Another great review, Lewis. This radio is very convenient if you like small handhelds. I love mine as an extra radio, but I wouldn’t want it as my only DMR radio. Works great with my Zumspot.
Just got mine in today. Got the Father's Day special that combined the hotspot and the radio for about the cost of the hotspot alone. Now to get up to speed on doing code plugs. I registered for my digital ID last week so I can get to it. 73, K2WLF
The PMR446 ofcom regulations doesn't say anything about PMR radios having a fixed antenna. Infact it says that if the radio is modified with something like an antenna the radio's ERP must not be greater than 0.5 watts. It seems more concerned about freqency usage and bandwdith, making note of ensuring it uses 12.5 / 6.25 kHz rather than wide channel 25 kHz. www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/85156/ir_2009_analogue_and_digita1.pdf last page here under converted radio equipment. It does say it should only be usd for mobile use, so no base station. I can only assume at this point, that's where people are getting the fixed antenna part from(?). Does anyone have information relating directly to PMR having a requirement for a fixed non-removable antenna?
A Fixed antenna used to be a requirement in the initial regs. As the regs have developed to include DMR, Add extra channels and then open up all 16 channels for either DMR OR Analog, the fixed antenna requirement was dropped, but the 0.5W EIRP stands. I think other EU countries on PMR though may still not allow removable antennas.
Noob here. When you get a DMR radio , how do you make contact with other Hams ? When using analog , you just transmit on a frequency and wait for someone to answer . On DMR , do you have to know some ID of the recipient ? Can you just transmit and wait for someone to answer ? On the video I notice there is a number , presumable the group ID , but how are these setup , are they agreed in advance and people are added to the group ?
Hey Joseph- There are a few options to make contacts with other hams. One is to go through a local repeater. DMR repeaters allow you to choose from a variety of talk groups such as world wide. The radio must first be set up with what is called a code plug. That is where you need to enter all the frequencies for the repeaters or simplex channels. You can set your channels up into groups called Zones. I have a zone for simplex DMR frequencies, another for FM frequencies, one for each repeater and I set up a zone for PMR channels and weather frequencies. To learn more- look up the brandmeister network. It uses the internet to connect repeaters from all over the world and allows you to talk globally with a tiny handheld. There are also wifi devices called hot spots that allow you to connect to the brandmeister network directly through your internet without needing a repeater. Its like having your own personal repeater in your house. Its a fun hobby and I hope you get into ham radio.
@@communityradionetwork Appreciate the help . It's all fine no problem. I work in IT and have a technical background , and are familiar with how analog repeaters work. I was just curious as to how the DMR infrastructure works. It seems to be more controlled than analog as you need to register in order to use the service ,am I right ?
Neat idea but I had one and had to return it... the signal quality was just too poor for what I would call “real world use” I was thinking these be good to put in the out bags and in the cars but turns out that they struggle hitting these repeaters reliably. My $50 10 watt analog radio from TYT has no issues connecting long and far and same price plus the battery lasts a hella lot longer then these little guys.
Looks OK but I think it's simply too expensive. I'd rather just go for a Baofeng RD-5R it's dual band and has higher power for when I leave the house. Not a lot bigger and if use a stubby antenna almost the same.
Radioddity just released firmware version 1.06 but STILL NO FIX FOR THE SEVERE SECURITY ISSUE described long time before - namely remotely activating foreign radios and listen to other people!!!! HORRIBLE customer experience with Radioddity... they simply ignore all concerns and mails! Definatly not gonna buy from that brand anything anymore!
I have one but my computer will not program it. I wrote to the company and they gave me some BullS#^% to get it to work...… and it doesn't. Waste of money
CSV files can be opened in Excel and saved to the .XLSX format to be used with the Radiodity software. :)
Another great review, Lewis. This radio is very convenient if you like small handhelds. I love mine as an extra radio, but I wouldn’t want it as my only DMR radio. Works great with my Zumspot.
Just got mine in today. Got the Father's Day special that combined the hotspot and the radio for about the cost of the hotspot alone. Now to get up to speed on doing code plugs. I registered for my digital ID last week so I can get to it. 73, K2WLF
Thank you for showing us this. 73, Frankie.
What a cracking little radio indeed! thanks for the review, 73' :)
Looks like a nice little radio, probably ideal for use with a personal hotspot.
Too expensive for that; there are cheaper radios for this
Great video Lewis. Neat little radio there. Thank you.
Seems like it might be ideal for use with a DMR hot spot.
Hytera (not Tytera) has had a model very similar to this for several years.
Trank you for Presenting this little Fine Radio.
Hey Lewis! Do you know where I could find one of these little babies ? It seems that they have all gone away :(
Tahnk you and 73 !
Neat radio. Like the compactness
Does changing in software cps to a model A does that give it 2w or is it still limited to 446 power levels
I just got one i hate that unkey tone i know you can turn it off but there is no tx tone. The squelch on analog even at 1 is still to tight
Brilliant little radio
Nice video 73!
The PMR446 ofcom regulations doesn't say anything about PMR radios having a fixed antenna. Infact it says that if the radio is modified with something like an antenna the radio's ERP must not be greater than 0.5 watts. It seems more concerned about freqency usage and bandwdith, making note of ensuring it uses 12.5 / 6.25 kHz rather than wide channel 25 kHz.
www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/85156/ir_2009_analogue_and_digita1.pdf last page here under converted radio equipment.
It does say it should only be usd for mobile use, so no base station. I can only assume at this point, that's where people are getting the fixed antenna part from(?). Does anyone have information relating directly to PMR having a requirement for a fixed non-removable antenna?
A Fixed antenna used to be a requirement in the initial regs. As the regs have developed to include DMR, Add extra channels and then open up all 16 channels for either DMR OR Analog, the fixed antenna requirement was dropped, but the 0.5W EIRP stands. I think other EU countries on PMR though may still not allow removable antennas.
Noob here. When you get a DMR radio , how do you make contact with other Hams ? When using analog , you just transmit on a frequency and wait for someone to answer . On DMR , do you have to know some ID of the recipient ? Can you just transmit and wait for someone to answer ? On the video I notice there is a number , presumable the group ID , but how are these setup , are they agreed in advance and people are added to the group ?
Hey Joseph- There are a few options to make contacts with other hams. One is to go through a local repeater. DMR repeaters allow you to choose from a variety of talk groups such as world wide. The radio must first be set up with what is called a code plug. That is where you need to enter all the frequencies for the repeaters or simplex channels. You can set your channels up into groups called Zones. I have a zone for simplex DMR frequencies, another for FM frequencies, one for each repeater and I set up a zone for PMR channels and weather frequencies. To learn more- look up the brandmeister network. It uses the internet to connect repeaters from all over the world and allows you to talk globally with a tiny handheld. There are also wifi devices called hot spots that allow you to connect to the brandmeister network directly through your internet without needing a repeater. Its like having your own personal repeater in your house. Its a fun hobby and I hope you get into ham radio.
@@communityradionetwork Appreciate the help . It's all fine no problem. I work in IT and have a technical background , and are familiar with how analog repeaters work. I was just curious as to how the DMR infrastructure works. It seems to be more controlled than analog as you need to register in order to use the service ,am I right ?
A cracking video, Lewis. Thanks. How’s your dog, by the way?
Stop reviewing these radio's Lewis, every time I see one, I seem to like it and wanna get one!lol Nice review again
Will end up with house full of radios lol
Its ot nice. Ots good only if you have loys of stuff on 70cm . I dont like it myself
An interesting little radio
3rd. I’ve got the baofeng analogue version which is good albeit a little quiet on fm broadcast band when walking dog
Who has a radio that you can talk through a mile of woods or more. ?
what is the baofeng model version designation? thanks
RD-5R
FRS compatible?
Very impressive
looks a bit similar to Hytera's compact DMR radio.
Not bad don't like the antenna won't be able to change it can tell it's ment for pmr .
Should be a beofeng digital uv3r that would be awesome
I wish radio manufacturers would stop integrating the silly flashlight option into every radio they produce...
I actually used mine on my baofeng to get into my front door the other night...
It's got a good screen shame about the crappy antenna part otherwise it's decent like
IMO: A shame it has a flashlight feature.
Do you have an email I can contact you on
I do not have Facebook or Instagram
Neat idea but I had one and had to return it... the signal quality was just too poor for what I would call “real world use” I was thinking these be good to put in the out bags and in the cars but turns out that they struggle hitting these repeaters reliably. My $50 10 watt analog radio from TYT has no issues connecting long and far and same price plus the battery lasts a hella lot longer then these little guys.
Can you use this out of the box without programming
No, you need to program this radio with software...
Should put Chris on the payroll lol (G7DSG)
First 👍👍👍
like T28
Looks OK but I think it's simply too expensive. I'd rather just go for a Baofeng RD-5R it's dual band and has higher power for when I leave the house. Not a lot bigger and if use a stubby antenna almost the same.
I have a retivis RT 3 its very nice
Radioddity just released firmware version 1.06 but STILL NO FIX FOR THE SEVERE SECURITY ISSUE described long time before - namely remotely activating foreign radios and listen to other people!!!!
HORRIBLE customer experience with Radioddity... they simply ignore all concerns and mails!
Definatly not gonna buy from that brand anything anymore!
16th
I have one but my computer will not program it. I wrote to the company and they gave me some BullS#^% to get it to work...… and it doesn't. Waste of money
Hello, what kind of problem did you meet? Welcome to contact us.