Dang, I hate to see that. I haven't bothered with the CPS or FW, I'm enjoying it as a SW and airband receiver.
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Radtel RT-880
- Thread starter EAFrizzle
- Start date
I made the CPS work but I probably won't do any programming for it. The firmware however is something I'd like to be able to keep up to date. I can't seem to make the band change work via the menu, and I wondered if that could have been a firmware issue, which is where that led. Menu > Analog Settings > Detect Range > shows a slew of different frequency ranges. I tried 840-920 MHz but nothing changes when I exit, so either I'm doing something wrong (read the manual maybe anyway, Scott?) or it's firmware. Beats me. It has received well on VHF and UHF thus far.
Malwarebytes has been known to false positive on perceived malware, but in this case I'll err on the side of caution for now.
Malwarebytes has been known to false positive on perceived malware, but in this case I'll err on the side of caution for now.
That's for the frequency and tone sniffer, I think. The setting you're looking for is Basic Settings>Work Range.
I was thinking the same on malwarebytes, I'll just keep scanning the web to see what pops up about it.
I was thinking the same on malwarebytes, I'll just keep scanning the web to see what pops up about it.
Yep, found the right setting, and also discovered in a video that if you hold the down arrow and power on the radio it opens full band monitoring, so you don't have to change the settings as you outline. This is apparently new in 1.06 firmware, which I also discovered I have. Once I actually sat down and realized I was NOT smarter than the radio I actually started to learn a few things.
I need to do some research on the proper sized SMA female to BNC female adapters as well. I'm seeing some on Amazon but if they are the same width as the SMA male to BNC female adapters I have they're not going to screw down all the way into the recessed area the stock antenna fits into.
I need to do some research on the proper sized SMA female to BNC female adapters as well. I'm seeing some on Amazon but if they are the same width as the SMA male to BNC female adapters I have they're not going to screw down all the way into the recessed area the stock antenna fits into.
Apparently, mine does as well. Nice to know. I haven't tried anything in V-low or 8/900. If the 6 meter guys post about good dx tomorrow I'll try some low band searches.
My RT-880 suddenly went silent about 0700.
I did manage to get 24 hours of SWL before it died. Not an intentional test, but good stuff to know. I didn't notice any kind of low power beep, either. I could have missed that, though.
I did manage to get 24 hours of SWL before it died. Not an intentional test, but good stuff to know. I didn't notice any kind of low power beep, either. I could have missed that, though.
Another thing you might want to check, @KC1UA , is if your transmit also seems to be inhibited in the wideband recieve mode. Mine inhibits transmission on everything, regardless of work band setting; back to normal with repeating the procedure. I'm going to test mine more this evening, I hope it works that way. That would be a nice quick way to let someone look at it without them keying up.
I hadn't checked that but wasn't concerned with transmit at that point anyway. I'm not surprised. One other "issue" with wide band receive is that it prohibits simultaneous reception from all three VFO's, so I shut mine back off for now. Everything is easily switched on and off and I'll start to figure out the features I want to map to certain keys for quicker access.
This radio does receive quite nicely at 855 MHz, as I have a few conventional analog PD's in that range as well as a few FD simulcasts.
I ordered some SMA female to BNC female adapters that I think will fit, will report back with the link if so; they are supposed to arrive today. For the short $$ spent for this radio I think it is going to be overall pretty useful. I also ordered a Quansheng TK11 but the USPS has managed to screw up its shipping. Separate radio for a separate thread but the two draw comparisons in many areas.
This radio does receive quite nicely at 855 MHz, as I have a few conventional analog PD's in that range as well as a few FD simulcasts.
I ordered some SMA female to BNC female adapters that I think will fit, will report back with the link if so; they are supposed to arrive today. For the short $$ spent for this radio I think it is going to be overall pretty useful. I also ordered a Quansheng TK11 but the USPS has managed to screw up its shipping. Separate radio for a separate thread but the two draw comparisons in many areas.
Thanks for the info on the wideband receive; I'd rather hear three VFOs, even in the same band. I doubt there's any 8/900 analog near me, but who knows? I think there's a 900 jam repeater in the area, but i also think it's digital.
I've got a bunch of random BNC adapters, two sma-f to BNC. One has a wider knurled section than the other, but they both fit just fine, so you're probably ok .
My condolences. We can arrange a memorial service if needed.
I've got a bunch of random BNC adapters, two sma-f to BNC. One has a wider knurled section than the other, but they both fit just fine, so you're probably ok .
My condolences. We can arrange a memorial service if needed.
USPS could screw up a one car funeral.
Anyway, I bought these from Amazon - they fit fine but I will say that a few of my antennas don't want to go on all the way while others go on without a problem. If anyone cares about aesthetics in this case, they are black so they blend in nice.
On another entirely different note/observation...when entering a frequency with a 12.5 kHz step size, radio doesn't play nice. For example, entering 853.2625 goes into the radio as 853.2620. So my workaround has been to set the radio at the 12.5 kHz step size, and enter 12.5 kHz below the actual frequency. If I enter 853.250 and then press the up arrow, radio displays 853.2625. This could obviously be overcome by programming said frequency as a memory I suppose, but it's a workaround for VFO entry unless I'm missing something obvious.
Regarding antennae, I have an actual Motorola 700/800 antenna with a female SMA connector. It fits the radio perfectly and definitely enhances performance at 800 MHz. Very pleased with the results here.
Anyway, I bought these from Amazon - they fit fine but I will say that a few of my antennas don't want to go on all the way while others go on without a problem. If anyone cares about aesthetics in this case, they are black so they blend in nice.
On another entirely different note/observation...when entering a frequency with a 12.5 kHz step size, radio doesn't play nice. For example, entering 853.2625 goes into the radio as 853.2620. So my workaround has been to set the radio at the 12.5 kHz step size, and enter 12.5 kHz below the actual frequency. If I enter 853.250 and then press the up arrow, radio displays 853.2625. This could obviously be overcome by programming said frequency as a memory I suppose, but it's a workaround for VFO entry unless I'm missing something obvious.
Regarding antennae, I have an actual Motorola 700/800 antenna with a female SMA connector. It fits the radio perfectly and definitely enhances performance at 800 MHz. Very pleased with the results here.
I haven't run into that on the 880, but the 860 does the same thing. Under Basic Settings, #30 Freq Input. Change that setting from 6-bit to 8-bit. You'll have to enter all the digits, but it will take them correctly.
Continuing with antennas, I ordered a few ABBREE AR-771 VHF/UHF antennas after seeing them on a YouTube video listed as one of the recommended accessories.
Well...they don't fit in my case. As I see it, the issue is the female connector seems to be recessed enough into the connector and it prohibits the antenna from being screwed down enough to make a connection. I tested this with my local NOAA weather station. With the ABBREE antenna screwed down as tight as I could I had no signal. Removing it and putting the aforementioned 700/800 antenna back on resulted in immediate full scale signal. Just FYI. This is the source of the info:
Well...they don't fit in my case. As I see it, the issue is the female connector seems to be recessed enough into the connector and it prohibits the antenna from being screwed down enough to make a connection. I tested this with my local NOAA weather station. With the ABBREE antenna screwed down as tight as I could I had no signal. Removing it and putting the aforementioned 700/800 antenna back on resulted in immediate full scale signal. Just FYI. This is the source of the info:
A few minor nits.
I guess multi-standby only allows for one signal to be received at a time. I guess that makes sense; this is NOT a SDR!
I can't seem to be able to map "work range" to a key. Only certain menu items seem to be available to do so.
One thing I found, if you know the menu item # you can shortcut to it by punching it in on the keypad once in the menu. Instead of mashing the down arrow 16 times, I punched in 17 and went right to the Work Range option, as an example.
I guess multi-standby only allows for one signal to be received at a time. I guess that makes sense; this is NOT a SDR!
I can't seem to be able to map "work range" to a key. Only certain menu items seem to be available to do so.
One thing I found, if you know the menu item # you can shortcut to it by punching it in on the keypad once in the menu. Instead of mashing the down arrow 16 times, I punched in 17 and went right to the Work Range option, as an example.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2020
- Messages
- 414
It died as in really díed or you're talking battery life?
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2020
- Messages
- 414
Welp... mine's going back. It doesn't have near the sensitivity as my Anytones. On UHF there are popping sounds intermittently on receive upon squelch opening. It almost sounds like the synthesizer days when a VCO would be on the threshold of losing lock. The shortwave loops aren't worth a sht. VHF signals suddenly cut out even on strong signals. Radtel just can't make a receiver.
Another POS.
Another POS.
Sorry you got a bad one. Mine is still doing great.
I see a lot of stuff around the web about Radtel stuff, and I'd imagine the complaints/criticisms/recommendations run around 35-40% negative. A lot of that is people who don't know how to operate a radio, but more than I would expect concern the actual functioning of the radio. Lots of bricking after FW updates. Enough comments that had i bothered to study them a bit, I would have passed on the 880. Still, i had one fairly early, so I guess I just got lucky.
It looked cool, had a decent price, and I wanted to get something before tariffs jacked everything up. Sorry yours didn't work out.
I see a lot of stuff around the web about Radtel stuff, and I'd imagine the complaints/criticisms/recommendations run around 35-40% negative. A lot of that is people who don't know how to operate a radio, but more than I would expect concern the actual functioning of the radio. Lots of bricking after FW updates. Enough comments that had i bothered to study them a bit, I would have passed on the 880. Still, i had one fairly early, so I guess I just got lucky.
It looked cool, had a decent price, and I wanted to get something before tariffs jacked everything up. Sorry yours didn't work out.
AB5ID
Member
New software, firmware and all that good stuff.
simonthewizard.com
*NEW* Radtel RT-880 Gets CPS V1.04 And Firmware V1.07 and V1.06A
RT-880_CPS_V1_04_250513_01383d6d-5a37-4773-a2f0-963b4fdc5d74.zipDownload Above is the latest CPS for the Radtel RT-880 and below the latest firmware update V1.07 for serial numbers after 2588000030…
simonthewizard.com
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2020
- Messages
- 414
Ah! I'm gonna try this before I send mine back but I'm not optimistic. Any changelog?New software, firmware and all that good stuff.
*NEW* Radtel RT-880 Gets CPS V1.04 And Firmware V1.07 and V1.06A
RT-880_CPS_V1_04_250513_01383d6d-5a37-4773-a2f0-963b4fdc5d74.zipDownload Above is the latest CPS for the Radtel RT-880 and below the latest firmware update V1.07 for serial numbers after 2588000030…
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2020
- Messages
- 414
That was why, wanted to beat the tariff. I've tried a few Radtels and virtually none have worked out. You'd think I'd learn, but noooo...
