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DMR - Get Started

[last updated: 2021-09-22]
ham radio home page
DMR radio home page
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Caveat: ... still very much a work in progress...
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    • 1:   get a DMR ID:
      Anyone in the world that wants to use DMR must have an ID assigned by radioID.net.
      (link to:) radioid.net
      Your ham Callsign, First name, and Country are minimum public required personal information in order to apply for a DMR ID
        First "register" with radioID.net
        Then request an ID. This requires that you upload an "official copy" of your ham license. This is the pdf file that the FCC emailed to you when it granted your license.

        (My ID assignment email says this ID is good for: "MARC/BM networks and CCS7 networks". No clue at this moment what that means...)

    • 2:   get a DMR radio:
      • Often suggested as an inexpensive, entry-level radio: Connect Systems CS580 (~$130)
      • A very good, popular HT radio: AnyTone AT-D878UV (~$250)
      • My radio - a mobile/desktop: AnyTone AT-D578UV-Pro
      • Baofeng DM-1701 (~$60)

    • 3:   get a DMR internet connection:
      This can be via a repeater or a wifi-connected hotspot.

      • 3a:   find a local DMR repeater:
        • Search the generic sources - lists of repeaters:
          These sites at least try to list all the DMR repeaters, regardless of network.
          This one is from: repeaterbook.com for my area in The Dalles, Or
          ...
          DMR repeaters in Oregon
        • -or- Search networks of repeaters:
          There are companies/organizations that set up and maintain hundreds or thousands of repeaters across the world. Repeaters from a given company are usually all connected to each other in a large network of repeaters. Repeaters from different organizations/networks may or may not connect to each other.
          Each repeater network has its own set of DMR talk groups:
          • Brandmeister is one of the largest repeater networks, with thousands of repeaters worldwide:
            BrandMeister             (however this link locked up)
            Instructions/tips for Brandmeister network repeaters
            I only see one Brandmeister repeater listed (# 311127) for the Portland Area, in Vancouver, WA:
            TX 442.9625 MHz
            RX 447.9625 MHz
            Shift 5.000 MHz
            CC 1
          • AARG operates 20 repeaters in the state of Oregon.
          • Another is motortbo
          • Another is PNW
          • Searching for DMR-MARC only finds one repeater for that network in Oregon:
            DCI Colton, OR
            KB7APU 442.750 +5 MHz, Color Code 1
            Contact: Loren, KB7APU
            Email: morsnow@q.com

        • When you find a repeater, that you want to connect to, get its "credentials."
          • The repeater credentials give you the information you need to create a “code-plug” for your radio.
            • frequency
            • time slot
            • Color Codes:
                Color Codes (CC) are like PL tones in analog repeaters. To access a given DMR repeater, you must program your radio (via the Code Plug) with (among other parameters) the correct CC for the repeater. CC's prevent conflict in cases where two repeaters are using the same frequency and their coverage areas overlap.
            • talk group:
              Group name
              Group ID
              "Group" or "private" (almost always "Group")
              • ?????
                TG 9 - Connects to your local repeater only
                TG 2 - Connects to your local repeater and those repeaters connected to the local network cluster.
                TAC channels - Secondary channels for long conversations or group chats. Common TAC channels are TG 310, 311, 312…
              • Talk groups on the Brandmeister network: (link to:) BrandMeister Talk Groups
              • Talk groups on DMR-MARC (this opens a read-only excel file list): (link to:) DMR-MARC Talk Groups
              • Parrot / Echo test - TG 9998, TS 2 - This is a network echo test that allows you transmit up to 90 seconds, and after a 5 second pause, will repeat back to you exactly what the network users hear on their end. Excellent for audio level and distortion testing.
                Note: On the Brandmeister network, the echo test is TG 9990, TS 2

      • 3b:   Get a HotSpot if you can't or don't want to use a repeater internet connection.
        If you don’t have access to a local repeater or you want to be as autonomous as possible, use a DMR Hotspot.
        A DMR hotspot is a link (through your local internet connection - whether wifi or DSL, eg.) that allows you to connect your DMR radio to internet DMR networks.
        [more info clearly needed here ...]

    • 4:   Program your radio:
      Use CPS (customer programming software) to create a “code-plug” and load it into your radio.
      (link to:) DS578 software
      or use CHIRP???
      It is also possible (with CPS software?) to download the codeplug that is loaded into your radio so you can edit it and reload the modified version.
      See other links below...

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  • Get On the Air:
    • A real-time log of everyone on any PNW repeater, showing which repeater & which Talk Group they're on.
      (link to:) pnw
    • PNW has weekly nets Sunday at 1830 and Wednesday at 1900 (Washington 2)

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