Often used Menu settings
03 – STEP: change frequency step (in VFO mode only)
29 – NAME C: edit channel name (in Memory mode only)
36 – RPT MOD: change repeater offset direction (or off), can also be programmed as PA..PD
39 – SHIFT: set repeater shift in MHz (seperate settings for band A and B)
55 – HND SPK: turn internal and hand speaker on/of
Tips and tricks
Starting a VFO scan between a set of Lower/Upper memories scans between those frequencies only
A and B band have seperate Home, VFO and Repeater Offset configurations, so keeping one side for 2m
(0.6MHz offset) and the other for 70cm (1.6 or 7.6MHz offset) keeps you from changing the offset when
programming repeaters.
Set Menu 20 TBST to 1750Hz for opening repeaters.
Set Menu 25 MUTE to off, since you can turn the volume down for the sub band if you do not want to hear
it while listening/transmitting to the main band.
Set Menu 40 DISPLAY to Name to show the channel name and press * on the microphone keypad to turn
squelch off and display the frequency of the channel at the same time,
Functions not available on front panel keys but available for programmable PA-PD keys are: RPTR, PRI,
TBST (also as PTT+DN), CALL OUT (also as PTT+UP).
Set one of the programmable keys to PRI and set Menu 38 SCAN M to MSN to scan priority channels only,
now you can mark channels to scan on the fly.
Programming the DB-50M trhough software will enable you to use other characters than A-Z, space, 0-9
for channel names (only * and # though), change the welcome text, change Home frequencies and more.
Unfortunately the programming cable is not included, but is available separately.
The DB-50M does not turn on automatically when applying 13.8V DC.
108-136MHz frequencies cannot be programmed/edited with the official software (frequency out of range
error, correct since the DB50M does not officially supports those frequencies), but can be stored on the
DB50 itself (and then read and written by the software). However, Menu 04 BAND needs to be set to OFF,
since otherwise you can only enter frequencies in the same band in VFO mode. You also need to set Menu
51 AUT AM to AUTO to let the radio switch to AM below 136MHz automatically or need to manually set
Menu 50 AM to ON when in VFO mode.
The DB-50M can be programmed with Chirp (daily build, program as Anytone AT-5888UV) and can be
used to program 108-136 (AM) frequencies, but not all settings are supported. Chirp lacks the Power and
Optional Signalling and doesn’t support the use of * and # as channel name characters. But it can import
bij CSV file, something the official software can’t.
When you use AM on band A (which can only be used on the not supported 108-136MHz and on band A
only), the DB50M will refuse to TX on VHF (on band B) and sound 5 short beeps. Using FM on band A on
any frequency does not do this.
Programmable keys suggestion
PA: V/M, switch between VFO and memory mode
PB: PRI, mark current main channel as Priority channel
PC: TBST, send Tone Burst (1750Hz) to open repeater
PD: LOW, cycle through output power settings (LOW/MID2/MID1/HIGH)
Note: reference is for Keymode 2 and opened up set only, hold Sql while powering up and select Mode 1 with
left dial knob, power cycle, then set Menu 23 Keymod to Key 2.
