DP3400 review

[radiosification]

Hi everyone.
I sometimes see other users posting reviews on here, so I thought I would do the same myself.
I've written a review of my experience so far with the Motorola DP3400 DMR radio.
If you spot any mistakes, please let me know so I can correct them.
Here is a link to it, on my blog:
http://radiosification.blogspot.co.uk/2 ... eview.html


There is also some good info in there on using the radios to listen in to other DMR users, which might interest some of you.

[LeakyFeeder]

Gotta say i wont even look at other makes of digital radio... Currently run a DP2400 and after two more so me an the kids have secure comms when we are out walking or offroading.. the one ive got was setup by a mate was primarily for the new digi box nr me (GB3TD)...
Never had any of the other Motorola digi tackle apart from the Airwave radio i sometimes use at work....

[radiosification]

Why do you need secure comms just to talk to your kids when out walking? Don't you think its a bit over the top using encryption for something like that?
I don't use encryption on my radios at all. I have an encrypted channel just in case I need to send any sensitive information that I wouldn't like anyone else hearing, but generally I just use them on unencrypted.
But seriously, I'm interested to know, what do you say to your kids that needs to be so private? "Come back to the car now"?

Sorry for going on a little bit of a rant, but it bugs me when people use encryption for no reason, or just because it's there. Its killing the hobby of scanning. Taxis using it, hotels using it, pubwatch using it...

[2E0YGG]

Pub/shopwatches have very good reason to use it. As for the others, not so much..

[LeakyFeeder]

Why not use encryption? The radios will have my local repeater in them so i can use any of them under my G call... However when we are out i want comms as secure as i can....its there so why not...
Im sick n tired of tosspots listening to us on 446 then using my kids names to call em, swear an make arsey comments.... .

[wheelbarrow]

The Trbo radios are very well built if not a bit chunky but for the typical users that they're aimed at they're probably built about right.

The Nimh battery is the standard option they give when you order the radio but at the time of ordering from Moto you can upgrade to LiIon for not much more (£30 ish) so this makes the radio quite a bit lighter and thinner.

The DP3x00 series of radios are sheduled for retirement soon as they've been out since about 2007 (if I recall) so they've done a pretty good stint all things considered.

If I were looking to get one I'd get the keypad 3600 version for individual dialling to other users... depends what you need of course.

[radiosification]

Why not use encryption? The radios will have my local repeater in them so i can use any of them under my G call... However when we are out i want comms as secure as i can....its there so why not...
Im sick n tired of tosspots listening to us on 446 then using my kids names to call em, swear an make arsey comments.... .

It's just not necessary. With DMR, you won't get anyone else talking to you, because they won't know how to program a radio with the same colour code, group code, slot and so on. The "tosspots" won't even know how to get that info. They probably don't have TRBO radios themselves, so using digital is shutting them out anyway.
Plus, enhanced privacy reduces the range.

[radiosification]

The Trbo radios are very well built if not a bit chunky but for the typical users that they're aimed at they're probably built about right.

The Nimh battery is the standard option they give when you order the radio but at the time of ordering from Moto you can upgrade to LiIon for not much more (£30 ish) so this makes the radio quite a bit lighter and thinner.

The DP3x00 series of radios are sheduled for retirement soon as they've been out since about 2007 (if I recall) so they've done a pretty good stint all things considered.

If I were looking to get one I'd get the keypad 3600 version for individual dialling to other users... depends what you need of course.

NiMH is the standard battery option yes, but I think its a shame Motorola don't just supply it with a better battery in the first place. All the cheap chinese radios have Li-ion batteries, and at the price Motorola charge it just seems crazy that they can't supply a good battery. More profit for them I guess.
There already has been an intent for withdrawal issued, so I think they will stop selling them soon. They've already made the last firmware for the 3000 series I believe.

[LeakyFeeder]

Spose there is the reduction in range to think about...
Will hav to get two more dp2400's to sort then see how it goes...

Cant beat Motorola tackle in my books...jus started on the digital side an its spot on!

[2E0YGG]

The DP3000 series has now been discontinued. Myself and Scottboy are certainly benefiting from the floor of second-hand sets now on eBay