TYT MD-380 / MD-390
$$···
| Frequency | UHF 400-480 MHz OR VHF 136-174 MHz, SINGLE BAND (dual-band versions: MD-UV380/UV390) |
| Bands | UHF (400-480) OR VHF (136-174), SINGLE BAND (dual-band variants exist) |
| TX power | 1 / 5 W (5W high / 1W low. SINGLE BAND. Choose UHF or VHF at purchase. MD-UV390 Plus offers 10W.) |
| Modes | FM (analog), DMR (Tier I and Tier II, TDMA dual time slot, Mototrbo + Hytera compatible) |
| Battery | Li-ion 2000mAh / 7.4V |
| Weight | 260 g (9.2 oz) - ~260g approximate with battery. |
| Connector | SMA-M (male on radio body) |
| Year | 2015 |
| antenna | SMA-M (male on radio body) |
| speaker mic | Kenwood K1 style 2-pin (TYT small-size remote mic) |
| programming | USB programming (micro-USB) |
| charging | desktop charger (included) |
| power req | 2000 mAh 7.4V Li-ion (MD-380). 2200 mAh (MD-390). 3600 mAh USB-C (MD-UV390 Plus). Desktop charger included. |
Estimated (unverified): AMATEUR (ham) radio - FCC Technician-class license required to transmit; NOT GMRS, NOT license-free. SINGLE-BAND: UHF (400-480) OR VHF (136-174) - choose one at purchase. DMR (Tier I + II, TDMA) + analog FM. 5W high / 1W low. 1000 channels; 1000 contacts (stock). Color LCD; IP54; no GPS on base (MD-380G has GPS; MD-390 is the IP67 waterproof version). Kenwood 2-pin; 2000 mAh. Introduced May 2015. FAMOUS for md380tools open-source firmware (Travis Goodspeed KK4VCZ): adds 'promiscuous mode' (hear all talkgroups) + full DMR user database (caller names) - md380tools is single-band only and UNOFFICIAL. Also Part 90 certified. DISCONTINUED (secondary market).
A budget DMR radio with a decade of support behind it. The MD380Tools open-source firmware is actively maintained, and it is Mototrbo and Hytera compatible, with a solid build, a color display, an 8-hour voice recorder, and text messaging. It is Part 90 certified. The MD-390 adds IP67 waterproofing, and the MD-UV390 Plus adds 10 W, AES256, 3000 channels, and USB-C. There is a large codeplug ecosystem, and it works with all hotspots (Pi-Star, OpenSpot).
Single band (MD-380/390). No Bluetooth. No GPS on the base MD-380. No APRS. The interface feels dated in 2025. The CPS requires Windows. The MD-380 has no IP rating. AnyTone/BTECH exceed it on feature count. MD380Tools requires comfort with firmware flashing.
A long-running budget DMR family. A decade after launch, the MD-380 family stays relevant because it works: solid build, clear audio, Mototrbo compatibility, and the MD380Tools open-source community. The MD-UV390 Plus (10 W, AES256, USB-C) brings the platform up to modern standards. For budget DMR, the MD-380 family is proven.
The TYT MD-380 is a legendary radio in amateur DMR, not because of its specs, but because of what hackers did with it. Released in 2015 as one of the first genuinely affordable DMR handhelds, it became famous when Travis Goodspeed and collaborators reverse-engineered its firmware and released "md380tools," an open-source project that enabled capabilities the radio was never sold with. It requires an FCC Technician-class license or higher to transmit on its band; it is not a GMRS or license-free radio.
It is a single-band radio, sold as either a UHF or a VHF model (you choose one at purchase), doing DMR Tier I and II plus analog FM at 5 watts. Stock, it holds 1,000 channels and 1,000 contacts. The md380tools firmware transformed it: "promiscuous mode" lets it hear every talkgroup on a timeslot without reprogramming, and it can load the entire worldwide DMR user database so callers' names appear on screen. The waterproof IP67 version is the MD-390, and GPS-equipped variants exist. None of the hacking is official, and it voids the warranty.
It has largely been discontinued at major dealers, superseded by newer radios, but it remains a beloved classic on the used market. Its dual-band successor and firmware-cousin is the Retevis (which uses OpenGD77 instead); for a current open-firmware budget DMR radio, the Radioddity GD-77.