Hi I'm a DMR dummy.

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nevets2968

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As per the subject heading...I'm a real dummy when it comes to all of this DMR stuff.

Let me backtrack a bit. My sister got me a super late birthday gift recently. That being the following :


1. A Anytone D868 ( I've already updated the firmware.)
2. A Zumspot kit w/ c4labs case from HRO.

Nice going sis!

Now here comes the problem :

Someone sent me a codeplug for New Jersey (I'm located in North Jersey btw.) I believe I uploaded the codeplug to the radio correctly. AND I think I programmed the talkgroups properly.

Now comes the issue.....When I'm @ the pi star admin screen - i believe it's that screen - under RADIO INFO - TRX is blank.

Is it something I didn't enter on the radio side or the zumspot side?

Or is the codeplug "written" badly?


Thanks in advance - and if someone has a NJ codeplug I'd be more than happy to try that out.
 

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jaspence

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If you have a code plug from another source, it should have the talk groups already in it. If it was for an older version of the firmware, it may not work. Also be sure to change the DMR user number to your number in the code plug. To use a hot spot with pistar, you should have a dedicated zone in the 4.33.xxx simplex range to communicate with the hot spot.
 

n9mxq

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If TRX is blank in Pi-star, you haven't told it what frequency to use. It has NOTHING AT ALL to do with the codeplug.

I'd recommend watching the how-to setup videos from W1MSG on YouTube, and joining the forums at http://forum.pistar.uk
 

n9mxq

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OK, I'm wrong.. TRX will only show when you transmit with your HT. Did you add channels and a Zone for your hotspot (or find one already in the codeplug) and match the freq on the hotspot?
 

w2xq

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It is difficult to say what the problem is. I suspect the PiStar configuration.

Let's dispense with the codeplug first. The N0GSG DMR Contact Manager Support Page will, among other things, enable a bit easier editing and allow one to import codeplugs fron other popular radios. The program is also helpful for its error checking within the codeplug. The program also outputs CSV files, and it may be easier to spot discrepencies in coding channels.

I suspect the PiStar setup and I wonder if you have looked at https://forum.pistar.uk/index.php forums. See the https://forum.pistar.uk/viewforum.php?f=15 W1MSG videos in particular. Ensure you look at the https://forum.pistar.uk/viewforum.php?f=23 section and are running at least v.3.4.15.

Other selected readings:

https://amateurradionotes.com/dmr.htm
https://kd8twg.net/category/dmr/dmr-learning-series/
https://www.jeffreykopcak.com/category/amateur-radio/dmr-in-amateur-radio/

For setting up repeaters in nNJ:

Home
N2NSA.NET

And I have more reading links at Amateur Radio

I'm in the final stages of sharing my MD-UV380 codeplug sooner than later through my website. It's taken me a month to build the codeplug to what I think is a "complete" status. I'm having my mentors look at it.

HTH
 

KE5MC

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...snip..
Now comes the issue.....When I'm @ the pi star admin screen - i believe it's that screen - under RADIO INFO - TRX is blank.

Is it something I didn't enter on the radio side or the zumspot side?
...snip...

Yes, something is missing on the zumspot side. There are three different messages depending on what the zumspot is doing.

Idle = Green background with Listening
Tx = Red background with name of mode (DMR, D-Star etc.)
Hold = Pale Blue and name of mode zumspot is holding on until timeout.

Mike
 

nevets2968

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It is difficult to say what the problem is. I suspect the PiStar configuration.

Let's dispense with the codeplug first. The N0GSG DMR Contact Manager Support Page will, among other things, enable a bit easier editing and allow one to import codeplugs fron other popular radios. The program is also helpful for its error checking within the codeplug. The program also outputs CSV files, and it may be easier to spot discrepencies in coding channels.

I downloaded the NOGSG contact manager and when I attempt to import my codeplug, I receive the following : Failed to load codeplug; the specified file is invalid.


So that's a no go.

EDIT - I created the dcf file.
 
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nevets2968

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OK, I'm wrong.. TRX will only show when you transmit with your HT. Did you add channels and a Zone for your hotspot (or find one already in the codeplug) and match the freq on the hotspot?

Bare with me...as I'm a real moron when it comes to this stuff.

How do I go about doing this?
 

KE5MC

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At the level of Firmware and CPS for the 868 the dcf format is the best/only option.

What I have found up to this point is DMR thru a zumspot is very different than thru a repeater. A NJ codeplug is for the repeater and will be of little help for the zumspot.

From your original post the attached image indicates your zumspot is not ready to pass DMR from or to your radio/internet.

There are many tutorials already listed that will be helpful. The only downside to them is they address DMR zumspot setup and really skim what the radio setup is. Color code 1 and Slot 2 is the most consistent data. It gets confusing when you add in DMR+ and brandmeister gateways/reflectors and what talkgroups to use.

D-Star is much easier.

Mike

P.S. I think its best to setup the zumspot first and then you can watch the dashboard to see the traffic coming to you. Then figure out the radio side to listen, especially on the 868 as it has digital monitoring allowing you to hear traffic without regard to talk group number.

The following link is good! 147 pages of setup information for the zumspot. It includes DMR and the other modes you can skip over.
I think you can see the complexity of the setup is not answered in a few Q & A exchanges.
Good Luck
http://www.papasys.com/dmr/resources/DATA/docs/ZumSpot_Pistar_KC6N_20180704.pdf
 
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w2xq

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I downloaded the NOGSG contact manager and when I attempt to import my codeplug, I receive the following : Failed to load codeplug; the specified file is invalid.

So that's a no go.

EDIT - I created the dcf file.

I assumed the Contact Manager was compatible with your make and model of the radio? Did you check the program read-me pdf?

I don't know where you are in nNJ, but you might look at the N2JTI Home website and create a new codeplug. Only program in a few talkgroups for the nearest repeater and get the radio workung.

FWIW, I make backups... often... even as I work... using the file name format uv380-yyyymmddhhmm.rdt so be able to back up if something goes amiss. Your prefix d868... but I don't know the file extension the Anytone software uses.

Let us know how it goes.

Re the ZumSpot setup, the papasys refers to an older version. The HRO kit https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-015993 includes a ore-imaged SD card. I would think the auto-AP would find your network. I would encourage you to look at the W1MSG videos. But that's me.
 
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N4KVE

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Don’t take this wrong, but the last time I was in north NJ, there were over 12 repeaters in range of the hotel where I stayed between NJ, & NYC. Why would you need a zumspot? I thought they were for people who had no repeater close by.
 

w2xq

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Don’t take this wrong, but the last time I was in north NJ, there were over 12 repeaters in range of the hotel where I stayed between NJ, & NYC. Why would you need a zumspot? I thought they were for people who had no repeater close by.

Lots of hills and valleys especially in the north central and northwestern corners of the state make things difficult. DMR repeater coverage is spotty, c.f. N2JTI Home map. Listen to TG 31360 during the workday when some road warriors are working in the territory; switching repeaters and shadows are the norm.
 

nevets2968

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Don’t take this wrong, but the last time I was in north NJ, there were over 12 repeaters in range of the hotel where I stayed between NJ, & NYC. Why would you need a zumspot? I thought they were for people who had no repeater close by.


Where in North Jersey where you staying at? I'm in Wayne so there's no DMR repeaters I can hit from my house. I believe there's on on Garret Mountain (which again I can't hit from my place.)
 

nevets2968

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As previously mentioned I do have the HRO zumspot. I have the latest version of Pi Star loaded w/ all my credentials.

I still think the issue is on the radio side. There's a plethora of videos showing how to set up a mmvdm / jumbspot / zum...but none that I can find that deals with programming a Anytone for use with a hotspot.
 

N4KVE

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Lots of hills and valleys especially in the north central and northwestern corners of the state make things difficult. DMR repeater coverage is spotty, c.f. N2JTI Home map. Listen to TG 31360 during the workday when some road warriors are working in the territory; switching repeaters and shadows are the norm.
OK. I stayed for a week in Livingston NJ, & there were almost 12 repeaters available between DMR, & analog.
 

KE5MC

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As previously mentioned I do have the HRO zumspot. I have the latest version of Pi Star loaded w/ all my credentials.

I still think the issue is on the radio side. There's a plethora of videos showing how to set up a mmvdm / jumbspot / zum...but none that I can find that deals with programming a Anytone for use with a hotspot.

If the attachment in your 1st post of a blank Trx field has not changed and no indication it has, the zumspot is not ready to pass DRM traffic. My apologies if it has changed. I agree information on programming the radio is on the limited side.
Mike
 

n9mxq

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Pm me, I'll be glad to send you my codeplug. Its set up for my hotspots.. import the hotspot stuff from mine, change the frequency for the channels and you should be set
Bare with me...as I'm a real moron when it comes to this stuff.

How do I go about doing this?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
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