XPR 7550E for DMR question

[gcopter1]

Since I became a licensed, I dabbed briefly on DMR with an MD380 and a Motorola XPR 4550, thanks to an elmer who supplied me with a code plug.
I then, started used Yaesu Fusion extensively. Sometime after , I dropped out of all of that, I consider myself more of a listener than a talker.

But, recently, I've gotten a DMR key for my scanner, I've became interested in monitoring amateur DMR and wanted to expand my knowledge of it.

And my interest re kindled a childhood love for Motorola radios, as corny as that sounds.

From watching the TV series Adam 12, I loved the looks of those radios.

As an adult, an scanner and radio enthusiast, and as an end user, I learned to like the brand.

With that in mind, I started out to research the XPR 7550e model. Most every review I read, has high regards for it.

What gave me pause, most of all, is the radio's low contact count vs. the other best regarded model nowadays; the Anytone AT-D878UV, which has 150,000.

In Fusion, it's a non issue since all transmissions on DN, include callsign and location.

I do like the ability of "seeing" whom I'm talking to, so, I know the AT should be my choice should I decide to go ahead with a purchase.

What I want to know from XPR 7550E users is, just how much does this affect you?

How do you work around the lack of an extensive contact list?

I know Fusion pretty much in and out, but, man, those Motorola's look sexy...

 

[ergbert]

I don't currently own or use an XPR7550E, but it was M's flagship commercial DMR offering. For amateur use, it's missing a bunch of nice things like callsign/location, front panel programming (yeah, there is something like that available but I've never used it) and the lower number of contacts that have to each be programmed in. If you can live without those, it is an amazing performer with durability you will NEVER find in an amateur handset. My last job, we used them continuously across 12-hour shifts, outdoors in all weather, and they never didn't work unless some ham-handed person wrecked the antenna.

 

[N4KVE]

A total non issue for me. I may have 500 contacts in my 7550, & they were all Florida guys I know. I quit adding to the contact list almost 6 years ago. I know all the people I speak to, & it would be very dangerous to have to look at a radio screen while driving just to get a name. And when I’m talking to a stranger, I hate when they use my name before I’ve introduced myself. I’m more concerned with using a top of the line radio than having enough space for every DMR contact on planet earth. While I haven’t updated my contact list in years, I guess if one has a radio that can hold every contact, you’d be updating it every day. I really don’t think it’s important to have Vlad from Estonia in my contact list.

 

[gcopter1]

Where would I look to get a contacts list? Googling it, I seem to get only lists formatted for radios other than a Moto.
Agree with you where I would only add something reasonable like, hams in my county or region.

 

[ergbert]

There are various ways to download a DMR ID list, and filter by region, but they seem to be flat text files targeted toward the prevalent amateur radios. I don't know that the M radios are able to import flat text files...I suspect you'd be doing the data entry by hand.

radioid.net is the central repository for DMR ID's.

 

[N4KVE]

Where would I look to get a contacts list? Googling it, I seem to get only lists formatted for radios other than a Moto.
Agree with you where I would only add something reasonable like, hams in my county or region.

When I bought my radio, I went to a buddy with a Moto radio, & did a cut, & paste of his contact list. It took a minute to transfer it over. The nice thing about Moto radios is you can easily transfer data from any Moto DMR radio to any other one, no matter what model.

 

[gcopter1]

There are various ways to download a DMR ID list, and filter by region, but they seem to be flat text files targeted toward the prevalent amateur radios. I don't know that the M radios are able to import flat text files...I suspect you'd be doing the data entry by hand.

radioid.net is the central repository for DMR ID's.

Yeah, just tried that but it is kind of limiting, unless I'm missing something.
A search for my city returned 100 users.
Guess I would have to repeat that for every city...was hoping there be a county option, much more complete / faster.

 

[bill4long]

They are good radios, but kind of pricey and a hassle to program for various reasons.
I say get an Anytone 878 and live easy.

 

[AK9R]

I do like the ability of "seeing" whom I'm talking to...

In that case, stick to a digital voice mode that provides that information as part of the protocol.

The problem with any digital voice mode designed for commercial use that has then been adapted to amateur radio is that the mode won't include features that amateur radio operators want, such as callsign and location.

The problem loading DMR contact lists is that they are always changing. Anytime a new user gets active in DMR or an existing DMR user changes their callsign, the contact list has to be revised.

Yes, I'm showing my bias against DMR and I'll freely admit it.

 

[crazyboy]

Yes, I'm showing my bias against DMR and I'll freely admit it.

DMR standard includes talker alias. Motorola chose not to include it in their products until the most recent firmware.

 

[alcahuete]

What I want to know from XPR 7550E users is, just how much does this affect you?

How do you work around the lack of an extensive contact list?

I work around it the same way I have for the 20+ years I have used the radio prior to DMR becoming a thing in amateur radio. It's the same way I work around it on HF, where no call sign appears. You just remember the call signs. It is how we have done ham radio forever, prior to a few years ago.

The XPR7550e is a fantastic radio. You can't go wrong. But for bells and whistles and amateur radio ease of use, I would say the Anytone 878 is absolutely the way to go.

 

[gcopter1]

Yeah, I thought about that myself, just pay attention to the callsign, when it is blurted out. But, if you just turn the radio on, and there's a conversation already in progress, I would want to know who's who, before it ends, and as you know, when it does, you have only one chance to get it right so that if you missed that callsign and want to talk to a specific person in that conversation, well, it can be awkward?

 

[alcahuete]

Yeah, I thought about that myself, just pay attention to the callsign, when it is blurted out. But, if you just turn the radio on, and there's a conversation already in progress, I would want to know who's who, before it ends, and as you know, when it does, you have only one chance to get it right so that if you missed that callsign and want to talk to a specific person in that conversation, well, it can be awkward?

There's nothing awkward about it. That's how people have been doing radio for over 100 years. I don't personally understand the need for showing the call sign, TBH, but if that's a feature you think you need, then the 7550 is definitely not for you. You're going to have to severely limit the number of contacts, and they aren't going to be easy to load.

 

[gcopter1]

I hear you. When I meant awkward, I meant to say, how do you regain contact with the person who mentioned a topic you wish to comment on?
Eh, ummm, so who said something about the OpenSpot 3, I want to comment on?
Instead of, Callsign this is Callsign, reference your OpenSpot 3 comment....
I get you, not belittling your comment, I'd rather see this info beforehand rather than improvising.
Bu as you said, the 7550 might not be for me, was just looking for what other people with that radio did to get around that and your answer, I accept.

 

[GTR8000]

When I meant awkward, I meant to say, how do you regain contact with the person who mentioned a topic you wish to comment on?
Eh, ummm, so who said something about the OpenSpot 3, I want to comment on?
Instead of, Callsign this is Callsign, reference your OpenSpot 3 comment....
I get you, not belittling your comment, I'd rather see this info beforehand rather than improvising.
Bu as you said, the 7550 might not be for me, was just looking for what other people with that radio did to get around that and your answer, I accept.

The same way you'd do it on an analog frequency (which the overwhelming majority of ham still is), and the way it's been done forever, as @alcahuete already said. "K4HPD to the station mentioning the OpenSpot3, I didn't catch your call sign..." Nothing awkward about that in the least...I think you're making it much more of a thing than it actually is.

 

[Cognomen]

I use an old UHF 7550 (non-e) for portable DMR use. I don't have any contacts in my list, and haven't felt the need to populate it. It's not "ham friendly", but I like the build quality and the way my audio sounds on the other end.

 

[alcahuete]

Bu as you said, the 7550 might not be for me, was just looking for what other people with that radio did to get around that and your answer, I accept.

No, no. I know you weren't belittling my comment. Just having a constructive conversation. I'd hate to have you spend several hundred bucks on a radio and then be disappointed.

So what other people do to get around that? One thing is that if you are planning on using a hotspot, the hotspot itself or the pi-star dashboard, which you would pull up on your phone or computer, will show the call signs. So you won't need to look at the radio for that. If you're using repeaters, you're out of luck. When you're looking at a database of around 170,000 contacts, picking which 10,000 to put in the 7550 is just going to be silly.

But what sets the 7550 apart from every other radio out there is the RX Audio Leveling, and it is an absolute godsend when dealing with ham DMR, with the various mix of radios, settings, etc. It's amazing never having to touch the volume knob.

The Anytone is a really nice ham radio, with all the ham features that go with it. I own both. Both have their pros and cons. But judging by your comments and what it sounds like you might want in a radio, ease of adding contacts, seeing them on the screen, etc., I personally think you would be happier with a 878.

 

[gcopter1]

I know I'm getting off the topic, and an admin may close it as I think there would no more contributors, gotta ask you about the 878.
I see the 878UV, is offered in two prices, the one with the PTT ring, is slightly more expensive than the other.

I'm assuming both have bluetooth functionality, regardless of the PTT ring, correct?

Asking because I have a BT PTT and, if it pairs up with the radio, then I won't need the PTT ring.

 

[AK9R]

There are several Anytone 878 threads in this forum: Budget and Entry Level Transceivers

 

[gcopter1]

There are several Anytone 878 threads in this forum: Budget and Entry Level Transceivers

Never thought about looking there, many thanks!