MORE TDMA APPROVED

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brey1234

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This Order grants a request from the American Radio Relay League, Inc.,
(ARRL) for a temporary waiver1 to allow amateur stations to use additional emission types when
transmitting voice or data communications.2 Specifically, ARRL requests a waiver to permit amateur
stations to transmit communications on amateur service channels above 30 MHz using single time-slot Time
Division Multiple Access (TDMA) systems currently on the market and used by stations in other services,
pending the resolution of a related rulemaking proceeding.3 For the reasons set forth below, we grant the
waiver request. In addition, we dismiss as moot a previously-filed request from ARRL for clarification of
the rules as they apply to TDMA digital emissions.
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2013/db0325/DA-13-542A1.pdf
 
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DaveNF2G

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This allows hams to use MotoTRBO on the ham bands. [sarcasm]Whoopee![/sarcasm]

Bet the Hamsexy guys are having a party today.
 

CommJunkie

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Yay, more expensive radios to buy. Not. Unless/until there are multiple (and by that I mean more than 5) TDMA systems in my area, I'll keep my $4k per radio.
 

kayn1n32008

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CommJunkie said:
Yay, more expensive radios to buy. Not. Unless/until there are multiple (and by that I mean more than 5) TDMA systems in my area, I'll keep my $4k per radio.

Ummm TRBO radios can be had for well under 1k...
 

W2NJS

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Actually, it's now well under $500, but that's just for the radio. The programming cable and software will add a bit more to the total cost.
 

kayn1n32008

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Either way nowhere near $4K
 

AK9R

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So, anyone got a crystal ball?

Which digital mode will win out on amateur radio? D-Star? P25? NXDN? MotoTRBO?

Having different standards is good for competition, but it can be bad for the consumer. In the end, somebody is going to get stuck with some white elephants.
 

mikegilbert

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We've got a good mix of analog, P25, D-Star and now TRBO repeaters here in Seattle. I've been chatting on the new Cougar Mountain 441.325 repeater which is connected to the DCI network http://www.trbo.info/dci/index.html. I absolutely love the connectivity of it. With a simple twist of a channel knob, I can connect with people all over the world. No fussy echolink DTMF commands to send- Just hit the PTT, ID and go.

I'll admit that P25 does sound better and there are more machines on the air up here in Seattle, but trying to link a couple of Quantars requires thousands of dollars worth of v.24 modems, dedicated T1 lines, etc. Dollar for dollar, you'll be hard pressed to find a better solution. Thanks to the open nature of the DMR project, there are plenty of companies coming out with new networking and other applications tailored for TRBO.

Color me excited for what the future holds. This FCC approval is just what the hobby needs, IMO. :)
 

SCPD

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And the winner is ....

.... Which digital mode will win out on amateur radio? D-Star? P25? NXDN? MotoTRBO? ....

I think what will happen, is that none of those will go away.
You'll have a few people on D-Star, some people on MotoTrbo, etc.

Watch when used Tetra equipment comes available, people will go and set up some machine somewhere.

Same with used OpenSky when it hit's the flea markets.
Someone will put a machine up just to do it.
And call it the greatest digital mode since Marconi induced a wire.

And the hobby will continue to fragment.
 

newsphotog

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I think what will happen, is that none of those will go away.
You'll have a few people on D-Star, some people on MotoTrbo, etc.

Watch when used Tetra equipment comes available, people will go and set up some machine somewhere.

Same with used OpenSky when it hit's the flea markets.
Someone will put a machine up just to do it.
And call it the greatest digital mode since Marconi induced a wire.

And the hobby will continue to fragment.

Bingo! This is amateur radio, not VHS vs. BetaMax.
 
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DaveNF2G

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This is amateur radio, the hobby that used to show the radio industry how to do new things.

Now it is the hobby that begs the FCC to allow new modes so it can buy radio industry castoffs at flea markets.
 

wten77

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Digital

With every hobby there is always technology evolving. Technology cost money. There are always those who are cheap and complain about spending money on a hobby. If you want to whine and cry than just spend the 50 bucks for a wouxun puxing or beufong and go hang out with the other complainers on those old master 2 analog repeaters. Digital is the latest and greatest. And you either want to adapt to change and spend some money. Many people think new technology should be cheap lol. You get what you pay for.
 

kayn1n32008

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wten77 said:
With every hobby there is always technology evolving. Technology cost money. There are always those who are cheap and complain about spending money on a hobby. If you want to whine and cry than just spend the 50 bucks for a wouxun puxing or beufong and go hang out with the other complainers on those old master 2 analog repeaters. Digital is the latest and greatest. And you either want to adapt to change and spend some money. Many people think new technology should be cheap lol. You get what you pay for.

Best post ever! Sadly to many old farts are holding onto the past. The writing is on the wall. Digital voice (above 50MHz) is where technology is going. It is sad when one has to bring crotchety old hams into the 21st century. Heck just try and convince them to retire the 25yr old MSR2000 and put in a synthesised repeater... Never mind a DMR/P25/D-Star repeater.
 

N9NRA

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We've got a good mix of analog, P25, D-Star and now TRBO repeaters here in Seattle. I've been chatting on the new Cougar Mountain 441.325 repeater which is connected to the DCI network Direct Communications, Inc - Homepage for a bogus group of IPSC Network Lids. I absolutely love the connectivity of it. With a simple twist of a channel knob, I can connect with people all over the world. No fussy echolink DTMF commands to send- Just hit the PTT, ID and go.

I'll admit that P25 does sound better and there are more machines on the air up here in Seattle, but trying to link a couple of Quantars requires thousands of dollars worth of v.24 modems, dedicated T1 lines, etc. Dollar for dollar, you'll be hard pressed to find a better solution. Thanks to the open nature of the DMR project, there are plenty of companies coming out with new networking and other applications tailored for TRBO.

Color me excited for what the future holds. This FCC approval is just what the hobby needs, IMO. :)

Couldn`t agree more :). Now that the FCC has spoken (or started to anyway) mabey the companies that are making radios will decide that DMR is the next big thingy after DSTAR and P25 and produce some nice, shiny new units for us (or we can just get our hands on some commercial gear and get on the air that way too :)). Kudos to the FCC on this `un. N9NRA
 

JRayfield

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This is exactly what I'm hoping for, too. I can see why a large manufacturer (like Yaesu) might hold off on introducing a DMR-compatible radio, when the FCC hadn't said that it was 'ok' yet in the U.S.. Now that the FCC granted the waiver, there's very little doubt that they will do anything but give the final 'official approval' (but I never hold my breath when we're talking about the FCC <G>). Once the 'final approval' is there, maybe Yaesu will introduce a DMR radio (or maybe a flash firmware upgrade to the new unit that they introduced this past year? That would be cool...).

John Rayfield, Jr. CETma
W0PM

Couldn`t agree more :). Now that the FCC has spoken (or started to anyway) mabey the companies that are making radios will decide that DMR is the next big thingy after DSTAR and P25 and produce some nice, shiny new units for us (or we can just get our hands on some commercial gear and get on the air that way too :)). Kudos to the FCC on this `un. N9NRA
 

AK9R

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Once the 'final approval' is there, maybe Yaesu will introduce a DMR radio (or maybe a flash firmware upgrade to the new unit that they introduced this past year?...).
You referring to the Yaesu FT-1D handheld that was shown at Dayton last year? That radio hasn't seemed to have made it past the prototype stage and it was never released for sale in the U.S. Also, according to Yaesu's advertising, that was an FDMA radio, not TDMA. Would a firmware upgrade turn it into a TDMA DMR radio? I dunno. What we do know is that Yaesu would not talk publicly about the radio at the Orlando Hamcation last month. It will be interesting to see if they have anything to talk about at Dayton this year.
 
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DaveNF2G

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My point was that ham radio should be developing new ways to do digital voice, not waiting for the FCC to allow us to use modes developed by the commercial industry.
 

MTS2000des

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Good news, now all the "it's only ham radio unless it's tubes and CW keys" crowd who balk at my XPR6550 can STFU and stop claiming "it's illegal" and I can enjoy being able to key up and work a SINGLE SITE repeater from all over Atlanta with a 4W portable, have worldwide connectivity without fussing with confusing call lists, and solid voice copy even in less than desirable signal areas- you know, no R2D2 like you get with some unnamed digital format that is pushed by one company and has no FEC.

MotoTRBO...digital remastered! Now approved for Part 97 (about time, after all, aren't we supposed to be "advancing the art of radio communications" with our service? How are we going to continue doing this using yesteryear's technology?)
 
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