Baofeng 1701 Find Save Scan OpenGD77

This is a quick post that will explain how to scan frequencies, save frequencies, and then scan them. This post is for the Baofeng DM 1701 with OpenGD77 installed. If yours has the stock / original software, this process will be different. If you are just interested in receiving signals like I am, and finding as many DMR frequencies as you can, make sure most filters are turned off. The only filter I have on is CC scan. All the rest are turned off. Or to "none" as they are called on this radio. On some radios and to some people, it's referred to as promiscuous mode.

How to find / scan for new frequencies

When it comes to scanning for new frequencies, the user has to set a low frequency and a high frequency. Then scan in between the low and high frequency setting. To do this press the red button to get into VFO / manual frequency mode. Long press the up arrow and two frequencies [or two blank spaces for entering frequencies] on the left and right should appear at the bottom of the screen.

Then, type the frequency you want to start the scan from, which would be the lower frequency. Once done press the green button. Now do the same for the high frequency on the other side. Once done press / long press the up arrow and the radio should start scanning within the frequency range you have just set. Example: from 430MHz [low] - 440MHz [high].

How to save frequencies

If you find a good frequency while scanning and want to save it, first press the green button once so the scan stops / stays at that frequency permanently and doesn't continue scanning once the signal is no longer being received. Now press the highest button on the side of the radio, the one above the PTT button. There you will see a menu. Scroll down until you come to "VFO  --> New chan". Select that [green button] and it will ask you to confirm that you want to save the frequency to a new channel. Press Yes [green button]. And that's it, the channel has been saved.

Scanning saved frequencies

To scan the frequencies that have been saved, toggle between VFO and channel mode by pressing the red button on the keypad. Once in channel mode, perform a scan by long pressing the up arrow. The radio will now start scanning through the channels you have saved. Hope this helped you out.

Sparkelec DP-666 TEF6686 FM Radio

The Sparkelec DP-666 TEF6686 ESP32 RDS FM Radio. This has got to be one of the nicest looking radios I've seen for some time. it looks superb. And going on many of the reviews out there, it's FM performance is excellent. It does shortwave, longwave, medium wave, all the commercial FM radio stations etc. It also has AM, but if you wanted to use the AM for airband, you may want to find another radio. Reports are that it cannot pick up airband at all. I seen a great comment from a user on YouTube that I think pretty much explains what the issue is with airband. See it quoted below.

"In short. The AIR band is converted to shortwave, it only works with a converter that is purchased separately and connected to the antenna. So don't try to listen to it without a converter, the tef chip is not for the AIR band :) The donut antenna is made incorrectly, the coils are in antiphase (useless). They need to be modified to be in series and in phase (the modification is on the internet). That antenna is very good in longwave and part of mediumwave, it is useless in shortwave, its sensitivity decreases after 1200khz and above."

 

Read reviews on the Sparkelec DP66 or buy

So yes, I think this commenter is correct in that it will only work with a converter on airband. But anyway, back to FM mode. Some of the sensitivity tests I have seen have been impressive. It picks up FM really really well. The colour screen is IPS. Which if you don't know what that means, is that it can be seen clearly when viewing from any angle. It doesn't fade or wash out if viewing from side views etc. And the speaker is also very good, nice and clear.

Something not so great that surprised me, was that I thought from looking at the Sparkelec DP-666 TEF6686 only in the product description images, that it was made of metal. But its actually plastic, which is a bit disappointing to be honest. The nobs / pots at the top are metal, so that's something I suppose. But I still think they should have made the Sparkelec DP-666 TEF6686 with a metal body. Still, it's such a nice looking radio. I love it.

Some quick specifications. It also has lots of customization options, touch screen, 5000mAh battery, SMA antenna connection, USB-C connection port for charging the battery and performing firmware updates. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack. It does remind me a bit of the Malahit DSP2 just in the way it looks, square in size and with a very similar screen. I don't believe the Sparkelec DP-666 has the same noise reduction feature that the Malahit DSP2 has. But not many radios do! Still a great radio for FM lovers. But do note - it does not have SSB.