Hytera PD785

[Werthers]

Hi I'm an Ex-ham I've not played with radios for a while but I came across a Hytera PD875 UHF 400 - 470 MHz which seems to work ok, I will need to reprogram this in order to use it.

I'm used to the more basic analog PMR stuff so when it comes to digital I'm clueless. I believe the Hytera PD875 does both analog and digital modes so would be good for use with 70cms analog frequencies but as far as DMR goes I'm not sure how the digital modes work or whether they will just work like analog. I've been googling a lot of info on the Hytera PD785 which gives me basic information on the handset, I'd like to know more about the digital side of things and more specifically on the Hytera and programming.

I've programed many PMR radios in the past mainly Motorola and Tait which were always straight forward all being analog. The Hytera PD875 radios look somewhat complex with lots of options but I'm sure I could figure it out. I just need to buy a programming cable and software.

Can I program digital frequencies into the Hytera PD875 and use them right away like analog, or is there more to it? What are color codes for?

Looking at this radio has made me want to renew my license and get back on the airwaves.

Apologies if I sound a bit thick its been a while

[Werthers]

Just an update I've had a look at the layout of the Hytera programming software via a youtube video and it doesn't look that complicated, much like what I'm used to seeing on most radio programing software. On the analog side of things I'll be alright but as for the color codes on the digital side of things I'll need to educate myself a bit more on digital.

One other thing, would I'll be able to set an option for the keypad to enter in random frequencies?

If anybody is still out there any replies would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[Werthers]

It looks like programing a Digital radio is no different to programming an analog radio. I may have been confusing myself with D-Star so with DMR for example a color code is just basically a CTCSS tone in analog terms and talk groups is just what you'd name your programmed channel. So for example GB7NS & color code 3 for opening the repeater.

[Metradio]

What about Slot ?

Mike

[Werthers]

What about Slot ?

Mike

Time slots? yes I'm still working things out step by step. So the time slots are to prevent more than one person speaking at the same time right?

I'm just going through things step by step but if you could tell me more about the in's and out's of DMR I'd appreciate your help

If you could tell me in analog terms it will make more sense to me, I'm an old timer Ham whos been away for a while.

[Metradio]

The 2 Slots turn a repeater into a 2 channel repeater. To access GB7NS you would need to specify: Frequency, Colour Code, Slot and Talkgroup..
Frequency = Frequency !!
Colour Code = CTCSS
Slot = Channel
Talkgroup = Select User ?

Mike

[Werthers]

The 2 Slots turn a repeater into a 2 channel repeater. To access GB7NS you would need to specify: Frequency, Colour Code, Slot and Talkgroup..
Frequency = Frequency !!
Colour Code = CTCSS
Slot = Channel
Talkgroup = Select User ?

Mike

That all looks quite simple...

Thanks

[Metradio]

GB7NS (Digital) Motorola DR 3000 Repeater.
Normal operating Frequencies, Channel DVU13, TX freq 439.1625MHz RX freq 430.1625MHz.
DMR is a digital mode which uses TDMA technology. This allows for either two voice channels at the same time or one voice and one data channel. Slot 1 and Slot 2 are the respective audio channels available within a 12.5 KHz channel spacing.
It now requires a Colour Code set as 3, not 1 as previous, it is also now connected onto the DMARC network via the Internet.
Talk groups (TG) should be set as 9, for local repeater communications using slot 2
Also on slot 2, with a TG of 235 will communicate with all UK repeaters set up to allow this.
TG 8 will be used later as a London Roam Function.
Slot 1 is used for international.
TG1 being World Wide and brings up all DMARC connected repeaters around the world, this being over 300 units, active in 18 countries and expanding at a very fast rate.
TG 2 is used for European base stations being accessed.
TG 3 brings up North American units.
TG All call should no longer be used.
You will also need to leave a two second pause before PTT back on a active channel to allow the network to keep up with the connections of multiple repeaters around the world.
The coupling of the two units onto the same antenna, has reduced the power output to just under half the power that was available on the duel mode unit, but now there can be two digital and a analogue conversation, all going on at the same time.

Mike

[Werthers]

Thanks for the info Mike.

Now I just need to buy the programming cable and find the Software. I came across this site which looks useful:
https://manxrepeaters.com/index.php/dig ... tera-radio

It has the USB Driver and Firmware and CPS although it says to use the Version 7 CPS but its not showing in the list so hopefully one of the other versions will work. I've downloaded a few versions so fingers crossed one of them works. I don't like the idea of upgrading firmware on radios as I've known it to cause issues in the past but I'll just follow the instructions on the site in this case.

[Werthers]

Update. So the CPS never worked from that site, the file was corrupted and wouldn't install but I found the Version 7 CPS on another site which installed with no problem.

I haven't got the programming cable yet so I can't try it with the radio but I have ordered one from China on ebay so one I have that I should be good to go providing that the CPS I have is the correct one for the radio.

I have Version V7.00.07.002.EM5

I've decided I'm not going to mess about with upgrading any firmware unless its really necessary.

[Werthers]

So I spent last night researching further into the programming of the Hytera PD785 so I'll know what to expect once I have my programming cable to program the radio.

From my research there are two passwords to get around when programming the Hytera PD785 one is to read the radio and the other is to write to the radio. Only Hytera dealers would know these passwords so that when a customer buys a set of there business DMR radios the customer can't reprogram them and unlock licensed features or change the programmed frequencies. Instead Hytera would either provide the passwords to the customer for a price or program the radios for them with the customers licensed business frequencies and other details. I have also researched ways of bypassing the passwords by the use of new firmware that's available for the radios.

I know its not going to be plain sailing when programming the radio and changing the firmware was something I didn't want to mess with just encase it bricks the radio, however I will try with the original firmware and if I get password trouble upon programming the radio I'll have to flash the firmware and try again.

There Version 7 firmware that dose not allow you to down grade firmware if anything goes wrong.

Also Hytera will not provide information or help for end users such as Hams.

[Metradio]

We found out how helpful are a couple of years ago...

Mike

[Werthers]

We found out how helpful are a couple of years ago...

Mike

I can imagine how unhelpful Hyera would be. Its the same with a lot of companies, just a big money racket.

[Metradio]

The worst used to be Motorola, they produced radios that would not work on the amateur segments of VHF and UHF bands and would rather a radio was crushed than fall into ham hands...

Mike

[Werthers]

I know what you mean. I've programmed a lot of Motorola radios. I remember the Motorola GP300 I still have lots of them, they couldn't go below 440 MHz UHF or 146 MHz VHF unless you held down the shift key while entering the frequency I got all on them on 70cm and 2 meters with the full 16 channels, most Motorola GP300 Radios would have the channel selector locked to 8 channels but cutting off a small tab on the channel selector expanded them to 16 channels. I wasn't much of a fan of the GM300's which were the mobile rigs they could only be programed in DOS on old computers they had 8 channels but the programming software could be modified to program 40 channels into the Motorola GM300 or was it 48 channels..., they also had a tendency to get very hot when transmitting on low power 5w. I love the Motorola GP300 handhelds nice simple radios. The MTS2000 ex police radios aren't bad neither.