Love this radio! MD380 Tools is must for amateur use! Without it the radio is fine but the features and ability to add all 80,000 plus world wide contacts database using MD380 tools to it with ease is super convenient and makes this arguably the best HH for amateur DMR use. Just google MD380 tools to find out more.

I have had this radio for about two weeks. As a new DMR user, it took me quite a few days to understand the differences between Zone, Channel, Contact , Codeplug, etc. I got help from online product groups as well as from a few local users. My first attempt to upload MD380 Tools did not work out and the radio was locked with an unknown password. TYT Technical Support, with 12 hours, sent me a file to unlock the phone. I realized that I had uploaded MD380 ToolZ instead of ToolS, and after scrupulously following a Youtube video on how to install MD380 Tools, I was finally able to get the full DMR Marc database on the phone which is very helpful. ToolZ did not give me the contact database and it also disabled the radio volume from the radio screen.
I still need to understand the differences between DMR, DMR Plus, Brandmeister etc and when traveling in Europe a few days ago, I was not able to make any DMR contact (even with a local codeplug that I had received) and was limited to Analog.
The radio holds well in my hand, works very well and has good audio, and I strongly recommend the TYT MD380. I will however upgrade one day to a dual band 2m/70cm DMR/Analog radio as I like to operate Simplex on 146.52 and this radio only has UHF. I have been told that the MD-2017 (which has these features) may have issues and I want to wait till this has been resolved.

Unit arrived with faulty software and defaulted to a password mode so it would not accept a code plug. While atrempting to upgrade the firmware it bricked, same as reported on facebook md380 site. Unit is worthless as is!
KI7ATZ

Great little radio. Exactly as advertised. With a firmware update, MD-380 tools upload and uploaded DMR-MARC directory it does more than any person can ask for out of a 5W HT. I love that it's analog and digital as I can keep all of my most important repeaters programmed in. Programming isn't terrible once you know what you're doing ... pick up a code plug from someone so you can see how it works. Hopefully it will be CHIRP programmable sometime in the near future. I can't wait for a DUAL BAND mobile version to come out.

Great solidly built radio. A great radio to dip your toe into DMR with. RX audio is great and does not sound 'too digital' I get great TX audio reports too. A bit of a learning curve to surmount with the programming software but if you are already familiar with DMR, it is pretty easy. This model has been discontinued I think but I would buy the replacement (MD-390) if I were in the market for a second one.

73

K5RHD

/randy