Ham Radio 2.0

This is the new Triband radio from BaofengTech, dubbed the BTECH UV-5X3, which incorporates the 220MHz band along with the normal 2M/440 bands that we are all used to seeing.A special thanks to Todd and the folks out of BaofengTech.com for allowing me to review this radio.

The Bluespot DMR Hotspot (also called Bluestack) is a popular device to connect to the Brandmeister DMR Network. This device is a small daughterboard would connects to a DVmega daughterboard, which is usually made to connect to a Raspberry Pi. Instead of using the Pi, the Bluespot board connects to the DVmega board, and is powered by a microUSB connector. This eliminates the need for a Raspberry Pi, and instead uses the radio in the DVMega board, which connects to the Bluespot board directly, which in turn uses Bluetooth to connect to any Android device for the purpose of having an internet connection.

RFinder, the Worldwide Repeater Directory, which is available for download on both the Android an iOS Smartphone platforms, has developed a new device that incorporates an Android phone, 2-way handheld radio with analog and DMR, and their repeater finder app. Put all of this together and you have the RFinder Android HT, or the AndroidDMR Radio.

This is an experimental video of my road trip to the Hamfest, which includes some QSOs on the Brandmeister DMR Network through a BlueDV hotspot, and trying to reach someone on a couple of the 220MHz repeaters in the Tulsa, OK area.

In this episode I provide instructions for writing a DMR Codeplug and importing contacts with the N0GSG Contact Manager

The Anytone AT-5888UVIII Triband Mobile Radio has been anticipated since late 2014. The announced this radio around Christmas time, and said it would be ready the following Spring. Fast forward about a year and a half, and finally, we have the radio available.

Mark Goodrum, W5MHG, who runs the YouTube channel called YHAMRADIO, presented a forum for Echolink at theEcholink Duke City Hamfest in August of 2016. I have titled it ‘What is Echolink?” because Mark does a good job describing what Echolink is, how it works, how you can register for and use it, and a few extra features.

For those interested in becoming a Ham Radio Operator, Gil Gray, N2GG, gives this great presentation at the Duke City Hamfest in 2016. If you are interested in obtaining your Ham Radio License, this is a good starting point. Also review my Technician Class Series, put on by the Hurst Amateur Radio Club in early 2016.

My DMR Presentation at the M.A.R.S. Club in Carrollton, Texas.

The Oklahoma Ham Holiday is a fun event. Not as big as some, but it is well-attended and has lots of great vendors. HH Yaesu also attended this year - usually when a major manufacturer attends a show, it is a good show.

Recently in the news, Amateur Electronic Supply closed it's doors for the last time on July 27, 2016, after 59 years of business. You can find the ARRL article which was posted on 7/7/2016 at this link.

If you have watched any of my previous videos, you know how much I like Alinco radios. The DR-735T (link here) is the newest VHF/UHF radio to their line, and it has all the features that you want to see.

The Icom IC-7300 (link here) is, quite possibly, the hottest HF radio on the market right now. I'm not sure how long that will last, the "new" will wear off of it at some point, but for now, it is a hot topic. I have been wanting to grab one of these and review it for some time, so I finally broke-down and grabbed one.

Field Day 2016 was a fun event. It wasn't as fun as Field Day 2015, which was my first Field Day video to record HRAC_logoand put on this series. Last year the bands were better and we made more contacts, but it is always fun to get out into the field and make some HF contacts. I especially enjoy the portable operation that the Hurst Amateur Radio Club does - it is one of the reasons I choose to operate with them. All of our stations are portable, antennas are all portable, and we run on battery and generator power for the entire event. It is operation truly in a field, as it would be if we were deployed in an emergency situation somewhere.

Tim and Ron over at BridgeCom Systems have done another great piece of work with the BridgeCom BCM-220 BCM-220aMobile Radio for the 1.25-meter Amateur Band. This episode is an unboxing and testing of that radio.