GETTING READY FOR DMR IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE

[nokones]

In the near future, my radio club will be implementing a DMR repeater system on a Business Radio Service frequency with a repeater located on high elevated remote radio site. The long-term goal is having linked repeaters throughout the State for Statewide radio coverage. Since, I essentially don't have any spare room in my 23 Wrangler Rubi 2 Dr. I elected to go overhead with the installation of a Motorola XPR5550e dashmount radio. This makes the fourth radio I have installed in my jeep.

I was hoping the Club would have gone the P25 route, but they decided to go DMR.

 

[ladn]

In the near future, my radio club will be implementing a DMR repeater system on a Business Radio Service frequency with a repeater located on high elevated remote radio site.

Why a Part 90 system for a "radio club".

 

[nokones]

Why a Part 90 system for a "radio club".

Less restrictions insofar as to Frequency Coordination and Congestion, Linking/Networking, Digital Emissions, and Encryption. Do I need to say more?

 

[Echo4Thirty]

Why a Part 90 system for a "radio club".

There is a group near Houston that has a part 73 LPFM broadcast transmitter on the air. That one is a head scratcher.

https://fccdata.org/?lang=en&facid=788138

9 whole watts at a little less than 300' on 104.5 just west of Tomball, TX

 

[K9KLC]

Less restrictions insofar as to Frequency Coordination and Congestion, Linking/Networking, Digital Emissions, and Encryption. Do I need to say more?

Guessing this is something other than a ham radio club?

 

[AK9R]

I think this is a trend among GMRS system owners. They got frustrated that the FCC actually agrees with the rules that prohibit Internet linking of GMRS repeaters, so they are putting up Part 90 MotoTRBO systems and you have to pay for access.

 

[K9KLC]

I think this is a trend among GMRS system owners. They got frustrated that the FCC actually agrees with the rules that prohibit Internet linking of GMRS repeaters, so they are putting up Part 90 MotoTRBO systems and you have to pay for access.

That would make perfect sense I guess. Sort of like the old community repeaters back in the 90s or so. I think there's still a few on the air here around me been a while since I checked.

 

[W8UU]

There is a group near Houston that has a part 73 LPFM broadcast transmitter on the air. That one is a head scratcher.

https://fccdata.org/?lang=en&facid=788138

9 whole watts at a little less than 300' on 104.5 just west of Tomball, TX

Not really. It's a low power FM broadcast construction permit. FCC rules require the licensee to be a not-for-profit group. Individuals and for-profit entities are forbidden to be license holders.

I'm guessing one of two things are happening here:

(a) the ham group is acting as licensee for bartered block programming that meets the FCC's stipulations on non-commercial programming, or

(b) the ham club is actually wanting to program the station as a club activity to serve their community.

In either case, the restrictions are heavy on what LPFM stations can and cannot do. Having some good amateur radio licensees heading up the technical plant is probably a 1000% improvement on what most LPFM operators can bring to the table. It's an interesting twist to the amateur radio club community, and honestly it's not something I've really seen elsewhere.

I hope this is an indication that the ham community is alive and well in the Houston area. Many ham clubs are dying. It's nice to see one branching out into uncharted territory and taking on huge projects like operating an LPFM station.