My Thoughts on the GD-88 DMR Radio
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- Опубликовано: 13 сен 2024
- After initially reading up on this radio, I had to try it out. I really want to like this HT...It has some great features, however implementation seems to be poor. Stay tuned and see what issues I have with this new radio.
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My favorite radio equipment for outdoor portable ops or RaDAR:
Radio: Icom IC-705
Tuner: Elecraft T1 tuner
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End fed antenna with 9:1 unun (needs tuner)
Sotabeams Bandhopper 20/30/40 linked dipole
Digital software: FLDigi and WSJT-x
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I find your review to be spot on. This is my first DMR and getting it to fully function has been frustrating. The battery life is very disappointing.
Good Honest Review. Thank You
Spot on! I call it a bucket 'o bugs.
I'm glad someone else is noticing these issues. Radioddity has basically ignored me and has made no efforts in releasing an updated firmware. I personally don't care about the repeat functions. I don't look for those features on an HT. But the most annoying issue is the contact information not displaying correctly when people transmit back in forth. All the issues with this radio just makes me not want to even pick it up and use it. Still hoping Radioddity will release a firmware fix.
I must admit that I fell for the hype and website, there were a couple of shady youtubers that made exciting videos before the US version launched. They praised the radio. I purchased day one. I can't help to think that they were paid well for those reviews. It is my first DMR experience and it hasn't been good. I will hold on for awhile to see if the opengd77 project will come up with a custom firmware, otherwise, I will not be using DMR.
Not to mention that this radio is just a rebranded Kydera DR-880UV that has been out for years.
I'll stick with my Ailunce HD1 GPS. Thanks for the review!
I had a HD1...good radio. You are making a wise choice.
Excelente video, Congratulaciones 👍 HK3TKI
I don't need another HT but was very interested in seeing this radio in action with all its features. Its disappointing but hopefully some issues can be sorted with a new firmware release. That volume knob has to be changed for full rotary and your life could rely on a good GPS signal. Thanks for your honest review. ;)
I am hopeful that some of these issues can be fixed.
This is certainly a piece of junk
Mine stopped being able to power on after 2 weeks and I have been working with Radioddity for -3 weeks to get it replaced. I REALLY wish I had seen your video before I bought it, as it is spot-on, even with the new FW update recently released.
Hey man how are you doing today? There is a firmware update for radioddity gd 88, did you update your radio? If yes what do you think about this firmware and this radio? Tx
I have a Kydera uv880 same radio, same issues! its ok for using with a hotspot and thats about it. I have an Alinco dj-md5 and its a better radio by far easier to use, the Kydera is a bit cheap for what it is it needs the firmware sorting deffo. good review there friend spot on with all the bugs and non working features that infest the gd88.
I am still waiting for someone to do a review comparing this radio to Anytone AT-D878UV II Plus. ;-) I am interested in both analog FM (repeaters and direct) and DMR.
Thanks Bob! Can DMR work radio directly to radio? Or it has to pass necessarily through a hotspot or repeater?
Yes, DMR will work RF direct from radio to radio.
WOW! Thanks for the video review Bob. Glad I went looking for reviews. I was just about to pull the trigger on a purchase. Like you I was mainly interested in analog APRS. I'm only mildly interested in DMR. I think I'll go for the Yaesu FT3DR new open box I have my eye on. It has touch screen for easy APRS messaging anyway. I would like to get a APRS notice when I have Winlink email. Again only mildly interested in fusion. That keypad on the Radioddity is antiquated these days anyway. 73 de John W4CJB
The FT3DR would be a much better option. I have an old FT1dr that I have been happy with.
Just bought this radio and it's been shipped. My first DMR radio and you are making me kind of nervous with some of the issues stated.
I could run my anytone 878 version 1 for 3 days before I had to charge it. My gd88, I only get about 6 hours before I have to charge it.
Has anyone been able to hear audio on Dmr frequencies out of the ham band
Has anyone that got a GD-88 noticed it getting warm just on and not receiving anything , not transmitting. It's not hot, but it sure is warm. Feels like the battery is what is getting warm not the radio.
Mine gets warm as well just sitting there and seems to come from mostly the lower left side of the radio as looking at the keypad and screen. Maybe that's one reason for the poor battery performance.
This is how the APRS works:
If you enable it in the menu (Appendix → APRS → APRS Type set to something else than "None"), it will start sending APRS packets in the interval defined in "Appendix → APRS → Timer" - as long as you have either GPS fix, or you are using static beacon.
Other option is that you enable APRS on one or more channels in the CPS software. Then if you push PTT on that channel, it will send the packet as well, but not more often than "Manual TX Interval".
I agree that inability to receive the APRS packets over analog is disappointing. Wha kills me however is the short battery life. I need to test it more, but so far the numbers are even worse than yours.
Yes the dmr contact delay is not great
UPDATE THE FIRMWARE
The software is a dumpster fire, and requires Win98 era serial drivers. If you have not dealt with this before and do not know your way around dealing with serial drivers in windows, you will quickly develop PTSD from dealing with this radio. Thankfully there is a 3rd party CPEditor to deal with the badly broken stock CPS.
Of even more concern is the poor battery life. Of you expect to use this for a "usual" day, you will likely need at least 2 batteries. There is no high capacity option. Initially battery life is somewhere in the 6-7 hours with the display on (like you would have with a D878UV) or about 10-11 hours if you set the display to turn off after a few seconds.
There is a lot to like about the radio part of the radio. But thinks like the CPS and lousy battery life really take the shine off the GD-88.
The cpeditor software is better
Anytone is better by 100 💯
This has the same system as the Alinco DJ5X I just got rid of. Analog APRS Beacon (Sometimes also) that serves no purpose but to jam the channel without listening. Useless! If it did RX the APRS packet what would it do with it? The thing barely has enough power to change its volume level it is not going to drive a UART to talk to YAAC. I really believe these makers have given up on Analog APRS and are just concentrating on the digital side now. I made the mistake long ago of buying into the GD-77S and got rid of that.
I don't understand why these manufacturers keep putting out radios that only beacon APRS. You're right, beacon only useless to me as well.
I got one recently for $85. It's hot garbage. Too many issues to even bother listing.
Don’t buy I sent mine back did not decode most off the time and volume to loud
Very poor quality radio. Had one for one day.