The saga of the "non-existent" Baofeng DM-5R continues

Indeed it does, it is still advertised for sale on Radioddity, and the price has gone down to US$69.99 at time of writing and there are now "photos" of not only the radio but the contents of the box, and the radio is advertised as being only compliant with DMR Tier 1 rather than both Teir 1 and 2 as before.

I am beginning to think Radioddity are trying their hardest to convince people that this radio is real and to part with money, I have seen no evidence on other websites or YouTube that it exists, the most I found was a video of someone here in the UK finding the radio on QRZ Now and also believing it to be fake, until I see a working example in the hands of the Amateur radio community and they are not affiliated with Radioddity or QRZ Now then I will be satisfied that the radio exists, I don't imagine Baofeng would ever build a DMR into the same case as a UV-5R, and I know Wouxun have released a DMR, but I still stand by what I said about if you want a cheap DMR at this time, buy the TYT MD-380, and although I like System Fusion over the other digital systems I don't mind playing with the others (except D-STAR due to its use by Chance Callahan KD0MXN until of course the FCC revoke his licence for his many breaches of part 97) just to see how they fair over System Fusion, though I have already heard audio from both DMR and System Fusion and consider Fusion to sound better,

Anyway, I also stand by that if the radio is real there will be one in my shack, once they support Teir 2 as it would not really be good otherwise for a Teir 1 only radio when the competition already support Teir 2 along with the Motorola gear that DMR is compatible with (it's essentially MOTOTRBO).

Curiously, Baofeng is NOT listed as a manufacturer on the DMR Association website either, further making me believe the radio is fake.

73 de M6RSQ

Ooops...

Well, the possibly fictitious Baofeng DM-5R apparently has a problem...

Delboy has reported on his radio blog that customers who have ordered this radio have received an email saying the supplied firmware has a bug that makes upgrading it for Tier II (which I believe is needed for DMR repeaters) may brick the radio requiring it be sent back to Baofeng for repair.

They offer the option for the customer to wait until the firmware bug has been ironed out, as well as the option to receive the radio as-is and cancel the order, needless to say I have not ordered it as I don't trust I'll get a radio as it just looks far too much like a standard UV-5R just with all the buttons coloured black except the side button above the PTT.

Sooo... I'm still not convinced it is a real radio, and Radioddity aren't convincing me either, again if it is real it will be on my YouTube and also the video will be here, I will be keeping a very close eye on this, new radios coming to the market often pass me by but this one stuck out like a sore thumb, probably because it's reportedly DMR, but also because there is the possibility it isn't real.

Maybe I'll be proven wrong in the next month or two, maybe I'll be proven right.


73 de M6RSQ

DMR Baofeng? Surely not...

I have learned from Delboy's Radio Blog that there may be a DMR Baofeng, that looks suspiciously like a photoshopped UV-5R, may be about to be released, Delboy found this on QRZ Now, and seemed to not be convinced it was real, and to be honest nor am I, even after seeing an alleged instruction manual and programming software for the radio from QRZ Now.

The radio is like a UV-5R in pretty much every way, except for the DMR side, it is dual-band, 5 watts, and cheap, if this radio truly exists I would consider it as I've found the normal UV-5R to be a decent radio (I have a UV-5RC Plus which is essentially a UV-5R in a different exterior), though a dual-band DMR radio isn't a lot of use in the UK as I understand all DMR activity is on 70cm, it is reportedly able to transmit analogue FM so it isn't a total loss.

The price, about £50ish but don't quote me on that, that also came from external sources.

If you want a DMR for cheap, that actually exists, then the TYT Hytera clone is the best you're going to get, though if this Baofeng radio is real, how long before Baofeng pull off something that works on D-STAR and possibly even System Fusion? Probably never but I'm sure Baofeng are aware their main market share in the west is Amateur radio operators, I've only ever once seen Baofeng radios being used outside the Amateur radio and hobby radio world, these were BF-888s owned by a karting track in Middlesbrough.

If this radio is real, expect me to get hold of one as soon as they hit UK soil and there will be a video on YouTube (and of course here) as soon as the whole DMR side is working as it is not a case of buying it, charging it up, and pressing the button.

On closing, I will be at the Hamfest this Saturday, looking for cheap radio bargains and also probably having a chat with the representatives from Yaesu to find out if there is anything new coming to System Fusion in the foreseeable future, and also, as the release date in the US for this mystery Baofeng is tomorrow, perhaps I may find it, but maybe not as it may not be real and someone out there is incredibly bored


73 de M6RSQ