Review Update: New PicoAPRS Model(s) & Firmware Update

Lately it seems the only attention APRS has been getting is if and how it is implemented on new DMR radios.

This is not fair, so let us look at some dedicated APRS only devices compared to some radios that offer location and message sharing capability.

PicoAPRS product is the smallest
APRS transceiver on the market

Location Finding: Different devices for different people

Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) is a technology 20+ years in the making that lets amateur radio operators use low speed data over narrow channels to share location and basic text status updates in a few formats.

Cool Thing:  It is also possible to use APRS for telemetry data, such as weather information or malfunctioning equipment status updates. APRS can also be used to track things, like a rocket or a balloon. This is the Amateur Radio version of "Internet of Things" before that was even a term.

Ham equipment vendors Yaesu (Fusion), Kenwood and Icom (D-Star) all offer different digital voice mode radios and none are DMR products which is the most popular digital voice mode today.

Pictured Left to Right - Kenwood TH-D74, Xiaomi Mijia,
TYT MD-UV380, Alinco MD-5TGP, Mobilinkd TNC2, PicoAPRS

Vendors such as Anytone, TYT, Retevis and Alinco support the ability to send GPS data that can appear on the APRS.fi website, but this is not really APRS in the traditional sense, but some call it D-APRS.

Hot Stuff: A good comparison of APRS to another form of location sharing was done from a hot air balloon this summer.

Location Battleground:  Get ready!!

Beyond amateur radio which is a licensed radio service globally, there are now unlicensed radios such as the GoTenna, Xiaomi Mijia and Motorola T800 that allows users to share location data with one another, but are far from as robust as what is possible via amateur radio at any level thanks to APRS but come close and are slightly easier to use as discovered a recent hamfest.

Non-Voice Capable APRS Devices

Two of the smallest and full featured APRS devices that are not voice transmission capable are the PicoAPRS v2 and MobileLinkd TNC2 which have been reviewed in the past on HVDN Review Lens.

The Mobilinkd device is more of an accessory gadget that physically plugs into most any two way radio with appropriate cable.

THe Mobilink TNC2 also requires a smartphone paired over bluetooth that runs an application to send, receive and view location of users or send messages based on the GPS built in to the smartphone. This is sort of messy but is an elegant solution....

APRSdroid application found on Google Play store

The PicoAPRS however is a totally self contained device that is a GPS, data radio and user interface in one even smaller package.

Taner, DB1NTO has made many improvements in his PicoAPRS product since its introduction and that is what we will explore. No smartphone needed or other radio needed!


What is the difference between the PicoAPRS v2 and v3?

For something already really small, Taner made it even smaller in the latest version while retaining every feature and even adding a few things such as a modular battery and even better precision GPS/GLONASS reception.

Can I connect the PicoAPRS to a computer?

Everything can be configured with the two buttons on the PicoAPRS.

If you want to customize a beacon comment, such as "Please call me on 146.520MHz or DMR TG 31630", that takes many button presses.

It is possible to do this instead via a terminal program such as TeraTerm. The otherwise very good PicoAPRS manual is somewhat lite on detail about this, so here are some simple steps for those that are not computer experts.

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Connect PicoAPRS to computer:  On the PicoAPRS, navigate to the menu called  "USB Mode" and change it to "Config". Then connect the PicoAPRS to your PC and it should install USB drivers automatically in many cases. If not, this is what you need from Silicon Labs.  

Configure a few things on your computer:  In "Control Panel" and "Device Manager" in Microsoft Windows, you can now see which COM port your PicoAPRS will use.

Now you need to configure TeraTerm by selecting the serial port connection that matches your PicoAPRS.

Next, open up the menu titled "Setup" and go to "Terminal" and configure to be CR+LF and check mark the "Echo" box.  This lets you see what commands you send to the PicoAPRS.

Finally, open up "Setup" again and go to "Serial Port..."  You need to select the same COM port your PicoAPRS is using and set the speed to 115200.  No other setting will work.  It needs to be 115200!!

Now, you are ready.  Press any key or the ? and you should get the below message returned to you which shows what you can configure from the computer with your PicoAPRS

To change the beacon message, just type *C* with your own text after it and press enter

Sidenote on other computer things:  On the PicoAPRS, you can also change the USB settings to give you GPS NMEA data. Go ahead and try it while still connected to TeraTerm. Changing to that mode will let you see something like this:

There are also many other applications that will let you use the KISS-TNC mode for even more advanced things. Some of these include PinPoint APRS and WinLink plus of course the old standby of APRSISCE32 but is not part of this review.

There is also a new "Serial USB" data mode too which has a lot of interesting potential if you want a total stealth data radio to go with you anywhere with your laptop.

Get to the point!!!  All I am trying to say is that the PicoAPRS does a lot more than look like a cute little ham radio toy.

New Feature In PicoAPRS Firmware v10 

While v9 software is the most current as of December 3rd 2018, v10 is not far away and will add a status message function in addition to beacon messaging.  This gives you two different types of status updates sent at different intervals from the PicoAPRS.

The new firmware will be available around Christmas time 2018 along with a new and even smaller product from Tanner called PicoAPRS Lite which is designed for use with airborne payloads.

Please keep an eye on his website for more detail at http://www.db1nto.de/ for the new firmware, details on the v3 and the upcoming new PicoAPRS Lite product.

Review: Retevis RT-51 Basic PoC Network Radio

A network radio or PTT Over Cellular (PoC) device changes the way traditional two way radio users think about reliable unlicensed and local/non-local communications.

"Network radios use existing cellular infrastructure just like your smartphone in order to communicate both near and far"

The most basic PoC radio such as the Retevis RT-51 reviewed later in this article has better coverage compared to a smartphone that uses the same network due to antenna placement and configuration.

This creates unique applications and disruptions for those interested in communication equipment not seen since the days of Nextel and its iDEN technology that created the first wide scale PTT/cellular service concept back in the 1990's.

Overview:  Competitive Landscape

To set a baseline comparison, lets first compare competing unlicensed FRS and MURS radio services in the United States along with two non-critical licensed radio services known as GMRS and Amateur Radio.

Our goal with this article and review is to inform non-critical communications users about the benefits of network radio solutions.

Comparing the physical characteristics of one vendors traditional
analog/digital VHF/UHF radio (RT-3) and its basic network radio (PoC) offering (RT-51)

Licensed versus Unlicensed Radio

In the United States, there are specific frequencies that can be used with no license.  Most of these are designed for consumer use and occasional business use of a non-critical nature. 

Family Radio Service (FRS) and Multi Use Radio Service (MURS) offer different benefits to its users looking either for local or mid range communication. 

FRS uses 14 channels in the 462 and 467 MHz range with a maximum power output of  500mW and no ability to use external antennas.  No more than $60 USD for a pair of basic FRS radio often needs to be spent and the most professional quality FRS radios with other features like weather broadcast reception often sell for less than $150/pair. Average realistic communication range is less than 2 miles.

Example FRS radio made by Retevis. FRS in the United States or PMR and other
 similar services in other countries offer clear local unlicensed voice communication

MURS in comparison to FRS has only 5 channels with up to 2 watts of transmitter power and the ability to use external antennas for greater range.  There are some business users who still use these channels that at one point were called "green dot", "blue dot", "red dot", etc itinerant channels before MURS was an official service in the United States less than 10 years ago.

For a dedicated MURS only radio, pricing would be $150 to $400 for a pair of them. Average realistic communication range is about the same as FRS, but will tend work for greater distances in unobstructed residential environments or more reliably outdoors.

A MURS radio tends to be more expensive compared to FRS radios and there are fewer consumer grade options available for purchase which keeps MURS as a "best kept secret" for reliable mid range unlicensed communications.

Motorola offers its model RDM2020 and RDM2025 as
MURS only radios available for consumer purchase

With either the FRS or MURS service, communications is often limited to less than 3-5 miles.  There is no legal way to increase the range of these services with repeaters. General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) does however offer this capability however for extended communication range.

Important: There are very few "legal" radios that combine both the VHF MURS and UHF FRS/GMRS functions into one radio.  There are many capable radios to do this however.

GMRS is unique as a licensed service that shares a few overlapping channels with FRS for some level of licensed/unlicensed interoperability.

Basic combinations of GMRS and FRS radios can usually be purchased for less than $100/pair and the advanced repeater capable radios selling for not much more.

Standard FRS radios are advertised as 14 channel models and the FRS/GMRS versions are 22 channel, not including the input frequencies for repeater GMRS operation.

Business users such as property management companies, construction, maintenance and other non-critical communication users have little choice but to turn to specifically licensed frequencies should they require greater coverage range or privacy. 

Pricing for licensing varies along with equipment maintenance and compliance costs. A general overview of licensing costs can be found here.

GMRS is typically not the best for business use because other unlicensed users may interfere with important business communications.

Citizens Band (CB) at 27MHz is mentioned only in passing within this overview of unlicensed radio services due to different characteristics too dissimilar in operation and equipment compared to FRS, MURS, GMRS and amateur radio.

Amateur radio is a licensed non-commercial communications tool that offers the benefit of all the characteristic benefits of different frequencies and spectrum plus the ability for larger antennas and higher power.

A basic amateur license in the United States is known as the Technician Class and permits the use on any frequency for any type of communication above 28.3 MHz and limited data only communication below. 

Gaining a license to become an amateur radio operator is very easy and there are very affordable radios that can be used on part or all of the most common spectrum in use with its 700,000 users in the United States.

Selection of modern amateur radios that offer different combinations of spectrum and communication modes.
MSRP range from $150 to $500 for those pictured.

Amateur radio also offers true "radio to radio" capability, communication through repeaters for extended range when using inexpensive hand held radios and also decentralized networks such as Brandmeister for a mix of local and global communication capability, like that offered by a  network radio.

This is without mentioning long range HF 1.8 to 30 MHz communication which most people associate with amateur radio which often leaves out the VHF and UHF offerings including 144-148 MHz, 220-225 MHz, 420-450 MHz and even 1.2 GHz!

Here is a comparison chart between the different services and spectrum the services covered in the article can be found.

Retevis RT-51 Network Radio Review

The Retevis RT-51 is very well built and feels like its capable to stand up to daily use in bad weather.

The manufacturer lists its IP67 rating for moisture and dust resistance as part of its features which also include loud volume, easy to push buttons and a simple menu system to access key features.

A full color display shows the incoming caller name to help identify who is speaking.  Time, date, battery life and network signal strength also appear and is easy to read in most lighting conditions.

The RT-51 can also announce various operational parameters for the visually impaired in situations where looking at the display is not possible.

The Retevis RT-51 and the TYT IP-350 are identical radios.
The major difference with Retevis is more responsive
customer service and possibly warranty support.

Operation of the radio is very easy with a power and volume function built in to one of the top mount controls.

The knob between the volume and antenna allows the user to select between different groups, explained later in this review.

At a price of less than $150 each, the Retevis RT-51 is unique in that it is a high quality product for a moderate price similar to that of its line of equipment marketed towards amateur and commercial radio users, such as its VHF and UHF only radios along with dual band versions.

Retevis offers the least expensive and basic network radio (PoC). 
Competing and more complex network radios  can cost more than $500 each.

Many manufacturers today offer digital communication capability such as DMR which has been adopted as the replacement for aging analog only radios. Benefits of DMR include user identification, location tracking, flexible group or private calling and management of users through special programming and console software.

RT-51 Experience: Out Of The Box

It is not possible to buy one, two, five or one hundred  of these radios and use them without first having two critical items.

Critical Item #1:   Each radio requires an inexpensive cellular prepaid or post paid data plan that will work on compatible mobile networks such as AT&T and T-Mobile.

A SIM card will need to be installed in each radio so it can work. No "radio to radio" calling feature is possible without a network based data plan with the Retevis RT-51. The spectrum that the Retevis uses is licensed to the mobile carrier networks such as those found at 800 and 900 MHz plus  1.7 GHz, 1.8 GHz 2.1 GHz and 2.6 GHz. There is no 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi of 2.3 GHz amateur spectrum accessible in the RT-51's ZTE 3630 4G LTE modem

The great news is that even with the least expensive $7.99/month plan on offer from FreedomPOP which offers 2 GB per month, the radio will likely only use 25% of that bandwidth even with heavy use. For users looking for many radios, it could be possible to pay even less per month per radio on a data plan.

No matter where a user is the radio will work just as long as there is network coverage available. This translates to 95% or better percent reliability in most any area that network operators cover.  This is a major benefit of a network radio compared to traditional radio. Plus, there is no need to invest in infrastructure, such as a repeater.

Underside of RT-51 showing the
removable door and SIM card slot

Critical Item #2:

Once the radio has a data plan and SIM card - the radio needs to communicate to a server that routes communication between users.

Retevis offers two different options to make operation of the RT-51 easy.  For $10 a year, Retevis can host the PTT Smart Dispatch software on a US based server.

All that needs to be done is share the user ID for each user with Retevis and let them know how to set up groups for your users.

Easy menu navigation allows selection of
Group, Member, Friend, Recording, GPS, Setup

Each user can contact each other by "private call" or all users assigned to specific groups.  This "hands off" option is best for users who do not need to track user locations from a central dashboard.

• Group:  Allows a user to contact any member that is assigned to the listed group

• Member:  Real time list of online users are shown and user can contact other members through a private call

• Friend:  Server and Local "Friends" can be selected to contact that are managed through the PTT Smart Dispatch software. 

• Records:  Shows a listing of incoming and outgoing calls specific to the users radio.  Playback of missed calls is possible.

• GPS:  Will show the location coordinates of the users radio based on GPS satellite reception.

• Setup:  Provides control of PTT sound, back-light control, audio guide and a few other functions

A second option allows Retevis to sell a license to the Smart PTT Dispatch software for the user to install on a server they currently have.  This option lets the user manage all radios, group settings and view real time maps for all radios.  Pricing is negotiated with Retevis on this option directly.


While this may sound complicated, this approach creates a lot of very interesting capability, including the ability to manage radios on a private LTE networks which are growing in popularity in fields such as mining, agriculture and others.

Feedback on the RT-51

This may sound sort of funny, but Retevis should have included Wi-Fi in this product or at-least offered another version that included it. 

Had Wi-Fi been included, it would have allowed users an option for limited range "radio to radio" communication or to use the radio without the Smart PTT Dispatch software.  It would have also offered an option for brand loyalty and later upgrade capability dependent on user requirements such as in places where there is not good mobile network coverage, but good in building Wi-Fi connection.

Other "Network Radios" offer Wi-Fi  or even low power UHF as standard, so why not Retevis? 

There are reasons that the battery is slightly different than those in use by its popular VHF/UHF radios both in physical dimension and voltage, but it may have created more brand loyalty and interoperability to have used the same battery.

From a hardware perspective, there is not much else that should have been changed to keep this product at a moderate price point. Headset accessories are plentiful and uses the common Kenwood 2-pin configuration.

Key Comments

• Battery life is excellent and only has shorter use time based on the GPS being on all the time, but can be shut off.  5 days with the radio powered on in standby mode was great and about 2 days with moderate use was common even with GPS on.

• Direct competition for Retevis will likely come from Inrico and Peak PTT, but Retevis comes out ahead on price point.

• Both competitors seem to have a more mature approach towards the software and dispatch management that are required for all network radios to work.

While a negative comment against Retevis, they may be able to innovate by investing in the Smart PTT Management Platform software development. 

In comparison,  Inrico has done well by integrating with the Zello and IRN PTT applications that are well known for providing "walkie talkie" like functionality on smartphones.

Peak PTT may be lesser known and will likely be the closest competitor to Retevis. The United States based competitor seems to offer better radio management software and features, but are more expensive than the RT-51.

RT-51 Final Verdict - Wearing Different Hats

• The "Pretend Local Small Business Owner Hat" - The RT-51 is interesting for a business looking for reliable communication and not interested in maintaining any equipment aside from paying a monthly bill.  

• The "Pretend Larger Business User Hat" - The RT-51 with its location tracking capability and ability to host the Smart PTT Platform locally will give control to the business owner with minimal infrastructure to maintain, especially if they already operate a computer server for other business functions.

• The "Amateur Radio" Hat - The RT-51 will not be of interest to the amateur radio community without taking the radio apart to make it do something it is not intended for.

• The "Communication Hacker" Hat - The RT-51 may be very interesting since this radio is nothing more than a cellular modem with various I/O capability. 

• The "Concerned Family/Church Leader" Hat - The RT-51 monthly fee may be hard to handle, but a prepay data plan could be great peace of mind for for this solution over other unlicensed services when it is needed.  Group trips, community support and other non-commercial activity are great application examples for the RT-51.

• The "Business Strategist Perspective Provider" Hat - The RT-51 is a great piece of hardware but will likely not do well from a sales perspective unless distributors and integration specialists are made aware of it.  The lack of polished software management and lack of known APIs will also prevent serious interest in this product since many will want full control of the hosted Smart PTT Platform rather than having it run somewhere unknown "in the cloud" since it can impact user privacy due to the embedded GPS capability. 

In Closing....

As an unlicensed communication tool, the RT-51 is a great idea, however paying a monthly fee to a mobile operator along with a very low annual server host or dedicated software license purchase outright that is hard to get clear pricing from the vendor, may create more business for the competition. 

Friendly Suggestion

Retevis has a great opportunity but really needs to look at where the real revenue and value is to its users as part of its sales and marketing strategy.

Biography on the author

Steve Bossert currently works for a Hong Kong based research & technology advisory firm. His role is to manage and grow the business visibility in North America for the unique capabilities of his company. Prior to this opportunity, he has worked for other well known strategic consultant firms over the past 15 years.  His expertise includes strategy for multinational semiconductor, mobile wireless, infrastructure and diverse emerging technology companies. 

Before graduating university and while in high school, Steve became a licensed amateur radio operator. Steve has the ability to blend his natural technology curiosity and business acumen to provide unique perspectives for both his professional and hobby interests.  Steve currently resides in New York with his wife Jennifer.

October 2018 Global Digital Repeater Round Up

It is truly amazing to see such tremendous growth in digital voice modes the last two years.

What started for Steve K2GOG in 2016 as a theory can now further be validated by fact. DMR was the right technology to invest in as it relates to amateur radio digital voice technology.

In October 2016, he presented an overview of competing digital voice standards at one of the local Hudson Valley of New York amateur radio clubs located in Ulster County. 

Since that point in time, he has taken 4 probes of the total number of repeater counts globally as well as for those just across New York State.

The current global state of just what will be now further defined as "wide area digital repeaters" has seen DMR grow an amazing 78.03% in a two year span. 

Wide area repeaters are one of the best ways to measure growth of digital voice mode adoption because the equipment needed is expensive.  Repeaters usually are only worth the investment if users have appropriate equipment that can access them.

So, a little of "what comes first, the chicken or the egg" scenario usually happens when it comes to repeater deployments.

The N2MCI DMR repeater in Kingston, NY has a core coverage
area in red and extended coverage area in green.

Since repeaters can be expensive and are designed to reach a wide audience of users typically located in a 30 to 60 mile radius, the operators of repeaters typically list these infrastructure resources on the repeaterbook.com website to make it easy for amateur radio users to find out what repeaters may be worth programming into hand held or mobile radios.

The repeaterbook.com website is not 100% perfect as a data source, but comes pretty close to chart growth patterns of amateur radio repeater deployments

The below chart shows the other major digital voice mode repeaters globally at various points in time over the last 2 years.

DMR:  Reasons Why It Grew The Most

Before we get to DMR, lets explore the second highest globally adopted digital voice mode known as Yaesu Fusion.

After a few years of being on the market alongside the Icom D-Star system, both vendors offered comparably priced digital voice equipment and few options to choose from.

The average cost of a digital voice capable hand held radio was just above $300 back in 2016.  This inhibited adoption of Fusion and has certainly had a negative impact on Icom D-Star.

The Yaesu FT-2DR when released in 2015/2016 was priced at $379. The 2018 FT-70DR which
also offers Fusion and less robust enhanced features found on the FT-2DR is only $169.99. Currently there are 3 Fusion dual band handheld radios for sale compared to 2 Icom D-Star models

In 2018, Yaesu released the FT-70 dual band FM and Fusion radio which is currently priced at well under $200. This is one reason that made it easier to adopt Fusion thanks to more aligned features and pricing to help it catch up to DMR which has mostly had lower priced equipment from the start.

Prior to Yaesu releasing this moderately priced FT-70 hand held radio, they also released some nicely priced mobile radios as well to help build out the overall ecosystem of Fusion capable radios available for purchase.  Icom in comparison has not done this.

This should partially explain the flat growth of Icom D-Star compared to Yaesu Fusion.

Getting Back To DMR

DMR is an open ETSI standard which made it easier for vendors to offer a product at a good price without having to pay to license technology such as D-Star which is majority owned by the Japanese Amateur Radio League. 

In October 2016, Fusion and DMR had just about the same number of repeaters globally and almost grew at the same pace until mid to late 2017. In 2018, things are clearly different with DMR.

With more dual band DMR options available both in hand held and mobile radio design, users have certainly taken notice and likely helped influence DMR repeater deployments.

As of October 2018, there are now 5 different manufacturers of dual band hand held radios and a few more models spread among them. Examples include:

• TYT MD-UV380

• Anytone D868

• TYT MD-2017

• Retevis RT-82 

• TYT  MD-UV390  

• Radioddity GD-77 

• Ailunce HD1

• BTECH 6X2 

• Connect Systems CS580 

• Alinco MD-5

What about NXDN and P25?

NXDN and P25 are aimed at commercial users, but the amateur radio community has started to use surplus or retired equipment within the VHF and UHF amateur spectrum.

Adoption is low, but its still too early to tell if either of these options in the next 3-5 years will replace DMR as it relates to amateur radio.


Predictions for 2019 Digital Voice Ham Radio

Hopefully this is not going too far out on a limb, but here are the predictions for the coming year.

Alinco was the first main stream vendor to offer a DMR radio with its MD-40, but saw little adoption due to price compared to similar radios like the MD-380.

Alinco's new MD-5 looks like it will be a winner based on features and price and may get the later adopters interested in DMR in case they do not trust some of these newer vendors listed above.

It has been rumored that Alinco, Connect Systems and possibly one other vendor will offer new dual band mobile radios in 2019 as well which will likely go over well globally.

Excluding hotspot devices, network radios and cross connect systems which will all be covered in future articles, it seems that DMR is as close to an FM analog replacement technology within amateur radio.

Perhaps Icom, Yaesu or Kenwood will release a DMR radio in 2019 based on market demand and lost opportunity.

What do you think are some likely predictions for digital voice repeaters or radios in 2019?

Teardown & Comparison: TYT MD-UV380 Part 1

The dual band TYT MD-UV380 has just been released and promises much of the same functionality of the TYT MD-2017 and Retevis RT-82, but in the same form factor as the ever popular mono-band MD-380 and MD-390 series of radios.

This review goes under the hood of this latest $149.99 priced DMR & analog FM dual band handheld radio.

RF deck top view of the MD-UV380

Basic Overview

The MD-380 has been well reviewed elsewhere plus in past articles here on HVDN like the 2017 DMR entry level radio review.

The new MD-UV380 and MD-UV390 look identical to the mono-band versions and also include options with or without GPS.

Here are some side shots of the MD-UV380 (GPS) box which is somewhat informative on specifications.

Out Of The Box Differences

The firmware version out of the box for this sample was S15.021.  The latest version as of the date of this article appears to be S16.06 based on the TYT website download from May 23rd 2018.

While scrolling through the features in the CPS 1.03 and then updated into the radio to unlock certain menus, the major feature add on with the MD-UV380 is the ability to have up to 3 radio ID's and to change the mic gain.

Everything else is pretty much the same as the MD-380 stock firmware flow, not including the obvious addition of VHF and UHF coverage, like the MD-2017.

One feature introduced in the MD-2017 was built in "promiscuous" mode that allows monitoring of all DMR traffic on a specific time slot and correct color code. This has also made its way into the MD-UV380.

Also, like the MD-2017, the MD-UV380 can either allow audio to be recorded in DMR mode or provide the user with more contact storage space for the entire DMR ID database. Different firmware exists for either option for the MD-UV380 or MD-UV390.

From an outside hardware perspective, the MD-UV380 uses all the same accessories as the MD-380.  Same goes for the MD-390, which is just slightly larger than the MD-380. This is nice in order to recycle things like chargers, batteries and programming cords between the old and new radios.  The GD-77 by Radioddity also uses the same charger as the MD-380, so for users looking for a new dual band radio may want to consider the MD-UV380 over other similar radios.

The included stock dual band antenna seems to be of slightly higher quality compared to the antennas included with the mono-band MD-380/390 radios. The base of the MD-UV380 has an extended ferule to provide a little more waterproofing on the antenna connector on the radio.

Navigating the MD-UV380

Compared to the MD-2017 with its roller ball navigation, the MD-UV380 uses the arrow buttons below the display to flip between the upper and lower band assignments. This makes the UV-MD380 more like the Radioddity GD-77 or Anytone D868A from a navigation factor which is slightly less cumbersome than the MD-2017 roller-ball and will likely hold up better over time and prevent accidental band swaps or channel changes.

Channel selection in either the upper or lower band on the MD-UV380 is done through the top mount multi-selector knob. Compared to the MD380, there is no more limitation to 16 channels per zone which was sort of hard coded against the 16 position channel selector knob.  On the MD-UV380, as many as 64 channels per zone and possibly more is possible.

There will be more to talk about when it comes to the firmware updates, upgrades, channel management and overall user features, but that is not the main goal of this tear-down and comparison.

On the outside of the MD-UV380 from a distance, it would be hard to tell the difference between the MD-380, MD-380G, MD-390 and MD-390G. They all look the same and the only differences is the multi-selector knob, the label under the battery showing the model name and button coloration differences.

Inside the MD-UV380 and compared to the MD-380G

This is where things get interesting because the outside looks the same, but the inside does not.  Here are side by side comparisons of the MD-380G and the MD-UV380 (GPS). The outer-casing on the MD-UV380 seems to be styled like the earlier TYT versions whereas later ones had a more rounded speaker grill and colored buttons.

MD-UV380 on the left and MD-380G on the right

Things get interesting when looking at the two parts of the radio side by side after opening both up.

The MD-380G and MD-UV380 share the same exact board numbering for the user interface side of the radio as noted by KEY-V2.0-160329 text.   In the upper left corner near the speaker you can see the GPS antenna.

MD-UV380 on the left. MD-380G on the right.
Note the colored orange and blue buttons on the right side of the MD-380G

Swapping the RF deck from either radio with the UI board from the other confirms there is only one tiny difference.   The flat cable connector on both is slightly different which may just be a sourcing reason.  The connector on the MD-380 was a "piano hinge" type and the MD-UV380 was "compression lock" type. The flat ribbon cable fits the same way. Its possible over time that the "compression lock" version may be more reliable and limit the potential "white screen" issues some users have experienced when the connector and cable are not mated tightly at the factory.

Both radios upon re-assembly with the UI board and RF deck from both models confirmed identical operation and functionality. 

Should someone want the slightly more rounded housing and colored buttons from a MD-380G, but with the functions of the MD-UV380, this may be good to know.

The UI is the same but not the RF deck

As you would expect, the design of a dual-band radio would be just a little different than a mono-band version. Here is a side by side of both radios from the inside.

MD-UV380 at left and MD-380G at right

The major differences here get sort of fun. The same STM32F405 is used across both radios, but gone is the HR C5000 base band chip on the front side as in the MD-380.

In the MD-380G, the ST Microelectronics STM32F405VG is used which sports an ARM Cortex M4 core, up to 168MHz clock speed and 1024 KB of on board RAM. A more detailed spec sheet can be found on the STM website here.

The new MD-UV380 has the same STM32F405VG, but with slightly different date codes. It is unknown without further dissection if there are any small changes in the MCU since there is likely 2-3 time difference between the manufacture of both radios.

The "527" version was found in the MD-380 and the "664" version was found in the MD-UV380

Both radios also have the same Winbond 128K memory (W25Q128FV), but you may notice an empty pad for possibly an additional memory expansion on the MD-UV380.  This may be helpful as the user database for DMR ID's soon surpasses 100,000 which is the current limitation of many radios. As more DMR uses experiment with GPS, SMS and other mode translations such as those just introduced in Pi-Star, having additional memory will be a useful thing to have.

Note the empty pads for additional memory such as the 128k Winbond chip to left of  STM32F4055VG

For those that remember, the VHF versions of the MD-380 had less memory compared to the UHF versions which limited further alternative firmware development made popular by Travis Goodspeed, Ty Weaver, Warren Merkel and many others.

Perhaps lessons have been learned with the MD-UV380 to allow for future memory upgrades without complete redesign.  Its clear that TYT used the same UI board to simplify construction and offer a lower priced radio.

It seems all they really needed to do was just redesign the RF deck on the MD-UV380 after learning from the success and failures of the MD-2017 user interface and overly sized casing.

RF Front End

The RF front end is a combination of filtering for radio transmit and receive functions. On the MD-UV380 we can see some of that by looking at the SMD capacitors, resistors and inductors between the antenna connector and the copper pad which is a heat spreader for the RFPA on the underside of the RF deck board.

The MD-UV380 is a 136-174 MHz and 400-480 MHz radio, so its filtering would be more complex as expected compared to the UHF only version of the MD-380G.

MD-UV380 on left. MD-380G on right. It appears here that that the MD-380G is more complex on the rear of the RF unit compared to the MD-UV380. There has to be additional components on the underside of the RF deck board

Is That It? 

Clearly the top side of the  MD-UV380 seems more simple from a base-band perspective compared to that of the MD-380, but that is likely not the case.  All we have learned so far without further disassembly is the following:

• Both radios appear to use the same STM MCU
• Both radios have the same Winbond flash memory
• The MD-UV380 seems to have the ability to increase on board memory due to empty pads.
• The MD-UV380 may be using something else for base-band RF compared to the MD-380
• The UI boards are common across both radios
• The older style  and slightly larger housing from earlier MD-380 radios is used for the MD-UV380

Next Steps

The intent here was a basic under the hood look at the MD-UV380. Future coverage will include the underside of the RF deck and more about how the radio functions on the air plus other "deeper under the hood" analysis. 

One quick comment: Its possible to save a VHF or UHF frequency for transmit and the other band for receive.  Its also possible to save frequencies in as small as 2.5KHz steps. This may be of interest for those interested in satellite communications.

Stay tuned for more MD-UV380 coverage here on HVDN.  

Register for updates on the HVDN Notebook, become a member of HVDN or simply bookmark the following URL for anything posted here to do with DMR.

http://notebook.hvdn.org/search/label/DMR 

The most popular tags are visually represented on the Notebook for easy understanding on what is most popular at HVDN.  Most of HVDN active membership can be found on talk group 31368. 

Basic Digital Voice Infrastructure Round Up (Q1 2018 Edition)

In October of 2016, Steve K2GOG made a presentation at the Overlook Mountain Amateur Radio Club of Ulster County New York at its monthly membership meeting.

At that point in time according to Repeaterbook.com, there were 45 DMR repeaters across all of New York State.

Fast forward to March of 2018, that count has increased to 61 according to the same website.

What about Fusion, D-Star Repeaters in New York?

• D-Star had 29 and is now up to 33
• Fusion had 32 and is now up to 39

What about global growth of digital voice repeaters?

• 2,204 Fusion repeaters (1,431 in Oct. 2016)
• 2,315 D-Star repeaters (2,051 in Oct. 2016)
• 2,326 DMR repeaters (1,493 in Oct. 2016
• 330 P25 repeaters (213 in Oct. 2016)
• 107 NXDN repeaters (82 in Oct.2016

How much growth has there been since October 2016?

• 154% growth for Fusion
• 112% growth for D-Star
• 156% growth for DMR
• 155% growth for P25
• 130% growth for NXDN

With Icom's D-Star being the oldest digital voice technology at 15 years, its days of accelerated growth are unlikely due to a lack of new radio equipment being introduced. The newest radio supporting D-Star is Kenwood's tri band TH-D74 handheld at $550 USD.  A dual band FT-70DR Yaesu Fusion radio can be had new for as low as $199.99. Icom's only current dual band D-Star hand held radio is the $390 ID-51.

There are multiple dual band hand held options from different vendors however for DMR ranging from $86 for the Radioddity GD-77 at the low end and no less than 4 others from vendors such as alinco, Anyone, Aiulence, Retevis and TYT for between $150 to $200.

There are also commercial radios that can be purchased new or at reduced cost for used options for DMR, P25 and NXDN. DMR is the only mode supported by non-commercial radio vendors though.

What about non-repeater use?

Hot spot devices such as the Shark RF OpenSpot, MMDVM based ZUMSpot, JumboSpot, NanoSpot devices and a few others allow users not near a repeater to talk globally. All of these devices are capable to support most all modes listed above and a few able to cross mode translate. This function allows a user to use a DMR radio to talk on D-Star or Fusion networks as an example.

According to Brandmeister Network, there are 5,498 hot spots currently connected to its network which is interesting given that there are only 7,282 digital voice repeaters accounted for globally. Combined, repeaters and hot spots make a very robust communications network for both local and global communications.

Democratized Modern Radio 

Digital voice infrastructure would not be needed if there were no users looking to access it, so a rough conservative estimate is that there should be between 350,000 and 700,000  hand held digital amateur radios in somewhat frequent use globally based on repeater and hot spot deployment figures. That figure is based on the following criteria:

• Number of known registered DMR users
• Number of hot spots currently internet connected 
• Number of repeaters currently internet connected
• Number of repeaters not internet connected
• Number of DMR handheld radio products sold in last 12 months on E-Bay
• Estimated number of D-Star and Fusion users and equipment currently in use. 

Original presentation from October 2016 can be found here

Leave a comment about estimated hand held or combined with other form factors below.