Why so little DMR VHF?

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mass-man

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Time for a new 2 mtr mobile and thought a DMR/analog rig might be smart. But WOW very few VHF repeaters with DMR capabilities...WHY?
 

mass-man

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OK...I buy that explanation! Maybe it’s a VHF-UHF DMR/analog rig for me this time! Been using just 2 meters for decades!!
 

KG7PBS

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The only place I know that has VHF DMR for Ham is Central valley California. That’s because of the USAF paypa radar in missile detection system. Other not the rest of the state is UHF same is Nevada. In Reno One of our cab companies runs VHF DMR.
 

djs13pa

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The only place I know that has VHF DMR for Ham is Central valley California. That’s because of the USAF paypa radar in missile detection system. Other not the rest of the state is UHF same is Nevada. In Reno One of our cab companies runs VHF DMR.



Eastern Mass is in the same boat. I see in PA lots of VHF due to coverage thru rough terrain.


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ecps92

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Depends on where you are, I've noticed more VHF but much of that is due to Pave-Paws regions.
Time for a new 2 mtr mobile and thought a DMR/analog rig might be smart. But WOW very few VHF repeaters with DMR capabilities...WHY?
 

N2AL

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Tennessee
Because there's more available UHF pairs?



That is how it is in East TN. There is not a lot of spectrum available for VHF and repeater owners are not moving to DMR from analog.

BUT there is a lot of spectrum available for UHF, and since most radios are either VHF or UHF, and not dual band, most repeater owners have installed UHF DMR repeaters so their Radio’s work for many DMR repeaters in the region.

The only exception is the KD4CWB VHF DMR repeater. In addition to the UHF repeater he has, he also installed a VHF repeater in the Sevier County area, which from what I hear, has great a great coverage area!
 

N2AL

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RepeaterBook.com lists 156 DMR repeaters on 2M in the U.S.



RepeaterBook shows 1,056 DMR repeaters on 70cm within the United States.

There are considerably more UHF DMR repeaters than VHF DMR repeaters.
The math shows about 6.7 to 1 in favor of UHF repeaters inside the United States.
 
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N4KVE

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A local put up a VHF DMR repeater . But in this area, there are 5 UHF DMR repeaters. He eventually took it down as he was the only one with a VHF DMR radio. He sold the repeater, & radio.
 

rescue161

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I have a VHF DMR mixed-mode repeater, but changed it to P25 as nobody was using the DMR side. They liked the UHF DMR machine better.
 

N1XDS

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All depends on the area and the repeater owner likings either on VHF or UHF. In my area sad to say they will never go from analog to any digital format such as DMR, P25 or anything like that. I guess it depends on the crowd that wants DMR in the area and the cost for the equipment and is it really worth it for the owner to put the DMR system up in his eyes. From what I was told by some of the head club member groups here where I live they will never change from regular FM analog to anything new format such as digital. I asked them why wouldn't you want something new to try out they replied with they would like the digital format for the area but the cost of equipment, repeater, radios and etc it would be costly and time consuming programming the radios for themselves and everyone else who has programmed a Motorola radio before.
 
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