Dave805

Michael, the file you included was for the GM-30 HT, not the mobile DB-20UV. There's no firmware update for it or the TYT 779UV version.

Thank you! I'll give it a try! Dave

I liked it so much I bought 2! Like the form factor, and sensitivity is good. A lot of bang for the buck, scanning speed is decently fast, 300 channel memory.

Thanks for confirming the problem on a third 779uv. I know Wayne and I'll reach out to him (we're both members of SBARC). Dave

I drove to work today with my Radioddity DB-20G in my car and it did exactly the same thing as the Anytone 779UV. So I'll just turn off PL tone decode / CTCSS squelch for this one channel. Meanwhile I'll keep working at figuring out what exactly is different about this one repeater.

2.33 i dragged out my test equipment. Both at779UVs (one being the Radioditty) measure the same - full quieting is at -90 dBm and the pl tone modulation breaks squelch down to 100 Hz modulation - very sensitive. My tyt 8600 needs more modulation (300 Hz), as does my Anytone 778uv (200 Hz), and my Yaesu 7250D (300 Hz). The problematic repeater has 700 Hz of modulation, so it shouldn’t be a problem. Monday when I’m back at work I’ll see if the Radioddity unit too has an issue with that one repeater.

Received my Radioddity DB20-G yesterday and the external speaker today. They must maintain their stock with Amazon as that is who did the delivery. The outer box is different, and the mic and radio are badged with Radioddity, and at powerup, the LCD displays DB20-G. Otherwise it's the same as my AT-779uv. I even just programmed the same file into it as what I created for my 779uv. I won't know until Monday if this one has a problem with that repeater, but I do know myRadioddity I just got has a little more RF output power vs my 779uv. VHF is right at 20W, and UHF at 17W vs both those #'s being 2W lower for my AT779uv. I'll chalk it up to production variability, and 2W is not going to make a difference. It was just interesting to see. Also, fwiw, I realized today that I do in fact own a very accurate signal generator that goes down to sub hertz (HP 3336C). Using it to create PL tones, and then feeding it into my HP 8657B, I should be able to measure at what PL level both of my 779uvs need to decode it, and then compare that to other radios I own. Might try that tomorrow.

Update: Brought my AT-778uv to work with me this morning. It has no problem with that repeater. The only thing left to do is wait for my second 779 to arrive and see how it performs.

While I'm testing my AT-779UV, I'm also dragging in my other radios for similar testing. One of the things I'm checking is RF output. So far the AT-779UV is doing quite well. VHF is ~18 watts output, UHF is 15 watts, both on high of course. My TYT-8600 measures the same. Edit: I didn't have my connections correct when I was measuring my 778UV. Didn't have the dummy load connected. . . . Anytone AT-778UV, VHF band power is 18W. UHF power is 20W 779UV benefits over the 778UV 500 memory channels vs 200 faster scanning 8 alphanumeric character naming vs 5 dedicated volume control much faster downloading/uploading between the PC and the radio

Michael, the Radioddity website isn't charging sales tax, and as WayoverThere wrote, they're including an external speaker for $104.99. So little bit cheaper overall, with the added bonus of an external speaker.

I just ordered another unit, the Radioddity branded one this time only because the pricing was a little better. Once I get it, I can compare the two units with that particular repeater. Anytone wrote back and said they tested the 779UV using a Hytera UHF repeater with the same PL settings and didn't have a problem. They said unfortunately they don't have access to a VHF repeater, but asked me to repeat my test of mimicking the problematic repeater using my 778uv radio. I'm guessing the 778 and 779 use the same chip for PL tone generation/decoding. So tonight I'll do that, but also bring my 778UV to work tomorrow and see how it works on this problematic repeater.

I have an update - actually just more info. Got home and programmed one of my Baofeng HT's to pretend it's the repeater I'm having trouble with. TX was 145.180 with a PL tone of 146.2. My AT-779UV is on the same table here at home, with a dummy load attached in case I accidentally key it up. When I keyed up the HT, the 779UV broke squelch just fine. So the receive PL tone is working fine with the HT set up like the repeater. Fast forward an hour and while I'm participating in the net, I brought up that I was having this problem and stated "I wonder what is weird with the 145.180 repeater?" A moment later, another ham got on and stated he measured the transmission from that repeater, that the PL tone was exactly 146.2 Hz, and the PL tone had an FM modulation of 700Hz, which he said is standard for repeater. To him, there repeater didn't look odd at all PL tone wise on the TX. He did say that the 700 Hz modulation for the PL tone was for when they used to be decoded mechanically - it took that much modulation to get the reed to vibrate. "with modern electronics, it can be much lower". That said, it seems CTCSS tone amplitude shouldn't be a problem. So I'll forward all this info to Anytone to see what they say. I'm thinking of getting a second radio to replace the single bander in my truck. It'll be interesting if a second radio has the same problem with the same repeater.

Amazon, from the seller ‘lucky product’, ironically. If yours is working fine, I would not update it.

I'll give that a try that tonight (using another radio). And yes, I've had the squelch break from other repeaters elsewhere. It's less of a problem on this repeater than others. FWIW, all my programming has been through the PC software. That setting is 'smart'. If I set the decode freq to none, the choice in what you circled is only SQ.

Thanks Michael - that does solve the problem but it's a workaround for the CTCSS tone not decoding on receive correctly. The squelch will now also open for any other person/repeater on the same receive frequency. Stations down south do break in occasionally, and impressively so when there's ducting going on. (I'll even pick up the San Diego repeater sometimes!) The question is, why is the radio having a problem with this?

I did try it in the video I took, but that is the same as turning receive decode off. Here's the video for the AT-779UV during this morning's net AT-779UV receive PL tone issue and here is my TYT TH-8600 during the same net TH-8600 same repeater, no issue with PL tone receive

Thanks Michael - but it's the other repeater on Santa Ynez Peak that I'm having a problem with. The 145.160 repeater I can now get into since I screwed up the TX offset. The 145.180 repeater is the problem. I'm at work now so I can actually hit it. When I transmit, I can open the repeater just fine, but the squelch won't open though I do show I'm receiving a signal as the green LED near the volume control is lit, and the signal strength bar on the LCD is showing a signal, but that bar is gray, not green. Audio is silent unless I turn off CTCSS decode, or hit the MON button. There's a net at 8AM that will allow me to take a video.

Here's the settings as shown on the 779UV for one of the problem repeaters. My TYT TH-8600 and my Anytone 868 HT both work fine with the same settings. And yes, I'll update this thread when Anytone writes back.

I own the ham version, btech 25x4, and the colors do mean that the squelch broke on a given line (it did pick up something). I bought my unit a few years ago, so my firmware likely has bugs as the color of a line does not return to red if the transmission goes away. Note, the radio won't go looking at the other channels if you're actively receiving on a given one. Only when the one that it's tied up on goes away, will it then watch the other channels.

Do any of your Ventura County GMRS repeaters get you into the San Fernando Valley? What are the details of the split tone repeater you use? Maybe I will program it into my Anytone and take a drive up to Ventura. I have Bob Yuan at Let's Get Ready where I purchased my Anytone, checking with them about firmware updates. I'll send you a PM

Not sure. I can hear a repeater from I think the Thousand Oaks area (channel 22) but I have not tried to transmit into it. Up in the Santa Barbara area (where I work), they're looking to re-activate a GMRS repeater with a split PL tone for everyday use but also disaster preparedness. The Thomas Fire, mudslide, and now the Alisal fire, natural disasters seem to be on the rise. Separately, I have a ham license and three of the repeaters up there use split PL tones. It's those repeaters that showed my radio has a problem with split PL tones. Normally on my commute, there will be morning chatter to listen to, but once I put this radio in my car, it was quiet. I can't run with no PL tone on receive as there is interference, or repeaters in the LA area on the same freq but different PL tone that will break squelch. Thanks for asking Bob about updates. I've bought a number of DMR radios from him.

Hi Joe, I'm running Windows, using the 2.01 programming software, and don't have the issues you are seeing. The software seems to work for me a-ok, just the radio isn't correctly applying the decode PL tone. I'm going to create 2 channel entries. One where the PL tones are set up correctly for the split PL the repeater requires, and another channel where both the TX and RX are set to the same RX PL tone. Then I'll set the AT-779UV such that the main channel is one of these, and the alternately watched channel is the other. That should pin it down that the radio is indeed not applying the decode CTCSS tone correctly.

Hi Michael, To check the firmware version, hold the V/M button down when powering it up. That will enable you to change the frequency range of the radio, but it will also display the firmware version. To exit, turn it off. I've read that if you change modes, you'll delete all the memory contents, so unless you have a backup, don't accidentally change ranges and then power it down. And yes, to experiment, I set the decode CTCSS tone to 'none' and it worked. The problem is on my commute, there's local interference that will break squelch. Also at work there's enough hash in the building to break squelch. For repeaters that have the same TX and RX PL tone, I don't have any issues. Yep, I'm in Ventura, and here's Anytone's website with downloads. I only see programming software listed though. http://anytone.net/download.html

I just picked up an Anytone AT-779UV and found it doesn't correctly handle a split CTCSS tone, even though the programming software will let you program one, and the radio itself will display the different CTCSS tone value for TX and RX. My FW version display is 2.30. I don't see any FW updates on the Anytone website. Anyone know what the latest FW version is for this radio and if it solves the split PL tone issue? Thanks Edit: I see this radio is sold by Retevis and Radioddity also. Would be interested in hearing from others if those radios have the same bug. The TX CTCSS setting works okay, but if the RX value is different, the squelch won't open. If I hit the MON button, I can hear the repeater so I know I'm getting in.