⚠️ HUGE WARNING! Running encryption on ANYTHING other than LMR systems you’re licensed to use is ILLEGAL — and yes, that includes ham. If you only operate ham, don’t factor encryption into your buying decision. It’s fine if the radio has it, just DO NOT PROGRAM IT for use on ham or any unlicensed frequency. That would make you a pirate, and this isn’t a blog for pirates — only for cool people.

#1 — Motorola XPR 7550e (UHF R1) · $250–$350

Motorola’s XPR 7550e, at around $250–$350 on eBay, is my favorite DMR HT. It supports AES256 and Enhanced Privacy keys (insecure — don’t use EP anymore!).

• Contacts / radio aliases — must be programmed by hand, no imports here sadly.
  • Full-keypad versions have programmable 0–9 keys to jump directly to your favorite contacts.
  • Stun / unstun, remote monitor, send text message, call alert, edit a contact’s RID from FPP, and programmable message alerts.
• 4W of RF power with Motorola’s MX connector. I highly recommend the MX-to-BNC adapter from commgearsupply (no affiliation).
• Wireless programming! Some models have WiFi and Bluetooth, so no cable may be needed if it’s set up properly and you have the right model.
• FPP options — certain things like timeslots can be changed on channels from the front panel.
• DMR & FM, 12.5–25 kHz (with CPS entitlements).
• IP68 water & dust resistant — as long as it’s built right! Be wary of dunking second-hand radios that may have been re-housed.
• Flex on Baofeng users with a Motorola.
• Tank-grade build. Drop it and pick it up like nothing happened. No rubber to rot off here.
• Deals exist — discounts on non-UHF-R1 bandsplits can usually be found.

#2 — Motorola XPR 6550 (UHF R1) · ~$100-150

• Cheaper — and arguably better for ham operation than the 7550e.
• 1000+ channel capacity.
• Full DTMF keypad.
• DMR texting.
• Radio checks, stun and unstun.
• Tank-like hardware, same as the 7550e.
• No FPP programming — and unlike the 7550e, no WiFi or Bluetooth here either.
• Deals exist (again) — discounts on non-UHF-R1 bandsplits can usually be found.

#3 — TYT MD-UV380 · ~$90

• OpenGD77 support for better menus and a better UX. Community-driven bug fixes and firmware releases are a huge plus — no more waiting on a Chinese manufacturer to fix things for you.
• Lightweight — only 9.1 oz / 258 g, just over half a pound, in a small form factor. It still feels solid.
• Awesome value — on Amazon it’s about $40 cheaper than the MD-UV390. See my last post for why I don’t like the 390 over the 380.
• Interoperates fine with Motorola MOTOTRBO AES and Enhanced Privacy Key radios!
• Dual band! UHF + VHF, with selectable bandsplits in software, seemingly.
• FPP and a free Chinese CPS on the same radio (if you keep stock firmware, of course).
• No entitlements required — DMR and analog, AES (128 & 256), and 25 kHz FM are all included free.
• Large memory for thousands of channels, and contact databases that (on stock firmware) can be exported and imported as CSV!
• Easy entry to DMR for ham Techs with a real, physical radio — not Brandmeister and an app.
• Said to be durable, but I haven’t tested this.

#4 — Baofeng DM-1701 · ~$65

• OpenGD77 support!
• Super light — just 6.6 oz.
• Easy programming via FPP & CPS.
• Dual band! UHF + VHF.
• Large database — advertised 3000 channels, 250 zones & 1000 talkgroups.
• Color screen, 1.77" advertised.
• Tons of programmable buttons.
• Great for new-to-DMR users — cheap enough to use as FM-only if you wanted.
• Most original Baofeng design — doesn’t look like a ripoff Motorola / APX.

Side note: I’ve heard there’s a DM-1702 — I saw it on Amazon maybe a year ago. It supposedly claimed AES256 support, but I can’t find it anymore. Not sure what that was or why it’s gone now.

That’s the list as I know it — that’s all I can attest to for HTs. Maybe next time we’ll do top DMR base stations, since there are way more of them and they’re far more capable. Though of course you’d need to buy an antenna, coax, set it all up, etc.