Dumb question, but is there a jack of all trades all digital mode radio available?

[Mogley]

Yes I know scanners exist but I am wanting to get my ham license at some point. I have dmr, nxdn and p25 repeaters near me. Is there any radio that can do all 3 of those? So I don't have to buy 3 different radios? Or is it just not physically possible?

 

[AK9R]

I have dmr, nxdn and p25 repeaters near me. Is there any radio that can do all 3 of those?

Yes. The recently announced Kenwood/EF Johnson VP8000 either can or will soon be able to do all of those modes. It's not marketed towards the ham radio market and the price runs into the thousands of dollars.

 

[Mogley]

Yes. The recently announced Kenwood/EF Johnson VP8000 either can or will soon be able to do all of those modes. It's not marketed towards the ham radio market and the price runs into the thousands of dollars.

Is there anything that can do at least more than one? Like dmr/nxdn or dmr/p25 etc? Won't buy a a new Kenwood as then il have to hunt down the software and I don't feel like jumping through hoops just to enjoy a new radio.

Nothing from the Chinese manufacturers? Like baofeng, wouxon, retrevis etc?

 

[mmckenna]

One band, it's fairly easy, you can get P25, DMR and NXDN in a single band radio for ~$1200 or so.
You can only program in 2 digital modes at a time.

If you want a multiband radio, it does get expensive, and there isn't one solution that will do everything, yet.
The EFJ/Kenwood VP8000 currently only does analog and P25 (phase 1 and 2). In the near future, you'll be able to add DMR. Rumors of adding NXDN in the future. You are probably looking at close to $7K

Tait makes a multiband radio that will do P25 and DMR.

For ham use, all you'd be able to utilize on these radios is VHF and UHF. No amateur allocations in the 700/800MHz band.

Other concern, the LMR radios are limited to narrow band on VHF and UHF, so you need to pay close attention. Most radios can have wide band opened back up for analog use, but there's some extra steps involved. Kenwood and Harris are pretty good about leaving the 2 meter band capable of wide band. 70cm amateur radio band is a secondary allocation in the band, so you will need to request wide band for UHF.

Make sure you consider the -entire- cost of ownership. Programming software and cables can be expensive. Accessories are higher priced than the amateur stuff.

Programming software has a steep learning curve.

 

[Mogley]

One band, it's fairly easy, you can get P25, DMR and NXDN in a single band radio for ~$1200 or so.
You can only program in 2 digital modes at a time.

If you want a multiband radio, it does get expensive, and there isn't one solution that will do everything, yet.
The EFJ/Kenwood VP8000 currently only does analog and P25 (phase 1 and 2). In the near future, you'll be able to add DMR. Rumors of adding NXDN in the future. You are probably looking at close to $7K

Tait makes a multiband radio that will do P25 and DMR.

For ham use, all you'd be able to utilize on these radios is VHF and UHF. No amateur allocations in the 700/800MHz band.

Other concern, the LMR radios are limited to narrow band on VHF and UHF, so you need to pay close attention. Most radios can have wide band opened back up for analog use, but there's some extra steps involved. Kenwood and Harris are pretty good about leaving the 2 meter band capable of wide band. 70cm amateur radio band is a secondary allocation in the band, so you will need to request wide band for UHF.

Make sure you consider the -entire- cost of ownership. Programming software and cables can be expensive. Accessories are higher priced than the amateur stuff.

Programming software has a steep learning curve.

Thanks for the advice. I already own an xpr6550 and an xts 5000. Was hoping I could combine the two and get something better. What's that tait radio you mentioned that can do p25 and dmr?

 

[mmckenna]

Thanks for the advice. I already own an xpr6550 and an xts 5000. Was hoping I could combine the two and get something better. What's that tait radio you mentioned that can do p25 and dmr?

Tait TP-9900

But you won't find it on their website yet. I was at IWCE on display. Looks like the TP-9800, which is multiband with P25 and analog only.

 

[mmckenna]

I'd hold off buying any commercial multiband digital radio for at least a year for hobby use.

There's new stuff hitting the market, plus as the new/better stuff comes out, the old stuff will be sold off a lot cheaper.

 

[ladn]

Yes I know scanners exist but I am wanting to get my ham license at some point. I have dmr, nxdn and p25 repeaters near me. Is there any radio that can do all 3 of those?

There are several ham radios that will do both analog FM and DMR. All are Chicom brands. Of those, I think the Anytone 878 handheld and 578 series mobile are about the best. Both are dual band, VHF/UHF. Anytone may also be coming out with a radio this year that will do Nextedge.. I'm not aware of any hammy radios that will do P25.

I have an Anytone 878 and it has performed well. The Anytone CPS is a bit peculiar (as are all Chicom CPS), but once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy to use. I've see mixed reviews on the 578, and one thing about it that's a big NOPE is that it will not split mount (control panel separates and allows radio to be mounted elsewhere). Anytone does offer a bluetooth remote, but its price point is nearly 50% of the 578's cost.

 

[Cognomen]

Too bad about your reluctance to buy Kenwood. I use a Kenwood NX-5200 hh and NX-5700 mobile for VHF and an NX-5300 hh and NX-5800 mobile for UHF; they have NXDN, DMR, and P25 licenses, and FPP. Wide-band enabled in Canada. You can use 2 of the 3 digital modes at a time. I have separate profiles for each I can load in, either NXDN and DMR or NXDN and P25, depending on what I need.

 

[Mogley]

Kenwood NX-5200 hh and NX-5700 mobile for VHF and an NX-5300 hh and NX-5800

Are you saying those can do 3 different digital modes in ONE radio?

 

[tweiss3]

Yes. I have a NX-5700/5800 dual deck in my truck. I have analog & P25 & NXDN in the 5700 (VHF) and analog & P25 & DMR in the 5800 (UHF). Single control head, DTMF microphone, with bluetooth programming.

 

[AF1UD]

I use the nx-5700 and nx-5800 in my car and my vp-8000 for everything else.

 

[Mogley]

Yes. I have a NX-5700/5800 dual deck in my truck. I have analog & P25 & NXDN in the 5700 (VHF) and analog & P25 & DMR in the 5800 (UHF). Single control head, DTMF microphone, with bluetooth programming.

Alright last question. Is there a handheld version? If I were to pick one up, do I need to pay Kenwood for some stupid upgrade board to use all the modes like Motorola does with anything useful?

 

[Mogley]

I use the nx-5700 and nx-5800 in my car and my vp-8000 for everything else.

How's your VP8000? Erie county pa uses vp6000s for their county system. Is it a pain in the butt to program compared to something like an xts5000 or xpr series?

 

[tweiss3]

Only the mobile can use multiple RF decks to create a "dual band" radio. In handhelds, you get either VHF (5200) or UHF (5300) (I have both, entitlements match the car's setups). If you want a dual band in a handheld, you have to go to the new VP8000, which does use a different software than the NX-5000 radios.

 

[AF1UD]

How's your VP8000? Erie county pa uses vp6000s for their county system. Is it a pain in the butt to program compared to something like an xts5000 or xpr series?

Compared to Harris or the Kenwood KPG crap I find it much easier to program.

 

[AF1UD]

Alright last question. Is there a handheld version? If I were to pick one up, do I need to pay Kenwood for some stupid upgrade board to use all the modes like Motorola does with anything useful?

You do need to pay for upgrades. But some radios come with somethings that others dont. Analog is free.

 

[tweiss3]

Alright last question. Is there a handheld version? If I were to pick one up, do I need to pay Kenwood for some stupid upgrade board to use all the modes like Motorola does with anything useful?

No hardware changes, but you do buy the deck or radio with Analog & NXDN only, you pay to enable P25 and DMR, and Bluetooth Programming if you want that. There is a cost for the remote head kit as well to create the multi-deck single head (or multiple head) configuration.

 

[Spankymedic7]

Are you saying those can do 3 different digital modes in ONE radio?

Yes, I have the Kenwood NX-5200...does DMR, P25, analog, and NXDN; however, to my understanding it will only do 3 of the 4 modes at a time, so it's as if you may need to have 2 different codeplugs, depending on your needs. It's a great radio.

 

[mmckenna]

Yes, I have the Kenwood NX-5200...does DMR, P25, analog, and NXDN; however, to my understanding it will only do 3 of the 4 modes at a time, so it's as if you may need to have 2 different codeplugs, depending on your needs. It's a great radio.

It will always do analog.
It will only permit two digital modes to be programmed into the radio at a time. Memory limitation for the vocoders.