DMR HT Recommendations?

[rf_patriot200]

If you go with the AnyTone (and that would be my personal recommendation) you have to understand the factory programming sofware is clunky, comes without decent instructions and the radio firmware and CPS version have to match. This means that every time you upgrade the firmware in the radio, you have to get a different piece of software. I'm looking into the RT Systems software for my AnyTone.

RT systems is what I use for my 578 & 878, and quite satisfied with it.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Basically the 7550’s do the whole UHF split 403-512, while the 6550 is either 403-470, or 450-512. The 7550 will do AES-256 while the 6550 won’t. A few other extra features in the 7550. Plenty of people still using 6550’s.

The biggest difference between the 7550 and 6550 is audio quality. RX Audio Levelling EID is well worth the money.

Also the 6550 has a notorious issue with the on/off/volume switch.

 

[kayn1n32008]

RT systems is what I use for my 578 & 878, and quite satisfied with it.

The RT Sysyems software is okay for the 5/878 radios, except if you need to use 2 tone or encryption. RT Systems isn't supporting those features. I wish they would.

 

[SigIntel8600]

I would definitely hold off on this device. The owner did not show up at Dayton this year. That’s a bad sign to be a ham radio vendor, & not show up for Dayton. Think, MFJ wasn’t at Dayton for the first time ever, & we all know why. Stores are refusing to carry the product because they are problematic, & have taken back radios customers are unhappy with. But Bob doesn’t give refunds, so he didn’t want to be confronted by vendors demanding their money back. A great idea, just not ready for prime time yet. And they don’t work on AT&T. This isn’t speculation, I know the guy who helps Bob at the ham fests. He offered to run Bob’s booth without him, but was told “no”. So I‘d hold off on this device until the future about them is clear.

The owner had a wedding during the Dayton time frame. He responds to tech support requests on numerous platforms in a timely manner. My B1+ just received another software update. My B1+ = DMR, Zello, Echolink, Weather, QRZ, POTA, RadioRefererence, etc, cellphone, APRS, and UHF,VHF RF in one handheld device. OP here is the link to Ham Radio Outlet B1+ HRO NOT refusing to carry it. Here is the Gigaparts link B1+ Gigaparts NOT refusing to carry it. Don't listen to the pearl clutching, radio Karens out there that put out anonymous, internet propaganda lacking facts. Check it out for yourself.

 

[ArkTex]

I did some more researching, and I discovered that the SharkRF OpenSpot 4 pro might be a good choice. Since I already have a Yaesu FT-5DR, I could just get an OpenSpot for $310 and have access to any digital mode I might want.

That would save me the hassle of having to buy a brand new radio for every digital mode I’d like to try. It also means I could just carry one HT and still have flexibility.

 

[N4KVE]

The owner had a wedding during the Dayton time frame.

I get my info from Howard, the guy whose been helping Bob at Hamfests for several years. Howard was told one week before Dayton that “there was a wedding”, & he gave up the booth, but Bob knew about the wedding for months. Howard offered to man the booth by himself, but Bob said no. And he seems to be hiding out in Mexico. Believe what you want, but my info comes from the horse’s mouth, not internet propaganda.

 

[AC5A]

TYT UV-390 Plus is a great DMR radio. You also have the option to install the OpenGD-77 firmware to add some nice features to the radio. With a commercial radio you won't get the benefit of a dual band radio, on-the-fly programming from the keypad etc. If I had to go with a commercial radio, it most certainly would be a Kenwood.