Hardware thoughts and comparison

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

Hardware thoughts and comparison

Post by AA3RP » Fri Nov 04, 2022 2:20 pm

From a thread in the MD-UV380 / RT-3S radio section, VK3KYY stated
VK3KYY wrote:
Fri Nov 04, 2022 10:12 am
Various people have tested these radios under laboratory conditions, and Rx performance on the RT3S was measured to be the same on UHF on the GD77 and RT3S.

However, IMO the RT3S RF hardware design is inferior to both the GD77 and DM1801.

The DM1801 and GD77 (and GD77s) have virtually identical RF hardware design

The RT3S has similar RF hard design to the Baofeng RD5R

I own all these radios have have dissassembled them to study the design of the radio

All these radios use the same core RF TRx chip (AT1846S) but the RF PA and Preamp stage(s) is completely different on the RT3S and RD5R to the GD77 and DM1801
The MD9600/RT90 RF hadware is completely different to all the hand held radios
I am curious to hear more thoughts about the hardware of these radios. I have a MD-UV380 arriving as it seems to be the only HT still in production that will accept the Open Firmware and I will be testing it as several members of the Amateur radio club and the Volunteer Emergency response group have been impressed with the GD-77s I have been using. They have shown interest in getting them. Also the MD-9600 was a top performer in a recent SET (Simulated Emergency Test) and two members have acquired them and asked me to help them with getting the Open firmware on them and the code plug set up.

I am especially interested in the ability to calibrate / tune each of these radios.

The aspect of the Open firmware that has impressed others the most is the Scanning performance. Both the speed and option settings. In a search and rescue situation the ability to be scanning quickly and accurately with good control on stopping and restarting of the scan makes for a very agile radio and response.

VK3KYY
Posts: 7475
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 3:25 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Hardware thoughts and comparison

Post by VK3KYY » Fri Nov 04, 2022 8:50 pm

I don't think there is much more to be said about the hardware in these radios.

I did a teardown video showing the internals of the RT-3S/UV380 and GD-77


youtu.be/ScoVslqV5eY

However, I'm not a professional RF hardware engineer.

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