New to DMR Was: Hi

[Phoenix805]

Hi gang, I'm jumping into Amateur DMR. Have my ID and the radio is on order. I'm not entirely new to digital, used digital radios at work for 5 years before retiring and have had a digital trunking scanner for 10 years but I know I'll be looking for help here more than offering it, at least for awhile. Meanwhile back to lurking and reading the threads.

Bob - AKA Phoenix 805 and KD7PHX

 

[uli2000]

Is there any specific questions you have about DMR? As for setting up and writing a code plug, Youtube has some great radio specific videos. Its hard to reccommend anything specific without knowing which radio you will be getting.

And I see you are in the Phoenix area, at least part time. The biggest DMR repeater network in AZ, AZTRBOnet, is a closed network that requires membership to use their repeaters, keep that in mind. I believe dues are $25/year. They have a yahoo group (azham_dmr) that has more info. The ARA has repeater info that was last updated May 2018. The AZTRBOnet repeaters are C-Bridge, so they have a fixed talkgroup list. There is a Brandmeister repeater on Usery Pass in Mesa, not sure if thats doable on a HT depending on what part of the valley you are in. Getting a hotspot is certainly an option as well.

edit-I don't live in the Valley but have family there and am there a few times a year, so a lot of this info may have changed since I was last there a few months back.

 

[Phoenix805]

No specific questions yet, I'm sure I'll have some later! I've got a TYT MD-UV 380 coming. Looks like it's a decent radio for a good price - time will tell.

I'd like to set up my own code plug, but I think for starters I'll 'borrow' one and try to get a feel for how it's set up before making any major changes. I'll probably be busy with YouTube for awhile when the radio shows up. I'd like to pull it out of the box and use it immediately, but I know that's not going to happen.

I was a member of ARA for several years, I used their repeaters a lot so I figured I could pay the dues and help support them. I'm not sure if they have any DMR repeaters yet, seems like they should, but I don't know. I'll look into that when I get back to Phoenix. I'm in Ohio for another 2 months so I'll get everything set up here then change everything when I get back in November. I would certainly considering joining AZTURBOnet.

Let me know if/when you're in the NW Phoenix/Glendale area and I'll buy you a cup of coffee.

Bob

 

[w2xq]

No specific questions yet, I'm sure I'll have some later! I've got a TYT MD-UV 380 coming. Looks like it's a decent radio for a good price - time will tell.

I did a *lot* of reading on DMR, hotspots and codeplugs before jumping in. I bought a Chinese clone of a ZumSpot in June and ordered a radio after the hotspot arrived. My UV380 bought in July seems to be a good radio. The receiver is sensitive and I am getting good audio reports. I bought a second battery as the charger takes 6-8 hours to fully charge the battery; no rapid charger here. I have been thinking about posting some UV380 crib notes on my website -- Amateur Radio -- as I seemed to be the only one with the new dual version, but I haven't done so yet. So perhaps the's incomplete thoughts may help...

1. When opening your new radio and loading the TYT CPS software, the very *first* to do is READ the radio, and save the initial file elsewhere as a 'do not touch' safety valve backup just in case. I name files in the the format of 'uv380-yyyymmddhhmm.rdt' so I can revert to previous versions

2. An MD380 codeplug will *not* directly load into a UV380. Let's leave it at that. If no one gives you an beginning UV380 codeplug, in my opinion the easiest solution is to use the N0GSG DMR Contact Manager Support Page that can read in an MD380 codeplug and write it out in the UV380 format. You still need the TYT CPS software to read from and write to the radio.

3. The dual VFOs are not ganged. When one has UHF repeaters and VHF repeaters in the same zone list, you can listen to traffic on both receivers simultaneously. It is a nice feature. A few days later I discovered that VFO A audio has priority over VFO B if both receivers are active.

4. The UV380 has 3 power levels -- H, M, L - despite some comfusing literature. I tend to have a quick button program to change same. I program repeaters at M and step to H if needed. Use one of the buttons on the left side of the radio.

5. I might be able to share a codeplug with you but we have Brandemeister TGs and no C-Bridge installed yet.I am in an area where DMR repeater coverage is lacking.

At this hour I know I have not covered my notes, but it is a start... and it is late. Good luck. HTH.

 

[Phoenix805]

At this hour I know I have not covered my notes, but it is a start... and it is late. Good luck. HTH.

Good advise, thanks

 

[K5MPH]

Thanks for the qso yesterday Thomas and Robert if you get a chance try out talk group 31482 (South Texas) and maybe we can get a qso going welcome to DMR ....

 

[w2xq]

Good advise, thanks

Glad it helps a bit. Sorry about some of the grammar and typos last night. I was tired and missed some things typing on my tablet. I found programming repeaters with talkgroups to be problematic when flipping back and forth between screens, as I was making errors on TGs and timeslots. Building a spreadsheet helped me, boiling it down to one page. I sort it on the first column as I enter new data. HTH.

 

[captainmax1]

I am also interested in getting into DMR Ham Radio. We have a new DMR Repeater in my town I've been listening to but don't understand the codeplug and other aspects of DMR that I keep reading. I will be monitoring this thread to see if I can learn enough to purchase a DMR radio. If anyone is in South Florida that understands DMR then feel free to PM me and maybe meet up for a DMR Lesson.

 

[w2xq]

I am also interested in getting into DMR Ham Radio. We have a new DMR Repeater in my town I've been listening to but don't understand the codeplug and other aspects of DMR that I keep reading. I will be monitoring this thread to see if I can learn enough to purchase a DMR radio. If anyone is in South Florida that understands DMR then feel free to PM me and maybe meet up for a DMR Lesson.

Try going through
https://www.jeffreykopcak.com/category/amateur-radio/dmr-in-amateur-radio/ for assembling a codeplug. For programming a repeater in my opinion it afforded me a leg up. For my own use, getting started, I bookmarked a bunch of how-to and intro-to websites Amateur Radio to refer to... and reread as necessary. HTH.

 

[Phoenix805]

I got the radio, upgraded the firmware, and saved the default codeplug. I think I DL'd the latest CPS. I tried to DL a local codeplug and it shows up as gibberish with no way to import it into the CPS. So I set up a very basic starter codeplug and when I try to upload it to the radio I get 'The Model is Wrong' error message. Any ideas what I might be doing wrong to get this message? TIA

 

[KE5MC]

I got the radio, upgraded the firmware, and saved the default codeplug. I think I DL'd the latest CPS. I tried to DL a local codeplug and it shows up as gibberish with no way to import it into the CPS. So I set up a very basic starter codeplug and when I try to upload it to the radio I get 'The Model is Wrong' error message. Any ideas what I might be doing wrong to get this message? TIA

The attached link might help with moving codeplug data between different radios.

Some CPS need to read the radio first before writing. I'm not sure from your text if the starter codeplug was created in a CPS that had not read the radio yet. Also possible that CPS is not for that radio and same for the DL local codeplug.

N0GSG DMR Contact Manager Support Page

 

[Phoenix805]

hmmm, hadn't thought of that. I'll try reading it, editing it, and re-writing it to the radio and see if that makes a difference. Thanks.

 

[w2xq]

Sorry about the problem you are having. See https://forums.radioreference.com/digital-voice-amateur-use/376383-new-dmr-hi.html#post2993990 above. The N0GSG software will do file conversions. Let us know it goes.

 

[Phoenix805]

I THOUGHT I updated the firmware but it didn't take. So now I confirmed the firmware is updated and still having problems. I'm hoping I didn't brick the thing! Actually thought I had it awhile ago, it seemed to upload to the radio but THEN I got the 'wrong radio' message. I knew it would be a long frustrating process - I was right!

 

[w2xq]

Honestly, I never bothered to upgrade the firmware. The MD-UV380 was new to the market in ~July. If you want to PM your codeplug, I'll look at it. No promises though, gremlins hide everywhere...

 

[Phoenix805]

Honestly, I never bothered to upgrade the firmware. The MD-UV380 was new to the market in ~July. If you want to PM your codeplug, I'll look at it. No promises though, gremlins hide everywhere...

Thanks. I downloaded what I believe is a good codeplug and I still get the 'wrong radio' error message so I'm thinking it's a software compatibility problem. What I was able to upload to the radio produced some weird frequencies (I UL 440 freqs and it shows 430 freqs).

The green receive light comes on with no audio, so it must be receiving something. I think I remember reading what causes that symptom and what to do to fix it, but I can't find it now that I need it!

I'm pulling my hair out, but so what else is new?

 

[w2xq]

You have mail.

 

[Phoenix805]

I finally had a little success, I did get an Arizona codeplug to load. Doesn't do me much good in Ohio, but I'm anxious to try it in Phoenix when I get back in November. Time for bed, I'll plug away at it again tomorrow.

 

[Phoenix805]

You have mail.

Where, I can't find it!

I had more - limited - success. I was finally able to DL the Ohio codeplug and I actually wrote it to the radio. The strange thing is I can write it using the MD380 CPS, but when I try the UV380 CPS I get the wrong radio message. Seems like it should be the other way around.

Still not hearing anything even though the green receive light comes on and it looks like receive bars, and haven't tried tx yet.

 

[KE5MC]

Where, I can't find it!

I had more - limited - success. I was finally able to DL the Ohio codeplug and I actually wrote it to the radio. The strange thing is I can write it using the MD380 CPS, but when I try the UV380 CPS I get the wrong radio message. Seems like it should be the other way around.

Still not hearing anything even though the green receive light comes on and it looks like receive bars, and haven't tried tx yet.

In the early days of the 380 the firmware was upgraded with new functions, which I understand to be 3rd party. Casually following the model's history without actually having one leads me to believe it easy to get unexpected results as firmware and hardware(new model) come out and CPS, F/W and codeplug are mixed and matched.

On your other point if the selected channel per the zone does not match the slot#, CC# and TG# you will not hear anything and you will have light and signal activity. Its possible for a permissible/scan mode option that will pass traffic (hear) on that channel. Mine has that capability (AT868), but not sure about yours.
Mike