TYT MD-9600 / Retevis RT-90 : Experimental version

VK3KYY
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: TYT MD-9600 / Retevis RT-90 : Experimental version

Post by VK3KYY » Wed Jun 01, 2022 7:21 am

djyeisy wrote:
Wed Jun 01, 2022 7:14 am
Hello, i have 2 MD-9600 version 2 and on analog the distance range on open field is around 30 nm but on digital even at 2 miles sometimes work fine but normally the voice is cutting and not possible to understand.
I checked ouput power at highest mode with a 50Ohm load and is not more that 20 un UHF and 30 on VHF but i wonder if this is normal or not.
Could i try your experimental firmware on this radios to see if this problem gets solved?
If yes, could you let me know if i have to load the firmware with the md9600 firmware loader or i should use another application?

Thank you.
This firmware will not increase the power of your radio has a hardware fault of bad calibration data

Installation information is here, except here will be newer betas now available.
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=2035

G4EML
Posts: 919
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 10:01 am

Re: TYT MD-9600 / Retevis RT-90 : Experimental version

Post by G4EML » Wed Jun 01, 2022 10:08 am

There are three versions of official firmware for the three different chipsets. The first part of the firmware number relates to the chipset.

06.xx is for the early radios.
16.xx is for the later radios.
26.xx is for the latest radios.

If you look through your radios menus there will be somewhere that tells you which firmware you are currently using.

Loading the wrong firmware will not do any damage, but the radio will not transmit or receive.

Colin.

N7KHZ
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Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2022 9:29 pm

Re: TYT MD-9600 / Retevis RT-90 : Experimental version

Post by N7KHZ » Sat Aug 13, 2022 11:12 pm

I have a TYT MD-9600 V 4 S/N2010A00714. What is new with Firmware?

VK3KYY
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: TYT MD-9600 / Retevis RT-90 : Experimental version

Post by VK3KYY » Sun Aug 14, 2022 4:00 am

N7KHZ wrote:
Sat Aug 13, 2022 11:12 pm
I have a TYT MD-9600 V 4 S/N2010A00714. What is new with Firmware?
What do you mean by "new"

AA3RP
Posts: 86
Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2021 3:22 am

Re: TYT MD-9600 / Retevis RT-90 : Experimental version

Post by AA3RP » Sun Aug 14, 2022 6:47 pm

djyeisy wrote:
Wed Jun 01, 2022 7:14 am
Hello, i have 2 MD-9600 version 2 and on analog the distance range on open field is around 30 nm but on digital even at 2 miles sometimes work fine but normally the voice is cutting and not possible to understand.
I checked ouput power at highest mode with a 50Ohm load and is not more that 20 un UHF and 30 on VHF but i wonder if this is normal or not.
Could i try your experimental firmware on this radios to see if this problem gets solved?
If yes, could you let me know if i have to load the firmware with the md9600 firmware loader or i should use another application?

Thank you.
Not sure this will help but I will share my experience with DMR on the MD-9600. I have five of these radios from early model to latest model. On all of them I have found that in DMR mode the audio of the transmission is not good and often not understandable. I found that the issue was a 'hot mic'. To put another way, when the audio was converted to digital its gain was near max and when decoded on the receiving radio it would be distorted and 'tearing'. The solution was to lower the Mic gain using the Mic gain setting under Options in the Firmware. On all five radios I had to use either -9 or -12db setting for DMR Mic gain.

After changing the DMR Mic gain my audio was great and many others commented how good and clear my audio is. I have noticed that is not an issue only for the MD-9600 radio but I hear this often on Nets that use DMR and often the person thinks they are suffering packet loss or not enough power on transmit when it is nothing more than to much audio gain.

I am not sure this is your issue but it is very simple thing to change and test.

AA3RP

VK3KYY
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: TYT MD-9600 / Retevis RT-90 : Experimental version

Post by VK3KYY » Sun Aug 14, 2022 9:00 pm

Its very strange all of your radios have a very loud mic, when had no one else every had this problem

Are you using the mic that came with each radio.

Why do you have so many md9600?

AA3RP
Posts: 86
Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2021 3:22 am

Re: TYT MD-9600 / Retevis RT-90 : Experimental version

Post by AA3RP » Mon Aug 15, 2022 6:53 am

VK3KYY wrote:
Sun Aug 14, 2022 9:00 pm
Its very strange all of your radios have a very loud mic, when had no one else every had this problem

Are you using the mic that came with each radio.

Why do you have so many md9600?
I am not sure I am the only one with a loud mic. Another local ham who purchased a MD-9600 had the same issue and at first he thought he had an issue with DMR. Lowered the Mic gain and all was good. We all use the mic that comes with the radio.

The reason I have five MD-9600 is that I have two houses each with a 'shack' and I use a MD-9600 in each shack as my DMR radio, also my wife is licensed and we each have a MD-9600 in our vehicles as our mobile units, plus I have the one that was an 'open box' special but did not work properly when arrived and was refunded the purchase and when I asked for the instructions on returning the radio the vendor told me it was of no value to him and I could just keep it. So I end up with five radios.

The original reason I have the MD-9600 is because it is dual band and the band limits can be set via firmware. I work with the volunteer Fire department, the Search and Rescue, and the Emergency Communications center of the Sheriff department at various times. The MD-9600 was one of the few radios that allowed me to have a single mobile radio that I was able to listen on and if the need called for it communicate. Comet has a good wide banded dual band mobile antenna that has given me good to great service and goes well with the MD-9600 for both the amateur and public / emergency frequencies that are used by my local agencies that I work and coordinate with.

Now with the OpenMD-9600 firmware it is an even better radio for my usage. The one feature of the OpenMD-9600 that has help alot is the ability to set the power to several settings. Here in the US they have the 22 channel GMRS band and during a search and rescue that is often used and monitor as many people use those HT radios as you can buy them in most stores at a reasonable cost, no questions asked. The legal TX limit for GMRS HT is 0.5, 2, or 5watt depending on the channel. Your firmware allows me to comply with that if the need arises.

VK3KYY
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: TYT MD-9600 / Retevis RT-90 : Experimental version

Post by VK3KYY » Mon Aug 15, 2022 6:58 am

OK

Well, you guys seem to be the only people who have 'hot' mic's on DMR as far as I'm aware.

The default mic gain on FM may be a little high, but its only noticable on repeaters that use CTCSS as it can cause clipping due to overdeviation of the FM TX signal messing with the repeater's demodulation.

We should probably drop the default FM mic gain down by one knotch, but as most people don't seem to have a problem with DMR mic levels, I'm not keen on changing that, otherwise those who don't currently have a problem, would complain the DMR Tx audio is too quiet

AA3RP
Posts: 86
Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2021 3:22 am

Re: TYT MD-9600 / Retevis RT-90 : Experimental version

Post by AA3RP » Mon Aug 15, 2022 2:41 pm

VK3KYY wrote:
Mon Aug 15, 2022 6:58 am
OK

Well, you guys seem to be the only people who have 'hot' mic's on DMR as far as I'm aware.

The default mic gain on FM may be a little high, but its only noticable on repeaters that use CTCSS as it can cause clipping due to overdeviation of the FM TX signal messing with the repeater's demodulation.

We should probably drop the default FM mic gain down by one knotch, but as most people don't seem to have a problem with DMR mic levels, I'm not keen on changing that, otherwise those who don't currently have a problem, would complain the DMR Tx audio is too quiet
I agree with you on no need to change the default settings. I have also noticed that the FM mic gain is a bit 'hot' for repeater use. I personally have my radios at either -3 or -6db for FM. I have come to be familiar with the menu and functions of the Open firmware and it is easy and straight forward for me to change / adjust the mic gain on the radios. This is helpful for the mobile as lowering it some keeps much of the road / background noise out of the transmission.

Thank you for all you and others have done with this firmware and project. I personally find this firmware of great value and benefit in my use and enjoyment of the hobby and professional use on my personal radios.

AA3RP

SA0BUX
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Re: TYT MD-9600 / Retevis RT-90 : Experimental version

Post by SA0BUX » Fri Aug 26, 2022 5:27 am

I needed to set the DMR mic gain to -9 dB , otherwise it was terrible overmodulated.
FM seems to sound good with 0 dB but I changed it to -3 dB now for some testing.

I also changed DMR RX AGC to +3 dB

Using a TYT MD-9600 V2.1

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