Baofeng DM-1701 Dual-Band Dual-Time Slot DMR/Analog Two-Way Radio | 3,000-Channel Capacity | Includes Programming Cable, Charger & PTT Earpiece | OpenGD77 Compatible

Great DMR radio to start off with. You really don’t need to spend $300 when you can pay a fraction of the price for this one. I purchased it because I wanted to get into DMR and see what it was all about. After learning how to flash the software and add talk groups, everything else was a breeze. I got it going with a Pi-Star hotspot, and every time I made a call, people were telling me how clear and good I sounded—I even made it into someone’s YouTube video, lol. The battery life is good, although it takes a long time to charge. I haven’t tried simplex or anything, just straight DMR. Functional and no complaints.Also, I’d appreciate it if we could stop calling it a “code plug.” Let’s call it what it is: programming your channels, in layman’s terms!My recommendation: If you’re new to DMR, this radio is a solid, budget-friendly option. It’s perfect for learning the ropes and joining the fun without breaking the bank.

Did not come with programming software as described in the "includes.” Took a LOT of work to get the cps software and computer USB drivers properly installed. Had to find all that online myself. Other purchases from other companies I purchased other Baofeng models included sw on CD and programming cable. The radio itself is sturdy and great quality. It would also help if they provided pros and cons to installing GD77 firmware. My first Baofeng purchase of a UV-5R (2-3 yrs ago) came with a Baofeng mini-CD with sw and programming cable. I haven't found any user friendly step by step instructions on updating to GD77. Only poorly constructed instructions. Once I figure it out I will post easy to understand step by step instructions on the major video tube site. I was a technical instructor for Quantum Corp. DLT products.

I already had one of these great little dual-band HTs. I wanted to buy one for one of my oldest friends in ham radio, Frank. He's not on any of the digital modes so I programmed his radio after he got his DMR ID and put frequencies in there for MD to NJ, his stomping ground. I performed the OpenGD77 upgrade and installed the codeplug for him before shipping it to him back East. This radio sounds great, transmit and receive and has excellent battery life with its larger-than-usual battery. Highly recommended. NOTE: this radio does not have a built-in GPS, if that's a feature you need. OTOH, battery life is generally better when there is no GPS! 73 DE N2GJ ABQ NM USA

This was my third Baofeng handheld purchase and I was immediately impressed with the high-quality feel and look of the radio. However, my enthusiasm quickly faded once I embarked on the frustrating and complicated process of programming the unit. You must first obtain a special DMR radio ID before you can use it to transmit. Then you need to download specific software in order to program the radio for operation in digital mode. The user manual is of no help, and the Baofeng website offers very little help. My Windows 10 computer would not recognize the supplied programming cable, even after updating the driver. After 3 very frustrating days watching YouTube videos, I decided to return the radio for a refund. My other Baofeng radios were very easy to set up, and are still working fine. Baofeng needs to address this issue of programming.

We bought this radio to be able to listen to local fire police etc. When received we found out that you couldn’t program it by just the radio itself so we went out and bought a 200$+ (cheapest I could find) computer with windows so we could program it. Husband went to program it, it couldn’t connect it was having issues with the usb and reading it. Definitely wasn’t the PC as it was new and worked on other things. Once it finally was able to connect, my husband put all the frequencies in and downloaded to the radio. Once it was unplugged from the computer and turned on it was making a bunch of noises that it wasn’t supposed to and we couldn’t hear any one. In the process of sending it back for a refund.

I loaded OpenGD77 on this and its working great. Since I'm new to DMR, I'm not sure what else I could possibley want in a DMR radio but so far so good. Its been working great with my generic MMDVM (from GOOZEEZOO by the way) and the Brandmeister network. I would not hesistate to purchase one of these. An after thought now, I wish I would of learned how to use the stock firmware and software firsr before loading GD77, if you have the time and energy, I would at least play around with that before flashing it.

So, first things first, Amazon did an excellent job at the delivery. My driver was awesome and very respectful of my property.Secondly, after a bit of trial and error, I figured out the factory CPS. It's really pretty user friendly once you get used to it. I was able to assign multiple zones, frequencies, etc. The radio works exactly as it should but it does feel very cheap and flimsy. My agency (Deputy) issues Motorola's. The programming of this radio feels very similar to the Motorola's and the physical layout feels somewhat similar, but the materials are noticably cheaper. That said and considered, my Motorola is over $1,000 new. This radio was $70. For the price, you'd be hard pressed to find a better alternative in my opinion.All in all, depending upon how long this radio lasts, I would purchase this radio again.