DMR Programming

[AggieCon]

Online DMR Frequency Search by County

I made an online search tool to lookup DMR frequencies by county: DMR Frequency Finder

I noticed there wasn't a great way to search just those frequencies that are licensed for the ability to broadcast voice+data DMR.

For the trunked systems, you will have to determine the LCN order. First, program the frequencies as conventional objects. It should be easy to find the control channel. Track the order of the voice transmissions to determine the LCN order. If some LCNs are skipped, you might have to view the control channel decode log (after you enter the control channel as a trunked system), paying attention to which LCNs receive voice grants (and correlate that with your order of the frequencies). You should then have enough info submit the system to the RR database.

 

[Kirk]

Very nice! Thanks!

 

[troymail]

I made an online search tool to lookup DMR frequencies by county: DMR Frequency Finder

I noticed there wasn't a great way to search just those frequencies that are licensed for the ability to broadcast voice+data DMR.

For the trunked systems, you will have to determine the LCN order. First, program the frequencies as conventional objects. It should be easy to find the control channel. Track the order of the voice transmissions to determine the LCN order. If some LCNs are skipped, you might have to view the control channel decode log (after you enter the control channel as a trunked system), paying attention to which LCNs receive voice grants (and correlate that with your order of the frequencies). You should then have enough info submit the system to the RR database.

Very nice -- I have a question... what method are you using to determine which frequencies to show? For example - for the license WPJK601, the tool shows 2 of the 4 licensed repeater frequencies none of the mobile frequencies. From my personal monitoring, it is correct (as far as the repeaters) - they do appear to only be using 2 of 4 repeater frequencies.

EDIT: ok - I figured some of this out -- the other 2 frequencies aren't listed on the license as DMR.... doh. Not sure about the MO frequencies though. Also - this is one of those examples of the license not matching reality - the license says conventional but it appears to be a CAP+ system.

 

[AggieCon]

Thanks guys:

Limitation: This database contains only those frequencies that have specific location information attached to their location (in the FCC records). Many frequencies reference a radius around another location as the location for the frequency. Such frequencies are not included in this database. Generally, this means that the input frequencies for some repeater systems are not in the database. Also, some mobile operating frequencies might not be included (but many are). This will allow you to be more succinct in your radio scanning since you are more likely to be able to receive a high power repeater rather than a low power handheld radio.

Note: Many of the frequencies in this database contain multiple emission designators in addition to DMR. These frequencies might be carrying data only or analog FM voice traffic, for instance.

I wanted to get this up sooner rather than later; also I wanted to see if it was of interest. I'll have individual pages for each license or frequency (haven't decided which route to go) eventually, and I will note which frequencies have multiple emission designations (which is almost all of them). The frequencies are a like a supreme pizza... Probably worth programming them as conventional FM objects if no hits initially.

After the holiday, I'll have it where it creates comma separated output that you can copy and paste straight into EZ Scan.

 

[AggieCon]

Here is the EZ Scan quick import I designed: DMR Frequency Finder

It outputs data that you can copy and past straight into EZ Scan with minimal struggle.

 

[AggieCon]

Important -- Change Color Code to Any

I updated my DMR website. It now includes almost twice as many DMR frequencies, call signs, NXDN, and Conventional P25 Phase 1 Digital.

However, a fellow RR member caught a very important problem today (which I have accounted for in the updated version of the website).

If you previously imported into EZ Scan using my Quick Import function, the color code defaulted to 0 instead of "Any." To fix this, shift-select all DMR frequencies in EZ Scan and double click in the column "Squelch," set the Color Code to "Any" (it's above "0"), and then click "Done."

This is either a bug or an inconsistency, because when you add a single DMR object through the "New" button, the Color Code defaults to "Any." However, if you import from .csv or the clipboard, the Color Code defaults to "0." Having the color code to "0" instead of "any" would cause a substantial decrease in the amount of DMR traffic received. When importing on your own, add a column "-1" and change the header to "Color Code" when you import.

DMR Frequency Quick Import
DMR Frequency Finder

 

[SCPD]

Nice job Justin. Nice to see something innovative like this.

 

[GoldenHawk]

Aggie thanks for this. Great work!

 

[Ed6698]

Here is the EZ Scan quick import I designed: DMR Frequency Finder

It outputs data that you can copy and past straight into EZ Scan with minimal struggle.

I tried this the other night just to give it a try. I do believe I followed the procedures properly, however I receive absolutely nothing. My radio will not even show the S for the signal. I know the DMR stuff I programmed myself works properly as I receive stuff and it shows the S. If I use the quick import I receive nothing at all. Really no big deal though as I already have enough to listen to. Maybe I am doing something wrong.

 

[AggieCon]

Can you post a screenshot of the objects in EZ Scan?

Or archive your v-scanner folder and email it to me.

 

[Ed6698]

Here it is. Now that I look at it I may see the problem. I see DMODE is set to Auto. Does it need to be set to digital? Also I am not scanning all 836 frequencies. I have this DMR stuff in its own scanlist.

 

[AggieCon]

Looks pretty good to me. I have my DMode on "Digital," but I'm not sure it matters. However, I can't remember if I've received anything when on "Auto," so probably safest to set it to Digital. Basically, it forces the signal to the DSP rather than one of the chips determining the digital mode and routing it that way. Since DMR is digital only, I should think the firmware is set to DSP automatically.

How many frequencies are you scanning at a time? That might be part of the problem. The Whistlers scan DMR extremely slow. If the users aren't talking much, it might be hard to catch active channels.

I am going to make a new page soon that shows only frequencies for relays, which should help people in RF dense areas narrow down their searching.

 

[Ed6698]

I will change it to Digital and see what happens.

I might be scanning to many, going to reduce the list some, just trying to find something with any activity, I just set it down and let it run for several hours with record on.

 

[AggieCon]

In the meantime, until I build the new page, you can copy from the regular search the results to a spreadsheet. Then filter out everything but FB, FB2, and FB8. You can then further sort by highest output power.

Use the concatenate function to combine the columns and add commas.

Then you'd have a more succinct list to scan.

 

[Ed6698]

I have changed the DMODE to digital, will just let it run for long periods and see if anything comes in. Still not seeing any sign of the S either, not sure if that only comes on when receiving something.

All my manually programmed DMR stuff is set up in Trunked Radio Systems, and there I see the S and do pick up some stuff up. Actually I don't know how active DMR is in this area, but there sure came up a lot of stuff with the quick import.

 

[AggieCon]

A fair portion of the listing on my website will be mobile use with very short range or systems still using analog.

You'll see the S only when there is a signal that breaks the squelch.

Perhaps programming as trunked systems is better. I don't have two radios to do a head to head. It's sure not feasible to mass import as trunked systems, though.

 

[Ed6698]

I will keep a eye on it, DMR is not really to much of a concern to me at this time, unless I stumble across something. Most of my known local DMR is for schools, buses, ambulance service, plus I don't go out roaming with my scanner to find stuff, as per some of the discussion in that other thread.

 

[Ed6698]

Ok I did some streamlining of my DMR from the quick import and then broke it up into a couple scan lists. Radio sat just scanning and low and behold something came across from a Transit service. So I now know this will work okay. DMR seems to be not to active in this area, but as long as I know it works I will keep playing with it from time to time. This quick imports sure made programming DMR simple, just have to set it up the way I like now.

 

[AggieCon]

Excellent! If you don't mind, please email me the info on what you found.

If I had more info on what is active DMR, I could create search tools to better guess what is actually going to be heard.

So far, very few folks have sent me info re found DMR.

 

[kikito]

Excellent! If you don't mind, please email me the info on what you found.

If I had more info on what is active DMR, I could create search tools to better guess what is actually going to be heard.

So far, very few folks have sent me info re found DMR.

Like I said before, great tool you created. And I also donated.

What kind of info are you looking for? Like which frequencies from the website lookup are actually active so far in my area and such?