Baofeng Baofeng DR-1801 unable to receive DMR transmissions

[takeshi_kovacs]

Hi all,

I am trying to receive local DMR transmissions on my Baofeng DR-1801. I am picking up strong, local transmissions on Anytone AT-D878UVII using a rubber ducky antenna , I record the colour codes and time slots as well as talkgroups from the Anytone's display and then program them in to the Baofeng. Unfortunately, Baofeng does not pick up any signals from the programmed in DMR channels, I can hear them on the analogue (obviously encoded) but when I switch over to DMR the radio stays quiet. The only DMR signal I was able to catch was from my Anytone radio, when I did a quick test but I can't catch any of the other signals around me. Any ideas ?
I have tried different antennas including the same rubber ducky that I have on my Anytone but it did not make any difference.
Group match is off and I have tried Moni off and on, still nothing. The only transmission that I pick up, is the direct DMR signal from my Anytone radio, so DMR seems to work but only in this specific scenario (radio-to-radio).

Hope someone here can help.

 

[icemantim8]

Hi and welcome to RR. Please tell us your location and exactly what system you are attempting to monitor. That will hopefully give us some insight. Thanks! Tim

 

[alcahuete]

Are you getting a signal on the 'Feng when you hear a transmission on the Anytone? Perhaps you have promiscuous mode enabled on the Anytone, so it's hearing everything?

 

[takeshi_kovacs]

Are you getting a signal on the 'Feng when you hear a transmission on the Anytone? Perhaps you have promiscuous mode enabled on the Anytone, so it's hearing everything?

Hi, thanks for your reply. I am not getting anything on the 'Feng and yes my Anytone is in Digi Moni (promiscuous mode). I am recording the colour codes, timeslots and group IDs that Anytone is showing on the display when it receives local signals and programming them into the 'Feng but this does not seem to be working so not sure what else I am missing.

Hi and welcome to RR. Please tell us your location and exactly what system you are attempting to monitor. That will hopefully give us some insight. Thanks! Tim

Hi there, thanks for your reply. Location UK, trying to listen in to local transmissions such as hospital staff some local hotels and accommodations etc. Anytone picks them up in promiscuous mode (have not tried in non-promiscuous mode) and so does my SDR dongle with SDR# and DMR plugin, but Baofeng remains silent even though I have programmed in the frequencies, color codes, time slot and assigned a contact with the matching group id (contact is of group-call category, I have also tried All Call category)

 

[dcr_inc]

RX group list

 

[takeshi_kovacs]

RX group list

aha, that could be it ! the programming software has Receive Group section and I have only added one group in there , will give it a try and add a list of RX groups. That being said, I did try Moni mode which apparently let's you listen to a signal with non-matching ID and still could not hear anything, but maybe I am just misunderstanding this mode. Anyway, thanks a lot for your input, I shall play with the RX group list and see what happens. Cheers!

 

[alcahuete]

As was said...yep, probably the RX group list. I don't recall if the 1801 has a promiscuous mode, but that's how you're hearing everything on the Anytone, most likely. Anytone also doesn't need a RX group list like other radios do.

By are you picking anything up on the Baofeng, I mean, does the signal meter move on the Baofeng when you hear a signal on the Anytone. If yes, the signal is there. Otherwise, there might be other issues at play.

 

[takeshi_kovacs]

I have played with the RX group list and still not getting anything on the 'Feng
Here is what I did:
On Anytone 878:
1) Disabled promiscuous mode
2) Programmed in a new contact + added that new contact to the RX group list + configured a new channel for the new contact (selected the relevant RX group list and contact under the channel config section)
3) Result: Anytone 878 picking up the DMR signal with no problems (with promiscuous mode disabled)

On Baofeng DR-1801:
1) Programmed in a new contact + added that new contact to the RX group list + configured a new channel for the new contact (selected the relevant RX group list and contact under the channel config section)
2) Result: no DMR signals received (when I press PTT on the 'Feng, Anytone receives the signal and recognises it as coming from the talkgroup ID that was programmed in when I added the new contact, but the same does not work the other way around, after pressing PTT on Anytone, Baofeng does not receive anything at all, no signal strength shown, no led light, completely deaf)

The only DMR signal that the 'Feng receives is when I broadcast from Anytone 878 on a different frequency (I am guessing no talkgroups are involved then , that is why it is working ?)
I have also tried: different (external antenna), P2P match (off/on), Group match (on/off), Digi Moni mode (on/off), Talkaround (on/of).
Both radios are pretty much setup the same, the only difference is the Anytone is in DMR Simplex mode and not sure what mode Baofeng is set to as there is no option to check/change that.
Any ideas what else I could try ?

 

[dcr_inc]

"The only DMR signal that the 'Feng receives is when I broadcast from Anytone 878 on a different frequency" ?
Do you have the channel frequencies set correctly? Are you using this on simplex or do you have a repeater pair plugged in for the channel?
Check your frequencies

 

[takeshi_kovacs]

"The only DMR signal that the 'Feng receives is when I broadcast from Anytone 878 on a different frequency" ?
Do you have the channel frequencies set correctly? Are you using this on simplex or do you have a repeater pair plugged in for the channel?
Check your frequencies

hi there, thanks for your reply, channel frequencies are set correctly (same as what I have set on Anytone, basically replicated the same settings on the 'Feng), it is on simplex , Anytone is set to DMR/Simplex mode (and is receiving the signal o.k) but I can't tell if the 'Feng is also in DMR/Simplex mode as there is no such option to check/select. I have tried switching TalkAround on/off but also nothing being received.

 

[dcr_inc]

color code and slot are the same ?

 

[takeshi_kovacs]

color code and slot are the same ?

yep just double checked, both are set the same

 

[jordoncloutier]

I'm Curious to hear if you ever got the issue resolved ?

 

[takeshi_kovacs]

Hi there, unfortunately no. I have tried everything but still no luck.

 

[jordoncloutier]

Hi there, unfortunately no. I have tried everything but still no luck.

I recently purchased a Dr-1801uv radio to monitor a Security company. Im still waiting for the PC programming cable to arrive but I cant get the radio to speak anything dmr at the moment . Its not looking good .
Have you tried speaking directly to baofeng about this radio ?

 

[chief21]

The only DMR signal I was able to catch was from my Anytone radio, when I did a quick test but I can't catch any of the other signals around me. Any ideas ?

According to numerous posts across many radio-related forums, Baofeng's Quality Control is notoriously poor. Could be a bad internal antenna connection (SMA connections can be fragile) or even a board issue. Can you return or exchange the radio?

 

[takeshi_kovacs]

I recently purchased a Dr-1801uv radio to monitor a Security company. Im still waiting for the PC programming cable to arrive but I cant get the radio to speak anything dmr at the moment . Its not looking good .
Have you tried speaking directly to baofeng about this radio ?

I have not tried reaching out to the Baofeng but I might do that. It has been a frustrating experience so far, spent quite a lot of time trying different things but nothing worked. The only DMR I managed to receive on DR-1801 was from my Anytone radio but none of the other local DMR transmissions are coming through, it seems completely deaf. I think It has to be to do with the talkgroups just not being recognised at all, can't think of anything else. Even my SDR dongle picks up the local DMR signals and I can listen to them no bother on the same antenna as DR-1801.
Let me know if you have managed to get it speak DMR, I am really curious to know what the issue is.
I will try and reach out to Baofeng and if i hear anything back, will drop a message here.

 

[takeshi_kovacs]

According to numerous posts across many radio-related forums, Baofeng's Quality Control is notoriously poor. Could be a bad internal antenna connection (SMA connections can be fragile) or even a board issue. Can you return or exchange the radio?

hello, yeah I guess I have no other choice but to try and reach ou to Baofeng and see what they say , thanks for your reply

 

[jordoncloutier]

I have not tried reaching out to the Baofeng but I might do that. It has been a frustrating experience so far, spent quite a lot of time trying different things but nothing worked. The only DMR I managed to receive on DR-1801 was from my Anytone radio but none of the other local DMR transmissions are coming through, it seems completely deaf. I think It has to be to do with the talkgroups just not being recognised at all, can't think of anything else. Even my SDR dongle picks up the local DMR signals and I can listen to them no bother on the same antenna as DR-1801.
Let me know if you have managed to get it speak DMR, I am really curious to know what the issue is.
I will try and reach out to Baofeng and if i hear anything back, will drop a message here.

we seem to be in the same boat , I purchased my Dr1801uv just to monitor dmr frequencies, I too can easily monitor DMR frequencies with my laptop via SDR dongle and SDR sharp ... I just wanted a cheap handheld to use ... Once I receive my programming cable in the mail , ill try and properly program the radio via the software and hope for the best . But its so frustrating. Please do report back if you can contact Baofeng support and talk to them about the issue . Hope they can solve this

 

[kb1fua]

According to numerous posts across many radio-related forums, Baofeng's Quality Control is notoriously poor. Could be a bad internal antenna connection (SMA connections can be fragile) or even a board issue. Can you return or exchange the radio?

Yup!
I'll agree to that!
Baofeng...you know the old saying, "you get what you pay for"...