DB-20G help for a newbie

[cwopinger]

Hello,

I’m fairly new to GMRS overall but do have experience with radios from military and LE time. I recently purchased a DB-20G for my truck to augment my Baofeng  UV-9.
 

I’m trying to learn how to program frequencies into the 20G for my local ham repeaters (I’m working on my tech license and want to monitor the repeaters for now). I have read the “manual” several times and have it available while I’m fumbling through my programing. Is it just me or does the programing require both the radio face controls AND handset controls to input the information? Also, it seems like I need to go in and out of the menus to get to all the settings. 

Can anyone shed some light on this process? Maybe share a flow chart of the procedure?

Also, on the high end of the channel list there are 2 PL and 2 PH channels, I know what PL tones are but I don’t understand the purpose of these channels and there isn’t any reference in the manual.  Finally, the VFO channel 1 and 2 frequencies that are factory programmed, any particular reasons for those frequencies?

I do have the software downloaded but I’m a Mac guy and my only windows computer is ancient computer I would need to dig out and reconnect. 

Edited January 19 by cwopinger
Adding another question before any answers

[wayoverthere]

1 hour ago, cwopinger said:

Hello,

I’m fairly new to GMRS overall but do have experience with radios from military and LE time. I recently purchased a DB-20G for my truck to augment my Baofeng  UV-9.
 

I’m trying to learn how to program frequencies into the 20G for my local ham repeaters (I’m working on my tech license and want to monitor the repeaters for now). I have read the “manual” several times and have it available while I’m fumbling through my programing. Is it just me or does the programing require both the radio face controls AND handset controls to input the information? Also, it seems like I need to go in and out of the menus to get to all the settings. 

Can anyone shed some light on this process? Maybe share a flow chart of the procedure?

I do have the software downloaded but I’m a Mac guy and my only windows computer is ancient computer I still run as a file server. It’s a bit of a pain to plug in keyboards and monitor just to work on the radio. 
 

 

First, I'm not a Mac guy, so I don't have firsthand experience there. However, per others' experiences (and Linux/wine experience with other software), it should get along okay with emulator software (not sure what the Mac equivalent of Wine is).

Second, what part of the settings are you having problems with? In the software, I tend to program the basic frequency info (Rx, tx) on the main screen, then hit the carets >> over to the right side of the line to do the rest..ctcss/dcs, channel naming, and scan behavior (and disable tx on monitor only stuff). I'll.try to get on the other computer I used for programming later this evening for some screenshots if someone doesn't beat me to it.

I honestly havent tried much manual programming, it seems less difficult to just use the software,though I do have a dedicated Windows laptop for radio work ($150 refurbished Dell from woot.com).

[OffRoaderX]

FYI - You can use Parallels to run the software on your Mac. I avoided using it for years, but it they make it so easy, its really a no-brainer (other than the cost$)

[cwopinger]

6 minutes ago, wayoverthere said:

First, I'm not a Mac guy, so I don't have firsthand experience there. However, per others' experiences (and Linux/wine experience with other software), it should get along okay with emulator software (not sure what the Mac equivalent of Wine is).

Second, what part of the settings are you having problems with? In the software, I tend to program the basic frequency info (Rx, tx) on the main screen, then hit the carets >> over to the right side of the line to do the rest..ctcss/dcs, channel naming, and scan behavior (and disable tx on monitor only stuff). I'll.try to get on the other computer I used for programming later this evening for some screenshots if someone doesn't beat me to it.

I honestly havent tried much manual programming, it seems less difficult to just use the software,though I do have a dedicated Windows laptop for radio work ($150 refurbished Dell from woot.com).

I haven’t tried to run the software but know I would need to install Parallels onto my Mac to run Windows in a Vm box. I just added that comment to the post to answer why I wasn’t using the software and programing the radio the hard way. 
 

My overall problem is just the difficulty in doing the programing on the radio. I can’t seem to just use the mike which seems to have all the function keys on it. I will be able to do some on the mike but will also need to use the radio keys for some functions. For instance, I’ll be able to program a ham repeater frequency in under VFO mode on the mike but to add the tones I will need to use the radio buttons to activate the tone options and scroll through and select. 
 

Seems like I’m doing something wrong but I can’t figure it out.

[cwopinger]

5 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

FYI - You can use Parallels to run the software on your Mac. I avoided using it for years, but it they make it so easy, its really a no-brainer (other than the cost$)

Yeah, the cost is what’s keeping me from trying it,  $99 a year for something I may use a handful of times per year is hard to swallow.

[OffRoaderX]

Just now, cwopinger said:

Yeah, the cost is what’s keeping me from trying it,  $99 a year for something I may use a handful of times per year is hard to swallow.

It had a free 30 day trial when I first started using it.. Might want to check to see if they still offer that - you only need it for 29 days to program your radio!

[cwopinger]

7 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

It had a free 30 day trial when I first started using it.. Might want to check to see if they still offer that - you only need it for 29 days to program your radio!

They do still have it so that is an option lol

[OffRoaderX]

1 hour ago, cwopinger said:

They do still have it so that is an option

I recommend you try it. I have used other emulation solutions and they were all far too fiddly and a PITA, but Parallels made the entire process so easy, painless, and idiot-proof I was very impressed and ended up buying it and finding other reasons to use Windows programs on my Mac.

[WRYS709]

If you have any reason to need hardware upgrades to your Mac, OWC is offering a discount: "Parallels Desktop Pro Edition for Mac - 1 Year License. SPECIAL PURCHASE" that nets out to $29 for one year of Parallels (NO affiliate link below!)

I am thinking about updating one of my long in the tooth 2011 Mac minis with one of their SSDs and also taking advantage of that discount!

It pops up in your cart when you check out.

 

 

 

[WRYS709]

Try this:

Power Off

Hold down V/M button

Power On

What do you see after MODE and what do you see as the firmware version after V?

[cwopinger]

8 hours ago, WRYS709 said:

Try this:

Power Off

Hold down V/M button

Power On

What do you see after MODE and what do you see as the firmware version after V?

The radio was locked to GMRS and is running firmware v3.0.
 

I unlocked it today so it is now 136-174, 400-470. 
 

[WRYS709]

1 hour ago, cwopinger said:

The radio was locked to GMRS and is running firmware v3.0.
 

I unlocked it today so it is now 136-174, 400-470. 
 

OK: attached is my generic codeplug to program it back to GMRS and still allow the other channels to continue to be open.

Once you add your specific channels, you will want to resave it with a new name or date, so as to have a backup.

 

Anytone AT-779UV GMRS 202310130140.dat

[cwopinger]

21 hours ago, WRYS709 said:

OK: attached is my generic codeplug to program it back to GMRS and still allow the other channels to continue to be open.

Once you add your specific channels, you will want to resave it with a new name or date, so as to have a backup.

 

Anytone AT-779UV GMRS 202310130140.dat 13.95 kB · 0 downloads

Thanks for the codeplug. I'm busy babysitting my grandkids this weekend so I’ll play with the radio next week.