Radioddity db-20g rookie set up

[WRPE755]

Din’t  read this if you aren’t a rookie! I don’t want to be sued for boring anyone to death! 

I have noted that there are a lot of people like me out there. I have been using GMRS HTs for a couple of years, but am now getting a bit more into the hobby. For those other newbies out there, this is an account of setting up my DB-20g.

The physical set up was easy. I have a mag mount antenna outside my window, so I hooked it up to the radio. Next I plugged the radio into my Jackery power station. Rather to my surprise it started right up. I then tested it by transmitting on one of my HTs. The radio received just fine. But when I tried to transmit nothing happened. Sigh. It came with CTSS codes installed on all channels. No problem. I booted my computer and downloaded the CPS. After unzipping the files I hooked up the included programming cable. Once again, everything worked fine. The software loaded and ran, no problems, and it detected the correct com port. Having used CHIRP, the software wasn’t hard to figure out. Let’s face it: GMRS makes it easy. I set up my preferences, programmed in my local repeaters of choice, and wrote it all to the radio. No issues. I put the mic back on and asked for a radio check on my favorite repeater, located 25-30 miles away. I got a report back right away. Not bad for a 15 watt radio and a cheap dual band mag mount antenna! Everything was nice and clear. All in all, a very easy install. Far easier than I expected. 
So now  I need to set up my usual receive only frequencies: Marine VHF, MURS, several local ham repeaters. And figure out how to set up channel B! The manual is now 27 pages, and generally useful, but I can’t figure out how to set channel B up. Oh well, something to work on!

I would like to thank all of those who recommended the DB20g to me. It certainly does what I need it to do. It used very little power, and runs cool to the touch. I like that I can choose any of the repeater frequencies I want, unlike my HTs, which only let me  choose from banks of frequencies. I wish that CHIRP worked with it, as inputting all of the programming data was a minor annoyance, but other than that I am happy with my new radio. 

[WyoJoe]

21 hours ago, WRPE755 said:

And figure out how to set up channel B! The manual is now 27 pages, and generally useful, but I can’t figure out how to set channel B up.

I'm not exactly a rookie, but I read it anyway, and I have a solution to offer you.

I assume by "channel B" you are referring to the second VFO, shown on the lower half of the radio's display. The easiest way to set this to your liking, is to make it the main VFO by pressing the "MAIN" button. You can then configure it to your liking. Then all you have to do is press "MAIN" again to set the other (first) VFO as the main.

[MichaelLAX]

On 4/22/2022 at 1:11 PM, WRPE755 said:

The manual is now 27 pages, and generally useful...

Thanks for that update: I found it on the Radioddity Downloads page.

[WRPCinci]

The one snag I had in setting up my DB20g is getting the programming software to run. Apparently it needs admin privileges, so if you are on a regular user account on a windows 10 computer, you'll need to right click and "run as administrator".

[WRPE755]

4 hours ago, WyoJoe said:

I'm not exactly a rookie, but I read it anyway, and I have a solution to offer you.

I assume by "channel B" you are referring to the second VFO, shown on the lower half of the radio's display. The easiest way to set this to your liking, is to make it the main VFO by pressing the "MAIN" button. You can then configure it to your liking. Then all you have to do is press "MAIN" again to set the other (first) VFO as the main.

It wasn’t quite that simple. First I went into the CSP and set both the A and B channels up to be in channel mode, but when I loaded the data back into the radio the changes didn’t take, and B was still in VFO mode. I then used the function button (after making channel B the main channel) to go through the menus, and B was indeed supposed to be in channel mode. I set it to frequency mode and then back to channel mode, and voila! It came up in channel mode. Weird,  but whatever. You have to expect some glitches when working with an inexpensive radio with lousy documentation. Good radio, though!

[WyoJoe]

6 hours ago, WRPE755 said:

It wasn’t quite that simple. First I went into the CSP and set both the A and B channels up to be in channel mode, but when I loaded the data back into the radio the changes didn’t take, and B was still in VFO mode. I then used the function button (after making channel B the main channel) to go through the menus, and B was indeed supposed to be in channel mode. I set it to frequency mode and then back to channel mode, and voila! It came up in channel mode. Weird,  but whatever. You have to expect some glitches when working with an inexpensive radio with lousy documentation. Good radio, though!

My radio actually does weird things like that too. I tell it to display the channel name, but it displays the frequency. It doesn't seem to "take" until the second time I change the setting. I've found that I have to make the change from the front panel twice, too, because whatever I do in the software doesn't work correctly when writing to the radio. Basically, the only place it's been an issue is with the second VFO.

I typically use that VFO to monitor a local ham repeater, so if I forget to reset it after powering down the radio, the only thing that happens is that I don't get to hear that repeater.

[Newb]

I tried the software with Windows 10 and it chocked as usual so I loaded it on my trusty old Windows 7 machine and everything is working smooth as silk. The radio even seems to be more reliable from the WRITES from Win 7.  I wish the had the software compatible with Ubuntu Linux.

[MichaelLAX]

I use Windows XP through Parallels Virtualization on my older Mac Mini; programs this radio like a charm!

[back4more70]

On 4/22/2022 at 1:11 PM, WRPE755 said:

For those other newbies out there, this is an account of setting up my DB-20g.

I'm glad you wrote this, I have been thinking about buying the DB20-G.  What antenna did you purchase?  I am considering the Nagoya UT-72G.

[Newb]

I purchased a Browning BR-450 for my DB20-G. I'm still working with it trying to get the SWR below 1.7:1. See the convo in the Technical section of this forum.

[WSEW289]

Trying to programming my Radioddity DB20-G, can I do it on a IMAC? it says its not support by IMAC

[SteveShannon]

Then no. 

[amaff]

While it's slower, you can do pretty much everything on the radio (up to and including to naming channels). There's a handful of guides out there for programming these (and the other AT779UV clones. About the only thing I don't think you can do is change the welcome message, but that's not massive. 99% of the time I don't even see mine haha

[WRYS709]

4 hours ago, WSEW289 said:

Trying to programming my Radioddity DB20-G, can I do it on a IMAC? it says its not support by IMAC

Having Windoze only radios that need programming and only having a Macintosh, I use the Parallels virtualization program to run Windoze concurrently with the MacOS.  There are other virtualization options available, some free, but I have been a Parallels user since my first Intel Mac back in 2006 and familiarity does not breed contempt in my case!

 

[Guest]

I used Parallels back in the old days myself. The first time I was challenged to re-purchase the program I stopped using it and bought a Panasonic Toughbook from the local Goodwill. Far cheaper solution than the Parallels route. Still, having to resort to windows for supporting stuff (radios, my car, etc.) is a sad state indeed. I run Monterey on my M1 and with the exceptions listed, I'm happy to disregard windows... besides, after many years of tech support for various companies, starting with MSDOS through windows 7, I am quite through messing with "peecees". (right, right, a Mac is a "personal computer" I get it.)

The image @WRYS709 posted is interesting. I may go dig out the laptop and see what the vendor specific software looks like for my radio.

Thank you!

[WRYS709]

9 hours ago, WRKW566 said:

I used Parallels back in the old days myself. The first time I was challenged to re-purchase the program I stopped using it and bought a Panasonic Toughbook from the local Goodwill. Far cheaper solution than the Parallels route. Still, having to resort to windows for supporting stuff (radios, my car, etc.) is a sad state indeed. I run Monterey on my M1 and with the exceptions listed, I'm happy to disregard windows... besides, after many years of tech support for various companies, starting with MSDOS through windows 7, I am quite through messing with "peecees". (right, right, a Mac is a "personal computer" I get it.)

The image @WRYS709 posted is interesting. I may go dig out the laptop and see what the vendor specific software looks like for my radio.

Thank you!

What's your radio?

I was always a Mac Guy in a PC, then Windows World, so I got to know how to co-exist!

When I had my iMac G5, I ran Windows with either SoftWindows or VirtualPC; can't remember which.  It came preinstalled with Windows XP.

I extracted that copy of Windows XP and with my Microsoft License, I have used that copy for about 20 years now in various installations of Boot Camp and Parallels to program those radios that only work in Windows.

[Guest]

My "use case" for other than Chirp is to mess with the greeting image on a UV-21 Pro V2.

And it might be fun to see what is supported in respect to the squelch settings. The 21 does not have it's own profile in Chirp so I'm using the UV-17 Pro profile and while the 21 is touted as being an "upgraded UV-5R" or a member of that family of products, Chirp does not show there to be granular control of squelch like with the original UV-5R.

I accept these radios to be "cheap" and I don't have any friends or family who is interested so my use-case is using them as "scanners". I will buy a better radio in the future if the situation changes. Personal note, I wish someone made a GMRS radio as solid and reliable as my Uniden MHS75 (Marine radio, used for Kayaking)

Follow-up: Beofeng Software for UV-21

Yuck! Ok, more specific... Compared to Chirp, Yuck!

The program is rough at the least, generating "Unhandled Exceptions" with error messages titled with "T6UV Series EN CPS"... which is very-not the application that should be in the Zip file. I downloaded "BAOFENG_UV-21R_CPS_20240902.zip" and the application title in the running application is "T6UV Series EN CPS". Not good. The program does download from the UV-21 (after a few trys with different volume settings) but I dare not to try an upload. The start image is not important enough to risk a bricked radio. Ok, that was a refreshing visit to the land of windows. (not)

Don't get me started on tracking-down the driver INF file for the programming cable... which worked without any messing around on my M1 Mac. Yes, I'm using Windows XP Professional on an ancient Toughbook but this was all a reminder of why I just try to stay away from windows. Forgive me if I trigger any windows/mac feedback.

Edited October 13 by WRKW566
Follow Up (and spelling)

[WRYS709]

Yes, the UV-21 appears to be one of those new-fangled dual vfo screen HTs; none of which I have any experience with now, nor do I expect in the near future.  I am pretty much maxed out on GMRS radios for my use case.

It could be that Baofeng software for these radios will not run on Windows XP and may require Windows 10 or 11.  Did the programming cable come with your purchase of the UV-21 or are you adapting one from another radio?

I would suspect that this radio will get CHIRP support sooner than later and that will work directly on your M1 Mac.

[SteveShannon]

Getting back to the DB20G, has anyone approached the Chirp developer about adding the Radioddity DB20G?  It would sure be nice to have something other than the factory CPS for this radio.  

[WRXB215]

2 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

Getting back to the DB20G, has anyone approached the Chirp developer about adding the Radioddity DB20G?  It would sure be nice to have something other than the factory CPS for this radio.

It does seem like this radio would be supported since it is so popular. I guess people like it so much they aren't willing to give one up for development purposes. 

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, WRXB215 said:

It does seem like this radio would be supported since it is so popular. I guess people like it so much they aren't willing to give one up for development purposes. 

I have two.  I would be willing to loan them one, but eventually I would like it back.  I’d be willing to pay shipping both ways.

[amaff]

https://chirpmyradio.com/issues/8953

[SteveShannon]

3 minutes ago, amaff said:

https://chirpmyradio.com/issues/8953

The fact that nothing has been posted in the last two years isn’t encouraging. 

[amaff]

Very much not :(

[WRXB215]

Interesting, they even say themselves that it is an "Extremely" popular radio.