Baofeng RD-5R Dual Capacity Direct Mode

[niaproxy]

Greetings. Original Baofeng software allows to define single TS for talking with repeater. dmrconfig on other hand, don't set specified bit in codeplug until i manually change following line in rd5r.c:

   // Byte 50
    ch->dcdm              = 0x1;

After that my radio works fine on selected timeslot. Maybe i miss something, but it appears to be a bug.

[sergev]

Well, it's definitely a bug. Thank you for the report. Not sure whether it's a bug in dmrconfig or in RD-5R firmware. Can you please send me an image of your configuration? I need more details. Is it simplex or duplex mode? Looks like RD-5R is using the DCDM mode flag in some unusual way.

[niaproxy]

Sure thing here is my codeplugs: Codeplug.zip First my radio work in simplex mode. Second there is something treaky about my particular model, because sticker on the back says it DM-5R Plus but model info shows BF-5R, so maybe it firmware problem.

P.S. To make it more clear) At first i used original software for RD-5R to program radio that represent itself as BF-5R with label DM-5R Plus stick on it.

[sergev]

Thank you for the codeplug.

Here is what I found on RadioReference forums: "Dual Capacity Direct Mode (DCDM) is a DMR enhancement that can be employed when using simplex (direct) communication between radios. When operating with a DMR repeater, the repeater provides a sync signal for the two DMR time slots. Normally, DMR simplex operation between radios does not use time slots since there is no sync signal available. DCDM is an added feature that allows one of the radios in a simplex communication to provide a sync signal, thereby allowing the use of both time slots (i.e. Dual Capacity)."

So DCDM mode is not for repeaters: it's only for direct communication to another radio. I can modify dmrconfig to always enable the DCDM bit on RD-5R in Simplex Digital mode. There is a problem of compatibility though.

From RD-5R group on Facebook: "If you enable DCDM on a simplex channel, you will NOT be able to talk to other hytera or motorola radios on that same simplex channel. With DCDM enabled on a simplex channel, I could ONLY talk to other baofeng radios with that SAME setting DCDM enabled."

Do you really want to make your radio incompatible with others in Simplex mode?

[niaproxy]

Here is what I found on RadioReference forums

Thank you for point it out!! An additional info really helps me to understand how it works.

compatibility issues

Oh it indeed change my first intend to use this Baofeng feature. Later on it can cause huge mess.

So as compromise, i think it possible to add optional field in digital channel settings with warning note about compatibility troubles with other radios. Maybe someone in future will need it.