Prepared for the Bellbrook Amateur Radio Club (BARC) December 21, 2017 Jack Gerbs, WB8SCT

Presenter Brief Bio: Been a ham for a long time Been playing with DMR for 5 plus year Not an expert on DMR, but I do have some experience qualified me to be the presenter Contact Info: Jack Gerbs, WB8SCT (good on QRZ) Email - jgerbs@quanexus.com or jgerbs123@gmail.com

Disclaimer In the interest keeping this technology presentation at a level most Ham’s can understand, I have taken liberties with some definitions and explanations. Not all the images and information presented is my original content. Some of the content has been ripped off from the Internet and I have not given proper credit to those who deserve it.

Goals for the Presentation Review digital modes being used on VHF and UHF Compare DMR vs. System Fusion Review how the world-wide DMR network is built Provide a starting point to programing a DMR radio

DMR – How did we get here? FCC Mandate By January 1, 2013, all public safety and industrial land mobile radio systems must operate within 12.5 KHz, or equivalent-efficiency. Equiviant-efficency is further defined as: One voice path in a 12.5 KHz channel Two voice paths in a 25 KHz channel Data Operations on channels greater 12.5 KHz must employ data rates greater than 4.8 kbps per 6.25 KHz channel, FCC’s Ultimate rebanding goal is 6.25 KHz

Digital Modes NXDN Developed by ICOM & Kenwood (FDMA, 6.25 or 12.5 KHz) P25 Tier 2 and above (TDMA) DMR Tier 1 – FDMA 12.5 Khz (Motorola) DMR Tier 2 - TDMA, 12.5 KHz (Motorola) DSTAR (JARL) 6.25 KHz AMBE+ Fusion (FDMA 12.5 KHz AMBE+2) (Vertex Standrad/Motorla)

TDMA vs FDMA TDMA – Time Division Multiple Access There are two time slots and and each time slot can handle a conversations (two simultaneous conversations on one frequency). FDMA – Frequency Division Multiple Access The user takes the whole frequency and there are two carriers in the channel. Typically one carrier is used for voice and the other for data.

Analog vs TDMA vs FDMA

Which is Better, DMR (TDMA) or Fusion (FDMA), My thesis: DMR is a better technology for typical Amateur Radio application, unless you have a need for low latency data.

DMR Beats Fusion - Thesis Support TDMA – Offer two simultaneous conversations on one frequency Radio is only transmitting in one time slot 35% to 40% battery efficiency The second slot can be used for data, but because it uses only one TS, there is high latency World and wide area network fully developed FDMA – Takes full 12.5 KHz for a user (full channel) No appreciable battery efficiency Because data is transmitted on the second carrier, it offers low latency No world or wide area networks current exist (WIRES)

The DMR Network The key components to the DMR Network are: The Internet Access Bridges: c-Bridge/TL-NET Brandmeister

Bridged Network Example

Programming a DMR Radio Based on TYT MD-380

DMR Terminology Key Terms: User ID Talk Groups (Digital Contacts) Digital RX Groups Zones Color Codes Admit Criteria Time Slot

DMR User ID Each radio needs to be programmed with a semi-unique DMR User ID. DMR-MARC is the keeper of DMR IDs. Use this link to request a DMR User ID: https://www.dmr-marc.net/cgi-bin/trbo-database/userreg.cgi

DMR Talk Groups (TYT – Digital Contacts) Digital contacts can be setup as a Group Call or a Private Call Group Call Talk Groups (TG) are a way for groups of users to share a time slot (one-to-many) without distracting and disrupting other users of the time slot Talk group examples: 9, 2, 3139, 3169

DMR Talk Groups (TYT – Digital Contacts) Private Call digital contacts are primarily used to map individual DMR user IDs to some alpha text that can be displayed on the radio. Map a DMR ID to a call sign and name. Other uses for Private Call are: Sending text messages Steering the repeater to a TG under DMR Plus

Digital Receive Groups A receive group defines what TG your radio will hear (listen to) for the selected channel on your radio You can program multiple TGs into a digital receive group This ability makes your radio highly customizable, but has become a complicated concept for many newbies. Example, On channel 5, named Ohio State, you can listen to Ohio State, Local 9 and Local 2.

Color Codes DMR repeaters use Color Codes (CC) much like repeaters user CTSS or DCS CC must be programmed to match the repeater CC, the default is CC1. The only real purpose to use different CC is when multiple repeaters are operating on the same frequency have overlapping coverage areas.

Admit Criteria Admit Criteria determines when your radio is allowed to transmit Should typically be set to “Color Code Free” for DMR repeater use For digital simplex and analog repeater use it should be set to “Always”

Time Slot In DMR there are two time slots (TS), TS1 and TS2 Each channel is required to be on a time slot There use to be a basic standard for what TG are carried on which TS, but that is now in a great deal of flux (there are no rules anymore).

Time Slot DMR-MARC Repeater Web Site

Zones Zones are a grouping of channels. Radios have a limited amount of zones, and a limited amount of channels can be programmed into a zone

DMR Radio Limitations All radios have limitations: Maximum Channels, 16 or 32 or 99 or 1,000+ Maximum amount of zone Channels per zone Maximum amount of talkgroups (Digital Contacts) Maximum amount of receive groups

9 - Easy Steps to Program Your Radio (TYT MD-380) Install programming software Backup your Radio Get your DMR User ID and program it into the radio Define what Talk Groups (TGs) are to be programmed, Group Call and Private Call Group Call are the actual TGs, example Local 2, Local 9, Ohio State. Private Call are the user DMR ID mapped to alpha text Create your Digital Receive Groups. These are selected from your Group Call TGs Create Channels Place channels into zones Program the radio Save configuration

Primary Programming Interface Two things to know: You click on the plus sign + or the minus sign – to expand or compress each section. To edit a section, right mouse click on the item and select the drop down or you may have to click on the item.

Before You Can Program the Radio You Need to Read the Code-Plug The radio must be turned on and plugged into the computer USB port

1. Backup up Your Radio This should be standard operating procedure! Before making any changes to a radio, back it up This includes brand new radios, so you can always get back to the original factory setting

DMR ID and General Information Select this section to enter you DMR ID and general information. If you are unsure what to enter, leave it at default.

Enter Your DMR ID Other optional information can be entered, such as call sign. Typically leave anything you are not sure about alone, this is why we make a backup!

Button Options There are several user definable button on each radio.

Button Options There are several user definable button on each radio. I find it handy to have High/Low power, Repeater/Talkaround (put repeater on simplex) and Nuisance Delete (temporary locks out noisy signals when scanning on analog)

Talk Groups (Digital Contacts Enter you talk group and private call IDs here.

Define Your TGs Contact Name is any name you want to give to the TG If it is a TG, select Group Call, if it is an ID mapping to user, select Private Call You are going to have to search for this info. The DMR-MARC repeater map and user database

Digital RX Groups A receive group defines what TG your radio will hear (listen to) for the selected channel on your radio You can listen to multiple TGs on a single channel

Digital Receive Groups Example 1: Ohio State with only one contact member.

Digital Receive Groups Example 2: Group List Name TS-2. I use TS-2 to stand for Time slot 2. For this group, I have included most of the TGs that operate on time slot 2.

Creating a Channel There are quite a few details to programming the channel information. The TYT-MD380 supports both digitial and analog channels. For analog channels you have the option of wide or narrow band. For amateur radio use wide band, 25KHz.

Creating a Channel Channels are programmed under the Cannels Information section. Here is an example of the channel list. To add a channel “Right-Click” your mouse on the Channels Information Folder

Creating an Analog Channel 146.52 Simplex Channel. Note the key components that need to be entered.

Creating a Digital Channel Example of a digital channel for Ohio State. This channel will only receive the Ohio State talk group. Note the Group List setting.

Creating a Digital Channel Same as previous slide, but the Group List is now TS2-LC-OH. We created this Group List to include many of the TGs associated with Time Slot 2

Review of the TS2-LC-OH Group We previously created this which is capable to receiving these 3 TGs

Creating a Zone (Easy) Zone are a grouping of channels. Radios typically have a 16 channel zone, based on the 16 position channel switch. Radios with optical encoders, up/down buttons or trackballs, can have several hundred channels in a zone. The TYT-2017 has 64 channels per zone. The TYT MD-380 has 16 channels per zone

Analog Zone Example Zone are a grouping of channels. Radios typically have a 16 channel zone, based on the 16 position channel switch. Radios with optical encoders, up/down buttons or trackballs, can have several hundred channels in a zone. The TYT-2017 has 64 channels per zone. The TYT MD-380 has 16 channels per zone

Digital Zone Example

Only Two Things Left To Do Final Steps Always save the configuration you just created before uploading it to the radio After saving the configuration upload it to your radio

Upload the Code-Plug to the Radio The radio must be turned on and plugged into the computer USB port. Click the red upload button

questions?