EchoLink/Zello

[nd5y]

Personal Mobile Radio Service in the UK is the equivalent to Family Radio Service in the US.

It's PMR446 not PMRS.

Licence-exempt devices

24 GHz wideband Vehicle Radar regulations are set in accordance with the European commission Decision 2005/50/EC. These apparatus are only fitted to new vehicles. There are restrictions on the numbers of units that can come into service within the European Union. Coordination is required between...

www.ofcom.org.uk

 

[KD8DVR]

Have you Tried PMRS there in the Uk ? PMR is Dead in the US because most hams aren't Aware of where it it is, or that WE can use it.

PMR is not a radio service in the USA. The frequencies Europe uses are in the USA 70cm amateur band.

 

[rf_patriot200]

PMR is not a radio service in the USA. The frequencies Europe uses are in the USA 70cm amateur band.

You're right, while it's Not a service in the US those same frequencies Are available to US Amateur Radio Ops in the 70cm band, so they Can be used in the same way.

 

[Spider255]

Here in the UK the 70cms band has all sorts on it, and Hams are only secondary users of the band, its mainly used for low powered devices like key fobs and other related stuff, there is also 10mW LPD which is license free but not popular. I have an LPD walkie and I can open a local repeater on it with just 10mW.

PMR446 is limited to 500mW and fixed antenna much the same as FRS state side but many people here ignore the rule. Its a shame the UK don't have a VHF service like MURS which has a 2watt limit.

In the US I think there are ham repeaters around 446 I've heard people call it the 440 band from YouTube videos I've watched.

 

[rf_patriot200]

Here in the UK the 70cms band has all sorts on it, and Hams are only secondary users of the band, its mainly used for low powered devices like key fobs and other related stuff, there is also 10mW LPD which is license free but not popular. I have an LPD walkie and I can open a local repeater on it with just 10mW.

PMR446 is limited to 500mW and fixed antenna much the same as FRS state side but many people here ignore the rule. Its a shame the UK don't have a VHF service like MURS which has a 2watt limit.

In the US I think there are ham repeaters around 446 I've heard people call it the 440 band from YouTube videos I've watched.

Yes, your PMR band is part of our 70cm band here. the only real difference in the US is the step size.

 

[ultrajv]

Mentions 4m, complains about the hobby dying. Trying to put pis to use. I never did hear you on your monday 4m net. Yes its agent48 lol

 

[Spider255]

Mentions 4m, complains about the hobby dying. Trying to put pis to use. I never did hear you on your monday 4m net. Yes its agent48 lol

Well you wouldn't unless you were very local. If your 50 to more than 100 miles away then you wouldn't hear me. Even I struggle to hear people over the noise even locally on 4 meters. Its a pis poor band to use, too much noise, I also get a lot of noise from the communal TV antenna as well on 70MHz there is no getting away from it so I'm considering giving up with 4 meters and selling the all the 4 meter gear, antennas will have to go in the bin as they are hard to post apart from the wire antennas which can be posted. I'm still thinking about it but its likely I will have to throw in the towel with that band because not only is there nobody on it other than 1 other person its an awful band for my area.

I've heard similar stories from others about 4 meters not working for them either.

I'm better off just sticking with 2/70 & HF. Keep things simple and tidy.

 

[ultrajv]

I set up an Echolink node for fun a week ago. Wont run on Pi. Windows only for RF. Audio in and out via PC soundcard and using Vox for PTT control on an Yaesu 857 and dummy load. There is an Android client but it dosnt have DTMF control. I have a pi zero with MMDVM hat running pistar as a DMR hotspot. Have attempted an allstar Linux setup but its user hostile. It wont work with PC sound, needs a specific usb sound device and far too many config stages to get running.