UNDER CONTRUCTION AT THIS TIME
Working on getting a DMR talkgroup for PCARES
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What is DMR?
DMR stands for Digital Mobile Radio and uses the Motorola TRBO protocol for communications. Like other digital modes such as D-Star, C4FM and APCO P25, the TRBO protocol converts your voice into a digital form and sends it out via RF (with other bits of information included) and allows you to communicate to other DMR radios and also DMR repeaters, which are networked together around the world via the internet.
What makes DMR stand out from some of the other digital modes is that it utilizes TDMA (Time-Division Multiple Access) to divide a single frequency into 2 distinct “channels” or time slots. By doing this, you can have two conversations going on at the SAME TIME, using one frequency.
Imagine using one frequency while radio A is talking to radio B on time slot 1, and radio C is talking to radio D on time slot 2 … SIMULTANEOUSLY. Pretty neat, huh?
Here is a nice graphic from Retevis to help visualize and understand what is going on…
What Is A Radio ID?
A Radio ID is a unique number assigned to you (and your callsign) by the RadioID.net Team. Like a telephone number or IP address, your Radio ID identifies you as a unique radio user on the various DMR networks and repeaters around the world.
What Is A Talkgroup?
A DMR talkgroup is simply a way of grouping many Radio IDs into a single digital contact. Or put another way, a talkgroup is a method of organizing radio traffic specific to the DMR users that all want to hear the same thing and not be bothered by other radio traffic on a DMR network that they are not interested in hearing.
Getting started with Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) in amateur radio requires a valid ham license, a unique digital ID, a compatible radio, and a programmed channel map called a codeplug.
1. Essential Requirements
Amateur Radio License: You must have an active ham radio license to transmit on DMR frequencies.
DMR ID: Register for a free unique 7-digit ID linked to your call sign on RadioID.net.
DMR Radio: Get a compatible handheld or mobile radio (such as models from AnyTone, TYT, or Baofeng) or a digital hotspot (like an MMDVM).
Programming Cable & Software: You will need a USB programming cable and the manufacturer's Customer Programming Software (CPS) running on a Windows computer.
2. Core DMR Concepts
Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA): DMR splits a 12.5 kHz channel into Time Slot 1 (TS1) and Time Slot 2 (TS2), allowing two independent conversations to happen on the same frequency at the same time.
Color Code (CC): Similar to a CTCSS/DCS analog tone, color codes (ranging from 1 to 15) prevent interference between nearby repeaters.
Talkgroups (TG): Virtual chat rooms where groups of operators talk locally, statewide, nationally (e.g., US 3100), or globally (e.g., Worldwide 91).
Codeplug: A configuration file containing your DMR ID, repeater frequencies, color codes, time slots, contacts, and zones.
3. Step-by-Step Setup
Register & Verify: Claim your DMR ID on RadioID.net and confirm it is active.
Find Local Repeaters: Use resources like Repeaterbook or Tri-State DMR to locate nearby digital repeaters, noting their frequencies, color codes, and time slots.
Build the Codeplug in CPS:
Enter your call sign and unique DMR ID in the radio's general settings.
Disable voice encryption (which is illegal on amateur radio).
Create contact entries for your desired talkgroup.
Build channels specifying the receive/transmit frequency, color code, time slot, and associated talkgroup.
Group your channels into Zones for easy navigation on the radio screen.
Upload & Test: Plug your radio into the computer via USB, write/upload the codeplug to the device, and test keying up on a local talkgroup
Monday
MON 1900 PST BM 3132 NEVADA RACES
MON 1930 PST BM 310703 LUTHERN DISASTER RESPONSE
MON 2000 PST BM 3106 PAPA DMR Roundtable
MON 1900 EST BM QUAD NET FIRST RESPONDERS NET
MON 2030 EST BM 3126 MICHIGAN-ONE DMR NET
MON 1800 CEN BM 31189 CROSSROADS INDIANA
MON 2015 CEN BM 3140 OKLAHOMA STATEWIDE
Tuesday
TUES 1900 MST BM 3116 IDAHO STATEWIDE NET
TUES 19:30 PST BM 31070 VENTURA COUNTY RACES
TUES 20:00 PDT BM 3026 Canada English / Canada DMR Net
TUES 2000 PST BM 3113 Georgia Statewide
TUES 2000 PST BM 31328 SNARS DMR Net NEVADA
TUES 20:00 EST BM 31630 North Star Digital Net
TUES 20:00 EST BM 3118 Indiana Statewide
TUES 20:00 EST BM 3142 Pennsylvania Statewide
TUES 21:00 EST BM 31051 ARKANSAS STATEWIDE
TUES 21:00 EST BM/D* 31281 EAST COAST IRLP TECH NET
TUES 21:00 EST BM 3136 NEW YORK CHESTNUT RIDGE NET
Wednesday
WED 1845 PST BM 31325 LAS VEGAS HAM RADIO CLUB HXO NET
WED 1900 PST BM PAPA SO CAL PAPA SYSTEM NEW HAM NET
WED 19:00 PST BM 311 HAM NATION AFTER SHOW NET
WED 20:30 EST BM 3139 OHIO ARES
WED 20:30 CEN BM 31016 NORTH WEST ALABAMA
WED 21:00 EST BM 3122 LOUISIANA STATEWIDE
WED 21:00 EST BM 3151 VIRGINIA STATEWIDE
Thursday
THURS 1900 PST BM 31068 NOR CAL DMR NET
THURS 2000 CST BM 3122 Louisiana Statewide
THURS 20 00 PST BM 31078 PAPA Technical Round Table (cross-mode)
THURS 20:00 EST BM 31051 ARKANSAS SKYWARN
THURS 20:00 EST BM 3121 KENTUCKY STATEWIDE
THURS 20:00 EST BM 3154 WEST VIRGINIA DMR
THURS 2100 ET BM 31515 Tidewater VA DMR Net
Saturday
SAT 09:00 PST BM 91 DMR BRANDMEISTER WORLDWIDE (3 hours)
SAT 1600 MTN BM QUAD NET MULTI MODE DIGITAL VOICE NET
SAT 2000 PST BM PAPA TECHNICAL ROUND TABLE
Sunday
Sun 17:00 HST BM 3115 Hawaii Newsline Net
Sun 18:00 CEN BM 31489 DMRTrack Net
Sun 19:30 GMT BM 98007 IECRO
Sun 19:30 CEN BM 3119 Iowa Statewide Net
Sun 20:00 EST BM 3112529 Southeast Florida Net
Sun 20:30 EST BM 3109 Connecticut Statewide
Sun 8:30 CEN BM 31171 Illinois Digital Net
Sun 21:00 EST BM 302 Canada DMR - cancelled
Sun 21:00 PST BM 310 Midnight Net - dupl.
Sun 00:00 UTC BM 310 TAC-310 Net - dupl.
Sundays @ 5:00PM PT TAC 310 NET TAC (310) 1 Hour
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