DIY Cable for Baofeng DM-1801

[DU2XXR]

I just got my first Baofeng DM-1801 today, which I intend to pass on to fellow local hams interested in the project (I have several more ordered -- hey, it's cash on delivery!).

I initially had a hard time updating with openDM1801. The package did not come with a cable, so I had to use my own TYT / Radioddity cables. I did not realize the pinning was different. So I had to ask for information. Thank you Mon DU1FV for pointing it out. You can DIY a cable using this tip:

Thanks to our Spanish DMR Ham brothers, you can now make a Baofeng DM-1801 (DM-1701, RD-5R, DM-5R) programming cable adaptor!
If you have already a MD-380 cable, just make this "adaptor" to use it with Baofeng DMR radios.
"Cables of this type (USB) communicate with devices through 4 wires. The two wires at the ends are for power supply and the remaining two (central) wires are for data. We just have to change the positions of the centrals, one for the other and, done this, ready to work with our "Baofeng". We change the position of the central cables (one for the other). Now, the interesting thing is not to modify the cable itself internally and get it to serve us both for the "Baofeng" and for the 'MD-380' and compatible. A good solution is the one I present below ... We can use one of these USB extensions that we surely have around our house. In many of them their connectors can be easily disassembled and, if so, they can be modified without acting directly on the programming cable. Otherwise, we can also make a small longitudinal cut in its outer jacket to access the threads to be modified; that if, making sure of the threads that we must exchange. Both cases allow us to use the same programming cable for the two walkys; with the adapter for the "Baofeng" and without the adapter for the 'MD-380'. " translated from http://foros.radiogalena.es/showthread.php?tid=301

[VK3KYY]

I think I heard of someone putting a switch inline with the cable to swap over the D+ and D- lines, but I think it could be quite bulky.

[DU2XXR]

I am wondering if there is a cable I can buy, say TYT for 380 or a Radioddity, that will work with the DM1801 and OpenGD77/OpenDM1801 natively? My soldering skills aren't what they used to be

Would something like this cable allow me to flash and program OpenDM1801 on to a factory standard DM1801 radio?

https://www.amazon.ca/TYT-Programming-U ... B01KJV2JPI

Any recommendations are appreciated. Thanks!

Excuse me for the late reply. I haven't been too active lately. That cable should work for a GD77, but for the DM1801, you will ned to cross the two data lines (green). I usually just use a USB extender cable and splice from there, so I don't mess up with my GD77 cable.

As for your question--the cable works natively for GD77 but not for DM1801, since they use different data lines.

But with the "crossed" or "reversed" cable for DM1801, you can certainly use it to program DM1801 with openDM1801.

[VK3KYY]

Be careful when swapping the D+ and D- connections.

Often the USB cables have non-standard colored wires, e.g. I don't think the black wire is always GND

Luckily, these cables normally don't contain the 5V wire.