Episode 287 is posted for the Anytone AT-D578UVIII Pro DMR Mobile Radio - Part 1! The long awaited AT-D578UVIII Pro Radio is here for DMR Mobile Users. This feature-packed "Pro" model includes GPS, APRS and Bluetooth, and for Operators in the USA, it also includes the 1.25M 220MHz band. Let's take a first look at this radio, how to update the firmware, attempting to load a codeplug, and some power output tests in this first, but certainly not last, episode.
Jason, The low 220 MHZ TX POWER is a concern as it's no higher than a HT. Can you measure the 12db SINAD of the RX across all bands and a 220 transmitter spectrum analyzer plot, a SDR receiver should be adequate to see what the 220 TX spectrum looks like if a spectrum analyzer isn't available? With such low 220 tx power output I'd bet that 220 BAND is using the same TX low pass filter that 137-174 MHZ uses and 220 MHZ may be operating with these high TX POWER losses because it is operating into the VHF 137-174 MHZ LOW PASS FILTERS cutoff/transition band with possibly 3 to 6 db higher loss as opposed to less than 1db which would be normal. As a result 220 MHZ may have similar high RX sensitivity losses resulting in reduced 220 RX sensitivity. WOUXAN did this in some of their early UV5 VHF/UHF HT's, they added firmware updates enabling 220 MHZ but since they made no hardware mods extending the TX low pass filter out for 220 MHZ, the result was very low 220 TX power, excessive TX harmonics and numerous spurs on 220 TX and reduced 220 RX sensitivity.
Hey there, You mentioned a firmware update of 1.05A. I can only find 1.05. Do you have something different? I understand there are problems with the 1.05 update.
105a was the beta version that was available when I recorded this video. 1.05 is the official production release, that is the one you want.
I am leaving mine at 1.03 as I have heard, (direct from my distributer - and others), that the 1.05 firmware breaks more than it fixes. Great video however, nice work as always!
https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=14493 I saw this bad review today and this was why I had concerns about 220 MHZ.
Thanks for commenting. I can't say that I agree about the 1.05 firmware though. Plus, 1.07 is out now. I am going to update it this week and see how it works.
That review is simply incorrect. I wonder if the reviewer contacted Powerwerx and asked them how to enable the 220 band. Either way, whether he did that and Powerwerx didn't know, or whether he never contacted them, he could easily enable 220 on that rig with a few keystrokes.
