned off.

Thanks for your interest. The HT is going back for either repair or return. I am not going to do any more tests.

 

[rescuecomm]

My first Anytone 878 went from good audio to very distorted and low volume. Had to send it back to Bridgecom. They sent me a new one that has been working fine.

 

[DaveInTheWoods]

Received a new 878 from HRO on Thursday. Was away yesterday at an event where several of us had a couple hours to kill with nowhere to go. There were a couple hams there working VHF for the event. They rebuilt some of the motivation for VHF that was eroded by the earlier 878.

Not asking for help at this point. Will test with the OP of the thread soon.

Just wanted to let everyone know the status and HRO's response.

Thanks all.

 

[DaveInTheWoods]

Update: The new 878 is working. The two of us have been able to converse over short distances. Home to home didn't work but there's a hill in between. The 878 also receives NOAA at resonable volume and without dropouts.

Thanks to everyone who suggested tests earlier and particularly to @mmckenna who suggested that I look up the "return window".

Now I can program in the repeaters to see if there's actually any activity in the area.

 

[mmckenna]

Update: The new 878 is working. The two of us have been able to converse over short distances. Home to home didn't work but there's a hill in between. The 878 also receives NOAA at resonable volume and without dropouts.

Thanks to everyone who suggested tests earlier and particularly to @mmckenna who suggested that I look up the "return window".

Now I can program in the repeaters to see if there's actually any activity in the area.

It sucks when you get a bum radio, but it happens, probably a bit more commonly with the Chinese stuff.
But, glad you got one that worked and HRO did the return the way they are supposed to.