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If you do not already have one, it is recommended you get a programming cable for $10.
"I have to say that the CS580 is probably the most underrated DMR HT out there or maybe it's the best kept secret". (Customer review)
This amazing DMR and Analog radio works so well, you would expect it to be priced three times what we are currently selling it for. First let me show you what some of our customers think of that radio.
Posted by Frank D
I have to say that the CS580 is probably the most underrated DMR HT out there or maybe it's the best kept secret. I am amazed at how much you can do with this radio without a computer/cable/codeplug. Within minutes of opening the box, I was quickly able to punch in a local DMR repeater via the front panel and I was on the air. I am also extremely impressed with the monitor and scan features.
Posted by Edgar
Great Radio for the price. Scan feature is great for finding local repeaters. Nice fast menu buttons and settings. Enjoy using the software for programming code plugs. Easy to get around and customize.
Posted by Sean F
This is a rock solid DMR HT. Here is a list of some of the great features: Long battery life, loud speaker, large display, good audio reports, wonderful documentation, good price and quick delivery. In summary, this DMR met my spec and I'm having fun with it.
Posted by KA6CJL
A friend of mine talks wonders about the CS580 so I had to take the leap and get me one for myself. I would say that for the money that this device cost, it is an excellent investment. So far I have been playing with it for about just couple of days, and although a very basic device, it is all you need to immerse yourself in the world of digital radio.
Why We Designed This Radio
When we designed this radio, we had three criteria.
(1) Make it so a computer is not necessary to use this radio. All the important parameters can be entered from the built in keypad.
(2) Make it so you do not have to be a rocket scientist to use it. With this radio you can put it in enhanced monitor mode, listen to all the conversations coming off the repeater, and then when you hear a conversation you want to join, just press the lock key and start talking back. You do not have to know what color code, slot number, or Tx contact is. All you need to know is the frequency. It also has a scan mode so you can find all the different frequencies being used in your area.
(3) Make it inexpensive, now priced at $140. Programming cable is $10 extra if you really want to use a computer to make a code plug.
Here is the best part. If you do not think this radio is worth what you paid for it, you can return the radio within 30 days and get a complete refund of your purchase price. If the radio breaks during the first year, we fix it for free.
With a deal like this you would think you would be dealing with a company located in Hong Kong or China. We are a United States company and have been in business since 1982.
Special Features
The most important feature of this radio is called the Enhanced Monitor Mode. In this mode, you are waiting for someone to start speaking on the channel you are monitoring. An example of the radio in this mode is shown below.
The radio now shows that user 310325 is speaking on frequency 435.325 MHz. The radio you are listening to is making a Group Call, has a Color Code of 1 and they are using slot 1. The group number is 320. You now press the lock key and you are ready to have a QSO with the person you are currently listening to.
At this point you can permanently store the contact in the radios memory so the next time you turn on the radio you already have a channel with that contact. In other radios you need a computer to make a code plug to store this information in your radio.
The next important feature is the Enhanced Parameter Mode. From the keypad, using a single screen, you can set up a complete channel without using a computer. The channel can be in the Ham bands or the Commercial bands. A picture of the Enhanced Parameter Mode is shown below.
Once you entered the appropriate data, you press the lock key and you are ready for a QSO. If you prefer, you can also permanently save the channel.
The last important feature is the Enhanced Scanning mode as show below.
From the keypad you set the parameters and then press the start key. The radio now automatically starts scaning and if a channel is found, the radio stops and allows you to lock it in for an immediate QSO or store it in the radio's memory for use at a later time. This feature is great if you are traveling and you are not familiar with the repeaters available in the area.
SPECIFICATIONS
The CS580 is one of the most exciting new products that we have designed in the past 30 years. This DMR radio is designed specifically for the amateur radio operators and offers the best value in the DMR market. The radio includes a number of unique and advanced features such as Enhanced Monitor Mode, Enhanced Scanning Mode and Enhanced Parameter Mode and is easy to operate.
Connect to any DMR network without the use of a computer. Experienced Hams who prefer to use a computer can program up to 1,024 fixed channels.
Strong, durable and tough. Meets MIL-STD-810C/D/E/F for humidity, vibration and shock and is dustproof and waterproof to IP54.
Frequency of the repeater can be entered from an easy to use screen on the radio in conjunction with a built in keypad. By pressing a single key, you can enter into monitor mode. You can join a conversation by simply pressing the lock key.
Advanced Hams can enter the frequency, slot number, color code, Tx contact number and type of call from a single easy to use screen. Just press the lock key and you are ready to initiate a call on any DMR network, including Brandmeister and DMR-MARC.
Find the frequency of local repeaters in any area by placing the radio into scan mode. Then let the radio automatically find the frequencies in use for you.
In a similar manner, communications on an analog channel is possible without a computer.
Stores up to 1024 analog and digital channels in 64 zones with up to 250 contacts. The CPS software for making the code plug is free and available for download from our website www.connectsystems.com
Optional programming cable available for $10.
If you want a single band DMR / Analog radio you have a choice between the CS580 or CS750. Comparing the two is like comparing the Rolls Royce against a Tesla. They are both great cars but the Rolls Royce won't accelerate to 60 mph is 3.9 seconds. In a like manner, the CS750 is one of the best made DMR radios made at any price but does not have a few features of the CS580. The CS580 was designed for the HAMS that want to take a radio along while traveling and not have to worry about making a code plug. It is also beneficial for the HAMS who are new to digital radio and are intimidated by the terminology and technology necessary to carry on a simple conversation.
Can You Hear Me Now?
The sensitivity of the CS580 is amazing. With a digital service monitor, we have measured the sensitivity to be less than .1 microvolt. This will allow you to pick up signals in the fringes that even the more expensive radios cannot achieve.
Voice Quality
Many HAMS have reported that the voice quality of the CS580 radio is even better than the Motorola XPR6550 costing over six times as much. Part of the reason is because the speaker is not physically mounted to the case like most other radios, rather it is mounted on a bracket inside the radio.
What is Unique About this Radio?
The are four things unique about this radio that will be described in detailed in detail below. They are:
1. No computer needed to use this radio
2. Enhanced Scanning
3. Enhanced Monitoring
4. Enhanced Parameters
No Computer
For those rocket scientists out there, it is still possible to make a code plug and program this radio using a computer. But for those HAMS who don't like computers, don't have a Windows computer, or are traveling and don't want to take their computer, this radio is perfect for you. All the necessary parameters are programmable from the keypad including your unique ID. All other entry level DMR radios require a computer.
Enhanced Scanning
If you are traveling and are not familiar with the repeaters in the neighborhood, put the radio in the Enhanced Scanning mode and the radio will find all the active repeaters between the two frequencies you set up. If you hear a conversation you want to join in, press the lock key and then your radio automatically reconfigures itself to allow you to join the conversation. As a bonus, the radio has the ability to work in an unattended mode while you are sleeping. The radio permanently store the different repeaters it finds. For those that want to listen to public safety or commercial stations, the radio can be programmed to scan in the range of 400 MHz to 480 MHz.
Enhanced Monitoring
Put the radio in the enhanced monitor mode and you will hear all the digital conversations on that repeater you are listening to. You do not have to know or set the Slot Number, Color Code, Tx Contact, or if the conversation is group or private. The radio will display all the parameters. If you want to join the conversation just press the lock key and you can join in. If you want to also store that channel, pressing the key again will allow you to permanently store the required parameters to allow you at some future date make a call to the same contact. You can either store the channel information on the channel you are on or store it in the first free available channel in the zone you are using. You never have to understand the concepts of Color Codes, Slots, or Tx Contacts while in this mode.
Enhanced Parameters
Put the radio in the enhanced parameter mode and you can change all the parameters necessary on a single screen to allow you to communicate with any Brandmeister or DMR MARC user anywhere in the world. Change the parameters, press the lock key, and now you are ready to speak. For the expert, they can preprogram the channel for everything necessary except the Tx Contact and then they only have to change the Tx Contact setting. The user can permanently store what was programmed in either the channel you are on or the first free available channel for that zone. You can use this mode to only change the frequency and then go back to the enhanced monitor mode and wait for the repeater to become active.
Display Quality
The CS580 has the sharpest and easy to read multiline color display among the HAM radios. If you want a better display you have to spend hundreds of dollars more and get a commercial radio.
Support
Have you ever tried to get support? If you know Mandarin Chinese and you have free international calling you will have no problems. If you want to speak to someone who native and only language is English, you call Connect Systems during normal business hours. We also answer e-mails after hours and holidays. Here is what some of our customers say.
"Once emailed Connect Systems in the early morning hours east coast time. Knowing they were west coast and would not be open for hours I was surprised to get an email response from Jerry personally before they were even open." (From Facebook)
"I've always has good support from Connect Systems. Chris is amazing." (From Facebook)
Special Offer
This radio is priced at $140.
43 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews
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Worked out of the box, nice for the price!!
I only found a couple of niggles. For one, the PTT is WAY too easy to hit, and it is hair trigger soft. You would need to be vary careful carrying in a pocket. The "admit tone" is also very quiet, and not adjustable. So you have to have it almost to your ear to know if you are "in".
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Excelent
My first DMR radio and I love it! Nice sturdy case with good clip, and nice bright color screen. I had absolutely no idea how to program it; the manual just does not explain it well enough for a newbie. However, a YouTube video by N6AFV (just search for his call on YouTube - video is "CS-580 CPS Setup and Use") walks through the setup of the CPS software. Watch it twice and then you'll be ready to go. Enjoying the radio a bunch; I consider the quality as equal to my Icom ID-51A D-STAR HT, which costs almost 3 times as much! Battery life is terrific so far. I really like that you CAN program the radio from the keyboard, but I recommend that you don't do this until you understand the CPS software. (Don't forget to order the programming cable, which works every time).
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Not the best, but it's close!
It's well built, sturdy, and slightly smaller than the popular MD-380. Simple to use, easy to navigate and has the all the common features of an inexpensive DMR radio plus it is analog capable. Why not 4 stars? First and foremost, the PTT button is really sensitive! I can place the PTT button facing into a soft pillow and pressing down on top of the unit, activate the transmitter. It can easily be activated in a pocket, or even rubbed against a belt. 2nd, it use the same antenna connector as a Baofeng, a reverse fitted coupler. I found that odd since it's biggest and most similar competitor is the MD-380 which uses the same connector as Wouxon, Icom, and many others. Which leads me to my 3rd point, the programming connector is proprietary and very similar to the Hytera (Multi-pin flat blade with screw). Again I find it odd, it feels like several radios were mashed together. That being said, I really like this radio! Plus with the latest firmware I can text back and forth with my MD380. Could use a portable charger!
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Outstanding
Super easy to program, Great interface, Great audio!! Super overall performance. The extended parameters feature for on the fly programming, priceless. A small concise code plug with all the talk groups and the rest is easy on the fly! Color code/frequency/talkgroup and done!
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The CS 580 Works as advertised.
I have a CS 750 and a CS 800 which both work great. Updated both with newest firmware using Windows 10. So I bought myself a CS 580 for Christmas. Got it yesterday and had the same results. Updated to the latest firmware and wrote a code plug for a couple of local repeaters. Then load the code plug with no problems. All with Win 10. Just followed their instructions Radio works as advertised. Connect Systems has some great products. And good support. WA4TOG Mills River, NC.
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The CS 580 Works as advertised.
I have a CS 750 and a CS 800 which both work great. Updated both with newest firmware using Windows 10. So I bought myself a CS 580 for Christmas. Got it yesterday and had the same results. Updated to the latest firmware and wrote a code plug for a couple of local repeaters. Then load the code plug with no problems. All with Win 10. Just followed their instructions Radio works as advertised. Connect Systems has some great products. And good support. WA4TOG Mills River, NC.
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Excellent value for cost
The scan feature is very easy to use and works well. Hopefully future firmware will allow FPP to change the scan range and there will be a way to enter any FPP data directly into memory. The CPS is as good as any of my other three radios, and the cable driver is a non-issue with Windows 10, both 32 and 64 bit. Battery life using the scan mode seems to be very good. The audio is very good for a small radio. One other thing I would like is more control over the back lighting - either on or off with no time settings is frustrating.
