DM1701
Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2024 9:47 pm
Hi all!
New forum user here, XQ6FOD, Manfred. Never mind that I registered as XQ2FOD! That was my previous callsign, and for some crazy reason the web browser autocompleted the username field with the old callsign, and I noticed too late...
I have been a ham since 1980, but without real DMR experience yet. Nothing beyond listening to some local repeaters using PC software to decode DMR.
My old Kenwood TH28A recently gave up its ghost for good (seriously corroded PCBs, due to several leaking electrolytic capacitors), so I need a new HT. I decided to take the opportunity to get a DMR-capable radio, since several of the repeaters in my area are combined analog/DMR ones. There isn't really a lot of DMR activity here yet, but some, and it feels stupid to be unable to join it.
After looking what's available, I decided to buy a DM-1701 and install OpenGD77 on it, because several times I have been shocked by the poor usability of various Chinese radios' firmware for ham use. The order was placed today (AliExpress), and I hope to get the radio in a few weeks. And I hope that this radio will give acceptable service, mostly in analog, but also in some occasional DMR contacts. Since the ham activity on VHF is low in my area, with the repeaters staying without users almost all the time, I saw no good reason to invest a lot of money in a better HT, so I got the DM-1701, which was the cheapest DMR-capable one I found, for $56 including the programming cable and shipping.
I understand that this radio is not exactly a shining example of front-end performance... I hope it will be good enough.
Any advice, ideas, suggestions, are welcome.
Manfred
New forum user here, XQ6FOD, Manfred. Never mind that I registered as XQ2FOD! That was my previous callsign, and for some crazy reason the web browser autocompleted the username field with the old callsign, and I noticed too late...
I have been a ham since 1980, but without real DMR experience yet. Nothing beyond listening to some local repeaters using PC software to decode DMR.
My old Kenwood TH28A recently gave up its ghost for good (seriously corroded PCBs, due to several leaking electrolytic capacitors), so I need a new HT. I decided to take the opportunity to get a DMR-capable radio, since several of the repeaters in my area are combined analog/DMR ones. There isn't really a lot of DMR activity here yet, but some, and it feels stupid to be unable to join it.
After looking what's available, I decided to buy a DM-1701 and install OpenGD77 on it, because several times I have been shocked by the poor usability of various Chinese radios' firmware for ham use. The order was placed today (AliExpress), and I hope to get the radio in a few weeks. And I hope that this radio will give acceptable service, mostly in analog, but also in some occasional DMR contacts. Since the ham activity on VHF is low in my area, with the repeaters staying without users almost all the time, I saw no good reason to invest a lot of money in a better HT, so I got the DM-1701, which was the cheapest DMR-capable one I found, for $56 including the programming cable and shipping.
I understand that this radio is not exactly a shining example of front-end performance... I hope it will be good enough.
Any advice, ideas, suggestions, are welcome.
Manfred