G'Day Folks from VK4KHP

[VK4KHP]

G'Day Folks.
Been licenced since 1978, have dipped my toes into to most facets of the hobby over the years, Just purchased a Baofeng DM-1701 from Aliexpress, hopefully should see it by the end of next week.
DMR is all new to me, well I have used some sdr radios and software to monitor some DMR networks around South East Queensland, but have a lack of experience with the amateur radio side of DMR . so have been doing lots of reading, seen a good price on the DM-1701 and decided to buy one and try it out, The research has bought up Open GD77 as the best firmware for the radio, so I find my self here.
Apologies in advance for any stupid questions that may arise.

Cheers.
Peter VK4KHP from the Lockyer Valley.

[VK3KYY]

Welcome

DM-1701 is definitely the cheapest and best value DMR + FM OpenGD77 compatible radio you can buy.

I know VK4JWT bought one last week for less than $80 AUD inc GST and delivery, a some sort of super sale price

Even at around $100 AU inc.. They are good value

The only shame is that there isn't an GPS option for the DM-1701, and it would be hard to fit one inside the case, as there isn't really enough room for the normal ceramic antenna.

[VK4KHP]

G'Day Roger.
I managed to get a similar price on the 1701.
GPS option is not a real concern, i haven't run APRS for maybe 12 or 13 years, for anything else, I can hopefully just enter the position.
The satellite option, just wondering and I guess, not the place to ask, but does the satellite option allow Doppler correction of the VFO's, I haven't come across that in the details yet, but still reading.
Cheers. Peter VK4KHP

[VK3KYY]

GPS option is not a real concern, i haven't run APRS for maybe 12 or 13 years, for anything else, I can hopefully just enter the position.

Yes. You can manually enter the position

The satellite option, just wondering and I guess, not the place to ask, but does the satellite option allow Doppler correction of the VFO's

Yes. It does doppler correction

On the Rx it does it every few seconds, but on Tx, it only sets the Tx freq at the start of the transmission, becuase its not possible to change the TRx PLL during transmission, for obvious reasons, i;e the PLL would be out of lock while transmitting, which would not be good.

[VK4KHP]

Many Thanks Roger.
That's impressive, looking forward to the radio arriving.
Cheers.
Peter VK4KHP

[OK2MOP]

I was not able to TX ISS with normal 1/2 & 5/8 antennas nor SG-M507, neither on my very old RT3s which can output 8W in +W- mode nor with DM-1701, where I was not able to output more than ~4.8W. So you will probably need special antenna and/or AMP. But RX works nicely.

As a side note, during the sale on AE until tomorrow (coupons+sale price) one can get down to ~US$45 in their own "Choice" stores. But sometimes they actually do not send the goods from these stores (the goods never actually leave warehouse) and one has to wait for the refund full 90 days.

[VK3KYY]

I was not able to TX ISS with normal 1/2 & 5/8 antennas nor SG-M507, neither on my very old RT3s which can output 8W in +W- mode nor with DM-1701, where I was not able to output more than ~4.8W. So you will probably need special antenna and/or AMP. But RX works nicely.

OK.

I never measured the power.

We didn't have any other reports of the power output being < 5W

[VK4KHP]

G'Day Folks.
Radio arrived and installed openGD77. a few mistakes on my side, and a bit of reading sorted them out the got it installed.

I have it up and running, but appear to be just out of range of Amateur DMR repeaters, or they are off line.
Playing around with it I have been listening to the Queensland Railways Tier 3 network, with transmitters scattered around the area and along the ridge about 2Km from me. and many around my place of work in Brisbane. Also one of the frequencies at the hospital my wife works at, now even with it connected to the array of collinear antennas on the former Australian federal police 10 meter tower on top building the company I work for purchased and refurbished a few years back(the tower was a bonus, I have access to the tower and placed additional antennas and GNSS antennas for work and ran cabling for GNSS access to various workbenches and areas around the building and of course the UHF antennas are routed to my workbench, I measured the return loss of the antennas and they have a great coverage from VHF right through UHF, the building is around 5 stories high, but still can't get any amateur radio DMR repeaters.

From home, I am at 300 meters elevation and the VK4RTQ DMR repeater which I thought was active, doesn't appear to be on line. I have a clear line of sight, it's around 46Km to the west and only a valley between.
Looks like I will need to get a hotspot to use it for amateur DMR, well at least in these areas.
I have looked at various sites for the status of the repeaters and some sites have conflicting info..

Looking forward to trying the sats with theDM1701 and the openGD77 satellite tracker. I had made an antenna 3D printed, 5 element UHF and 3 element VHF, years back, out of PLA, but it has been breaking down from the UV, so will print up new assemblies with PET-G, should last for a long time.

Well that's all from me.
Cheers Peter VK4KHP
Lockyer Valley QLD AUS

[VK3KYY]

G'Day Folks.
Radio arrived and installed openGD77. a few mistakes on my side, and a bit of reading sorted them out the got it installed.

I have it up and running, but appear to be just out of range of Amateur DMR repeaters, or they are off line.
Playing around with it I have been listening to the Queensland Railways Tier 3 network, with transmitters scattered around the area and along the ridge about 2Km from me. and many around my place of work in Brisbane. Also one of the frequencies at the hospital my wife works at, now even with it connected to the array of collinear antennas on the former Australian federal police 10 meter tower on top building the company I work for purchased and refurbished a few years back(the tower was a bonus, I have access to the tower and placed additional antennas and GNSS antennas for work and ran cabling for GNSS access to various workbenches and areas around the building and of course the UHF antennas are routed to my workbench, I measured the return loss of the antennas and they have a great coverage from VHF right through UHF, the building is around 5 stories high, but still can't get any amateur radio DMR repeaters.

From home, I am at 300 meters elevation and the VK4RTQ DMR repeater which I thought was active, doesn't appear to be on line. I have a clear line of sight, it's around 46Km to the west and only a valley between.
Looks like I will need to get a hotspot to use it for amateur DMR, well at least in these areas.
I have looked at various sites for the status of the repeaters and some sites have conflicting info..

Looking forward to trying the sats with theDM1701 and the openGD77 satellite tracker. I had made an antenna 3D printed, 5 element UHF and 3 element VHF, years back, out of PLA, but it has been breaking down from the UV, so will print up new assemblies with PET-G, should last for a long time.

Well that's all from me.
Cheers Peter VK4KHP
Lockyer Valley QLD AUS

There are some other VK4's on the forum, and I know a VK4, so I'll emial them to ask about coverage from the Lockyer Valley

Edit.

The status/list of active VK DMR+ repeaters is here

http://43.245.72.66/ipsc/index.html

[VK4KHP]

G'Day Roger.
Many thanks for the reply.
I will try, VK4RAI again, i did update the code plug, and have a different response.
I can hit FM repeaters on the same site, so will try again from a different part of the house, if not I will try an external antenna.
A lot of sites had VK4RTQ listed as running DMR, but I haven't seen an active on air status for it. We have had a lot of severe electrical/hail storms through the South east over the last few months, so maybe damaged, or simply not installed yet..

Having fun learning about different aspects of this mode.