Disclaimer: I own the 578 UVII Pro model, so I don't know if the information here will apply to everything. And most of the content here is personal opinion, and you may find some points may not apply to your use case.

You should always read the manual and documentation from the vendor, the information here is just sharing some of my experiences.

If you are looking for the Detroit Area codeplug, it's located on the DMR page.

The first thing anyone should do when receiving this radio, is install the CPS (Code Plug Software). If you aren't familiar with what a code plug is, don't worry it's just a fancy name for configuration, contact, and memory channel management. While you can do most things from all the menus on the radio to get what you want, once familiar, using the software accelerates the process and provides a backup for all your hard work. One must be very patient with this radio's programming, there is a lot to learn and many settings to tweak. I suggest just starting out small and iterate as you need / get more comfortable.

Like most radios these days, the Anytone 578 is an SDR (Software Defined Radio) and Firmware is the term we use for the software that runs on the radio. The 578 has two firmwares, one for the bluetooth/aprs module and one for software that runs on the radio. It's important to keep these two updated when you need a feature that was introduced or if there is a bug fix for something that has been annoying to you. It's not important to update with every release, but you should be mindful of any changes that could be important to you by checking the downloads page and other announcements.

You will hear the term “flashing”. Flashing the firmware is the term used for updating the software in the radio.

The Anytone CPS Bundle you can download from Bridgecom comes with the CPS software, firmware flashing sofware, and the firmware for both the radio and bluetooth/aprs module. Additionally now it also contains the BT-01 module firmware. The nice thing about using the Anytone bundle is that all the software and firmware bundled in this archive are known to work together and you don't have to find the pieces separately.

Here is where you can obtain the software, you'll need to figure out what you need for the model you have: https://support.bridgecomsystems.com/product-support

The BT-01 is an addon for the Anytone 578. The 578 does not have a detachable faceplate that is common in many mobile radios these days, and this was one of it's complaints. The BT-01 addresses this by providing various options which will be explained in a moment. At time of this writing it is an additional $150 investment on top of the radio purchase and is not bundled with it.

My thoughts on this unit (will probably be amended)..

TLDR: It was a little frustrating at first, once got used to it, it's decent. I like it. Is it worth $150? maybe wait for a bundle deal. Early adopters pay the tax :)

The instructions in the box say you need an android phone and an sd card. Ummm yes you can do it that way, but there is an easier way, just use the USB-C to USB-A cable that comes in the box and Anytone CPS Bundle from Bridgecom talked about in previous section.

First thing you should do is get the latest Anytone CPS bundle from Bridgecom. Extract it, and navigate to the folder with the contents.. you'll see the CPS software and various firmware files and PDFs and other documentation.

I'm going to leave that as an exercise to the reader, but in a nutshell you will use the CPS software same as flashing your radio, use the provided USB-C to USB-A cable and read the instructions that are in the folder you extracted.

• Volume control is odd, and you may have to fiddle with the menus. I had to restart radio one or two times and was getting frustrated. Great once it worked!
• Main/Sub confusion: Main means the current active VFO, Sub means the other VFO (regardless of top or bottom)
• Don't learn as you drive!
• Program your microphone buttons first to your liking
• Front panel including volume controls are disabled when Microphone is in control.
• Tapping power button toggle between volume and channel changing functions
• PTT might be a little awkward for some that prefer a proper speaker mic.
• It does have a K1 Plug that you can connect a speaker mic to the side of the unit.

I did try this out when I first got it and was impressed, but as noted below I just use it in wired mode now.

• It works great with DMR.
• It has a small hum in the background on Analog when you transmit. Some people may notice it while talking.
• The range is about 10 feet

This is how i use it and my favorite mode, I don't particularly care about wireless mic, but having it in my sitting area I can leave the main unit hidden behind something and run the wire behind my chair and such.

• The wire that comes with its nice and long and I think it charges the battery too?
• No hum on Analog

• You could mount it somewhere and use an external K1 Plug Microphone you may already have.