Digital Roaming?

[KE9BXE]

So I’ve been playing with my Anytone 878 and trying to understand the practicalities of digital roaming.

Do people configure this feature on their DMR mobile radios often?

Specifically, does one find a source (e.g. Repeaterbook) and upload a code plug of all the region’s (or nation’s) DMR repeaters and have your radio scanning for the next available repeater as you travel about your region or the entire nation?

If yes, do you just set the talk group for Local 9 so you’re able to scan various repeaters to hear local goings on and make QSOs?

I didn’t see many good YouTube videos explaining the practical implementations of this technology, only videos describing the technical how-to of adding a couple of repeaters to a roam list. I’m trying to understand the practical utility of the feature since I don‘t really want to be running to my CPS and radio for laptop tweaking of code plugs on a weekly basis.

Thanks for humoring my questions. I understand the technology, I do not understand the feasibility of the feature.

 

[N4KVE]

I don’t think that’s how it works. This is how we’re using it here in Florida. Rick, AC4XQ has 9 DMR repeaters all over the state. It’s a closed system, & not accessable on the internet with a hot spot. Only one TG per TS. TS 1 is linked all over the state, & so is TS 2. So when we drive all over the state in roam mode, our radios figure out which of Rick’s repeaters is closer, & locks on that one. Sometimes it doesn’t lock on the closest repeater, so I rarely use the roaming feature. But it only roams on Rick’s system. I don’t think you could set it to roam on any freq you happen to be close to anywhere in the country.

 

[alcahuete]

@N4KVE nailed it.

We have a system here in Socal (Papa), and for example, on my 5550e, I can use a talkgroup from Mexico up to Santa Barbara and out to Vegas without ever touching the radio a single time. It roams seamlessly between the various repeaters, kinda like a cell phone.

 

[kayn1n32008]

I don’t think that’s how it works. This is how we’re using it here in Florida. Rick, AC4XQ has 9 DMR repeaters all over the state. It’s a closed system, & not accessable on the internet with a hot spot. Only one TG per TS. TS 1 is linked all over the state, & so is TS 2. So when we drive all over the state in roam mode, our radios figure out which of Rick’s repeaters is closer, & locks on that one. Sometimes it doesn’t lock on the closest repeater, so I rarely use the roaming feature. But it only roams on Rick’s system. I don’t think you could set it to roam on any freq you happen to be close to anywhere in the country.

@N4KVE nailed it.

We have a system here in Socal (Papa), and for example, on my 5550e, I can use a talkgroup from Mexico up to Santa Barbara and out to Vegas without ever touching the radio a single time. It roams seamlessly between the various repeaters, kinda like a cell phone.

What N4KVE and alcahuete don't say, and is extremely important, is that these networks are configured to allow the users to roam. To do this, each repeater broadcasts a beacon when there is no traffic, AND the user radios are programmed with a roaming list.

There is also a roaming signal strength threshold set as well. When the signal strength falls below the roaming threshold, it scans the repeaters in the roaming list, and if there is one that is beaconing stronger than the threshold, it will switch to it.

Not all repeater are set up to broadcast a roaming beacon.

 

[alcahuete]

What N4KVE and alcahuete don't say

@alcahuete didn't say it because it's not true. The Anytones, for example, use GPS roaming, and it works great. It isn't roaming in the old school sense with beacons and such, but it's more roaming via geofencing. Still roaming.

 

[k2jzd]

Motorola dmr roaming is WAY different than Anytone DMR roaming OR GPS ranging.

Motorola dmr roaming is true roaming almost like a trunked system. You input the personalities (channels) in the CPS and then setup a roam list per channel. The radio will then auto switch to the closest repeater in the roam list for that channel. With area-wide systems it works GREAT! I live in the NY metro area which has several DMR networks with wide area coverage but they have their own specific talk group for their own network. Being able to have a roaming list per channel in the Motorola makes things simple.

Anytone DMR roaming is exactly as mentioned in a previous post on this thread. You have to enter all the personalities (channels) in the roaming channel list and setup roaming zones. The difference is the roaming zone can not be setup per channel. This makes it difficult when mobile because the radio auto defaults to the last roaming zone which may be different than the roaming channel you are on. You have to select which roaming zone matches the roaming channel your on the radio itself. This makes using different wide area DMR networks more complicated.

Finally, GPS ranging as mentioned earlier is in fact geofencing but only changes the zone on the anytone based on the coordinates you enter for that zone. It does NOT put you on the closest repeater. You could set each zone to have channel A and channel B to be the strongest repeaters in that zone and that might help.

All in all, Motorola wins out over anytone on dmr roaming. I wish anytone would try to closely mimic what motorola has done as im sure theres many of their customers that live in metro areas that have multiple wide area dmr networks. I suppose they are careful not to copy exactly what motorola did maybe due to patent infringements.

 

[K6GBW]

@N4KVE nailed it.

We have a system here in Socal (Papa), and for example, on my 5550e, I can use a talkgroup from Mexico up to Santa Barbara and out to Vegas without ever touching the radio a single time. It roams seamlessly between the various repeaters, kinda like a cell phone.

I'm also a PAPA member and use DMR quite a bit. I've searched PAPA's site for information on how to do roaming and I guess I'm missing it. Is there anything on the site that explains how to set this up?

Appreciate it.

 

[alcahuete]

I'm also a PAPA member and use DMR quite a bit. I've searched PAPA's site for information on how to do roaming and I guess I'm missing it. Is there anything on the site that explains how to set this up?

Appreciate it.

It's pretty easy to set up. I just have all the repeaters in a roam list and set an RSSI threshold (around -100 dBm is what I use, if I recall). Since Papa is set up the same way on every repeater, as far as talkgroups and timeslots are concerned, it should just seamlessly roam.

 

[K6GBW]

I may just give that a try, Thanks!