Changes to DMR in the last few months have included Talk Groups (TG) to link with other Amateur Radio Digital Modes.

New Talk Groups

TG2351 YSF CQ-UK WIRES-X LINK (USER ACTIVATED)

TG2353 LINK TO BRANDMEISTER TG2353 - USER ACTIVATED

TG260 USER ACTIVATED LINK TO POLISH NATIONAL TALKGROUP

TG260 is now available on slot 1 as a user activated group on all Phoenix UK repeaters. This will allow access to the Polish national talk group. For a QSO please move to user activated TG113 or TG123.

Summary of current Talk Groups available on GB7TC

All except TG9 are also linked through the Phoenix Internet based core links World Wide.

Slot Talk Group Name
1 TG1 World Wide Calling (Always Linked)
1 TG2 Europe Calling (Always Linked)
1 TG9 Local (Secondary)
2 TG9 Local (Primary)
1 TG13 World Wide English Calling (Always Linked)
1 TG80 UK Wide - User Activated 1
1 TG81 UK Wide - User Activated 2
1 TG82 UK Wide - User Activated 3 (Optional)
1 TG83 UK Wide - User Activated 4 (Optional)
1 TG84 UK Wide - User Activated 5 (Optional)
1 TG113 World Wide English - User Activated 1
1 TG119 World Wide - User Activated 1
1 TG123 World Wide English - User Activated 2
1 TG129 World Wide - User Activated 2
1 TG235 UK Wide Calling (Always Linked)
1 TG2351 CQ-UK Wires-X Link (User Activated)
1 TG2353 Link To Brandmeister (User Activated)
1 TG260 Link To Polish National Talk Group (User Activated)
1 TG6550 Link To Brandmeister TG655 (South Africa) (User Activated)
2 TG9990 Echo Server

ROAMING TALK GROUPS

Roaming TG are used to access the DMR repeaters in another region, for example, from GB7TC to call someone in Scotland.

Slot Talk Group Name
2 801 South East
2 810 South West
2 820 North West
2 830 Midlands
2 840 East England
2 850 Scotland
2 860 North East
2 870 Wales
2 880 Northern Ireland

MONITORING THE DMR NETWORK

Local monitoring of GB7TC

This shows who is using GB7TC, by following links you can monitor an individual call sign or switch to other DMR repeaters.

http://stats.dvscotland.net/monitor.php?filter=rpt&rptid=235250

Monitoring the UK DMR network

This shows the status of the UK (and some Dutch) DMR repeaters, also the traffic on the links to Wires and Brandmeister networks.

http://phoenix-k.opendmr.net/ipsc/

Monitoring the UK Hotspots

http://phoenix-f.opendmr.net/ipsc/

If you use the echo TG9990 and it fails to echo audio, then the link is down or there is a core issue. In most cases this will resolve within a few minutes as the link from GB7TC to the internet uses 4G technology and it re-initializes occasionally.

GPS TO APRS

For those getting to grips with GPS to APRS. There are a few different private talk groups you can send the data to which produce different behaviour on APRS.

RRS & Radio IDs  
5050 without SSID
5055 House QTH
5056 Camping
5057 Walking with handheld radio
5058 Boat
5059 Car

DV4MINI AND OTHER DONGLES

The reflector groups linking is currently as follows:

Reflector NAME TG Slot
4400 (UK Calling) TG235 235 1
4401 (UK - Chat 1) TG80 80 1
4402 (UK - Chat 2) TG81 81 1
4403 (UK - Chat 3) TG82 82 1
4404 (UK - Chat 4) TG83 83 1
4405 (UK - Chat 5) TG84 84 1
4409 (CQ-UK WIRES-X) CQUK 2351 1
4410 (SW England) TG810 810 2
4420 (NW England) TG820 820 2
4430 (Midlands) TG830 830 2
4440 (East England) TG840 840 2
4441 (East England 1) TG841 841 2
4442 (East England 2) TG842 842 2
4450 (Scotland) TG850 850 2
4460 (NE England) TG860 860 2
4470 (Wales) TG870 870 2
4480 (Northern Ireland) TG880 880 2
4491 (SE England) TG801 801 2

If there is anything else that you would like explained, send me an e-mail g8vri@rrg.org.uk

Explanation and full list of talk groups and time slots on GB7TC can be downloaded here

For further information and more detail see https://www.dvscotland.net/home

TYT MD380

The Tytera MD380 DMR/FM handportable has become popular with a lot of radio amateurs. The latest code plug with GB7TC included can be downloaded here md380-rt3-swindon.rdt

At a cost of less than £80 it has proven to be a useful entry to DMR with good audio reproduction, easy programming, great battery life and a solid construction. The only downside seems to be the poor selectivity in the receiver front end. All in all a great starter radio.

USING RF POWER AMPLIFIERS WITH DMR TRANSCIEVERS

The general concensus is ‘DON’T!’ The switching speed and rise/fall time requirements for TDMA far outstrip the capabilities of most external RF (linear) Power Amplifiers.

HYTERA MD785G

Hytera MD785G User Manual “note this is the full manual not the short version that comes with the Tranceiver”

Hytera MD785G CPS Guide “Guide to the codeplug & programming”

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