DMR Programming

Earlier in the week I was listening to one of my scanners during my lunch break and a coworker came up and said "Didn't know you monitored a scanner". Got into a good conversation about scanning and he asked, "Do you know anything about DMR"?

Turns out he is trying to monitor a business down the block from his house that is a DMR Motorola Capacity Plus (TRBO) system.

He bought a LUITON DG-TD501 UHF in the hope of doing so. He has had no luck and asked if I could help in programming the radio.

I like learning new things so....

Before I go any further, a disclaimer, I told him, I would give it a try as long as he was only interested in monitoring and I would be disabling the transmitting function and would password the software/radio against changes. He is fine with that.

First step, I downloaded the driver and software (DG-TD501 Software & Driver). From my research, the software seems to copy of Hytera programming structure, if that helps.

Software is called "BFP-DH200F"

Software installed and I was able to read/write to the radio.

My first step was to enter the six system frequencies, each one under a individual channel. Was told that the "Color Code" is 1 and since the "Repeater Slot" is unknown to me, I programmed six channels with Slot 1 and six with Slot 2.

Again, transmitting function was disabled and no transmitting frequency was even entered as a fail safe.

As a test, I did enter one analog channel of a known system just to see know the radio receives.

Wrote back to the radio and, take it over and nothing on any of the DMR channels. The one analog channel receives great and the sound is great.

Based on the user manual, no programming manual available I could find, the LED will light green for RX and this is occurring on various channels.

What am I missing?

Thanks.

You need the group codes. Without them, there is nothing for the radio to unmute on. DMR radios do not have a "receive all" mode.

Most Cap+ systems I have encountered have simple group code numbers (ex 1-30).

You can just enter talk groups 1-30 and I'm sure you'll get a few hits but instead of guessing you really need to run DSD on that system for a couple days so you can see all TGs in use.

Ray_Air said:

Most Cap+ systems I have encountered have simple group code numbers (ex 1-30).

You can just enter talk groups 1-30 and I'm sure you'll get a few hits but instead of guessing you really need to run DSD on that system for a couple days so you can see all TGs in use.

Click to expand...

Thank you.

Is the DSD you speak of a tool that is available via a SDR dongle(s)?

I have two of the low cost NooElec ones.

If so, is there a beginner guide to the setup and basic use to obtain just this kind of information?

grem467 said:

You need the group codes. Without them, there is nothing for the radio to unmute on. DMR radios do not have a "receive all" mode.

Click to expand...

Thanks as well.

lesel said:

Thank you.

Is the DSD you speak of a tool that is available via a SDR dongle(s)?

I have two of the low cost NooElec ones.

If so, is there a beginner guide to the setup and basic use to obtain just this kind of information?




Thanks as well.

Click to expand...

I think DSD will work with a SDR.

DMR Decode works well too. Although I do think the newer DSD works a little bit easier.

BTW, how do you like the radio? Looks very close to the Hytras.

NXDN radios display group ID on the LCD. Isn't that the case with DMR radios? Or does that happen only in conventional/repeater environment?

The Hytera and Connect Systems radios I have don't unless I were to program it on the channel name.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

mike_s104 said:

I think DSD will work with a SDR.

DMR Decode works well too. Although I do think the newer DSD works a little bit easier.

BTW, how do you like the radio? Looks very close to the Hytras.

Click to expand...

Thanks. Sounds like DSD is the right path to get this setup correctly.

Not my radio, trying to get it setup for a coworker, but I really amazed at the sound quality on the few analog I programmed in as a test.

Saw your location and going to send you a PM in a few.

Off work today and spending some time with this radio.

As a test, I am going to try what Ray_Air suggested and enter talk groups 1-30 and give it try before I do it proper with DSD.

First under "Address List tab then Digital" I currently have two items, one item is "Group Call" with a call id of 1 and the other is "All Call" with a call id of 16777215. I deleted both of these items and created 30 individual "Group Call" with ids from 1-30.

Then I went to "RX Group 1" under "RX Group List" and added Call 1-16 to the Member Groups of "RX Group 1" and created "RX Group 2" for call 17-30.

Under the Channels, where I entered the frequencies, does "Auto Scan" do anything? Check it or not?

Before I take this over again to test, Am I doing this right?

Thanks.

lesel said:

Off work today and spending some time with this radio.

As a test, I am going to try what Ray_Air suggested and enter talk groups 1-30 and give it try before I do it proper with DSD.

First under "Address List tab then Digital" I currently have two items, one item is "Group Call" with a call id of 1 and the other is "All Call" with a call id of 16777215. I deleted both of these items and created 30 individual "Group Call" with ids from 1-30.

Then I went to "RX Group 1" under "RX Group List" and added Call 1-16 to the Member Groups of "RX Group 1" and created "RX Group 2" for call 17-30.

Under the Channels, where I entered the frequencies, does "Auto Scan" do anything? Check it or not?

Before I take this over again to test, Am I doing this right?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Not sure if you are doing it right or not since I haven't tried to listen to that system. The auto scan will probably start scanning the zone as soon as the radio is powered on.

Like others suggested, monitor the system to get the IDs using DSD. I'd try to find out their business hours and monitor as they are opening to get security or maintenance traffic.

mike_s104 said:

Not sure if you are doing it right or not since I haven't tried to listen to that system. The auto scan will probably start scanning the zone as soon as the radio is powered on.

Like others suggested, monitor the system to get the IDs using DSD. I'd try to find out their business hours and monitor as they are opening to get security or maintenance traffic.

Click to expand...

Sorry for the confusion, the system I private message you about is not the same as I am trying to get programmed for the radio owner, my coworker.

Just curious about that system since I will be in that area for a day or two.

Thank again for all your help.

lesel said:

Sorry for the confusion, the system I private message you about is not the same as I am trying to get programmed for the radio owner, my coworker.

Just curious about that system since I will be in that area for a day or two.

Thank again for all your help.

Click to expand...

Understood everything beforehand.

lesel said:

Off work today and spending some time with this radio.

As a test, I am going to try what Ray_Air suggested and enter talk groups 1-30 and give it try before I do it proper with DSD.

First under "Address List tab then Digital" I currently have two items, one item is "Group Call" with a call id of 1 and the other is "All Call" with a call id of 16777215. I deleted both of these items and created 30 individual "Group Call" with ids from 1-30.

Then I went to "RX Group 1" under "RX Group List" and added Call 1-16 to the Member Groups of "RX Group 1" and created "RX Group 2" for call 17-30.

Under the Channels, where I entered the frequencies, does "Auto Scan" do anything? Check it or not?

Before I take this over again to test, Am I doing this right?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

I set up my radios to "auto scan" Cap+ and Con+ systems.

You will want to enable auto scan.