Tytera MD-UV380 2m/70cm Radio for FM & DMR

I already owned a TYT MD-380, 70cm analogue and DMR radio but I recently bought a MD-UV380 which does both 2m and 70cm analogue and DMR. It also has other improvements.

The MD-UV380 is well built and robust. It looks very similar to its predecessor. Differences include:

• Covers 2m and 70cm.
• Zones and Scan Groups can have up to 64 channels.
• You CANNOT use Toolz, software that added functionality to older TYT radios.
• You need different software, from TYT site, to edit, upload code plugs etc.
• I have not figured out how to upload the world-wide Contacts database but individual contacts can be added as required.
• Zone members can be added from radio.

Other code plug editors, such as the one by G6AMU are easier to use but the current version will not talk to MD UV380, so edit in G6AMU save and upload with Tytera software - a bit of a pain but not difficult. 

A word to the wise! Save a backup copy of your existing code plug BEFORE you edit it so if you get in a muddle you can revert to a known, working version!

When you get your 380 it’s just a paperweight until you load a code plug to define channels etc. You can write this yourself or ask online or at your radio club for a ready made version suitable for your area. A major drawback of this radio is the very poor user manual and no ‘Help’ file with the TYT software (or the G6AMU editor). So, although I like this radio it is not great for anyone unfamiliar with DMR, unless you have a mentor to help you. 

On the air, the radio works well and, once I had figured out how it works, it is fairly easy to use. The display is clear except in very bright light. Audio reports of my transmissions were good and received audio clear. Battery life is good and don’t forget DMR transmissions are more economical than FM as the duty cycle is 50%.

In summary, this is a great radio and currently sells at a good price. Its documentation and software help files need to be greatly improved. 

Dave, M0BGR - An Update

I have not posted anything on this blog for a while, so it’s time for an update. I am still active in Amateur Radio and this is what I have been up to.

On the personal side, I retired and closed my business in February 2019. I was tempted to buy a big shiny radio to play with until my dotage but I decided against this:

• -          I have antenna restrictions here so there is not much point owning a rig that will put out Gigawatts of power, and anyway, I like QRP working.
• -          The time will come, not too soon I hope, when we have to move into a smaller dwelling, then possibly into a care home, so a large radio, and associated power supply etc. will just not cut it.
• -           I have been interested in radio since I was nine years old and I want to continue for as long as I can. So this suggests I should keep my station as small as possible.

I have therefore been selling as much equipment as I can, including my first HF rig an SGC-2020. This was a bit of a wrench, but I decided it really did not have a place in my new setup.

My station is now built round my Yaesu FT-817. This together with a Z-11 auto tuner, small power supply and a Signalink digital interface means my main station has a footprint of a paperback book. It also means I have the equipment I need to do portable operations. 

I have kept a few of handheld radios, a Tytera MD-380 for DMR and a couple of Woxuns for analogue 4m 2m and 70 cm.

I have also made a few purchases. As well as operating, I also enjoy short-wave listening. In keeping with my ‘small is good’ strategy, I bought a couple of SDR radios. The first was a Funcube Pro Plus and the other was an SDRPlay RSP 1A. These radios work amazingly well and I am puzzled why anyone would buy a large, expensive radio receiver. 

That’s me just about caught up, but I will talk about some of the pieces of equipment I have mentioned here in later blog posts

73 Dave M0BGR