Digital Trunking (DMR Tier 3, P25, NXDN) on Amateur Bands?

[AK9R]

Plus, it's amateur radio. Isn't the entire point to experiment?

There are five principles defined by the FCC in the amateur radio rules. "Advancement of the radio art" is just one of those five principles.

 

[kayn1n32008]

That's ok. Many of our users have Motorola radios, or would be willing to buy commercial if we make the move.

Yep. Our current system is UHF. We have experimented with 900mhz but the availability of hardware is very limiting.

Our current repeaters are Motorola, and I had assumed we would stick with it. Having said that, having done just a little research so far, Tait and Kenwood have some impressive products. For example, simulcast with sync over IP looks easy to implement.

We currently have 3 UHF pairs coordinated, with a request in for a 4th. The major benefit is getting out of traffic management. Right now we have contention between TGs that are currently on the same channel and time slot, while a time slot on a different channel sits idle. As the system owner we could move the TG to a different channel/slot, but it requires a massive undertaking to get every ham out there to update their codeplugs/radios. Trunking allows users to use all the TGs that are available with no contention (unless of course we get to a point where we're using all channels all the time, which is highly unlikely.) With some trunking technologies we can even add additional sites/channels without any codeplug changes. It's all exchanged on the control channel over the air.

Exactly. Plus, it's amateur radio. Isn't the entire point to experiment?

If they are XPR-8400, MTR-3000 or SLR series repeaters, and have Linked Cap+, go for it. Network them all together via IP and experiment with LCP. You will have to have Motorola subscribers with LCP though.

 

[n9upc]

Funny back in the late 2000's a had a post on here about trunking and the amateur bands. Granted back then it was talking about SmarTrunk (which would have meet the ID' reqs) and somewhat LTR trunking.

My two cents on the subject is why not give it a try and see what happens. If you are worried about the FCC laws then contact the FCC and obtain a variance in the matter for experimental purposes. Also for those that complain about the proprietary nature of a system for things like DMR stuff does exist like that for some amateur data modes!

 

[bill4long]

AES is irrelevant with respect to Amateur Radio given that encryption is illegal on Amateur Radio.

 

[kayn1n32008]

AES is irrelevant with respect to Amateur Radio given that encryption is illegal on Amateur Radio.

No it isn’t irrelevant. And it’s not illegal to use encryption on amateur spectrum where I live.

 

[bill4long]

it’s not illegal to use encryption on amateur spectrum where I live.

Oh

 

[Kaleier1]

At one time amateur radio lead the curve in inventing and adopting new communications technology. That ended in the 80’s.

That was just after the time when the give away amateur licenses started. You no longer had to know the material or radio electronics theory to pass the amateur radio exams. You just had to memorize the questions and the answer. Hell, you just had to memorize the question and the letter number of the answer.

 

[kayn1n32008]

That was just after the time when the give away amateur licenses started. You no longer had to know the material or radio electronics theory to pass the amateur radio exams. You just had to memorize the questions and the answer. Hell, you just had to memorize the question and the letter number of the answer.

It was before that. I was licensed in ‘93, and the progression of inventing/leading the curve was long over then.

 

[N4GIX]

Oh, there is still quite a bit of experimentation and innovation going on behind the scenes, and it's not always about "radio!" For example, over the past eight months there has been a truly world-wide effort from hams to develop a very low cost but highly reliable inexpensive ventilator for use in third-world countries. The chief goal is that it can be constructed using common, off the shelf parts easily available.

One of the first versions was designed using modified RainBird sprinkler heads as control valves, and either a Pi-Zero or Arduino as the microprocessor!

 

[K5KDF]

Agreed. However it requires ‘skills’ not discussed in public. The average user is not going to be using AES with Motorola DMR gear.

Discussing how to activate AES in gen 2 NA Motorola subs will get scum bags like Peter Wilt with HSI coming to your door, or detaining you in an airport, accusing you of supplying AES to drug cartels and terrorists.

Lmao brings back memories

 

[K5KDF]

AES is irrelevant with respect to Amateur Radio given that encryption is illegal on Amateur Radio.

Illegal or not
how would you stop someone from doing it? You can hear what they are saying. If you are the owner of the repeater you could turn off the repeater. But if they are using simplex you can’t do anything

 

[kayn1n32008]

But if they are using simplex you can’t do anything.

Especially if you use the cap+ ID range, or do something stupid like using a RID of 1, 2, 3 ect.

 

[bill4long]

Illegal or not how would you stop someone from doing it?

You can't

 

[K5KDF]

You can't

My point exactly