Help & Advice

Hi all

First post having read a lot of very useful stuff on here already and just after a little advice. I'll be taking my exam soon and looking to get a handheld with digital capability.

Main uses will be:

• Simplex between a friend and I who live a few miles apart (Yes, I could do this with analogue – we have line of sight, but I prefer the idea of a clean signal with digital)
• Using repeaters to reach out further.

My main question, that I’ve tried in vain to find an answer to without coming and asking a total newbie question here, is what is the most popular digital mode in the UK?

I’m thinking it’s DMR? (rather than D-Star or Fusion) and am I right that whichever you choose you can only Simplex to others with the same type of digital format and only use repeaters that use that format too?

When I was initially looking into digital and didn’t know they were not cross-compatible I liked the idea of the Yaesu FT-70 (Fusion) as from reviews I have read, the programming is seemingly far easier than say the TYT MD-UV380 and though I’m willing to put time in if it’s essential, the difficulty that so many seem to have with programming DMR radios (from what I’ve read on forums) is quite off-putting.

But, obviously, it’s no good going Fusion if it’s behind DMR in terms of what I can access in the UK.

I’m sure many have radios that cover each of the formats but for now finances dictate that I’ll need to choose just one so wanted to ask so I don’t have buyers remorse days after passing my Foundation 😊

Thanks in advance for any advice