Radioddity DB20-G

[RKClark]

I just recently received my FCC GMRS license.  I am new to GMRS and reviewed many radios, purchasing a Radioddity DB20-G mobile unit.  I am planning on installing the radio in my truck and was looking at the Midland Micro Mobile Ghost MXTA25 and mounting it to a ditch light bracket; however I currently am using a LT-UT72 19 Inch,VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Super Loading Coil antenna and I am not getting any reception.  Any idea on the best antenna to use?

 

I live on the Southern Tip of Illinois and see that there is a repeater about 50 miles away in Harrisburg, Illinois and a couple repeaters in Western Kentucky. How do I access these repeaters or are they too far away? 

 

Any advice for the GMRS beginner would be greatly appreciated.

[SteveShannon]

Just now, KAF6045 said:

I was going into a dummy load.

That's ideal. 

[KAF6045]

On 5/7/2023 at 2:24 PM, WRXE944 said:

Aren't you the poster of this "low power" criticism on Amazon?

Other than your posts here and on Amazon, I have not discovered anyone else who makes this claim.

Yes -- and it occurred with two units shipped by Amazon.

While I'll concede the meter used could be reading a bit low, I'd expect it to read low for all equipment tested.

The DB20-G is (per manual) rated 18W for GMRS -- it was to replace an MXT-115 (NFM only) rated 15W. Presuming both devices were putting out the rated powers, I'd have expected my meter to show the MXT being ~3W lower in power (I say ~ as I could see it being a proportion of full meter capability). Yet the MXT tended to exceed the DB20 in most of the important GMRS frequencies (in particular, the repeater input frequencies).

 

On 5/7/2023 at 2:24 PM, WRXE944 said:

And now with @UncleYoda's claims:

Do you, @KAF6045 have an opinion on "durability?"

Mounted on the dash of the rust bucket, been there since last fall. Seems okay so far. Mostly left in scanning mode.

(Unfortunately, this photo was with the Midland, but the DB20 is mounted in the same location -- but using lighter socket; weather was too cold for me to pull the wiring from under the dash that runs direct to the battery)

[WRWC373]

On 5/5/2023 at 5:26 PM, Borage257 said:

That means youll have to do the unlock on it. Press and hold the V/M button while turning it on. Then use the Up/ Down arrows to select the Frequency sets. Youll loose all you data, so save all that before. When you choose you new band set, be sure to select the same one in the programming software.

Ok, so I just unlocked it successfully (136-174) (400-470).  I did have to go back into my backup copy and copy and paste each of my frequencies back in one line at a time.

 

The good news: If I hit FUN POW on the mic, it now changes the power level instead of having to to it in the software.

The bad news: Scanning no longer works if I hit FUN SCAN on the mic.  I just hear a funny tone on the radio when I do that to tell me that function is not available.  All my scanning settings and channels I want to scan look good.  What am I missing here?  Please don't tell me scanning is no longer available after the radio is unlocked.

Thanks,

[WRYS709]

4 hours ago, WRWC373 said:

The bad news: Scanning no longer works if I hit FUN SCAN on the mic.  I just hear a funny tone on the radio when I do that to tell me that function is not available.  All my scanning settings and channels I want to scan look good.  What am I missing here?  Please don't tell me scanning is no longer available after the radio is unlocked.

Works for me.  What version is your firmware?

If you hold down the FUN button (whether on the radio or the mic) too long, it will lock the keypad and the word LOCK will appear in the bottom right of the screen.  A long press of FUN toggles this Lock on and off.

[WRWC373]

10 hours ago, WRYS709 said:

Works for me.  What version is your firmware?

If you hold down the FUN button (whether on the radio or the mic) too long, it will lock the keypad and the word LOCK will appear in the bottom right of the screen.  A long press of FUN toggles this Lock on and off.

I checked and I’m on V2.34. I checked and lock and unlock work fine. 
 

Here’s a snapshot of my Function settings in the software. Wondering if there’s some other setting in the software that got changed when I unlocked it. 
 

Thanks for your help. 

[WRYS709]

52 minutes ago, WRWC373 said:

I checked and I’m on V2.34. I checked and lock and unlock work fine. 
 

Here’s a snapshot of my Function settings in the software. Wondering if there’s some other setting in the software that got changed when I unlocked it. 
 

Thanks for your help. 

I am on V2.36, but I do not think that is the problem.  Also I switched all of your setting into my radio and I can still SCAN.

Open up the Information of Scanning Channel menu and be sure SCAN MODE is turned to ON:

When I switched mine to OFF, when I attempt to Scan, it does not work and I hear a Beep!

 

[WRWC373]

1 hour ago, WRYS709 said:

I am on V2.36, but I do not think that is the problem.  Also I switched all of your setting into my radio and I can still SCAN.

Open up the Information of Scanning Channel menu and be sure SCAN MODE is turned to ON:

When I switched mine to OFF, when I attempt to Scan, it does not work and I hear a Beep!

 

Thank you so much!!!!  That was exactly the issue.  I didn't even see this menu, as my left window toolbar in the software was not expanded very far and I only saw the words "Information Of".  I knew it had to be something simple I missed.

Amazing when you unlock the radio, how many settings get changed.  I only thought the only thing that would have to be changed is reentering your channels that you lost.

For anyone else that is doing this, I can't stress how import it is to download a backup of your current settings before you play around.  While it's a pain to be able to have one file open at a time, once you get used to it, its easy to switch back between to in order to check settings or to copy a channel line from your original file.

Thank you again.....much appreciated.

[WRYS709]

7 hours ago, WRWC373 said:

For anyone else that is doing this, I can't stress how import it is to download a backup of your current settings before you play around.  

Worth pointing it out again!