It just amazes me that a company can release a product without carrying out basic product testing. These are not issues that appear when carrying out an unusual sequence of events, they are quite clearly basic problems that should never have passed acceptance testing. Thanks for putting this video out and warning us!
Thank you so much for this video, and for introducing me to DMR a few years ago! I bought the Radioddity version of this radio, and soon put it back in the box, much for the same reasons that you mention! Except for my Hyteras (PD665, BD555, and BD505LF) my best radio is my first DMR radio: TYT MD-390/Retevis RT8! Good to see you again!
I too have the TYT390gps, haven't had time to try it, but I have it. LOL I bought the Alinco, but haven't had a chance to program it, seeing I have no idea how, I need time to figure it out. My TYT390 was programed by a friend that is no longer with us.
TLDR: I agree with you. Don't buy this radio or it's mobile variant unless you are fairly knowledgeable with DMR radios and like to experiment with new quirky radios.. or simply want a cheap true dual receive radio. If you're new to DMR or just want a reliable DMR radio.. save yourself from the troubles and just buy an Anytone 878 or 578 if you want a mobile radio. Sure the DR-880UV has been around for over two years but most of that time it had gone largely un-noticed.. which lead to very few bug reports resulting in few firmware updates until Kydera brought out the single chip mobile variant, CDR-300UV. Which got some attention from the ham community for it's small mobile size.. It was then picked up by Retevis (RT73), Maldol (DBD-25-UV-M) and then Radioddity (DB25-D). Firmware updates then started to come from Retevis (still written by Kydera) which did fix a good amount of initial bugs as well as adding new features like APRS support, albeit still buggy and confusing, the original Kydera firmwares didn't even have APRS.. it was simply a GPS beacon over DMR that was not even compatible with any other ham DMR radios/repeaters. Eventually analog and digital APRS was added, it does work but it's just not very reliable. The biggest issue with the firmware updates is that they were being released without much testing so you'd end up with a firmware that was even worse than the previous. Some even soft-bricking the radio. Then there was those who were sharing firmwares they received from Kydera directly which resulted in way to many broken, untested firmware files being posted around forums and Facebook groups, which people were flashing to their radio just because it was new. As an owner of one of the first production runs of the Kydera CDR-300UV radios, I can say the firmware has come a LONG way since it's release but of course it's still far from perfect and unless Kydera put some effort in to fixing it.. I can't see it ever being perfect Radioddity then took on the DR-880UV as the GD-88, and only since then have firmware updates been produced. Firmware and Software still comes from Kydera who are slowly sorting things out but I wish they would focus on bug-fixing rather than adding new features (and new bugs). Talker Alias is great but I'd much rather we got some bugs fixed first.. There are simple things like spelling mistakes that are still in the firmware since the early Kydera firmware versions.. it would take very little time to go through and fix them but they still persist over 2 years later! Radioddity are pushing Kydera for new firmware updates so hopefully they continue to support the radios and we get the major bugs fixed.. since it appears even Retevis has given up, with the last official public firmware release for the RT73 being September 2021! I wrote CPEditor and the only reason I started that project was to get a working codeplug onto my own radio.. I had only owned the CDR-300UV for less than a few hours before I decided to reverse engineer the codeplug format and write a small program to inject my own data into the raw codeplug file to get a successful upload to the radio.. since the original CPS would just do whatever it wanted and you'd upload a codeplug you spent hours writing only to have channels ending up in the wrong zone or even entire zones going missing, with different results each time you tried to upload to the radio. That has now developed into what CPEditor is now, essentially being a full CPS-style program that can be used fully independent from the CPS to read/write codeplugs to the radios. Removing the need to use the CPS at all.. The CPS is not quite as bad now but we shouldn't need a third-party software just to be able to use the radio! We just have to hope that there is continued support for these radios and the firmware gets better.. The radio hardware is decent but the firmware and software is where it's massively let down. Either that or we somehow get an open source firmware like Open-GD77.. Although the radios use the newer C7000 chip, with the GD-88 having two of them, versus the older C6000 that the GD-77 had so it's unlikely to be getting some third-party firmware.. If only Kydera would release the source code, then we could fix it ourselves :P but of course that will never happen lol
Amazing comment. 👍 Thanks for your contributions to the community by writing cpeditor. I don't think there's any excuse for still having major bugs after two years though, even if only very few people are using the radio. They should have QA people who actually use the radio. I found most of the bugs within a few days of owning the radio and just playing around with it in my spare time after work. There's no way a professional QA employee could fail to find them in 2 years which probably means they don't do QA at all. Part of my goal with this video is to really point out how bad all this is. It happens a lot where companies release a radio that's full of bugs and is barely usable and then they take months to fix things. It's just not acceptable and we should be complaining loudly whenever this happens. Make it impact their sales enough that they stop doing it. Another issue is bias in reviews where people get radios for free. I don't honestly see how anyone could have given this radio a positive review unless it was because of bias. I'm sure the biased reviews have contributed to many sales where people were later disappointed and felt like they had completely wasted their money. The tactic of these Chinese radio manufacturers seems to be: 1. Release a radio but don't put any effort into making it work properly. 2. Send a few units out to reviewers who will give it a positive review regardless. 3. Don't spend any more money fixing anything because you're getting sales anyway. (Or spend the most minimal amount of money possible to look like you're doing something to keep the customers satisfied just enough that they don't write bad reviews)
I bought a number of the GD88's radios to use in a light weight portable crossband repeater network. it goes a in box and only does that. works great for that!
Where to get firmware for this dmr, Ive also given up learning its menu and functions. This Kydera is marketed as the Cignus DG 800. I've never had the chance to use it.
Yes correct about the volume my solution when I need quiet is to lay it face down the aprs TX works fine location sending not sure about message the menu system is a learning curve it's not ! an 878 the main reason I like it is the dual receive as I can listen Hubnet and dmr or two hotspots simultaneously and I can do this walking around the house also its a fantastic looking radio with a very loud speaker regarding the Menu look at the top use the white text and number to help navigate ,APRS TX works great with messages . . Also use the MM7DBT Code plug editor .I have made about 50 Videos on this Radio which I purchased in UK. I think new users should buy the Anytone 878 as plenty support but it is single receive like most dmr Radios lastly the gd-88 u get two radios in one for under £200
Yeah, it's not really good enough though is it? Having to lay the radio face down because it's so loud. It's just such blatant lack of care about the users of their products. Dual receive I personally don't think is all that useful because it's difficult if not impossible to actually understand two voices at once so it just becomes annoying. To me it's only useful for the extra functions it offers like cross band repeater, single frequency repeater, etc.
I notice it has the same menu interface as the Retevis RT73 mini mobile radio I have which is just awfull. There are so many software bugs and errors I have no idea how it got signed off. If only they had the interface of the HD1 radio which I still think is one of the best.
It's a clone of a clone of a clone, that is rebadged by several vendors. I'm pretty sure it is designed by Retevis owing to the components used, but it's sold as a reference design and a possibly a slower processor as a cost saving exercise as well as flawed firmware. I would have to check this by modifying the programming software, but even then it wouldn't 100% sure because so many radios have been cloned from others with a tiny pool of common parts, it just wouldn't be possible to be sure. If you are buying a DMR, don't buy every single budget HT out there till you find the right one for you, spend a little extra straight a way and get the Anytime 878 series. It's still a budget HT, but vastly superior to the others in every way. I say this as the owner of DMR radios from Radtel, TYT, Retevis, Motorola, Hytera, Alliance, Tytera, and many more than I can remember. My go to radio is always the Anyone's (I have 3 now!).
Just bought an 878UVii ... I was really considering the Goddamn88 (based on a youtube review) so it looks like I dodged a bullet. Did I do good, or is the 878 a bit of a lemon too?
@@radiosification Hi there, The features you describe with the radio being able to listen on one receiver and replay back out on the other. That would be great
@@RabMac108AT10six I don't know any other radio that can do it for everything like this radio. There are lots of radios that let you do cross band repeat on FM though. Have a look at the video I made just after this one and you'll see all the features so you can separate out what you actually want. Personally I really wanted the single frequency repeater function which uses DMR. so I bought a hytera PD985 which has that feature (as a paid unlock though).
Excellent video Ben, the contents of which do not come as any surprise. No more of these radios for me. After 3 Ailunce HD-1's with more bugs than the underside of a wet log, receivers that go completely deaf without warning and refusing to power on unless the battery is removed for several minutes. Add to this the rubbish programming software that many of these radios use and they are just an exercise in frustration and futility. Shame really as the HD-1 is robust and a good form factor. The bugs and future features are rarely if ever addressed, with the manufacturer simply releasing another model just bolting on to the top of the previous firmware mess. The only good DMR radio at the budget end of the spectrum that I like is the Anytone 868/878 which seems stable and does what it says on the box.
The HD1 has been pretty good for me. There were some bugs at the start but they fixed them and it's stable now and still works well. Maybe I just got lucky though 🤷♂️. I don't have an anytone but it does seem like a good radio based on everyone's testimony online. Thanks for your comments.
I’m new to dmr and got the ailunce hd1 for dmr in my area. Was simple to use and came with the programming cable. Glad I did as I was looking at that radio your talking about and didn’t buy it.
@@radiosification the reason for the silence probably has more to do with internal interference - the TX overloading the RX on other slot, a pretty pointless feature anyway. Try using it on extremely low power and into a dummy load, perfectly matched (unlike the antenna), as well as an external antenna. These tests might confirm this.
It could be, but it uses DCDM so in theory it should work okay as there is a guard timing between the slots. Also it doesn't always happen. Just occasionally. Most of the time it will pass the audio.
I know! It's so ridiculous. I don't know what what they were thinking when they designed this menu system lol. Literally the worst menu system I've seen.
I'd like to know a single excuse to adopt any DMR Radio. Aside for some type of (easy to defeat) encryption, there aren't any. They're heavy, full of bugs, and unreliable and very complicated. An excuse to get us to sign up for fly-by-night networks who double as spam machines. Privacy nightmares. If anyone sees any practical advantage to these, I'd like to know about it.
I don't know where you're getting your information from but it's mostly wrong. DMR radios aren't heavier than other business radios. Look up the SL4000e. They have up to AES256 encryption which is basically as good as you can get on any two way radio mode. They're not full of bugs at all if you buy a good brand like Motorola, Hytera, Kenwood etc. Yes, if you buy cheap Chinese radios they're full of bugs. You get what you pay for. Same as with any product. No idea what you mean about networks being spam machines. I've never once heard spam on the amateur DMR networks. If you're talking about commercial networks they're not very common where I am - most businesses have their own infrastructure, but the shared networks are usually run by radio dealers who sell access to a trunked system they run and that works fine - no spamming. There are even options to limit the network to authorised users only such as RAS on Motorola equipment or air encryption on Hytera. The main benefits of DMR are the increased capacity (two conversations on one repeater) which is double that of regular narrowband FM, and the built in signalling allowing you to do group and private calls, show IDs whenever people transmit and more, without any additions like on FM you'd need 5 tone, MDC1200 or some other signalling system. DMR is the most popular mode for new business radio systems these days. In London it's difficult to even find FM systems still operating. There are very few left because of the clear benefits of DMR.
I've done an update video 6 months later: th-cam.com/video/keZ6YThTdbE/w-d-xo.html&
It just amazes me that a company can release a product without carrying out basic product testing. These are not issues that appear when carrying out an unusual sequence of events, they are quite clearly basic problems that should never have passed acceptance testing. Thanks for putting this video out and warning us!
Thank you so much for this video, and for introducing me to DMR a few years ago!
I bought the Radioddity version of this radio, and soon put it back in the box, much for the same reasons that you mention!
Except for my Hyteras (PD665, BD555, and BD505LF) my best radio is my first DMR radio: TYT MD-390/Retevis RT8!
Good to see you again!
I too have the TYT390gps, haven't had time to try it, but I have it. LOL I bought the Alinco, but haven't had a chance to program it, seeing I have no idea how, I need time to figure it out. My TYT390 was programed by a friend that is no longer with us.
You’re back! 👍🏻
TLDR: I agree with you. Don't buy this radio or it's mobile variant unless you are fairly knowledgeable with DMR radios and like to experiment with new quirky radios.. or simply want a cheap true dual receive radio. If you're new to DMR or just want a reliable DMR radio.. save yourself from the troubles and just buy an Anytone 878 or 578 if you want a mobile radio.
Sure the DR-880UV has been around for over two years but most of that time it had gone largely un-noticed.. which lead to very few bug reports resulting in few firmware updates until Kydera brought out the single chip mobile variant, CDR-300UV. Which got some attention from the ham community for it's small mobile size.. It was then picked up by Retevis (RT73), Maldol (DBD-25-UV-M) and then Radioddity (DB25-D).
Firmware updates then started to come from Retevis (still written by Kydera) which did fix a good amount of initial bugs as well as adding new features like APRS support, albeit still buggy and confusing, the original Kydera firmwares didn't even have APRS.. it was simply a GPS beacon over DMR that was not even compatible with any other ham DMR radios/repeaters. Eventually analog and digital APRS was added, it does work but it's just not very reliable.
The biggest issue with the firmware updates is that they were being released without much testing so you'd end up with a firmware that was even worse than the previous. Some even soft-bricking the radio. Then there was those who were sharing firmwares they received from Kydera directly which resulted in way to many broken, untested firmware files being posted around forums and Facebook groups, which people were flashing to their radio just because it was new.
As an owner of one of the first production runs of the Kydera CDR-300UV radios, I can say the firmware has come a LONG way since it's release but of course it's still far from perfect and unless Kydera put some effort in to fixing it.. I can't see it ever being perfect
Radioddity then took on the DR-880UV as the GD-88, and only since then have firmware updates been produced. Firmware and Software still comes from Kydera who are slowly sorting things out but I wish they would focus on bug-fixing rather than adding new features (and new bugs). Talker Alias is great but I'd much rather we got some bugs fixed first.. There are simple things like spelling mistakes that are still in the firmware since the early Kydera firmware versions.. it would take very little time to go through and fix them but they still persist over 2 years later!
Radioddity are pushing Kydera for new firmware updates so hopefully they continue to support the radios and we get the major bugs fixed.. since it appears even Retevis has given up, with the last official public firmware release for the RT73 being September 2021!
I wrote CPEditor and the only reason I started that project was to get a working codeplug onto my own radio.. I had only owned the CDR-300UV for less than a few hours before I decided to reverse engineer the codeplug format and write a small program to inject my own data into the raw codeplug file to get a successful upload to the radio.. since the original CPS would just do whatever it wanted and you'd upload a codeplug you spent hours writing only to have channels ending up in the wrong zone or even entire zones going missing, with different results each time you tried to upload to the radio.
That has now developed into what CPEditor is now, essentially being a full CPS-style program that can be used fully independent from the CPS to read/write codeplugs to the radios.
Removing the need to use the CPS at all.. The CPS is not quite as bad now but we shouldn't need a third-party software just to be able to use the radio!
We just have to hope that there is continued support for these radios and the firmware gets better.. The radio hardware is decent but the firmware and software is where it's massively let down.
Either that or we somehow get an open source firmware like Open-GD77.. Although the radios use the newer C7000 chip, with the GD-88 having two of them, versus the older C6000 that the GD-77 had so it's unlikely to be getting some third-party firmware.. If only Kydera would release the source code, then we could fix it ourselves :P but of course that will never happen lol
Amazing comment. 👍 Thanks for your contributions to the community by writing cpeditor.
I don't think there's any excuse for still having major bugs after two years though, even if only very few people are using the radio. They should have QA people who actually use the radio. I found most of the bugs within a few days of owning the radio and just playing around with it in my spare time after work. There's no way a professional QA employee could fail to find them in 2 years which probably means they don't do QA at all.
Part of my goal with this video is to really point out how bad all this is. It happens a lot where companies release a radio that's full of bugs and is barely usable and then they take months to fix things. It's just not acceptable and we should be complaining loudly whenever this happens. Make it impact their sales enough that they stop doing it.
Another issue is bias in reviews where people get radios for free. I don't honestly see how anyone could have given this radio a positive review unless it was because of bias. I'm sure the biased reviews have contributed to many sales where people were later disappointed and felt like they had completely wasted their money.
The tactic of these Chinese radio manufacturers seems to be:
1. Release a radio but don't put any effort into making it work properly.
2. Send a few units out to reviewers who will give it a positive review regardless.
3. Don't spend any more money fixing anything because you're getting sales anyway. (Or spend the most minimal amount of money possible to look like you're doing something to keep the customers satisfied just enough that they don't write bad reviews)
Nice to see another video from you!
How you been?
That menu looks super awful. I hate those shifting type layouts.
Good thank you! Yeah, it's really bad to use. Don't know what they were thinking with that menu.
I bought a number of the GD88's radios to use in a light weight portable crossband repeater network. it goes a in box and only does that. works great for that!
Where to get firmware for this dmr, Ive also given up learning its menu and functions. This Kydera is marketed as the Cignus DG 800. I've never had the chance to use it.
Yes correct about the volume my solution when I need quiet is to lay it face down the aprs TX works fine location sending not sure about message the menu system is a learning curve it's not ! an 878 the main reason I like it is the dual receive as I can listen Hubnet and dmr or two hotspots simultaneously and I can do this walking around the house also its a fantastic looking radio with a very loud speaker regarding the Menu look at the top use the white text and number to help navigate ,APRS TX works great with messages . .
Also use the MM7DBT Code plug editor .I have made about 50 Videos on this Radio which I purchased in UK.
I think new users should buy the Anytone 878 as plenty support but it is single receive like most dmr Radios lastly the gd-88 u get two radios in one for under £200
Yeah, it's not really good enough though is it? Having to lay the radio face down because it's so loud. It's just such blatant lack of care about the users of their products.
Dual receive I personally don't think is all that useful because it's difficult if not impossible to actually understand two voices at once so it just becomes annoying. To me it's only useful for the extra functions it offers like cross band repeater, single frequency repeater, etc.
I notice it has the same menu interface as the Retevis RT73 mini mobile radio I have which is just awfull. There are so many software bugs and errors I have no idea how it got signed off. If only they had the interface of the HD1 radio which I still think is one of the best.
It's a clone of a clone of a clone, that is rebadged by several vendors. I'm pretty sure it is designed by Retevis owing to the components used, but it's sold as a reference design and a possibly a slower processor as a cost saving exercise as well as flawed firmware.
I would have to check this by modifying the programming software, but even then it wouldn't 100% sure because so many radios have been cloned from others with a tiny pool of common parts, it just wouldn't be possible to be sure.
If you are buying a DMR, don't buy every single budget HT out there till you find the right one for you, spend a little extra straight a way and get the Anytime 878 series. It's still a budget HT, but vastly superior to the others in every way. I say this as the owner of DMR radios from Radtel, TYT, Retevis, Motorola, Hytera, Alliance, Tytera, and many more than I can remember. My go to radio is always the Anyone's (I have 3 now!).
Thanks for the heads up very much appreciated 👍
Just bought an 878UVii ... I was really considering the Goddamn88 (based on a youtube review) so it looks like I dodged a bullet.
Did I do good, or is the 878 a bit of a lemon too?
878 is good. Much better than this radio
Which firmware is your unit running?
Looks like the GD88 firmware came out about 12 days before this video?
@@bryantwalley I was using the latest GD-88 firmware available at the time.
If you don't mind my asking, what is another radio with the same features that works?
Which features specifically are you looking for?
@@radiosification Hi there, The features you describe with the radio being able to listen on one receiver and replay back out on the other. That would be great
@@RabMac108AT10six I don't know any other radio that can do it for everything like this radio. There are lots of radios that let you do cross band repeat on FM though. Have a look at the video I made just after this one and you'll see all the features so you can separate out what you actually want.
Personally I really wanted the single frequency repeater function which uses DMR. so I bought a hytera PD985 which has that feature (as a paid unlock though).
What a shame! So much potential there Ben.
Yeah, very disappointed in this radio. Thanks for the comment Lewis
Thank you for your honest opinion, greatly appreciated
Hi , I am planning to buy oneDMR Retevis RT73. What would be your opinion? Please advise me 🙏
Not recommended.
That's basically the same radio but a mobile version. I believe it has most of the same bugs so I wouldn't recommend it
Excellent video Ben, the contents of which do not come as any surprise.
No more of these radios for me. After 3 Ailunce HD-1's with more bugs than the underside of a wet log, receivers that go completely deaf without warning and refusing to power on unless the battery is removed for several minutes. Add to this the rubbish programming software that many of these radios use and they are just an exercise in frustration and futility. Shame really as the HD-1 is robust and a good form factor.
The bugs and future features are rarely if ever addressed, with the manufacturer simply releasing another model just bolting on to the top of the previous firmware mess.
The only good DMR radio at the budget end of the spectrum that I like is the Anytone 868/878 which seems stable and does what it says on the box.
The HD1 has been pretty good for me. There were some bugs at the start but they fixed them and it's stable now and still works well. Maybe I just got lucky though 🤷♂️.
I don't have an anytone but it does seem like a good radio based on everyone's testimony online.
Thanks for your comments.
I’m new to dmr and got the ailunce hd1 for dmr in my area. Was simple to use and came with the programming cable. Glad I did as I was looking at that radio your talking about and didn’t buy it.
Good choice. I like the HD1.
I agree. I got this radio recently, new for $85. For that price I can't complain too much, but the radio is garbage. Everything you said was spot on.
How did you manage to get it new for that cheap?
Wow… thanks for this info!!
Glad it was helpful!
I bought two of the GD88 versions and just gave up after 24 hours of trying with the CPS.
Use Codeplug Editor by David MM7DBT instead
I’ve got one on the way only a test unit .
good luck will take for ever if it makes it. to arrive.
Hey Chris, what do you mean a test unit? Like they're sending you it for free to review?
@@radiosification hi mate, I have got a loaner on the way. There does not have to be a review. I can buy it if I like, otherwise it has to go back.
Ahh interesting. Is it from radioddity?
@@radiosification no from a uk supplier
I had high hopes for this radio with all its fancy features... but they actually need to work!🤷♂️😆
*DEMOLITION*: A radio that transmits silence 😂😂
Yes! Only when using the single frequency repeater I should note!
@@radiosification the reason for the silence probably has more to do with internal interference - the TX overloading the RX on other slot, a pretty pointless feature anyway. Try using it on extremely low power and into a dummy load, perfectly matched (unlike the antenna), as well as an external antenna. These tests might confirm this.
It could be, but it uses DCDM so in theory it should work okay as there is a guard timing between the slots.
Also it doesn't always happen. Just occasionally. Most of the time it will pass the audio.
I would only buy anytone dmr these work well and have excellent support
You had me when you said you have to push up to go down! WTF!!!
I know! It's so ridiculous. I don't know what what they were thinking when they designed this menu system lol. Literally the worst menu system I've seen.
So much unfulfilled potential with this hardware. But the software and firmware issues are really inexcusable.
Yeah I agree with you. I've made an updated video now with the newest firmware but it's still not great, especially for the price.
Radioddity has released new firmware twice
I've done an updated video now
I'd like to know a single excuse to adopt any DMR Radio. Aside for some type of (easy to defeat) encryption, there aren't any.
They're heavy, full of bugs, and unreliable and very complicated. An excuse to get us to sign up for fly-by-night networks who double as spam machines. Privacy nightmares.
If anyone sees any practical advantage to these, I'd like to know about it.
I don't know where you're getting your information from but it's mostly wrong. DMR radios aren't heavier than other business radios. Look up the SL4000e. They have up to AES256 encryption which is basically as good as you can get on any two way radio mode. They're not full of bugs at all if you buy a good brand like Motorola, Hytera, Kenwood etc. Yes, if you buy cheap Chinese radios they're full of bugs. You get what you pay for. Same as with any product.
No idea what you mean about networks being spam machines. I've never once heard spam on the amateur DMR networks. If you're talking about commercial networks they're not very common where I am - most businesses have their own infrastructure, but the shared networks are usually run by radio dealers who sell access to a trunked system they run and that works fine - no spamming. There are even options to limit the network to authorised users only such as RAS on Motorola equipment or air encryption on Hytera.
The main benefits of DMR are the increased capacity (two conversations on one repeater) which is double that of regular narrowband FM, and the built in signalling allowing you to do group and private calls, show IDs whenever people transmit and more, without any additions like on FM you'd need 5 tone, MDC1200 or some other signalling system. DMR is the most popular mode for new business radio systems these days. In London it's difficult to even find FM systems still operating. There are very few left because of the clear benefits of DMR.
I think I'll give that a miss LOL
Another cheap Chinese radio
It’s got way too much Chinesium in it!
Sent mine back rubbish radio even program ing messed up radio was not impressed
I agree. I'm not impressed either. Disappointed in fact.
5:00 Oh i am here! 73 de SP4PSP
Hi! Thanks for being in my video 😉😂