Baofeng Will a Baofeng monitor Mototrbo radios?

[GregOH]

I know nothing about DMR, but I use a Motorola XPR3300e daily and I was wondering if a cheap baofeng will monitor it.

I know Motorola's are good radios, but when I get to the office I'm picking one of a dozen and some are hard to hear with factory noise and my hearing loss. We don't have any Bluetooth accessories for them and I don't want to purchase a DMR key for my sds100 and take it to work, so I'd rather have something that is as low in cost as possible that will monitor my work radios frequency.

I think I know my answer to my question but I had to ask.

 

[nd5y]

No. The cheap Baofeng UV-5R and UV-82 type radios are analog FM only and not capable of receiving any digital format.

 

[kb5udf]

There are many low cost DMR radios available online, which are below $100, including at least one or more made by baofeng, but ND5Y is correct about some of the most cheap well known baofeng models.

Don't expect a cheap DMR radio to do trunking, but I have scanned with them in a conventional way on a trunked system with reasonable success. Another option is to buy a cheap dongle (SDR) and run it on a pc with software.

So the answer from me is YES, if you buy the right baofeng (not what I might suggest, however) or the right radio. If your worksite has a repeater consider the tinyish TYT md-430. TYT and Retevis make some more typical HT's for DMR that are also afforadable, and work OK for something cheap.

I would add that your original post said MONITOR. Don't expect the cheap radios to work on a trunked system for transmitting, but your probably know that.

One final thought, when trying to monitor DMR on a real radio, you either need a radio which has what is sometimes called by various titles, including "promiscuous mode" or program the radio with the color code and talk group information. To get that information, you essentially have to ask someone, or monitor the system with an SDR or scanner capable of doing this.

 

[amcferrin90]

I know nothing about DMR, but I use a Motorola XPR3300e daily and I was wondering if a cheap baofeng will monitor it.

I know Motorola's are good radios, but when I get to the office I'm picking one of a dozen and some are hard to hear with factory noise and my hearing loss. We don't have any Bluetooth accessories for them and I don't want to purchase a DMR key for my sds100 and take it to work, so I'd rather have something that is as low in cost as possible that will monitor my work radios frequency.

I think I know my answer to my question but I had to ask.

Look at a Baofeng DM-1701. It does DMR tier 1 and 2 if you're using a conventional DMR system. If you're radios are connect+ then you'd need something more like Anytone I think.

Why not think out of the box? Get a add on bluetooth adapter like these?
PrymeBLU BT-500-M11-V2 Bluetooth Adapter - Motorola XPR 3300e, XPR 3500e

MOTOROLA PMLN5712B MOTOTRBO WIRELESS ADAPTER - BLUETOOTH - M83

The second one is a Motorola device.

 

[62Truck]

Look at a Baofeng DM-1701. It does DMR tier 1 and 2 if you're using a conventional DMR system. If you're radios are connect+ then you'd need something more like Anytone I think.

If its Connect+ or Capacity+ then he'll need a Motorola Radio that is capable of those formats being they are proprietary to Motorola

 

[62Truck]

Just stick to using the radio your employer provides you, there is really no need to bring your own radio if your employer is providing them. Why go out and spend your own money and then if something happens to it chances are your employer is not going to replace your personal radio.

If your hearing loss is an issue, I would try and get a note from the doctor to have your employer accommodate you, by buying the appropriate accessory for you, like a speaker mic, or ear piece.

 

[GregOH]

Just stick to using the radio your employer provides you, there is really no need to bring your own radio if your employer is providing them. Why go out and spend your own money and then if something happens to it chances are your employer is not going to replace your personal radio.

If your hearing loss is an issue, I would try and get a note from the doctor to have your employer accommodate you, by buying the appropriate accessory for you, like a speaker mic, or ear piece.

Right, a Bluetooth accessory and speaker would be great but I'm not spending that kind of money, the company would have to.
What I'm dealing with is some of the radios aren't as loud as others and I'm on and off a forklift all day long and have to keep checking the volume knob because it tends to get turned down with my movement of brushing up against the lift and other things. I get complaints alot because I don't answer when called and it's always due to not hearing it.

I've also thought I wouldn't mind having my own dmr radio just for the sake of an addition to the hobby.

 

[R8000]

some are hard to hear with factory noise and my hearing loss.

You aren't alone in this situation.

Your best route is to discuss this with your supervisor or safety person at your workplace. They should be able to work with the radio vendor who services your system to find a "hard of hearing" solution for you that will comply with your company's safety protocols, and work properly with the system you have.

Some employers will scoff at having to spend money for this, but it's the right way to handle it.

Back in my DMR system days, I setup several Bluetooth enabled radios to do just what you are running into now.

Just keep in mind, the vendor can not guarantee all BT devices will work. That's nothing new, and just the way it is with today's BT devices. There may be some trial and error to find the right combination that works for you.

Good luck!

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

I know nothing about DMR, but I use a Motorola XPR3300e daily and I was wondering if a cheap baofeng will monitor it.

See full list of DMR capable receivers here. Only thing you'd hear if you attempt to monitor on a Baofeng is data noise

 

[GregOH]

See full list of DMR capable receivers here. Only thing you'd hear if you attempt to monitor on a Baofeng is data noise

I'd be better off buying the Motorola bt transmitter. I'll talk to the company and go from there.

 

[kb5udf]

I disagree that you need a real motorola to monitor a trunked motorola dmr system. If it is not very busy, I do just fine monitoring it with non-trunked dmr radios. You just scan the channels and desired talkgroups in conventional form and my radios ignore the control channel stuff.

 

[DeoVindice]

Right, a Bluetooth accessory and speaker would be great but I'm not spending that kind of money, the company would have to.
What I'm dealing with is some of the radios aren't as loud as others and I'm on and off a forklift all day long and have to keep checking the volume knob because it tends to get turned down with my movement of brushing up against the lift and other things. I get complaints alot because I don't answer when called and it's always due to not hearing it.

I've also thought I wouldn't mind having my own dmr radio just for the sake of an addition to the hobby.

Knobs getting bumped and turning down volume, changing talkgroups, or even turning the radio off entirely is a common issue with TRBO radios in an industrial setting.

First, look into a radio case/holster that protects the knobs. Then get a speaker mic with earpiece jack and a suitable earpiece. I've used that arrangement successfully in constant 110dB noise in an enclosed screen tower at a rock crushing plant.

I suggest talking to your safety guy and/or supervisor. Being able to hear your radio is vital for safety and productivity.

 

[mmckenna]

Yeah, if this is as big an issue as you claim, your employer should be doing more to assist. There are federal laws regarding adaptation for those with hearing disabilities.
If they don't want to address that, talk to HR. If HR doesn't want to address it, you might want to consider your choice in employers.

Wearing the radio elsewhere on your body may address the knob bumpage. Speaker mics are a good application for this. There are a lot of inexpensive options that don't require you bringing a CCR into the mix.

 

[GregOH]

Yeah, if this is as big an issue as you claim, your employer should be doing more to assist. There are federal laws regarding adaptation for those with hearing disabilities.
If they don't want to address that, talk to HR. If HR doesn't want to address it, you might want to consider your choice in employers.

Wearing the radio elsewhere on your body may address the knob bumpage. Speaker mics are a good application for this. There are a lot of inexpensive options that don't require you bringing a CCR into the mix.

I started off using a mic and had the issue of the volume getting turned down because the radio was on my belt or pants pocket, so I resorted to doing away with the mic and putting the radio on my shirt pocket. I can hear a properly working radio there but it still gets turned down at times. I was looking for a way to clip a radio to the lift and bluetooth or wire it to a speaker. I have bt transmitters and speakers but don't have a dmr radio with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

 

[mmckenna]

Had a guy at work that pulled the knob off the radio and put a rubber o-ring under it to provide more friction to keep it from getting bumped. You could do the same with a rubber band.

 

[GregOH]

Had a guy at work that pulled the knob off the radio and put a rubber o-ring under it to provide more friction to keep it from getting bumped. You could do the same with a rubber band.

Thought about that and if it were mine, I definitely would have done it.

 

[62Truck]

I started off using a mic and had the issue of the volume getting turned down because the radio was on my belt or pants pocket, so I resorted to doing away with the mic and putting the radio on my shirt pocket. I can hear a properly working radio there but it still gets turned down at times. I was looking for a way to clip a radio to the lift and bluetooth or wire it to a speaker. I have bt transmitters and speakers but don't have a dmr radio with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

When you're on the fork lift, is there a place you can clip the radio on one of the beams on the front corner of the lift? That way you don't have to to worry about the volume knob being bumped when you shift around in your seat, and the speaker of the radio would be facing your instead of away from you.

Just an idea

 

[GregOH]

When you're on the fork lift, is there a place you can clip the radio on one of the beams on the front corner of the lift? That way you don't have to to worry about the volume knob being bumped when you shift around in your seat, and the speaker of the radio would be facing your instead of away from you.

Just an idea

Tried that and the closest spot is not close enough to me. I can clip it to a bracket and clip the mic to me but if I get stuck with one of the radios that has a volume issue it won't much matter. I'll have to let the supervisor know some of our radios need serviced.

 

[Cognomen]

Not sure about your radios, but some can be programmed for a "minimum volume" level. I usually set them up for "8" for industrial users, unless they require the ability to turn them way down, like on a golf course or in a health-care environment.

 

[GregOH]

Not sure about your radios, but some can be programmed for a "minimum volume" level. I usually set them up for "8" for industrial users, unless they require the ability to turn them way down, like on a golf course or in a health-care environment.

I think some of them possibly have speaker issues and need work.