New UHF DMR Repeater in Wrightwood

[CaptureCom]

For those of us interested in stretching a bit and trying something new in our amateur radio hobby, here's something to consider.  One of the latest modes of operation is Digital Mobile Radio, or DMR.  It comes to us from the commercial radio world.  Motorola has their version of DMR called MotoTrbo.  The other commercial manufacturers have their versions of the DMR radio, but all radios that are DMR are compatible.  Amateur radio worldwide has adapted commercial DMR to amateur radio use.  Networks continue to be established, and amateurs continue to deploy new DMR repeaters.

One such repeater has been placed in service here in Wrightwood.  With a local amateur radio base of over 150 licensed operators, the thought is that a number of us might like to get involved, try something new, and have fun doing it.

The repeater went into service on 01 August 2014.  The repeater operates on 446.06 TX, with a RX of 441.06.  You can listen, but all you will hear is the unintelligible sound of digital radio....until you get that new radio.

There are commercial DMR radios for sale on eBay and other sites, but the best deal around is just going direct to Connect Systems and look at their CS 700:

http://www.connectsystems.com/products/top/radios%20CS700.htm

Amateur radio operators can buy this radio new, with tax, and shipping for about $205.  That includes the programming software and programming cable.  There are two of these radios in use now on the new system, and the owners seem more than pleased with the radio's performance.  Another ham ordered one today.  This appears to be the least costly way to get on the air, but certainly there are other choices from the other manufacturers of DMR radios.

What will you hear and who can you talk to on your new DMR radio?  You can talk to other local hams who have accepted the challenge to try something new and are operating on DMR.  But you can also talk to just about any amateur radio operator worldwide who is operating with DMR.  They come in crystal clear as if they were in the room with you.  And that is true whether it is a local station, an operator somewhere else in California, North America, or an operator any place else in the world (speaking English or his country's language)....all from your new handheld.  It's amazing.  A bit like having the perfect conditions on HF 24/7, and only needing a handheld.

There are a few of us locally who are scrambling to come up to speed on this new mode.  KA6P, N6GGS, KG6ZEP, and WB6K are in the early phase of trying to understand and use DMR.  We are just coming up the learning curve, but always willing to share what we've learned to date with others.  A wealth of information can be found at:

http://norcaldmr.org/
http://www.dmr-marc.net/
http://trbo.info/dci/index.html

The NorCal site even offers an audio feed, so you can hear firsthand what DMR sounds like and who's out there using it.

Come join the fun.

Pat - KA6P

[RobertW]

But you can also talk to just about any amateur radio operator worldwide who is operating with DMR.  They come in crystal clear as if they were in the room with you.  And that is true whether it is a local station, an operator somewhere else in California, North America, or an operator any place else in the world (speaking English or his country's language)....all from your new handheld.  It's amazing.  A bit like having the perfect conditions on HF 24/7, and only needing a handheld.

So are you saying the DMR Repeater is linked somehow to other DMR Repeaters?

[Wrightwood]

(I'm very limited on working knowledge of DMR as I've only had my HT for less than a day.)

Yes the Wrightwood KA6P DMR repeater is linked to repeaters around the world.
I just listened to a ham in Boston chatting with another ham in Perth Australia on the North American group.

[RobertW]

(I'm very limited on working knowledge of DMR as I've only had my HT for less than a day.)

Yes the Wrightwood KA6P DMR repeater is linked to repeaters around the world.
I just listened to a ham in Boston chatting with another ham in Perth Australia on the North American group.

It sounds like the frequencies would get pretty busy and become unusable for talking locally.

[Wrightwood]

Congestion is not an issue.
It's a scalable choice in connectivity:
You pick if you want to listen to local, regional, national, and international or you can scan any portion you choose.

[RobertW]

 

Congestion is not an issue.
It's a scalable choice in connectivity:
You pick if you want to listen to local, regional, national, and international or you can scan any portion you choose.

Well I just might have to give this digital HAM thing a try.  There is a reason that Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, LAPD and a host of cities have gone to digital.  It is so much easier to listen to.   

[Toolman]

Mine came last night, may the programming begin. 

Bob, there seems to be only one DMR repeater in the south bay you may be able to get into and that is on P.V. if you can hit the .380 machine then you can get into the DMR machine, it's the same location. If you get into .380 then call N6RBR he's the trustee for all of the WALA system and can answer any questions you may have. His WALA network covers the world also. I use to go in on his 220 link but now just use the .380

Have a look here for DMR list and coverage map: https://www.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215450409255001968534.0004eab6bcb61ac93db92&msa=0&dg=feature

[CaptureCom]

I'll mention this again....please take some time and look at the three sites I provided in the initial email.  The one Toolman referenced is from the DMR web site.  NorCal and DCI will have additional information, as well as additional repeater locations.  The LA Basin seems to have little DMR coverage.  You'll notice a repeater on Sulphur Mtn near Ojai, CA, and in talking to the owner, he says that the LAX area seems to be a hot spot into that repeater, so there may be an alternative to the PV machine.  He can get into the Sulphur Mtn machine with a 4-watt handheld from the LAX airport area.

[ad astra]

I thought I knew how repeaters work, but can't for the life of me figure out how repeaters carry a signal on 440 MHz across the ocean to Australia? I obviously missed something here.

[CaptureCom]

Thank you for taking the time to ask a great question.

The actual UHF signal remains line-of-sight, so the RF coverage is as depicted at:

http://norcaldmr.org/NorCal-Network-Map/repeater-pages/KA6P/index.php

But the repeaters in various DMR networks around the world are all interconnected via the Internet, using a Motorola-proprietary protocol called IPSC.  The hardware architecture can be found on the NorCal DMR and DMR-MARC web sites.  Only the repeaters must be Motorola MotoTrbo equipment.  Subscriber equipment must only be DMR compliant, and the manufacturer can be just about any one of the common communication companies.

So, you are correct in your recollection of UHF propagation.  The UHF coverage remains in the somewhat local area, however, using the Internet and hundreds of DMR repeaters, worldwide coverage is achieved.

You must check this out.  It's quite amazing.

Pat - KA6P

[Wrightwood]

Connect Systems CS700 DMR Portable Radio
(Currently $205 including shipping and CA sales tax)

Review
http://www.va3xpr.net/connect-systems-cs700-portable-radio-review/

[MojaveSidecar]

Ordered my CS700 and a programming cable this afternoon, should have it Monday or Tuesday. 

Randy
KJ6TAS

[Wrightwood]

You'll enjoy using it Randy

[CaptureCom]

90-Day DMR Status Report:

Hard to believe we've been enjoying digital UHF communications for 90 days now.  The "talk groups" being served by the local repeater have changed a few times since going into service, but the core content remains the same.  Here are the current Talk Groups you can hear and use on the Wrightwood DMR repeater (446.06-):

TIME SLOT 1:

Local
Central California
Central California 1 - PTT
Southern California
Southern California 1 - PTT
Northern California 5150 - PTT

TIME SLOT 2:

Southwest
California
CAL 1 - PTT
CAL 2 - PTT
North America
Worldwide English
Worldwide
Comm 1
TAC 310 - PTT
Parrot - PTT (Audio/signal check)

With this many choices, you are sure to find something or someone of interest.

And in the last month or so, DMR repeaters have been deployed over the hill from Wrightwood; one on Mt. Lukens (LA), another on Mt. Woodson (SD), one in Palm Springs, and a few more are planned for the future.  With these additions, you can travel down the hill and in many areas be able to talk back to amateurs in WW.

We have about 6 users currently, as well a few folks traveling through the area.  Of course, there's room for many more.  Sometime in the not too distant future, a few of us will scheduled up a short meeting here in town, probably on a Saturday morning, and those with interest can come down, hear and see what is going on in the digital world, and hopefully catch the bug.  DMR remains a new, challenging, and extremely fun mode of operation.  And being able to talk to a foreign station, using only a handheld, and hear clear, crisp audio, is still amazing.  Check it out.

Pat - KA6P

[Wrightwood]

We've been talking about the new DMR repeater since mid August.

We'll be holding a free informal DMR Coffee Talk & Demo next Saturday 11/15/14 in Wrightwood.

If you're a Ham this will be a great time to learn more about the fascinating ham radio technology known as Digital Mobile Radio or DMR - even if you don't own a radio.

The DMR Coffee Talk will be held at 9am in Wrightwood. Due to limited space we are asking those that wish to attend to RSVP me with an email or PM.  email: net@KW6WW.com

[RobertW]

For those of you that have PAPA's Mt. Lukens DMR repeater programmed into your CS700 Radio Codeplug, the frequencies have changed as part of a reorganizing of DMR Repeaters in Southern California.  The frequencies have gone from 449.3750 -5 to 449.3800 -5.

[RobertW]

A new DMR Repeater is now operational on Johnstone Peak in San Dimas, giving excellent coverage to most of the L.A. Basin and the San Gabriel Valley.

N6GGS San Dimas:

http://norcaldmr.org/NorCal-Network-Map/repeater-pages/WD6AML/index.php

[RobertW]

A new Codeplug for the CS700 Radio that includes the Wrightwood DRM Repeater (K6AP) and the new San Dimas DMR Repeater (N6GGS), has been produced by members of the PAPA system and is available for download.  In fact it contains all the DMR Repeaters in California and already has all the Radio ID's for most DMR users in California programmed into the digital contacts folder.  It is very inclusive and contains programming for all the PAPA Repeaters, both DMR and Analog as well.  It is pretty awesome, but takes awhile to scroll to the proper "ZONE".   

From PAPA:

CS-700 Codeplug with San Dimas DMR Repeater

A new DMR repeater is now on-line in the Los Angeles area. The N6GGS repeater (449.0375 -5.0 MHz, Color Code 1) is located on Johnstone Peak above San Dimas in the east San Gabriel Valley.

A revised CS-700 codeplug reflecting this change is available on the PAPA System CS-700 codeplug page at:
 
http://papasys.com/dmr/PAPA_CS700.html

[RobertW]

It appears that DMR Radio in California is growing and is here to stay.  I received this announcement in an email from the PAPA system:

Looking Forward...

For the past 30 years the PAPA System and our members have been leaders in the Southern California Amateur Radio community. We have championed innovation in the hobby over the years with the likes of linked analog repeaters, IRLP and D-STAR, just to name a few. In the past several months two things have come on the Amateur scene that we feel are worth embracing, as they put worldwide communications within reach of the majority of Amateurs: networked Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) repeaters and a $200 DMR radio.

In keeping with our love of exploring new technology and tradition of making it accessible to our members, the PAPA System is joining forces with other California DMR groups as a founding member of CAL DMR in order to make DMR in California easy to explore. In a nutshell, CAL DMR is doing a couple of things to make DMR truly accessible and useful: a common talkgroup layout for repeaters statewide (http://caldmr.org/talkgroups/) and a new website for easy access to California DMR info (http://caldmr.org/).

We live in exciting times... in just the two short months since Pacificon in October we have gone from DMR being pretty much a "Bay Area Thing" plus a handful of other DMR repeaters statewide to 3 DMR "Regions" with more than 4 dozen repeaters, 8 of those in Southern California, with more to come. The PAPA System has been fortunate to receive donations specifically for DMR repeaters and infrastructure. Coupled with our high-level sites and some additional repeater pairs, we have been able to bring DMR to most of our coverage area here in Southern California.

We believe DMR is a good thing for the hobby, and affords a unique opportunity to create an open, seamless and statewide network from the Mexican border to the Oregon state line that is easy to use and within reach of the majority of Amateurs. We look forward to hearing you on the latest additions to the PAPA System. For more info on Digital Mobile Radio, please see our own PAPA System website,  http://www.papasys.com/ and the new CAL DMR website at http://caldmr.org/ .

73!
-Cecil, WD6FZA

[RobertW]

There is a new DMR repeater now operational on Santiago Peak, giving good coverage to all of Orange County as well as LA:

http://caldmr.org/CAL%20DMR%20Network%20Tab/repeater-pages/WA6LIF_Santiago/index.php