eVerge DMR radios released! I can hardly contain myself. How about you?

[rapidcharger]

Just found the non display EXV-531 for $335. Pretty darn good for a TDMA HT!

I've found them for $299.
But I didn't buy one.

 

[Kf4mnc]

Has anyone got their hands on an eVerge radio? My company is looking at them and just curios about others experience. (Our local dealer ordered a few in for us to test, but he hasn't received them yet.)

 

[cmpsa]

We are also waiting for 2 VHF demo "EVX-534" portables and 2 VHF demo "EVX-5400" mobiles. My Vertex dealer got his UHF demos in, but nothing in VHF as of yet, to date.

We are also wanting to order a few "EVX-R70" VHF rptrs too to try out the quality, digital coverage -vs- analog coverage, enhanced encryption and the 2 timeslots per color code (2 talkpaths per rptr).

 

[Kf4mnc]

We are also waiting for 2 VHF demo "EVX-534" portables and 2 VHF demo "EVX-5400" mobiles. My Vertex dealer got his UHF demos in, but nothing in VHF as of yet, to date.

We are also wanting to order a few "EVX-R70" VHF rptrs too to try out the quality, digital coverage -vs- analog coverage, enhanced encryption and the 2 timeslots per color code (2 talkpaths per rptr).

Sounds like you are in the same boat as us, except we are using UHF. Basically we want better coverage than our analog radios, as well as the ability to do one to one and one to many. All this without a repeater. I hope to get our hands on some demos by the weeks end.

I'm curious if anyone has any experience compared to say Motorola or Kenwood radios as the price is right on these eVerge radios and the warranty is an added bonus.

 

[Kf4mnc]

531 first impressions

I got my hands on some evx-531 radios today. When compared to the Motorola BPR 40 I carry daily I have the following thoughts. They are very light weight, small form factor, easy to use, come with a three year warranty. Now the bad, feel sorta cheap, the PTT button is pretty small and at times blends in with the other two option buttons, and with the standard battery the radio has to be slide into two grooves in the desktop charger to ensure proper charging.

Charging them up tonight to do some comparison tests tomorrow on range and audio quality.

I'll post back more then.

 

[robertmac]

Oh just give me a radio that works without having to figure what it is compatible with, etc., etc.,. Just give me a simple 2 way radio with an on off button, squelch and channel selector than I know it will work in an emergency or for talking. The way digital is going one will need 20 radios to be able to communicate with others.

 

[iamhere300]

Hytera radios are available close to that price point, I don't get the fuss?

 

[rapidcharger]

Basically we want better coverage than our analog radios, as well as the ability to do one to one and one to many.

You can do group call and selective calling on nearly every modern *analog* LMR radio that does some form of signalling. Even the $38 chinese ham toys do it.
But the range is a different story. I'm sure you'll notice a big, big difference in that department. Especially compared to NFM.

and with the standard battery the radio has to be slide into two grooves in the desktop charger to ensure proper charging. )))

Most radios nowadays do that too. MotoTRBO xpr radios are the same, My Icom NXDN radio is the same too. That's so that you can charge a spare battery without having a radio or spacer. Wouldn't be so bad though if the chargers were much heavier. It's annoying how light chargers have become.

Charging them up tonight to do some comparison tests tomorrow on range and audio quality.

I'll post back more then.

Please do.

Hytera radios are available close to that price point, I don't get the fuss?

There are? You've seen Hytera digital radios for ~$300, free software, $6 cable, 3 year warranty?

 

[iamhere300]

There are? You've seen Hytera digital radios for ~$300, free software, $6 cable, 3 year warranty?

Let me check with my sales guy that handles that in the AM. I am pretty sure we do. not sure about the cable price though.

 

[iamhere300]

There are? You've seen Hytera digital radios for ~$300, free software, $6 cable, 3 year warranty?

Stuck between a rock and a hard place... Yes I have. For more info PM me. I don't want to appear to be selling on here, I really do NO radio sales by the net, basically if it is not close to me I can't properly support it, so I don't sell.)

I also don't want the fine people at Hytera to get upset at me either, they have some very strict rules about online pricing.

And I doubt the programming cable is 6 bucks. I am amazed anything is 6 bucks now a days.

 

[Kf4mnc]

You can do group call and selective calling on nearly every modern *analog* LMR radio that does some form of signalling. Even the $38 chinese ham toys do it.
But the range is a different story. I'm sure you'll notice a big, big difference in that department. Especially compared to NFM.


Most radios nowadays do that too. MotoTRBO xpr radios are the same, My Icom NXDN radio is the same too. That's so that you can charge a spare battery without having a radio or spacer. Wouldn't be so bad though if the chargers were much heavier. It's annoying how light chargers have become.


There are? You've seen Hytera digital radios for ~$300, free software, $6 cable, 3 year warranty?

Regarding analog signaling. That is true, but we don't currently have a LMR with those capabilities and that's why we are considering moving to digital.

Since going to NFM we have experienced more issues. We were fine until then.

The problem with the charger slots is the people in my building using them. They a lazy and won't pay attention. Then they will complain when their radio is dead.

Yeah not sure I believe that price for Hytera. I'm pretty happy with our demo. The range is good and the radios are clear. There is a slight change in the sound pitch but, as I said it is more clear than analog.

We are strongly considering them, for the price and warranty I think it is a win!

 

[cmpsa]

I attended a Vertex Standard EVX-series technical training class today. It was awesome. We learned about the radios, how digital works, programming, features, etc.

I bought a brand new EVX-354 (UHF) portable that was a demo model for the past 2 months. The software is CE-142 v1.02.

* Color Codes (range): 0 to 15.
* You can have 2 conversations at a time in digital.
* If someone is using the rptr in analog, other users can't talk (they will get beeped out).
* If one digital user is using the rptr, and the 2nd digital users keys up, they will get through.
* If one digital user is using the rptr, and an analog user keys up, they won't get through (they'll get beeped out).
* The rptr can do mixed mode obviously (portables can't do mixed mode, it's either analog or digital.

 

[Kf4mnc]

I attended a Vertex Standard EVX-series technical training class today. It was awesome. We learned about the radios, how digital works, programming, features, etc.

I bought a brand new EVX-354 (UHF) portable that was a demo model for the past 2 months. The software is CE-142 v1.02.

* Color Codes (range): 0 to 15.
* You can have 2 conversations at a time in digital.
* If someone is using the rptr in analog, other users can't talk (they will get beeped out).
* If one digital user is using the rptr, and the 2nd digital users keys up, they will get through.
* If one digital user is using the rptr, and an analog user keys up, they won't get through (they'll get beeped out).
* The rptr can do mixed mode obviously (portables can't do mixed mode, it's either analog or digital.

Good to hear! We are looking at them primarily for their cost vs. features benefit. Perhaps you can elaborate on the following . . .

We would like the ability to do the following:

1) Have at least one or two analog channels along with our digital channels for backwards compatibility to the First Responders that have our frequencies programmed. This would be secondary and not used except for this reason. However, what would happen if people continued to use the analog frequency and we used the digital frequency, would it cause problems? There is no repeater involved.

2) The ability to use groups AND one to one calling. There are times now I want a discreet conservation and a phone is not handy, or perhaps we have a situation and someone gained access to a radio I want to be able to communicate without that person hearing. (Remote monitor/disable would be nice too.) I understand this to be possible.

3) Courtesy tones. I know a lot of people don't like them, but my user base doesn't understand how a two-way radio works (IE holding in the button before talking and waiting for someone else to finish before starting to talk.) I have a demo radio that does give some sort of courtesy tone when one person stops talking, but I would like if it would beep both before and after So the transmitting user knows when to start talking and the receiving user knowns when their transmission is complete. (I believe the Kenwood NXDN series can be programmed in that manner.) Do you know if this is possible?

4) Scanning. Simply scanning or priority channels so a few people can hear everything, but (see #5), I am quite sure this can be done.

5. Ease of use. I need all of the above to be easy to manipulate for non-techy people. Thus why we are looking at the 534 model so there is a screen so they know what channel or group they are talking to and have some basic buttons programmed for scan, page up/down to select a user for one to one calling.

6) Out of Range Indicator. - I've been reading about the ARTS function and think that would be great so a user would know if they were out of range instead of transmitting and not getting through. Do you know anything about this features?

To be honest, the Motorola DTR series are perfect for what we need (one to one, one to many, out of range/service indicator, ease of use, remote monitor/kill, easy programming, etc, but because they are not compatible with anything else both forward and backwards (see #1 above), have a low power output, no repeaters are made for them, and most vendors I've spoken with are under the impression they are going to be discontinued we had to seek other options.

 

[cmpsa]

OK. I have a UHF demo (EVX-534 UHF 450-520). I put in some test channels. Works fine in analog, but I can't get it to transmit in digital. I have to leave a column selected "to call another radio". if I uncheck it, it won't transmit.

I'm trying to use the radio in simplex mode. When I transmit the LED light is blue and it seems like it's trying to "connect" to a repeater (similiar to trunking) & I don't get the red xmit light. I'm guessing I have a setting wrong (so that is knows direct/simplex mode) versus trying to talk to a TRBO rptr.

hmm...

My VHF demos will be arriving next week.

 

[Kf4mnc]

I've looked At the software and it is significantly more complicated than anything I have ever used before. (To be fair i dont have the radio i want for testing (534) or the orogramming cable so its hard to test. )
I hope to meet with a tech next week to go through some settings together.

 

[rapidcharger]

Stuck between a rock and a hard place... Yes I have. For more info PM me. I don't want to appear to be selling on here, I really do NO radio sales by the net, basically if it is not close to me I can't properly support it, so I don't sell.)

I also don't want the fine people at Hytera to get upset at me either, they have some very strict rules about online pricing.

And I doubt the programming cable is 6 bucks. I am amazed anything is 6 bucks now a days.

My PM inbox is always open I'd love to know what you've found.

I attended a Vertex Standard EVX-series technical training class today. It was awesome. We learned about the radios, how digital works, programming, features, etc.

I bought a brand new EVX-354 (UHF) portable that was a demo model for the past 2 months. The software is CE-142 v1.02.

* Color Codes (range): 0 to 15.
* You can have 2 conversations at a time in digital.
* If someone is using the rptr in analog, other users can't talk (they will get beeped out).
* If one digital user is using the rptr, and the 2nd digital users keys up, they will get through.
* If one digital user is using the rptr, and an analog user keys up, they won't get through (they'll get beeped out).
* The rptr can do mixed mode obviously (portables can't do mixed mode, it's either analog or digital.

How many call groups can you set up?
How many subscriber IDs can you set up?
Can't you disable the TX inhibit on busy because if someone (or something)is on the analog side causing interference that sounds like a big problem if the digital users are going to get bonked.

OK. I have a UHF demo (EVX-534 UHF 450-520). I put in some test channels. Works fine in analog, but I can't get it to transmit in digital. I have to leave a column selected "to call another radio". if I uncheck it, it won't transmit.

I'm trying to use the radio in simplex mode. When I transmit the LED light is blue and it seems like it's trying to "connect" to a repeater (similiar to trunking) & I don't get the red xmit light. I'm guessing I have a setting wrong (so that is knows direct/simplex mode) versus trying to talk to a TRBO rptr.

hmm...

My VHF demos will be arriving next week.

You probably have to set up call groups.
Maybe you have but if you set that up and specify that on a simplex channel, you should be able to TX there in simplex.

As for the lights, the blue LED indicates you are TX in digital, the red LED indicates you are tX in analogue.

 

[Kf4mnc]

Just wanted to give an update. We ended up purchasing 20 evg534 radios and so far are pretty happy. We are stilly tweaking the programming which has been a chore because the radios are so new the dealer is learning as we go. I've got a cable on order so I can learn more on my own. The only drawback at this time, and to be fair we knew about it, is the slightly unnatural sound of voice. That said it is very clear and our coverage issues have been solved. As I mentioned the programming is much different to anything I've ever used and it seems like updates are coming out pretty regularly, which is good. The biggest advantage is the price point as compared to nexedge or mototurbo. For us it was the right decision.

 

[VE7WV]

You'll probably be happier with your own software and cable so that you can iterate through new ideas faster with less hassle. I've found with the Mototrbo radios that I've gone beyond tweaking and rebuilt completely my codeplugs for our portables after learning what works well and what is a pain in the butt.

I assume programming the Vertex is similar enough to the XPR radios; the only feature I'm using that isn't supported on the Vertex, IIRC, is IP Site Connect/Roaming and that doesn't complicate matters overly much.

As far as the the sound of voice, when signals are strong DMR sounds pretty good to me. Some folks seem to always sound better than others which I chalk up to voice response by the vocoder and/or they are getting really solid signals into their repeaters. After using it for a while, I must admit I do not miss the hiss of analogue signals and keep wondering if I really do need a mobile rig in the truck for 'round town use. I tend to be more sensitive to hiss and poor signal readability when operating analogue than I am sensitive to digital voice artefacts on DMR.

Anyway keep the reports coming, still considering Vertex for my own and club use.

 

[rapidcharger]

I tend to be more sensitive to hiss and poor signal readability when operating analogue than I am sensitive to digital voice artefacts on DMR.
.

I think a lot of people start out with digital and they are a little miffed by the different sound of the audio but as time goes on......... They, like us, become highly intolerant of static and white noise and you forget all about the audio sounding different because a nice analog signal that is destroyed by static is like fingernails on a chalkboard.

 

[w7mag]

Loving the digital

I've recently picked up 2, Vertex EVX539 (403 to 470) which I'm very happy with.
In digi mode they work great.
In analog mode,..... they work Great.

Clean audio in analog and good clarity in digi.

They work fine talking to my Moto-6550 and my Vertex VXD-720
in simplex so I'm happy about that..

Now, if I could get someone to help me figure out DMR, I'd be even happier....

Anyone?

73,
Paul
W7MAG