Author Topic: DMR Radio  (Read 14499 times)

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Tempstar

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DMR Radio
« on: September 25, 2014, 05:59:04 AM »
DMR is really taking off here in South & North Carolina. We now have the NCPRN network and the already huge SCHEART network that has started putting up repeaters.
For the unknowing, Digital Mobile Radio is like D-Star but all grown up. There is the capability of world-wide communication or just local. The biggest difference is that DMR is all digital where D-Star is digital on an analog carrier. This eliminates the squeals and "r2d2" of D-Star. Even more exciting about the mode is the Connect Systems CS-700 radio, an HT with DMR and Analog capabilities, for only $180.00. (www.connectsystems.com). More information cna be found about the mode at www.dmr-marc.net
I've been on for a week and love the sound quality and added range true digital offers. Worth checking out, IMHO.
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Rockntoy

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Re: DMR Radio
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2016, 08:46:44 PM »
I know this is a old topic but DMR is really starting to take off here in this area. I am just out of range of the local repeater but talking and listening to others that have it sounds like a good thing. I see the HT's are just over a 100 so it might be my next radio to get and play with. Small learning curve but I have a friend that has mastered it so a couple beers and I will up and running.
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DragoSapien

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Re: DMR Radio
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2016, 10:59:31 PM »
I need to learn more about this. What radios are being used?

Tempstar

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Re: DMR Radio
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2016, 05:06:39 AM »
The biggest players are Connect Systems and Motorola with Vertex Standard making a strong showing of late. There are also some chinese boxes coming online as well. As usual, Motorola charges quite a bit for the name. Since my first post I have started a new job and was glad to see we use a Hytera DMR repeater. It allows the News department to have a channel, engineering to have a channel, and live events to have a channel, all on one repeater. we even have a "convoy" channel on the analog side. My spouse and I use CS700s around town on digital simplex for some pretty secure comms (there are dozens of variables available in the setup of a channel).
 A lot of our locals picked these up at our hamfest and are very satisfied with them, though I have not tried one:

http://www.amazon.com/TYT-MD-380-Moto-TRBO-Radio/dp/B00X6FYWWS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455102284&sr=8-1&keywords=DMR+radio
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Rockntoy

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Re: DMR Radio
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2016, 09:53:44 PM »
TYT 380 DMR radios are the new hot item here it seems. $130 +/- on eBay. They do seem to do all right and have a decent reach for repeaters. I will probably pick one up to play with soon. Only drawback are that they are uhf on the DMR side mainly. There are only a couple vhf repeaters in the US as of now. We have a club person trying to get one in OKC but still will be far and few between. They do have a learning curve with them but like all things once you get it figured out it is a piece of cake. You do have to have a computer to load freqs on and suppose to have a DMR registration number to follow the rules. I sent for mine and got it back in 1 day.
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Pablop

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Re: DMR Radio
« Reply #5 on: April 24, 2016, 11:55:31 AM »
DMR looks very interesting. I use D-STAR using an ID-51a with a DVAP (like my own local hotspot).  Do you know if DMR also has a 'DVAP' type device?

spacecase0

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Re: DMR Radio
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2016, 11:00:26 AM »
DMR looks very interesting. I use D-STAR using an ID-51a with a DVAP (like my own local hotspot).  Do you know if DMR also has a 'DVAP' type device?
I looked it up and could not find one,
many people do seem to be using SDR radios for it though

----------------------------------------------

I got a TYT 380 DMR radio last week,
nice little radio for the analog side,
still waiting on the ID code so I can try the digital modes
having to register yourself as a user before using it seems like a huge design flaw to me
especially when it fails to work
this will likely be the last DMR radio I ever get even if the rest of the technology is fantastic

Tempstar

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Re: DMR Radio
« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2016, 07:34:30 PM »
No DVAP yet.
SPACE,  why would registering be a drawback?
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spacecase0

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Re: DMR Radio
« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2016, 08:38:15 PM »
SPACE,  why would registering be a drawback?
the waiting is the fist issue with it, the next issue is that it seems not to be happening at all.
some ID system that let you use your call as the base number would have been much better
or using an ID system that uses the serial number of the radio or something like that

Tempstar

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Re: DMR Radio
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2016, 05:18:10 AM »
Most IDs are sent the same day, my wifes' came in about two hours. The number denotes what state the user applied for the ID in, and is given in sequential order. Plus, it gives a small security push as your callsign isn't displayed, just your name if the user you are talking to has it stored, just the number if he does not. I strongly advise anyone wha has not gotten an ID in 48 hours to re-apply. something went horribly wrong.
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spacecase0

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Re: DMR Radio
« Reply #10 on: April 27, 2016, 09:28:42 AM »
I finally got the ID,
took 3 days the second try, the first try never got to me
I guess I will relax now...
I get the clear to talk tone from the radio if it is connected to my big external antenna, but
still no contacts on it yet

Rockntoy

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Re: DMR Radio
« Reply #11 on: May 04, 2016, 04:19:05 PM »
Hey Spacecase. DMR working yet. I just received mine and it is a different animal to program. Think I finally got it. Cannot hit a repeater from here so when I venture into town I will give it a whirl.
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spacecase0

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Re: DMR Radio
« Reply #12 on: May 05, 2016, 02:16:00 PM »
I use the radio daily on analog, (it is fantastic on analog)
went to town once but it was quite late and could not find anyone on digital, although it appeared to work...
have not been back to town again,
if I had a 440 power amp I could talk to the digital repeater from here, (440 was almost unused where I use to live so I have very little hardware for it)
but as it is, the power out is no where near enough

and thankfully someone I know programmed it for me,
the TYT 380 DMR radio looses its programming if you leave it turned off to long
so I connected it off to the computer and saved a copy of the programming to my computer
that way I should never have to start from scratch with programming it

Tempstar

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Re: DMR Radio
« Reply #13 on: May 07, 2016, 05:54:57 AM »
On a side note, an amp will not work unless you key it manually due to the pulsed nature of digital. Also, a pair of DMR radios programmed to simplex makes some secure comms. Someone world have to know what they were doing to pick you up.
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spacecase0

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Re: DMR Radio
« Reply #14 on: May 07, 2016, 12:22:30 PM »
so I would have to set the amp to SSB mode to get over the pulsed issue,
good to know that I need to get one that has SSB mode,
but being how I use SSB when i can, that is what I would have tried to buy anyway

I have 2 digital radios, but one is P25 and the other is DMR, guess I should get a duplicate of one of them at some point