AnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus Review: DMR Without the Cliff Edge

Dual band DMR and analogue, GPS, APRS and Bluetooth, and a code plug you still have to build.

Specifications

Specifications above come from AnyTone's published specifications and the manufacturer feature list for the AT-D878UVII Plus. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.

What it does well

• One of the more capable DMR handhelds available, with a large channel and talk group capacity for a full network code plug.
• Built-in GPS with APRS transmit and receive, which several rivals charge extra for or omit.
• Bluetooth push to talk, useful in a vehicle or with a headset.
• USB-C charging on a 3100 mAh pack, so a common cable keeps it alive.
• Analogue FM works normally, so the radio is still useful where digital is not available.

Where it falls short

• The code plug is the real product. Until you build or import one, with zones, channels, talk groups and colour codes, the radio does very little.
• It is wideband on receive and its transmit range extends outside the amateur allocations. Transmitting outside your authorised frequencies is illegal in most jurisdictions and is your responsibility, not the radio's.
• The stock antenna is the usual compromise. The cheapest real improvement to any handheld is a better whip.
• Seven watts is a peak figure. Battery state and duty cycle both reduce what you actually get out.

Before you buy a digital handheld

Check what your local repeaters actually run. DMR, C4FM and D-STAR are not compatible with each other, and buying into the wrong one is the most expensive mistake in this part of the hobby. Analogue versus DMR versus Fusion sets out what each ecosystem involves. If your area is mostly analogue, a simpler radio does the job for far less.

Two regulatory points that matter. This radio's transmit range extends beyond the amateur allocations, and using it there without the appropriate authorisation is illegal in most countries. Which frequencies, modes and power levels you may use come from your licence class and your national regulator, the FCC in the United States, and they differ elsewhere. Separately, a handheld held against the head is the one RF exposure case worth calculating rather than assuming: run it on the RF exposure calculator.

What owners report

Published owner reviews describe this as the DMR radio people recommend to other people, and the reasons are consistent: the feature set is complete, the firmware is actively maintained, and code plugs for most networks are widely shared. Owners with GPS and APRS interest particularly value having both built in rather than as an accessory.

The single dominant criticism is the learning curve, and it is not really about this radio. DMR requires understanding talk groups, time slots, colour codes and zones before anything works, and owners who came from analogue describe the first evening as frustrating. The universal advice is to start from a community code plug for your area rather than building one from nothing.

Owners also raise antennas constantly, and they are right to. A better whip changes handheld performance more than any setting, and body position and height change it more again. Check what height does on the VHF range calculator, and see handheld whip versus roll up J-pole for the cheapest genuine upgrade.

Who it suits

• Operators whose local repeaters and hotspot network run DMR.
• Anyone who wants GPS and APRS built into a handheld rather than bolted on.
• Emergency communications volunteers who need large channel and zone capacity.
• Operators who want one radio for both digital and analogue work.

Who should skip it

• Anyone whose local repeaters are analogue or C4FM.
• Beginners who want a radio that works out of the box with no configuration.
• Anyone unwilling to learn talk groups, time slots and colour codes.
• Buyers who think a wideband transmit range is a licence to use it. It is not.

Alternatives worth considering

Keep reading

• Analogue vs DMR vs Fusion
• Best DMR and digital handhelds
• Best handheld antennas
• Handheld whip vs roll up J-pole
• RF exposure distance calculator
• How to use repeaters

This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.