New Browser Based CPS For OpenGD77

First off, I think its a great idea. Makes things much easier in many ways. Yes, there is a new browser based CPS for OpenGD77. I happened to stumble across it and thought I'd give it a go. I used it with my Baofeng DM-1701 DMR [using the STM32 option]. It also works the Baofeng 1801 [select the MK22 option]. And while it did work just about well enough [it did not brick the radio], do be aware that it is very much in its early to middle stages of development. BETA as things like this are usually called. Read my experience below on the good and bad with this new CPS. If you don't want to read and just want to go and check it out you can find it here: https://grid.radio/opengd77/

Didn't work "out-the-box" for me [using Windows 10 - 64-bit]. I needed to install USB drivers - the WinUSB driver and software called Zadig. Once installed it did work with the Baofeng 1701. This radio needs the STM32 option selected [dropdown box at the top]. I added repeaters, zones and edited channels with no issues. But problems did start to arise.

Messed up my genuine OpenGD77 CPS

Although fast forward to when I'd finished using this software from grid.radio and fired up my original CPS software. It quickly became apparent that the original CPS would not work properly anymore. It now had a problem. There was a driver / software conflict. This took quite a long time to sort out. I had to uninstall and re-install drivers, restart my computer etc. In the end I got my original CPS working, but that experience has made me very hesitant to use this browser based CPS again out of fear that it will do the same again. And, based on this experience, I'd rather have the original CPS working than this one. Read more below for more reasons why.

Can't install GTM themes

One good thing about this software is that it does come with a theme editor, and that theme editor has a nice selection of GTM theme files available to import / export / add straight to the radio etc. Many of the themes look very similar to what I've found online at the OpenGD77 forum that could not be downloaded anymore. I've talked about that here not too long ago. Problem is, when trying to install straight to the radio, it asks for 3 separate theme files.

Upon adding theme files to each upload box and trying to write the theme to the radio, it crashes half way through. The radio says its writing to the radio, but just hangs forever. I really thought I'd bricked my radio at one point, but I turned it off and back on and it was OK. My old theme was still installed as if nothing had happened. Needless to say, I didn't want to try that again. But I did, and ended up with the same result. But at least the radio was OK once turned off and back on.

The best way to install the themes was to export them, save them to your device, then use the original OpenGD77 CPS to import and install them. The original CPS installed the themes with no problem at all. But yeah, the process was quite long winded and annoying.

Can't mass delete channels, contacts and repeaters

Be very careful when adding channels, contacts and repeaters. I was like a kid in a candy shop. I seen how many contacts, channels and repeaters could be added using a few clicks of the mouse, from the UK and worldwide and thought yeah, I'll add them all, this is exciting. Only to realise after that I didn't really want or need that many, and after about 20 minutes wanted to remove most of them.

My radio felt so cluttered with contacts and channels that I had no use for. I wanted them removed. So I tried to mass delete them all using the grid.radio CPS, only to discover that there was no option to delete them all. No "select all" box, nothing. So I started deleting them one by one. Then I thought, forget this, it's going to take weeks. So I fired up the original CPS and mass deleted them all there no problem. Other than the USB driver issue talked about above which broke the original CPS' ability to work, this was the most annoying problem with this browser based CPS.

The last issue was the constant need to press "connect" again every time I wanted to change something. It was like pairing was instantly lost or something. And there was a few times when trying to read / write to and from the radio that I never realised that it needed to "connect" again, like 5 seconds after the last time I pressed "connect". This was a constant issue. But I got used to it after a while.

I'm sure the developers will sort these bugs out sooner or later and add the mass edit / delete option etc. And will probably iron out the other issues mentioned here. But in the meantime I think I'll stick to the original CPS. It's not perfect, but it is less buggy and easier to live with than this one is at this stage of its development. A good attempt though. And it could be great in the future. If you're feeling brave give it a go. https://grid.radio/opengd77/

2-Pin "Kenwood" To 3.5mm Headphone Jack

This lead isn't actually Kenwood branded, but this 2-pin connection type is commonly referred to as the 2 Pin Kenwood connection. Well, it has arrived. I've been after one of these for a while now to test on some of my radios. Having used the hands-free style, one ear headsets, where sound is obviously only coming through one ear, I have wondered whether the 2-Pin "Kenwood" style connection to 3.5mm headphone jack cable when used with normal headphones would be mono [sound through only one ear] or stereo, sound through both ears.

Because many of the older scanners were mono, and I've never actually tested new radios from China in this way. I'm happy to report, that both the Baofeng DM-1701 (here) and the Quansheng K5 / K6 (here) emit sound through both ears with this cable connection and sound really good. Headphones are definitely better when using radios that are DMR [digital], as it can be hard to understand what's being said sometimes from the normal speaker. It's not like analogue. So yeah, this cable makes things easier.

Although, do be aware. I have noticed that there is a sharp click / popping noise each time a signal is received, and with each response. I don't think this is anything to do with the headphones themselves, or this lead. I think It's built into the radios. When a connection is made, the internal clicking / popping sound is instantly heard through the headphones. I'm not sure if there is way to turn this sound off [if anyone knows post a comment below]. I doubt it can be turned off to be honest. The clicking / popping isn't overbearing, just a slight annoyance. it is tolerable.

I bought mine from AliExpress, but they are also widely available to buy on Amazon here.

Black ABBREE Better Than Telescopic CB

From using both the black whip and silver telescopic antennas by ABBREE for 27MHz UK CB for some time, I can say without a doubt that in my experience the black whip is better overall. It sounds better and picks up signals from further away. One example is them both picking up American CB chatter from the UK and comparing both antennas. The black whip seems to pick up the repeater better and can pick it up those signals much clearer than the silver telescopic. And I've tried the telescopic at all lengths, fully extended [it's over 50 inches!], half way, fully retracted etc, and it still couldn't best the black whip.

ABBREE Silver Telescopic | ABBREE Black Whip

It's the same result with the local CB signals in my area. I have compared both antennas and the black whip is just better. Clearer sound, can pick up feint signals better etc. Don't get me wrong, the silver telescopic is a good antenna @ 27MHz, not bad at all. But in comparison to the black whip, it gets beat every time. This is just my honest findings and opinion. I have no axe to grind by saying this. I know many people love the silver telescopic. When purchasing, I bought the black whip first, and bought the silver telescopic a few months after because I thought it would be much better than the black whip. But I was wrong.

I personally think this could come down to the materials the antennas are made from. Any telescopic I've ever owned has always been good, but always more hissy and had less signal clarity than my other antennas that are not fully metal. Perhaps its the cheap metal used. I mean, what are they made of, thin aluminium? Vs the plastic coated antennas that have a mix of different metals inside, such as copper, more solid metals etc. Telescopic antenna's are also hollow inside, so maybe that also has something to do with it. I'm no expert, but that's what it seems like.

+W- Power Setting On The Baofeng 1701

The +W- setting On the Baofeng 1701 DMR radio is the highest transmit power setting available, and its only meant to be used in an emergency as I think it can damage the radio if used too much. Problem is, if messing around with the radio it's quite easy to accidently press the right [or wrong] buttons to enable this setting. I've done it several times now. The second problem is how hard it is to reverse the +W- setting back to a normal 1 Watt, 5 Watt or whatever you want to use. Or at least it seems really hard when you don't know what to press. 

I was there pressing every button combination under the sun and still couldn't figure out how to lower the power. It's actually really easy when figured out. Please note: this is for radios that have OpenGD77 installed. The process will probably be a little different with the stock software.

How to reverse the +W-  power setting On The Baofeng 1701 [with OpenGD77]

Press and hold down the lowest button on the side of the radio. While holding the button down press the P1 button on the keypad to lower the transmit power. I don't transmit on my radio so I have it on the lowest setting, which is 50mW. If you want to higher the power you can either press and hold down the P2 button and it will go up in increments on at a time, or you can press and hold down the lowest side button while pressing the P2 button.

Do note: the only way to reach the +W- setting is through pressing and holding the P2 button alone. Holding down the side button while pressing the P2 button to increase the transmit power will go up to the regular highest power setting, which is 5 Watts.  

More how-to's for this radio. If you want to know how to find save and scan new frequencies with the DM-1701, you can read about how to do that here.

GTM Theme Files For The Baofeng 1701

I know I can make my own now that I have the programming cable and CPS software for the Baofeng 1701, but sometimes the colours don't match what I have added to the colour palette. They are vastly different for some reason. Maybe its a glitch with the software, I don't know. Anyway, theme files can be shared among users. The files are in .gtm format, and some users have made some amazing colour themes for the Baofeng 1701. And the .gtm files are very easy to add to the radio with the software.

Problem is, one of the only places where users have openly shared the majority of these themes, which are technically free to download, has been left unworking due to the owners claiming that people / bots etc have been hacking the website, and they have disabled important parts of the website because of that. So no one else can register to the website, and the themes can't be grabbed / downloaded.

Pictured above. A screenshot from the thread "Post your creations here" on the OpenGD77 forum, where nothing can be downloaded and no one can register to the site anymore. The colour theme above reminds me of the old Ceefax screen which used to show on TV in the UK back in the day.

Despite the themes being visible as thumbnails with download links on the site. As mentioned above, that website is the OpenGD77 forum. As a result, none of the shared .gtm theme files at the thread linked to above can be downloaded anymore. I'm not sure if users who are already registered on the forum still have access to the site and are able to download files. I did manage to find 3 other gtm files online but that's it. The best ones are on the OpenGD77 forum.

Does anyone know of a website or download link that has all the .gtm theme files in one place. I could not find one. The files themselves are tiny in size, literally under 1KB. So a full download of all the files on that forum would probably be less than 1mb to download. So frustrating to be able to see them all in the forum thread and not be able to use any of them. 

UV K1 Mini Kong K5 Quick Comparison

Here are some quick reception comparisons between the new UV K1 Mini Kong and older K5 in airband. There are two videos below. The first one shows the older Quansheng picking up air-band better than the K1. And the other video shows the reception of the K1 when the stock antenna from the older K5 is switched over the the newer K1. With that we see an improvement in reception on the K1 Mini Kong. This leads me to believe the small stubby antenna supplied with the K1 isn't great in airband frequencies. And probably isn't as good In general as the standard antenna that comes with the older K5 / K6's.

Here it is with the antennas switched over

Overall, I think the older K5's and newer K1 are basically the same radios internally. With a very similar reception strength and reception sound quality overall. I believe they have the same chip inside. Both great radios, but I personally won't be buying a K1 at this time though, as there doesn't seem to be much difference between them when compared to the K5 / K6. So, as much as I like the look of the newer K1, I'll stick with my K5 and K6 for now. It seems like they are still the best cheap Quansheng radios for the price in my opinion.

Antennas: Fake Nagoya. What's Inside?

Quite an interesting test / tear down of the original stock Quansheng K5 antenna and one of the many fake Nagoya antennas that are out there for sale. Don't get me wrong, just like what's said in the video, some of the fake Nagoya's actually work very well. I should know, as I have a few which I believe are not genuine. So yes, some are excellent. But some are also terrible. Problem is, genuine Nagoya antenna's are so popular and well thought of, that every tom dick and harry is ripping them off. So its luck of the draw as to whether you end up with a good one or not. Interesting video.