DUMMIES GUIDE TO DMR IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Transcription

1 DUMMIES GUIDE TO DMR IN THE UNITED KINGDOM VERSION 1 (DECEMBER 2017) 1 P a g e

2 CONTENTS PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4 PART 5 PART 6 PART 7 PART 8 PART 9 PART 10 PART 11 INTRODUCTION THE TECHNICAL STUFF TERMINOLOGY SIMPLEX DMR NETWORKS IN THE UK DMR RADIOS PROGRAMMING CPS / FIRMWARE UPDATES EXPERIMENTAL FIRMWARE HOTSPOTS USEFUL LINKS 2 P a g e

3 INTRODUCTION Having started off as a plane spotter and having a radio scanner, I took an interest in amateur radio by chance having obtained a list of frequencies for my area which included the simplex allocation and local analogue repeaters. I took my Foundation Licence in June 2014 followed by my Intermediate Licence in November I already had a Yaesu FT-7900 in the car when I got my M6 and got right into operating as more of the social enthusiast having regular QSO s with a few people around the greater area on a daily basis during my commute to and from work. One of the regulars was already into DMR and I took an interest in the mode, not having the funds, time or space for HF it seemed to be a cheaper and more convenient option to having a chat to people both nationally and internationally. He taught me a lot during a short period on various aspects of DMR which helped my progression later on. It was onwards and upwards from there - a trip to a local vendor in September 2014 to obtain some coax for my new antenna and I walked out with a fully programmed CS700 UHF DMR radio as well. From that point on, I took a keen interest in the mode, learning about programming the radio and more about the DMR-MARC network which was really taking off in the UK at that point. We now run the DMR-UK.Net website as well as Twitter feed and Facebook Group sharing information on the Phoenix UK network. I also spend a lot of time maintaining code plugs for my various radios and also for a vendor. As with many people, I do not know the answers to all the questions, but my time dealing with DMR has given me a lot of knowledge which I regularly share with other amateurs be it network, radio or programming related so as many have mentioned it would be good to have a guide, hopefully this first attempt will prove useful to many amateurs across the UK. Note that there are different layouts and guidelines for the various networks and they are not linked despite sharing many of the same reflector and talk group numbers. Also, when operating on an international talk group, be wary that the guidelines for talk group use may vary in different countries. Please note that due to the time taken to complete the publication, some of the information may be out of date such as the number of repeaters. This will be updated when I start the next version however it may be out of date by the time the document is published. However, should you notice any errors/omissions or have a suggestion/query, please me on the address provided below. Before attempting any code plug, firmware or other changes/updates, please ensure you have a backup of your current files in the event of an issue. As this is a guide, all actions are taken at your own risk. Chris, 2E0UCW dmr-guide-uk@outlook.com 3 P a g e

4 THE TECHNICAL STUFF I m by no way a technical person so hopefully this is basic enough to give users a bit of the technical background to the digital mode without too much technicality. Allows for sending text messages, better battery life, uses less bandwidth DMR has three tiers (I) Unlicensed - FDMA and DPMR446 (II) Conventional 2 slot TDMA and IP site connect (this is the tier we use) (III) Trunking 2 slot TDMA, multi-channel and multi-site (used by various commercial organisations) There is also better quality audio over a longer distance in comparison to analogue as shown below 4 P a g e

5 TERMINOLOGY There are various terms that one needs to learn when dealing with the mode, networks and programming. Most of the programming related terminology will be covered in the programming section. Admit Criteria Now this works properly on some radio and but not on all. Some settings also depend on the repeater hang time which is not the same across all repeaters. The setting is to prevent you being keyed over stopping you from transmitting until the carrier drops. Always On see the write up on user activated. Battery Eliminator A dummy battery with an auxiliary socket plug for use in cars or at home instead of constantly draining your battery. Code Plug (CP) This is the programming file that contains all the radio settings, repeater information, talk groups, contacts and other stuff to make the radio work. Some code plugs can be generated from CSV (Microsoft Excel) files which saves having to type in a lot of the information. Code Plug / Contacts Editor There is some 3 rd party software for various radios which allows for functionality not currently supported by the manufacturers version of the CPS. This is to help making code plugs easier. There is a code plug editor created by G6AMU for the MD380/390 & RT3/RT8. I believe that there is also a contacts editor available (I m not sure what radios it works with) and G4EML created a zone editor for the Moonraker / Retevis / TYT dual band handhelds. Colour Code (CC) This is the DMR equivalent of a CTCSS tone using numbers from 0 to 15 Contacts there are two types of contacts group call and private call. Group calls are talk groups which you will link to channels when programming your radio. Private calls refer to (1) reflectors which are explained further down and (2) users information where you add their DMR ID, call sign and name so you can see the details of anyone on the radio. If someone is talking and you just see a set of numbers then their details are not in your radio. 5 P a g e

6 CPS Customer Programming Software is used to read and write code plugs to/from the radio. Some CPS are better setup than others which makes a difference as to how easy it is to work on the code plug. Motorola CPS is not free but the majority of others are available via the manufacturers website. Also ensure to try use the latest CPS as there may be changes to improve different functionality. DFU Mode (Device Firmware Update Mode) This is a mode that the radio needs to be put into in order to add all firmware updates. It involves pressing a combination of two buttons whilst switching the radio on. Please read the CPS/Firmware Updates section for more information DMR ID All users on the DMR networks require a DMR ID number which has their details attached to it. This is added into the code plug and also hotspots. You can register for an ID via this link ( Please note that it can take a few days for the ID number to be issued. You only need one ID and using more than one hotspot you can add an additional digit to the end of your ID to identify each hotspot on the networks. Note that should you get a new call sign, you can contact DMR MARC to update your details ( Echo Server (Parrot) This is a facility accessible via a few talk groups and reflectors for testing your audio and also checking access to a network or repeater. It s also ideal for checking mic gain. The user puts out a call and maybe says a few words. A few moments after de-keying, the audio is played back. This only comes back on the specific talk group and is not played out over the network. Hotspot This is a personal low power simplex device that connects to the internet via LAN or Wi-Fi. They can be used portable or mobile and some are more suited allowing connection to the internet via a smartphone. For many they are useful to access networks not available via a local repeater, being too far from a local repeater or unable to install antennas. There are a number of devices such as the DV4 Mini, SharkRF and DV Mega (which comes in various forms) and each have a different way to be setup. Do some research before purchasing to ensure you get one to suit your needs and note that the DV Mega comes in different forms by using a combination of other boards and this also defines what software can be used. These devices also support a wider range of digital modes such as D-Star and Yaesu Fusion. Software and programming varies and not all may be easy to operate so bear this in mind when deciding on a device. Always best to get something that you know others have and can assist you with. The DV Mega Blue Stack is the easiest for mobile use connecting to the phone and running via a free app, BlueDV. You can connect to Phoenix UK (via DMR Plus) and Brandmeister network using these devices. 6 P a g e

7 Experimental Firmware There are two I m aware of one works via Linux and the other via Windows. Sometimes called the MD380 tools, it works on the TYT MD380/MD390 & Retevis RT3/RT8. It removes Chinese data, replaces it with a better firmware that includes several features and also allows one to upload the full DMR ID database. Join the DMR Track Facebook Group or visit which covers the Windows version sometimes referred to Ty Toolz. It is a stable platform however one needs to follow the instructions on how to load it. It also comes in a GPS and Non-GPS version. Face Separation Where the head unit on a mobile radio can be detached and connected to the radio body by a lead mainly used in cars where there s limited space so the body can be hidden but the head unit is accessible. Manual Dial This is under the contacts menu and can be allocated to a button on many radios. Its main function is for dialling reflectors. You would type in the reflector number, press the PTT for 2-3 seconds then you should get a voice back advising that you are connected to reflector xxxx. To unlink, manual dial MCC (Mobile Country Code) This is a 3 digit code assigned to all countries. The first digit indicates rough geographical location. Europe is 2 and the UK is 234 and 235. You will notice that DMR ID s are allocated based on this so you know the operator s country. Wide area talk groups are allocated based on this (Europe is 2, North America is 3 ) and Brandmeister talk groups all start with 235. Nuisance Delete When scanning several channels, you can temporarily delete one from the scan list by using this function. The next time you turn on the scan list the deleted channel will be back in the scan list. This is handy if there is interference on a repeater in your scan list so you can remove it. Pauses Due to various aspects of the mode, it s vital to leave a 3-4 second pause between overs. Not only does it allow others to join in the QSO but (1) helps keep the link timing between the repeater networks and hotspot users (2) allows people to access another talk group on the same slot (3) allows users to unlink the reflector or talk group on a hotspot (4) allows for hold off timers to be terminated, to name a few Promiscuous Mode This feature is not available on all radios. It allows the radio to pick up activity on any active talk group as long as you have the frequency and colour code in the channel. Reflector (Ref) These are similar to D-Star and Fusion rooms which can be manually dialled on most radios with a keypad using numbers from 4001 to Reflector 4000 unlinks you from any reflector you have been using. Using reflectors on DMR Plus will connect to various talk groups on the Phoenix UK network. On Brandmeister, not all reflectors are connected to talk groups. Just to note that reflectors on DMR Plus and Brandmeister are not linked They may have the same number, but they are separate networks. When using a reflector, one goes to TG9 and manually dials the reflector to link. You then remain on TG9 to have a QSO. 7 P a g e

8 Roaming This is a useful feature but not available on many radios. When portable or mobile, it allows a user to roam between repeaters based on signal strength much like a mobile phone will swap cells. Phoenix UK have a specific group of talk groups best suited for roaming referred to as regional talk groups (TG8xx) however most talk groups could be used for roaming (except user activated or local) but this is also dependant on them being always on on the repeaters you are using. Rx Group lists Now some people use these and some don t as I believe for quite some time there has been a lack of understanding what they do. The easiest way is to advise how I have them setup for the Phoenix UK repeaters. I have 2 groups Phoenix TS1 and Phoenix TS2. Within each list are the talk groups applicable to each TS (time slot). Then when I create a channel (representing a talk group) for a DMR repeater, I link them to one of the lists depending on which slot the talk group is located. What this now does, if I turn to TG235 (slot 1) and activity comes up on another slot 1 talk group, it will pick this up and I can hear the traffic. Also for scanning, instead of needing to scan every channel for a DMR repeater (which exceeded the scan limit on many radios), I only need to scan a channel from each slot as each channel picks up transmissions from any active talk group on the slot. Time Slots (TS) This allows the repeater to operate as two repeaters in one box this reducing the bandwidth requirement on DMR. Various talk groups are assigned to a specific time slot. Brandmeister tend to use slot 1 for talk groups and slot 2 for reflectors whereas Phoenix UK use slot 1 for national/international and slot 2 for local/regional talk groups. A QSO can take place on both slots simultaneously without interfering with each other however only one talk group can be used on a slot at a time. There is a setting in the code plug to define which slot a talk group is on and only local TG9 is allocated to both as this talk group only goes out of the local repeater. 8 P a g e

9 Talk Groups (TG) These are loaded into the contacts section of the code plug. They cover local, regional, national and international links much like a telephone exchange directing your QSO to a different location or number of repeaters depending on which you use. TG9 for instance does not link to any other repeater, TG235 covers all UK repeaters and TG1 covers all repeaters on the network worldwide. Just to note that talk groups on the various networks are not linked so TG235 on Brandmeister is not linked to TG235 on Phoenix UK. There are cases however where reflectors are linked to talk groups (DMR Plus and Phoenix), talk groups are linked to other modes (TG2351 on Phoenix is linked to Wires-X CQ-UK Room). There are a good many reflectors and talk groups on Brandmeister that are linked to other modes. However, there is no link between the various clusters, Brandmeister and Phoenix in the UK. User Activated These talk groups cannot be heard on a repeater unless someone activates them by pressing the PTT. As repeaters rely on the internet with some not on hardwired internet (they use prepaid dongles) and also to free up repeaters for others to use, its common practise not to have a lengthy QSO on wide area talk groups such as TG235 (UK Wide), TG1 (Worldwide), TG2 (Europe) and TG13 (English Worldwide) due to the vast number of repeaters that are linked to these talk groups thus User Activated (UA) talk groups can be used. An example is getting a contact on Phoenix TG235 which covers all repeaters on the network within the UK. Once the contact has been established, one can then move to a UK Wide UA talk group (TG80-84) to continue the QSO this will limit the QSO to the repeaters you and the other party are using. It s always best to key up and listen for a few moments to check if someone else is using the talk group. Either join in or go to another (there are 5 for the UK). Anyone else can join in or listen by keying up the talk group on another repeater across the UK. Talk groups that are not user activated are referred to as always on as you can use them and hear traffic without the need to press the ptt first to open the talk group. 9 P a g e

10 DMR SIMPLEX The frequencies to be used for DMR simplex are defined in the UK Amateur Radio Band Plan. We share the analogue allocation as it s noted FM/DV however DV users are not to use the FM calling channel as another has been allocated specifically for digital. However, the 70cm DMR simplex frequencies being used have been done around its calling channel which seems not to raise too many issues with the RSGB however they have suggested keeping with the 2m DMR allocation due to the fact that 2m is a busy band. The common UK settings are TG9, Slot 1, Colour Code 1 2m CALLING CHANNEL Then use the analogue channels except (S20) as this is for analogue only 70cm DH DH DH DH DH DH DH DH CALLING CHANNEL 10 P a g e

11 DMR NETWORKS IN THE UK The UK has 2 networks and 3 clusters. My experience is more with the Phoenix UK network however I do use Brandmeister via a hotspot. Two clusters operate in the same way so I shall merge them into one. SALOP CLUSTER & SOUTH WEST CLUSTER The SALOP cluster covers a small region in the Shropshire and Borders region with 6 repeaters (one which is also linked to Phoenix UK). The South West Cluster covers from Bristol down to Poole and across to Bridgend (Wales) and Exeter comprising of 9 operational and 1 licenced repeater. These repeaters operate one talk group on each slot. TG9 on slot 1 for local and TG950 on slot 2 which links the cluster. They are not linked to another network with the exception of GB7HM (Hope Mountain) on the SALOP Cluster which is linked to Phoenix UK and operated TG950 on slot 1. CHANNEL SLOT TALK GROUP LOCAL 1 9 CLUSTER P a g e

12 SALOP CLUSTER MAP SOUTH WEST CLUSTER MAP 12 P a g e

13 NORTHERN DMR CLUSTER This cluster is based on the north west of England comprising of 9 operational repeaters. It s an independently run network however it s linked into the Phoenix UK network, therefore this cluster will be covered under Phoenix UK. NORTHERN DMR CLUSTER MAP 13 P a g e

14 BRANDMEISTER This is a world-wide network which in the UK has 33 operational and 17 licenced repeaters with a further 10 repeaters in various stages of application. These repeaters operate TG9 on both slots as the active talk group with the exception of Scotland which also has TG91 (World Wide), TG92 (Europe), TG93 (USA) and TG9990 (Echo Server) as always on. TG9 on slot 2 links to reflectors with reflector 4400 being active on most repeaters outside of Scotland and 4405 being active on repeaters within Scotland. On slot 1, one can access all Brandmeister talk groups of which there are currently 818 of them. They are user activated and need to be keyed up to make them active. The talk groups cover a wide range of countries, regions, states etc. The guidelines over use of the various talk groups are not very clear so one should be wary of using a country wide talk group for a chin wag. There are numerous TAC talk groups (another term for user activated) which can be used best to check with the contact as they may know have better knowledge of what s deemed acceptable within their country. Brandmeister also attracts a lot of hotspot users as you can access all the talk groups and reflectors. Currently there are near 1500 repeaters and near 4000 hotspots connected to the network which gives you an idea of how people connect to Brandmeister. For many it may be easier being able to utilise a handheld radio on low power into a hotspot, more so that there are so many talk groups available and without having all talk groups in the radio or promiscuous mode then if someone opens a talk group then others might wonder why they can t access the slot. Whilst the use of hotspots does make it easier to access networks, especially Brandmeister as a hotspot gives you all the access you can get via a repeater, it s also important should you have a repeater you can access, to make use of it at times so that it s not just consuming power d costing money to have the facility and everyone uses a hotspot. I m in an area where the majority of repeaters are on the Phoenix network therefore it s ideal for me to connect my hotspot to Brandmeister thus allowing me connection to a network out of my reach. 14 P a g e

15 I have listed all the UK talk groups and reflectors as a guide. Included in the Useful Links are links to pages containing all the reflectors and talk groups that are available to you. If you are looking for an international contact then have a look at the last heard menu on the Brandmeister main website and see what talk groups / reflectors are in use. Otherwise look at the main talk groups for the various countries and try putting out a call. Remember that as with the UK, that the times of activity vary and that the networks cover a wide range of time zones so don t be put off should there be no answer to a call try a different time that might be more suited to the country you are calling. There is a net on TG91 (Worldwide) / Reflector 4639 most Saturday afternoons with check ins done by region across the world. Below is a list of the UK specific talk groups and reflectors. CHANNEL TALK GROUP REFLECTOR UNITED KINGDOM UK CHAT CHAT CHAT IRELAND SCOTLAND WALES KERNOW SOUTH WEST SOUTH EAST NORTH WEST IRELAND CHAT SCOTLAND CHAT NORTH EAST M62 CORRIDOR WALES CHAT MIDLANDS EAST OF ENGLAND BM UK HUB ALLSTAR LINK TEST REFLECTOR P a g e

16 BRANDMEISTER UK MAP 16 P a g e

17 PHOENIX UK (WITH LINKS TO DMR PLUS AND DMR-MARC) Phoenix UK (run by OpenDMR) operates the UK/EU link to DMR-MARC and also has links with the Northern DMR Cluster. They are also tied in with DMR Plus which is more an EU network, which provides reflector access to various talk groups on the Phoenix UK network. Currently the network has 41 operational and 4 licenced repeaters with a further 2 in the application stages (this excludes the 9 repeaters from the Northern DMR Cluster). The network has a different structure to the Brandmeister network in terms of talk groups. Whereas Brandmeister allows access to all talk groups via all repeaters, Phoenix UK (based on the original DMR-MARC setup) has a structure which includes world-wide, continent wide, world-wide language (depending on location) and country wide talk groups that compliment talk groups specific to your country. TG9 (local) is available on both slots this talk group does not connect to any other repeaters so it s the same as utilising an analogue repeater. TG9 on slot 2 is the PRIMARY local channel and TG9 on slot 1 is the secondary local channel which is mainly used when slot 2 is in use. Also, to note one variation where there is a small group of repeaters in an area, the keepers may decide to have TG9 linked. Within the UK, we have an international structure comprising of TG1 (World-Wide), TG2 (Europe), TG13 (English World-Wide) as well as the several user-activated talk groups TG119/TG129 (World- Wide UA) and TG113/TG123 (English World-Wide UA). Then our UK layout includes TG235 (UK Wide) on time slot 1 complimented by 5 UK Wide user activated talk groups TG80 to TG84. On slot 2, we have regional talk groups covering each of the regions across the UK. There are also a few special links which link small sub regions of repeaters and TG9990 which is the echo server. The regional talk groups are also referred to roaming talk groups which are commonly used for portable and mobile use so that the radio moves between repeaters based on signal strength without having to make any changes on the radio. 17 P a g e

18 The best practise on Phoenix UK / DMR-MARC when utilising a wide area talk group such as TG1 (World-Wide), TG2 (Europe), TG13 (English World-Wide) and TG235 (UK Wide) is to establish a contact and then move to a user activated talk group. This prevents tying up the slot on a large number of repeaters nationally or internationally allowing others to utilise other talk groups as well as reducing data usage on repeaters not being utilise for the QSO. All talk groups have a hold off timer, preventing loss of the talk group during a qso. Wide Area TG s (1, 2, 13 & 235) have a 5 second hold off timer. Local TG s (9 on Slot 1 & 2) have a 15 second hold off timer. User Activated (80-84, 113, 119, 123 & 129) and Regional TG s ( ) have a 300 second (5 minute) hold off timer. These hold off timers reset at the end of every transmission on the talk group. If you are using a user activated talk group with a few users on other repeaters, the user activated talk group will stay open as long as the rest of the group continue the qso. This can be a nuisance at times but is useful if you are participating in a net. The hold off timer can be terminated on your repeater by keying up TG9 on the same slot. Phoenix UK also has talk groups linked to reflectors via the DMR Plus network for hotspot users. These cover UK Wide, UK Wide User Activated and the regional talk groups which allows users outside of repeater coverage to access the network. Below are the talk groups on every Phoenix repeater in the UK with the DMR Plus reflector that links to a talk group. Note that you can access all regional talk groups however those outside of your region will be user activated. Due to having a wide coverage area, some repeaters have more than one region as always on such as GB7WL which is located on the South East / West border and thus TG801 and TG810 are always on and the rest are user activated. The Echo Server (also referred to as a Parrot) is a good facility for testing your audio and access to a repeater. There is a net on TG1 (Worldwide) most Saturday afternoons with check ins done by region across the world. The East Anglian region also holds two nets at on TG840 (East of England) which is also on DMR Plus Reflector TG840 is accessible on all Phoenix UK and Northern DMR Cluster repeaters it s user activated outside of the East Anglian region. Everyone is welcome to join. There is the Tuesday Tech Net which is on alternating weeks which is done to help people with any questions relating to DMR be it radios, networks or anything else you might be battling with or are not too sure about. Also, the Thursday chat net (sometimes with a topic) currently held on the alternative Thursday but goes through periods of being held every Thursday depending on the season. 18 P a g e

19 Talk Groups on Time Slot 1 CHANNEL SLOT TALK GROUP DMR PLUS REF WORLDWIDE 1 1 EUROPE 1 2 LOCAL (SECONDARY) 1 9 WORLDWIDE ENGLISH 1 13 UK WIDE UA UK WIDE UA UK WIDE UA UK WIDE UA UK WIDE UA WORLDWIDE ENGLISH UA WORLDWIDE UA WORLDWIDE ENGLISH UA WORLDWIDE UA UK WIDE POLAND CALLING CLUSTERS (SALOP- GB7HM ONLY) FUSION CQ-UK WIRES X P a g e

20 Talk Groups on Time Slot 2 CHANNEL SLOT TALK GROUP DMR PLUS REF SPECIAL LINK 2 8 LOCAL (PRIMARY) 2 9 REGIONAL : SOUTH EAST ENGLAND REGIONAL : SOUTH WEST ENGLAND REGIONAL : NORTH WEST ENGLAND SPECIAL LINK SPECIAL LINK REGIONAL : MIDLANDS REGIONAL : EAST OF ENGLAND SPECIAL LINK SPECIAL LINK SPECIAL LINK REGIONAL : SCOTLAND REGIONAL : NORTH EAST ENGLAND SPECIAL LINK REGIONAL : WALES AND MARCHES REGIONAL : NORTHERN IRELAND ECHO SERVER As you will find out in the programming basics section, when programming a radio with a Phoenix UK repeater you will need a channel for every talk group or just the ones you want to use. The set up will be the same in regards to frequency, colour code and many other options except the contact name which defines which talk group that channel is and the relevant time slot (also known as repeater slot). This is one reason, as mentioned in the DMR radios section, that choice of radio is important as memory space for channels is vital as every Phoenix UK repeater uses up to 35 channels. However not everyone is keen to have them all but if you add them all to the contacts and setup the Rx Group Lists as per the programming section then you can still hear transmissions on the talk groups you don t have channels for. Use of the experimental tools and the manual talk group dial function reduces the need to program a channel per talk group. All you need is a talk group on each time slot (I chose TG9 Slot 1 and TG9 slot 2). If I want to access TG235 (which is on time slot 1), I go to TG9 on time slot 1 and manually dial 235 to access TG235. So that reduces channel usage per Phoenix repeater from 35 to P a g e

21 PHOENIX REPEATER MAP 21 P a g e

22 IMPORTANT REMINDER FOR BRANDMEISTER AND PHOENIX UK / DMR PLUS As both networks utilise a number of talk groups/reflectors and have hotspots linked, I wish to remind people of what was mentioned about Pauses (under Terminology). The requirement to leave a pause is common to all modes of radio for various reasons with DMR it s required to allow other users to unlink a reflector or activate another talk group and prevent being stuck. It s vital to leave a decent pause, as other users may be wanting to access another talk group or unlink a hotspot from a reflector. At a radio rally some months back, I was demonstrating a DV Mega and I accessed talk group 3100 (USA Wide) as part of the demo. It took me around 15 minutes to get off 3100 as the gaps between the QSO were insufficient for me to disconnect rendering my radio useless for that period. It s also the same as having a rag chew on a UK Wide reflector or talk group or any other wide area talk group others may be wanting to access TG80 - TG84 (UK Wide User Activated) but may not be able to key up in time in between overs. Should you become stuck on a reflector or talk group, break in to the QSO and request a longer pause as you wish to access another talk group or disconnect the reflector. If this is done in a polite way then there should be no issues. However, there may be some resistance as has been experienced by a few in the past please ignore it as some people do not wish to understand the way DMR works and the effects on other operators. If it becomes a constant issue, then please contact your repeater keeper or the network admins with details. Overall, we are all sharing a massive resource thus it requires that we observe a few guidelines to ensure that everyone using the mode can do so without any major issues. 22 P a g e

23 DMR RADIOS As DMR is a commercial system, the majority of radios are mono band, with dual band radios only just starting to get into the market. If you go for mono band then ensure you get the right band especially as there are very few VHF DMR repeaters in the UK. Also, there is GPS and Non-GPS. Now first off, if you are new to DMR don t just rush out and buy the cheapest or most expensive brands might not suit you or they may not be the best for amateur use. I d also advise you use a reputable vendor first at least the first purchase so you can get support. The golden rule is, if you are new it s best to ask for peoples advise. There are plenty of resources for us in the UK in the way of forums and Facebook Groups as well as fellow amateurs. Have a look at vendor websites if possible visit one or attend a rally to see a demo unit. There are also several vendors across the UK and I suggest when choosing, you get some feedback from others as support and availability of code plugs is vital to many. A few vendors I m aware of are (in no particular order) : Martin Lynch & Sons, Moonraker, Nevada Radio and Waters & Stanton. ebay and Amazon have plenty of radios but then you could be taking a risk as there is no after sales support. The common manufacturers are (in no particular order) : Connect Systems, Hytera (HYT), Kirisun, Kydera (KYD), Moonraker, Motorola MotoTRBO, Radioditty, Retevis, Simoco, Tait, Triology, Tytera (TYT) and Vertex Standard. Note that some are clones or rebrands of other manufacturers such as the TYT MD380 and MD390 are the same radio as the Retevis RT3 and RT8 but usually a few pennies cheaper. The MD380 & RT3 have the belt clip attach to the battery whereas the MD390 & RT8 have it attached to the radio chassis (and these are waterproof). The Moonraker HT-500D is the same as the Retevis RT82 apart from the name and both have the same hardware but a different case to the TYT MD P a g e

24 There are experimental tools available for the TYT MD380/MD390 and Retevis RT3/RT8 and one version available for the Moonraker HT-500D, Retevis RT82 and TYT MD This makes the radio s more amateur friendly and adds a few tools. One good point is the ability to manual dial talk groups so you only need one talk group on each slot per repeater saving a lot of programming and space plus you can now have a full UK code plug with access to every Phoenix and Brandmeister talk group with minimal programming. It also loads the entire user database into the radio (over 70,000 ID s) so you don t need to add them to your contacts. Despite it being referred to as experimental this firmware is pretty stable however we will put out a note of caution as this requires doing a firmware update and a specific sequence of operations must be followed. Prices of radios vary a lot. A basic handheld can start around 100 and I ve seen them go up to around 630. Mobiles start off around 280 upwards. Having looked on a few vendor websites, there seem to be more handhelds than mobiles. Some users utilise a battery eliminator, speaker mic and an external antenna for mobile and home operation so they require less radios. This also depends on the location of repeaters around your area as some parts of the UK have brilliant coverage such as the South East which has 23 DMR repeaters (17 on Phoenix and 6 on Brandmeister). Note that various radios could have limitations so there are several items to look out for when choosing a radio: Common Items Number of contacts for adding talk groups and user details Number of channels for repeaters as DMR repeaters use more than one channel How easy is it to program via the CPS and can it be programmed via the radio? Is there a keypad for accessing reflectors? Is the radio supported by the experimental tools? Handhelds Power output as some smaller radios are limited to around 2w Not all antennas can be removed especially the small low power radios Some radios have unique connectors so that no external antennas can be connected Availability of accessories such mics, ear pieces, battery eliminator Mobiles Does the radio have face separation and the price as some are very expensive? What is the max power as Motorola for instance do low and high power mobiles 24 P a g e

25 Take note Recently Baofeng launched the DM-5R which is a DMR radio this radio does not support Tier II TDMA so when transmitting on Slot 1 it actually transmits on both slots blocking out slot 2 from use. These radios are only suitable for simplex and hotspot use. Therefore, please ensure the radio you buy is suitable for repeaters should you intend on using them. RETEVIS RT3 (TYT MD380) & RETEVIS RT8 (TYT MD390) MOTOROLA MOTOTRBO MOBILE & HANDHELDS 25 P a g e

26 HYTERA DMR RADIOS CONNECT SYSTEMS 26 P a g e

27 DUAL BAND RADIOS TYT MD-2017, MOONRAKER HT-500D (REBADGED RETEVIS RT82) & RADIODDITY GD-77 TYT MD-9600 NOW ALSO SOLD AS THE RETEVIS RT90 27 P a g e

28 PROGRAMMING BASICS Now there are different layouts of CPS and code plug depending on the manufacturer and radio. Your choice of radio should also take into account ease of programming. Some do allow export and import of contacts/channels which makes it easier for those that use Excel/OpenOffice. It s worth noting too, that some CPS and 3 rd Party editors that export/import to CSV files, require Microsoft Excel. They will not work with OpenOffice & variants. All this makes doing a dummies guide for programming fairly impossible unless one has plenty of time and has experience programming radios made by a number of manufacturers however there are various parts which are common across most radios. I shall not go into the finer details of the import/export functions as not all amateurs utilise Excel and CSV files and those that do should be able to work out how to set them up. The easiest way I found to get an idea of how the CSV files works is to first off setup one talk group and contact export the file then you can see the settings for each as there will be a column that is different which will be the one that defines a group call from a private call. For the channels, add in a simplex (both analogue and digital) channel, one analogue repeater and one DMR repeater with a few talk groups entries. Then export the file and evaluate the data against the headers. There is a basic order to creating a code plug : Do the settings DMR ID, menu layout, define buttons Add contacts Both group and private calls (private calls can be added later) Setup the RX lists depending on your requirements Setup the scan lists depending on your requirements Setup roam lists depending on your requirements (if your radio supports this function) Add your channels 1 channel per simplex frequency or FM repeater and 1 channel per TG on every DMR repeater Add your zones depending on your requirements Add the channels to your zones Add the channels to the relevant scan lists Add the channels to the relevant roam lists The reason for this order is that the contacts (group calls), scan lists and roam lists need to be defined in the channels so if they are not there then you need to add them before you can complete all required fields. If you are using a CSV upload from Excel, then you also link to them so that all the information is correct once uploaded. 28 P a g e

29 With most radios, you have a channel information folder this contains all the entries for hotspots, simplex, analogue repeaters and digital repeaters you then add them to the zones. Whereas with Motorola s you create the zones first then add the channels into each zone. Motorola code plugs do have a channel pool where you can create channels in the pool and this will not show on the radio handy for preparing for a new repeater. For DMR, you need a channel for each talk group on every repeater you wish to access which can sound long winded but most radios allow basic data to be copied so one you have created sufficient channels for every talk group you can copy across information such as the frequency and colour code. Motorola radios allow bulk editing so you can highlight all the channels for the repeater, add the frequencies and colour code and it completes for all. This is the CPS for the Retevis RT8 which is the same as the RT3 and the TYT MD380/MD390. It s not a lot different to most other radios but once many understand one CPS, then using another is not that difficult. Compare it to driving different cars most of the car is the same with the exception of a few features such as cruise control and where different things are located (such as indicators on the left or right lever). The menus that will be used are: General Settings items such as DMR ID, backlight Menu Item which menu items would you like accessible from the radio Button Definitions define what each side button can do Digital Contacts add group calls and private calls Digital RX Group Lists Zone Information Scan List Channels Information 29 P a g e

30 When you click on a menu item, it will open up a screen to the right. To add contacts there is an add button on the bottom of the screen that opens up. To add RX Group Lists, Zones, Scan Lists and Channels, right click on the menu item on the left-hand side. 30 P a g e

31 General Settings This is where you add your call sign, DMR ID, set the VOX (if applicable), back light timer, key pad lock timer, tones and several other options which most people leave as is. 31 P a g e

32 Menu Settings You can decide what menu items you want active in the radio and the hang time which is the time until the radio will close the menu and return to the normal operating screen. Please do not enable the Radio Disable option otherwise others could disable your radio. I ve not known this to happen as yet but it s just a precaution. 32 P a g e

33 Button Definitions Decide on the long press duration as the buttons on the side of the radio can be programmed for two options one using a short press and another using a long press Then there are options to utilise one touch access and quick contact access which personally I don t use then I don t have to remember what is set where. Common items to add are (but it s down to personal choice) (1) Scan On/Off and Nuisance Delete (2) Manual Dial for Private and High/Low Power 33 P a g e

34 Contacts This is where you add your Group Calls (talk groups) and Private Calls (users). Contact name is what you want to name the talk group and user (usually call sign and name Call type is to be set as group call or private call disregard all call we do not use that function Call ID is either the talk group number or users DMR ID number Some people want as many as possible and others are happy with none this is all down to personal preference. This is also where the number of contacts a radio can have comes into account when choosing a radio. The Moonraker / Retevis / TYT dual band handhelds have the ability to hold contacts but by removing one feature, there is firmware that allows contacts which is nearly more that required for the entire database. If you are using a version of the Experimental Firmware then it s not necessary to add the users as this is added as part of the tools and loads into a different part of the radio memory. 34 P a g e

35 Digital RX Group Lists In the terminology I advised how I set them up here s the detail 2 groups each covering a Phoenix UK time slot s allocation of talk groups. This is optional however it does make setting the scan list easier and regardless of what talk group you are tuned into, you will hear traffic from the talk groups in the list should they become active. If you are in a region that has access to a special link such as TG841, then don t forget to add it to the RX List. 35 P a g e

36 Zones Many people have their own way of setting these up based on their personal needs and preferences. I for one have a DV and AV local covering my local digital/analogue repeaters. As I use a version of the experimental firmware, I only have TG9 on each slot per repeater. One option is to have 2 zones for a repeater one for each slot containing the relevant channels. Also, one for DMR simplex and analogue simplex. Note that the order you create the zones is the order they appear in the radio. You can t move them using the standard CPS as mentioned under the terminology section. 36 P a g e

37 Scan Lists This is another menu where people prefer to customise according to needs and preferences. The order that these are created is irrelevant. It is however important that you link the channels to the correct scan list as we will see under the channels section. As I use the RX Group Lists I only scan TG9 slot 1 and TG9 slot 2 for DMR repeaters as each are linked to every other talk group on those slots this allows me to have more DMR repeaters in the scan list. If I didn t use the RX Group Lists then I d need to add every talk group into the scan that I want to scan. Note the Tx Designated Channel You can select a specific repeater/talk group, select the channel you were on or select the last channel picked up by the scan. 37 P a g e

38 Channels Information The overall layout This is going to be the longer part as this is where a lot of information is stored. One entry for most items except repeaters. A Phoenix UK repeater carries around 20 talk groups so there will be a channel entry for each one all with the same information except (1) the talk group it links to (2) which time slot the talk group is on and (3) what RX Group list it links to. This is also why you create the groups and lists before creating the channels as you link them. Don t forget to set the basics such as channel mode (defines if the channel is analogue or digital), Scan List (from what you created), TOT which is the time out which most people set to 3 minutes, power (you may only need low power if using a hotspot), Admit Criteria (for DMR repeaters) and Rx Only (if you load in PMR446 channel to listen, choosing this option prevents you transmitting on these channels which would be illegal). The right side is separated into 3 sections (1) Digital/Analogue Information - common information to both modes such as frequency (2) Digital Data DMR specific such as Colour Code, TG, TS (called repeater slot in this CPS), RX List (3) Analogue Data CTCSS Tx and Rx tones (whatever is relevant for the repeater) 38 P a g e

39 Channels Information FM Simplex 39 P a g e

40 Channels Information DMR Simplex The same is used to create a channel for a hotspot. 40 P a g e

41 Channels Information Analogue Repeater 41 P a g e

42 Channels Information DMR Repeater Now you need an entry per talk group for each DMR repeater. Best way to do this is create sufficient zones for all the talk groups, then go to the completed channel right click and copy. Then go to the next channel right click and paste. Continue this for all channels for that repeater it copies all the settings then all you need to do is (1) change the Channel Name (2) change the Contact Name (3) change the Group List (4) change the Repeater Slot 42 P a g e

43 Channels Information Hotspot Below are the settings I use for my hotspot (UHF DV Mega on a Raspberry Pi3 using MMDVM). Please ensure the frequency you use does not interfere with anything else (check the band plan). Link to TG9 (this is used for reflector usage). Colour code 1 as set in my hotspot software. The slot is irrelevant as slots are only used for repeaters and not simplex. It is ideal to use the timeout (TOT) set to 180 as a standard. Power set to low as these are low power devices so there s little point in using high power unless the device is far from you and the walls are built like Fort Knox with plenty of concrete and steel. 43 P a g e

44 Now as mentioned earlier, there is a code plug editor by G6AMU. I d suggest getting an understanding of the code plug via the previous instruction which will make using this editor a lot easier. For most of the first menu s, the functions are all the same just spread out in a different manner. General Menus Not much apart from a different layout Digital Contacts They can be exported/imported for easy adding via a CSV file using Excel/OpenOffice Zones The order can be changed easily using up and down arrows Channels They can be exported/imported for easy adding via a CSV file using Excel/OpenOffice Channels can be bulk edited by highlighting the channels 44 P a g e

45 CPS / FIRMWARE UPDATES As with most products that are released into the market, despite all the field testing that is done, there are always some bugs in the system or improvements to be made and these are done via CPS and firmware updates. It s not always easy to know when new firmware is available unless one watches the manufacturers website (TYT have a dedicated menu for CPS and Firmware) or via various Facebook Pages. There is a version of CPS for these radios that allows users to open code plugs from the single band TYT/Retevis radios and then merge the UHF and VHF data. Users with both the dual band handheld and mobile can use the code plug from the handheld in the mobile radio with minimal changes. TYT/Retevis for instance (as mentioned in the programming section) have released two firmware types for their dual band handhelds (and soon to be available for the mobile). One allows for contacts and the other by removing the recording function, allows for contacts. A group on Facebook supplies a weekly CSV file of the contacts for users to upload for the contact version in order to keep their contact list up to date. The contact version is sufficient for all UK talk groups and UK contacts but some people would like all the contacts in their radio. I d suggest before upgrading your firmware (or using the experimental firmware) that you ensure that you make a backup of your code plug and also ensure that you have a copy of your current firmware to reload should something go wrong. Also note that to update firmware you need the manufacturers firmware updating software. TYT/Retevis tend to release their CPS and Firmware in a ZIP file which contains a copy of the latest CPS, Firmware, Firmware Updating Program and brief instructions. Also, there is a way to get the radio into DFU mode by pressing a combination of buttons whilst switching on the radio. The TYT/Retevis dual band mobiles also require an additional step of switching off the radio via the PSU before following the usual steps. I d strongly suggest for anyone that s not previously updated the firmware on their radio to confirm the buttons and steps with their vendor. Whilst bricking many DMR radios is nearly impossible (as reloading previous firmware usually solves the issues), not knowing how to get into DFU mode correctly could result in your radio being out of action until someone can assist. 45 P a g e

46 EXPERIMENTAL FIRMWARE There are two types of experimental firmware that I m aware of. From my experience, they are fairly much the same and offer a full user database which saves adding users to the contacts. USE OF THIS EXPERIMENTAL FIRMWARE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK MD380 Tools which is a Linux based system which therefore is not as simple for all users to setup however once available, it s fairly easy to use. I was fortunate that a fellow amateur loaded it onto a Raspberry Pi image with my software to run my DV Mega (plus various other programs) so I could just connect the radio to the Raspberry Pi to do the required work. Ty Toolz is a Windows based system. It has no installation files and just needs to be extracted from its zip file into a folder on your hard drive. It s available via the DMRTrack Facebook Group or BERORE ATTEMPTING TO USE THE EXERIMENTAL FIRMWARE ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE A COPY OF YOUR CURRENT OR THE LATEST MANUFACTURER FIRMWARE FOR YOUR RADIO WHICH SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURERS WEBSITE (OR CONTACT YOUR VENDOR) 46 P a g e

47 HOTSPOTS As mentioned in the terminology, a hotspot is a low power simplex device that connects to the various DMR networks (Brandmeister and DMR Plus/Phoenix) as well as some other digital modes depending on the device and software used. There are several devices such as the DV4 Mini, DV Mega and SharkRF Openspot. As with radios, it s best to seek out locals with these devices and check how they work before making a purchase. Your choice will also depend on whether you wish to use it portable and your ability to operate the software as some is Linux based. For the majority, you can select talk groups and reflectors via the software or via the radio. The DV4 Mini is a dongle that can connect into a USB port or Raspberry Pi and runs a type of control panel that is the user interface which allows the user to link to various mode, networks, talk groups and reflectors. These units did suffer with connection and audio issues in the earlier days however the issues seem to have been resolved over time with firmware and software updates. These are prices around 115 (dongle and antenna). The DV Mega comes in various forms as one board is common to various units. The units are either UHF or dual band. They can run connected to a PC, Raspberry Pi or linked to a phone via Bluetooth for mobile operation. They also use various software such as BlueDV or MMDVM (Linux based). The best for portable operation is the DV Mega Bluestack which links to the phone and uses mobile data to link to the internet. It s then operated via the BlueDV app. The DV Mega vendor can advise on the pros and cons of each product. Pricing various depending on what you want but a DV Mega board is around 90 (it will still require more hardware to work) and a Bluestack is around 150. The SharkRF is a product I ve not used however it s very popular in the USA. It does not have wi-fi so for portable operation you do require a TP-Link type portable router to connect the SharkRF to via LAN cable. It s priced around 210 which is one reason why I ve not tried it. 47 P a g e