Finally getting a quality DMR! But now I’m not sure of what model lol

[Mountaineer304]

So conflicted idk whether to get an Anytone D878UVII Plus Ht or a Anytone 578UVlll plus
mobile or an Alinco md-500t tbh.. It’s gonna be my first big dmr purchase… I use a yaesu ftm 500 for a base and a anytone 6666 for 10/11 in my shack.. I just cannot decide between a mobile or a ht.. Gonna have my own hotspot etc..

 

[K4EET]

Hi @Mountaineer304, can’t help you on the HT versus mobile quandary. I say that because, as I asked in your other thread, both are going to be just as complicated to program as your first radio attempt. DMR is a sophisticated system that requires patience and lots of understanding in order to successfully get your gear operating the way you want it to.

BridgeCom Systems has a pre-programmed setup they offer but as a buyer of one of their systems, I can tell you that if you need to or want to make any changes to their setup, that is where Google and YouTube videos become your closest friends. DMR programming takes knowledge and time which you, in a roundabout way, indicated that you were not comfortable with.

So what I would suggest is this. Go back to your first radio and work on getting it to function properly. That way, you will be in a better position to make a sound decision on what your next move in the DMR world will be.

73, Dave K4EET

 

[Mountaineer304]

Hi @Mountaineer304, can’t help you on the HT versus mobile quandary. I say that because, as I asked in your other thread, both are going to be just as complicated to program as your first radio attempt. DMR is a sophisticated system that requires patience and lots of understanding in order to successfully get your gear operating the way you want it to.

BridgeCom Systems has a pre-programmed setup they offer but as a buyer of one of their systems, I can tell you that if you need to or want to make any changes to their setup, that is where Google and YouTube videos become your closest friends. DMR programming takes knowledge and time which you, in a roundabout way, indicated that you were not comfortable with.

So what I would suggest is this. Go back to your first radio and work on getting it to function properly. That way, you will be in a better position to make a sound decision on what your next move in the DMR world will be.

73, Dave K4EET

Yeah is it a good idea to purchase software or can you get it free the I’m looking at a Anytone AT-D878UVII plus. What does buying the Advanced RT Systems Programming Software its like $25 per radio says you need certain software for each radio

 

[K4EET]

Yeah is it a good idea to purchase software or can you get it free the I’m looking at a Anytone AT-D878UVII plus. What does buying the Advanced RT Systems Programming Software its like $25 per radio says you need certain software for each radio

Hi @Mountaineer304,

I have the AnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus and much prefer the RT Systems software over the free AnyTone software. RT Systems’ Software is more capable and flexible when compared to AnyTone’s software. I will say, however, there is still a learning curve to overcome to be proficient with either software package.

Do you still have the TYT MD-UV380? RT Systems has the software for that radio too:

DMR-UV380 Programming Software Only for the TYT MD-UV380 radio

www.rtsystemsinc.com

I still think that you would be better off learning DMR programming with your TYT before spending all of that money on an AnyTone radio and a SkyBridge Plus hotspot. Programming the TYT will be very similar to the AnyTone. The AnyTone is not going to be vastly easier or simpler to program. Functioning on a DMR system takes the same parameters for either brand of radio.

Hope that helps…

73, Dave K4EET

 

[Mountaineer304]

Hi @Mountaineer304,

I have the AnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus and much prefer the RT Systems software over the free AnyTone software. RT Systems’ Software is more capable and flexible when compared to AnyTone’s software. I will say, however, there is still a learning curve to overcome to be proficient with either software package.

Do you still have the TYT MD-UV380? RT Systems has the software for that radio too:

DMR-UV380 Programming Software Only for the TYT MD-UV380 radio

www.rtsystemsinc.com

I still think that you would be better off learning DMR programming with your TYT before spending all of that money on an AnyTone radio and a SkyBridge Plus hotspot. Programming the TYT will be very similar to the AnyTone. The AnyTone is not going to be vastly easier or simpler to program. Functioning on a DMR system takes the same parameters for either brand of radio.

Hope that helps…

73, Dave K4EET

First off thanks for all the replies and helpful information I actually sold the tyt. I’m planning to buy a ham clock bundle from invato a very cool device that turns any monitor or pc into a propagation map, he sells a very nice bundle with hot spot, ham clock and an 878 uv2 for $450 ish. They are plug and play owner told me to wait a week and price will drop $75 bucks at least… or I can get the stand alone radio for $219.

Plug & Play AnyTone DMR radio, WPSD Hotspot & Quadra HamPC Bundle

We are pleased to now offer our DMR handheld and HotSpot Plug & Play bundle using the inovato Quadra HamPC as an easy-to-use DMR programmer. Features the popular AnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus radio with Bluetooth, APRS RX/TX and new USB-C chargeable battery. Supports 500,000 DMR contacts (this is the...

inovato.com

 

[K4EET]

First off thanks for all the replies and helpful information I actually sold the tyt. I’m planning to buy a ham clock bundle from invato a very cool device that turns any monitor or pc into a propagation map, he sells a very nice bundle with hot spot, ham clock and an 878 uv2 for $450 ish. They are plug and play owner told me to wait a week and price will drop $75 bucks at least… or I can get the stand alone radio for $219.

Plug & Play AnyTone DMR radio, WPSD Hotspot & Quadra HamPC Bundle

We are pleased to now offer our DMR handheld and HotSpot Plug & Play bundle using the inovato Quadra HamPC as an easy-to-use DMR programmer. Features the popular AnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus radio with Bluetooth, APRS RX/TX and new USB-C chargeable battery. Supports 500,000 DMR contacts (this is the...

inovato.com

I don’t know anything about Inovato Home as a company or their products. Sorry.

73, Dave K4EET

 

[Mountaineer304]

Yeah American ham radio owned and operated great company.. just wanted you to check that bundle out I thought it may help having it pre programmed etc.. I’m ready to learn a new mode when I got the tyt I thought it would be easy I wasn’t ready this time I’m ready and have time devoted to it… I really think it has some cool pros and cons dmr I mean

 

[K4EET]

Yeah American ham radio owned and operated great company.. just wanted you to check that bundle out I thought it may help having it pre programmed etc.. I’m ready to learn a new mode when I got the tyt I thought it would be easy I wasn’t ready this time I’m ready and have time devoted to it… I really think it has some cool pros and cons dmr I mean

Since I don’t know anything about the company, I cannot speak to what they say in their advertising. Sounds like a BridgeCom arranged package where you are at the company’s mercy as to how they program the radio. BrandMeister currently has 1,666 talkgroups of which I’m sure will not all be programmed nor grouped the way you might like them to be grouped.

Talkgroups | BrandMeister

brandmeister.network

That is where you need to understand the programming aspects to either add the talkgroups that you want to use if they are missing and/or to rearrange the grouping to your own preference.

Use what I’ve said to ask the company important questions. An example might be to ask for a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet of the talkgroups that they preprogram. What if they only preprogram 250 talkgroups (T/Gs)? That may not include the 50 that you may want to use. Can you do the programming of those 50 T/Gs?

Another thing to keep in mind is the preprogrammed user ID list. That will be obsolete as soon as they program it. If you want to see names, callsigns, and locations of people talking versus just a meaningless number, the user list needs to be updated once or twice a week. That will be your responsibility.

Sooooooo… Preprogrammed “Plug-n-Play” systems is not the end of the story. You will most likely have a considerable amount of programming to do after purchase. Don’t overlook that task.

73, Dave K4EET

 

[Mountaineer304]

Since I don’t know anything about the company, I cannot speak to what they say in their advertising. Sounds like a BridgeCom arranged package where you are at the company’s mercy as to how they program the radio. BrandMeister currently has 1,666 talkgroups of which I’m sure will not all be programmed nor grouped the way you might like them to be grouped.

Talkgroups | BrandMeister

brandmeister.network

That is where you need to understand the programming aspects to either add the talkgroups that you want to use if they are missing and/or to rearrange the grouping to your own preference.

Use what I’ve said to ask the company important questions. An example might be to ask for a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet of the talkgroups that they preprogram. What if they only preprogram 250 talkgroups (T/Gs)? That may not include the 50 that you may want to use. Can you do the programming of those 50 T/Gs?

Another thing to keep in mind is the preprogrammed user ID list. That will be obsolete as soon as they program it. If you want to see names, callsigns, and locations of people talking versus just a meaningless number, the user list needs to be updated once or twice a week. That will be your responsibility.

Sooooooo… Preprogrammed “Plug-n-Play” systems is not the end of the story. You will most likely have a considerable amount of programming to do after purchase. Don’t overlook that task.

73, Dave K4EET

Yeah not all the groups lol

• Latest radio firmware from AnyTone, pre-installed
• Brandmeister Talkgroups, pre-installed
• User callsign database, pre-installed so contacts are identified by name, callsign and location, not just DMR ID.
• GPS pre-enabled
• Your Callsign (shown on boot screen)
• Your First Name (shown on boot screen)
• Your DMR ID
• Hotkeys for disconnect, go to priority zone, zones list

Our pre-installed codeplug includes the following Zones:

• Favorites. Your state, USA, North America, NETs, Worldwide, "Parrot" (for testing) and disconnect talkgroups.
• TAC (chat) groups for the USA and Worldwide (places for longer conversations after you make a contact).
• Top 50 Countries
• All USA states
• Simplex DMR channels (UHF and VHF for radio-to-radio contacts)
• Analog simplex calling channels (UHF and VHF)
• NOAA weather channels
• APRS (with decode)
• Personal IDs for semi-private conversations

 

[ladn]

If you are going to use a hotspot, then a mobile is overkill unless the hotspot is also mobile.

I'd recommend the Anytone 878. I have an Alinco MD-5 as well as an Anytone 878. Alinco (via Remtronix) as pretty much orphaned the radio as far as updates.

Stay away from Bridgecom as a vendor for Anytone (or really anything else). Let's Get Ready (Let's Get Ready Inc.) has great customer service and won't spam you to death.

 

[Mountaineer304]

If you are going to use a hotspot, then a mobile is overkill unless the hotspot is also mobile.

I'd recommend the Anytone 878. I have an Alinco MD-5 as well as an Anytone 878. Alinco (via Remtronix) as pretty much orphaned the radio as far as updates.

Stay away from Bridgecom as a vendor for Anytone (or really anything else). Let's Get Ready (Let's Get Ready Inc.) has great customer service and won't spam you to death.

Yeah I kinda figured mobile in the car unless there are local repeaters which I have very few I mainly wanna work from the house. Car if I want

 

[K6GBW]

I use a pair of 878's for DMR. I find they are simply easer to work with and more versatile. I have other radios at my base and in my car. The DMR radios are kind of a side interest. The 878 is a fantastic radio for the money. The software is free and not hard to use. I got mine from Powerwerx and they've given me good support. I bought one initially to test the waters and was so happy with it that I bought a second one. The first one is now mounted on my desk with a RAM mount radio holder and attached to a small dual band antenna on my roof. It's all I need to get into multiple repeaters, both DMR and analog. The other I drag around with me when I'm not in the shack. If you start with an HT and find you like DMR you can always add a mobile/base set up later.