Introduction to DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) Presentation - Ham Radio Q&A

I recently did a presentation at a local amateur radio club about DMR or Digital Mobile Radio. They were looking at various digital modes and felt that I was an expert on the subject. While I’m not quite sure about that, I did do a few videos on getting started with DMR, so I must know something.

So this presentation on DMR was recorded on Wednesday March 13 at the Vilas County Amateur Radio club in Eagle River WI. The video is slightly edited for time and content. Please feel free to use it at your own ham radio club meeting if you are looking for an introduction to DMR as a topic

Colophon:

#DMR
#DigitalMobileRadio
#WhyDMR

[garyn]

I'm about 25 years behind also now retired and just getting back into the hobby. talk about stepping through the Twilight zone I have a lot of catching up to do Thank you for the great talk. Gary from VE3 land.

[daveycrockett]

Guy is absolutely right- you can do cross mode repeat from one digital modes to another on PiStar, open spot, etc. Amazing pres!!!!

[TheBroadcastNinja]

Thanks for a great talk! I'm back into the hobby after about 26 years away, so for me it's a bit like I've walked into a time warp, I've gone from 1K2 Packet radio into DMR, Fusion, D Star...and a whole humble of other modes too...I'm slowly picking up new bits of info and you've now added to that journey, so thank you ::)

[Gravel_Rat]

You answered all my questions I was having while considering getting into DMR. I’ve had my license less than a year, got my Tech in January 2020. And my General in May of 2020. Since then I have been using my privileges mostly on the 2m bands talking semi-local on a linked repeater system. I am building up a QRP kit and want to upgrade from my Baofeng UV5R to something better. In my HT research I cam a crossed the AnyTone HTs with DMR and APRS capabilities. While I know DMR isn’t going to work for me on the QRP side of things it would help me communicate with other members of my off road adventure community as we have a global room on DMR.

Thank you Michal for yet another great presentation. As always I learned a lot. I am very glad you take the time to put together videos like this one

KJ7MFV
Mike Rose

[edfry]

Thanks very much for the presentation. I am studying for the General Class License after almost 50 years as a Tech so your information is most welcome to me.

[johngriswold]

Thank you! You present trustworthy information in a balanced manner. I appreciate that.

[daveNMXX]

Great presentation- I've been a ham for 30 yrs and I just started exploring DMR

[johnsaunders]

Thanks, Michael. A very clear explanation of DMR and the digital scene.

[donaldsmith]

Thank You for the Information I just got my license and ordered a DMR hand held. Your information will help me

[khrv]

Thank you! My first DMR radio is on order (TYT MD-UV390 GPS) and this was a great tutorial to get me started once it arrives.

[buzzsah]

I have been off the air from1982 - 2016, April 2016 my wife bought me a FT1200, and FT400 so I could start up again. Within the first few months I realized things have changed and being an Advance I felt like a Novice, then I heard of DMR, great more confusion. I bought a TYT390w/GPS and lucky for me a friend and operator had a plug and programmed my tyt. Well here I am in 2019 maybe been on the radio an hour per year trying to catch up on 34 years of technology. I find the DMR is not ham radio, there is no challenge for contact, I never got involved in contest for headcount. I enjoyed contact and just some BS'ing with others, and always trying new ways to better my system. That is what ham radio was about. Good vid.

[palzetta]

New to Amateur Radio, and this presentation to DMR help me understand what I am getting into. I just want a plan radio with a antenna. However, i was advised to go for the DMR. I'll see when a friend gives me a radio that he no longer uses. Thanks for the presentation.

[vester]

good info got a sleeping 147.08 in texas .. looking to upgrade at options to wake it back up nice info. Worked with p25 sys 10 years ago talking about bringing back old memories.. Thanks KD5RCH

[panplayer]

This was a great explanation of DMR. I’m currently thinking about replacing my first HT, the UV5R, and either going with a DMR (like an 878), or just getting a good all around analog like the Yaesu VX6R.

[kwlwradio]

Although DMR is complex, it is because of the business radio design mindset in the radios. Anytone is starting to make strides in making the radios more amateur radio friendly. In fact, with the 878 tweaked slightly, you can access and hear any talkgroup from a hotspot with only one channel programmed and absolutely zero talkgroups programmed. All it takes is to change the radio to full Promiscuous mode, unlock the manual dial a random talkgroup feature with the online software, and you can QSY to ANY talkgroup instantly. Add to that the easy method of adding talkgroups quickly in the radio menu, there is really no need to use a codeplug at all using these methods. The result is virtually unlimited talkgroups. The question is, can Icom, Kenwood, or Yaesu put some skin in the game with DMR? Already Icom and Kenwood make VHF and UHF commercial radios with DMR.

I enjoyed the presentation and think you have a very interesting channel. I am definitely adding your channel to my subscriptions!

[mark.]

Yeah, the neatest thing about those hotspots is how some (many?) of them now will do like the gentleman said - come with in a YSF radio and be transmitting into a DMR talkgroup, as setup in the Pi-Star configuration page. Just enable the YSF to DMR mode and away you go. This may not be true for all of the hotspots but many of them now do this. Check it out!

[dougsbrat]

Thanks for the video
I have been using DMR for 5 years now and its my preferred mode for now.
DMR is growing, evolving and expanding daily it seams like (128, 238 users at this moment), so its hard to present up to the minute info.

ie Brandmeister is not the latest Network, there are others as we speak on air and being configured and coded with their own features.

some hot spots are pre built (pay and play), others are build using various components, but all are updated often, many times adding new features.

That IS what makes it Ham Radio

[jamesa]

I think it would be great for the hobby. Yes it is a hobby and folks should remember that. We enjoy radios and talking to people all over. This will attract and keep more people in this hobby by opening up more HF. The generals will still have their own area to play.

[arthurdent]

Great lecture. Thanks for putting in all the time and hard work.

[patazertyui]

Thank you for this interesting intro to DMR, I learned a lot!