Anytone D578

[VETCOMMS]

I'm starting to find interest in this radio as it's DMR and analog tri band.  Does anyone have this radio?  Could it be used with an LMR license to transmit using AES256?  Just hoping to learn from those with experience using this radio. 

[BoxCar]

You'll need to check the FCC registration to see if it has Part 90 approval. l know the D878 is both Part 90 and 97.1

[AdmiralCochrane]

578 is my everyday radio, but I generally just use it on 2m

[VETCOMMS]

How is it to program for both analog and digital?  Is the cps confusing?  I've read you have to unlock it when you get it?  Do you use the vehicle Bluetooth with it or that separate Bluetooth device and store the radio remotely?

[AdmiralCochrane]

I found the Bluetooth feature too distracting for me to safely use and went back to just using the mic. It has been more than a year since I stopped using the Bluetooth and I think the problem was delayed reaction time and the amount of planning you had to do to use it for each transmission.  You still have to have the radio where you can reach it, the Bluetooth basically only makes the mic itself hands free. The Bluetooth was easy to set up and program. APRS took a little more time to set up.  Programming is pretty straight forward, identical to many other mobile radios. Chirp plays well with Anytones.  Like just about every other radio sold in the US, if you want to transmit outside of ham bands, you must select an alternate control configuration (I think there are 8 choices).