I really don't mean to be a sceptic - but the price point of the MD380 and it's facilities means an easily programmed (by digital standards) radio is already here? I've been providing my clients - who have no interest in clever things, digital radio of all flavours, to replace their analogue business radio.
Clearly, using these radios on amateur bands is problematic. Nobody wants to have to resort to programming via a computer when you suddenly need X frequency, with Y parameters and with a simple way to get from one to another. The digital benefits of amateur radio are, in my humble view, pointless as all the clever linking of repeaters does is add new private user groups. The public, world-wide/national/regional groups are unwieldy, as from what I've heard, many users have programming that means a simple QSY is often impossible. Users getting lost, often unable to even remember which talk group they were on, or who their contact was. Whenever we have large groups on SSB, FM or even historically RTTY - the same problems happen - once the conversations get going, they must move to make way for others and usually some people get lost. In the analogue domain, the weaker stations get lost first, but in digital, every Tom, Dick or Harry on a £100 handheld can talk to anyone else with one - international borders not having any importance. As a result - too many conversations about nothing are not finished. When you are on the local 70cm repeater and the other station drives just that little bit too far, conversation abruptly finishes - when it's on a worldwide scale it's silly.
Going digital seems to offer lots, but realises little. DMR two slot operation is a good example. Sounds very handy, and with repeaters doing the reclocking, it is - but two users on the same frequency and different slots usually fight with each other as the timing required just isn't there, so to all intents and purposes, DMR is a one person at a time protocol simplex, and that's what most local point to point stuff is.
Worse for people like me when I have a large inventory of digital radio kit and no access from home to any repeaters, bar one that seems to rarely be powered up as it's one of those "I must be home" systems. For reliability that's no good for me. I have at some point to swap my business repeater to digital, but the reality is it isn't going to be any better in performance (actually worse, due to the pretty horrible audio compared to analogue). There's also a security issue - I can monitor the users on my system. Once they go digital, this becomes much more of a problem.
While I like the idea of a club providing something like this, the Chinese supply chain relies on volume, and the MD380 is almost universal. It's tough, decent and has already attracted the modders. I've got one cheaper digital model myself, and I can sell it for £70 if I had to - BUT - the 380 is a worldwide success. I have some 760s, 780 and other pDMR kit too, and really there's nothing in it. None of the damn things make changing channel simple, let alone anything clever.
Changing frequency, selecting a TG and the appropriate settings to just talk is a real chore - and none I've found make this a simple job without programming in HUNDREDS of options. They're just not meant to be used as amateurs use them.