You can definitely see TYT heading more ham radio then commercial by the absence of the channel knob. Great video! Congratulations on almost 100 episodes!
Today that is true. When this video was made 3.5 years ago, the trackball lock feature wasn't implemented yet. I do mention this feature in a later video about this radio.
Thank you for the video. Do you know if the firmware prevents transmission on the FRS/GMRS (462.5625 to 467.7250 MHz) or the MURS (151.820 to 154.600 MHz) frequencies? Is this radio Front Pad Programmable (FPP) for all digital parameters? Thanks.
Now i know what blackberry did with all their surplus roller balls. That being said. I think I will get this as my first DMR radio. I have a fusion in my car. Also what is the MSRP?
So if We cannot (at this time) download different firmware to the radio. Thusly we cannot download the user database and would not see user callsign and name/location like we do on the 380-390 series . SO we are hoping somebody comes out with a Md-380 tools for this radio then also?
Well hopefully someone can do the same with this firmware. I dont relish the idea of manually inputing 65,000 (and growing) users (!) plus things like promiscous mode would be nice to go along with dual band
It's already been done, actually. The hacking of this radio, I mean. The radio won't hold 65,000 contacts natively, so that shouldn't even be a consideration.
Regarding VFO mode, it appears that there's a setting under General Settings that might enable it. Look at "Freq/Channel Mode". It's set by default to "Channel" but changing it to "Freq" opens up options for Mode Select A and B to be either "MR" or "VFO". I don't have a radio yet to play with, though. Also, the programming software version 1.16 changes the zone page to allow you to put a channel on both A and B. One thing I didn't catch from your video is what happens if you do put VHF and UHF frequencies on the same side. Does it just skip the channels on the wrong band?
If you put both on the same side, it doesn't show up in the menu after writing to the radio. TYT says it should be possible to do this, and also to change the bands per side, but my radio won't do it. I'm hoping a firmware update will change this. I've spoken to others who say their radios can do it, but apparently some of the first samples didn't have this ability.
When I see the white light go on the top of the radio on the 2017 in digital mode. I can not transmit when someone else is transmitting on another channel Is there a way to be able to transmit on the radio when some one is transmitting on another channel..Thanks everybody stay safe..73's.
VFO mode you should be able to get onto an Analogue or Digital repeater on the fly - possibly save it as a memory channel - just like the older ham radios.No need for PC connection.Perhaps in the future OTA programming is a possibility .Looks like a well thought out radio regarding features.
Thanks for the great review. It convinced me not to get it because of the trackball; can't lock the keypad; you can't have a UHF channel on both the top and bottom and it would be really bad to have the trackball moving around while I carried it. I'm sure TYT is missing out on thousands of sales because of the trackball alone.
Since this review, TYT has updated the firmware to add a trackball lock feature, and it will let you have VHF or UHF on either top or bottom bands. You could always lock the keypad, which includes the trackball. When I mentioned this in the video, what I said was that you cannot program one of the side keys to lock the keypad - and this is correct. But holding down the * button will lock the keypad, and it has always been this way.
Can you lock the radio so no chance to accidentally rotate the ball? Can you switch VHF and UHF up or down on the screen via software? - K5VPC, Jorge - Spring, TX
You can lock the screen, which also locks the trackball, yes. My model isn't letting me change VHF/UHF from up to down or down to up. I tried this in this video and it failed - watch for the error
Yes the side buttons may be used, but that's not what he asked about...The four little arrows surrounding the track ball are printed on *immovable* plastic... ;)
thanks for the review. can't wait to see more demos of MD-2017 especially the voice recording. seeing as there is no channel selector knob- can a zone have more than 16 channels?
Anyone else noticed that the programming software for this radio - MD-2017 (both on shipped CDRom and on TYT888 website) has the W32.Infostealer.Onlinegames.gen trojan) My antivirus (Webroot Secure) will not allow it run, thankfully.
Only prob I would have with programming one of the side keys is......I think it would be easier to hit one of those buttons than the button combo the md-380 requires. That and since it is already fast lock/unlock no real need to program the side buttons for that. just my oinion here 73, ad0am
ditch that damn ball, get the little center joystick from the Kenwood 74A I love that thing ! it figures I just bought Yaesu because I don't do mono banders.
Your "intro-commercial" for MFJ is fine. But can you PLEASE try to make them understand that their QA is way below what's expected. I want to encourage USA companies but apart from two items, every single other product I have bought from them was defective. Sure, I can return them but in all cases I fixed them (1788 saddle clamps, 1786 controller out of cal, 600 W tuner (large coil "tack soldered and came off), etc.). The only two products that haven't failed yet are the 4245 PSU and the ALS600-S amp. So PLEASE use your influence and beg them to improve their QA process as it's become sine qua non with them. Hams even share the "More Fine Junk" acronym, which is sad.
I will never buy from MFJ again. After waiting 8 weeks for delivery of their overpriced MFJ-1788 magnetic loop antenna, it finally arrived with a DOA controller box. I returned it under RMA for a refund and......they charged me a "Restocking Fee" for a dead product! That is no way to treat customers! :(
