GMRS, MURS and DTR Digital at Disney World

[JASII]

GMRS, MURS and DTR Digital at Disney

I thought I would resurrect this post because I was using off-network Direct Talk last weekend while camping. The group I was with had a Nextel Motorola i315 and two i670s. We had reliable coverage for 1/2 mile, but beyond that forget it. I have also experimented recently with using a select "channel" and "code" vs. "Pvt only". While it is nice having the option of using "Pvt only", I am finding it to be less convenient for how I typically use these. The reason is if I have, for example, Channel 2 Code 2 selected, whenever I want to contact another person on that channel/code all I have to do is press the push to talk switch without even bothering to look at the display. With a "Pvt only" selected I have to either enter the 10 digit number of select the contact of who I wish to talk to. Until recently, both my wife and I had regular Nextel service. I still have Nextel through work, but she switched to T-Mobile because of her other family members. While I also have a subsidy unlocked Motorola Tundra GSM phone on T-Mobile, I really don't want to bother with that if we are in close proximity to one another and just want to be able to reach each other quickly. Since I have a pair of Nextel Motorola i670s, I have just been leaving them in her van, since that is typically what we use if the family is going somewhere together. If we end up shopping, we each take one of these and can reach each other quickly when we need to. We also keep a spare car charger in the van in case one of the batteries needs to be topped off.

 

[rescuecomm]

I have 5 Motorola I355's that are used for the same thing in crowded areas. The 0.6 watts doesn't go far, but usually far enough. As a matter of fact, we used two of them to coordinate labeling electrical panels at the factory rather than tote around the old Motorola P110 UHF HTS.

Bob

 

[JASII]

Direct Talk

Do you usually select a Channel and Code or do you ever select Channel and Private? Usually I go with a Code rather than Private, but I was trying Private this weekend. At first I thought it was neat since I could chat with my wife without the kids hearing, but then I realized that in this case KISS applies (Keep It Simple Stupid) and that with a Code selected all I needed to do was use the Push To Talk to call. With Private, after a period of time, I had to go to the contact list or enter the 10 digit telephone number to call my wife. Not a real big deal for me, but she probably prefers more than I do to keep it simple.

 

[KD8DVR]

The DTR radios are nice, but for practically the same thing, the Trisquare radios are better priced.

Of course in a serious working environment where you are worried about ruggedness or so, perhaps the Motorola radios are better, but seriously, I would consider the TriSquare units.

I used the TriSquares at WDW. They worked great. Had full communications across all areas we were split up in the Magic Kingdowm. Stock batteries lasted from 1 pm to 11p when we left... they just gave up at the last minute

I long gave up on FRS/GMRS, as you have crowded frequencies that make communications impossible at best.

 

[KD8DVR]

Forget their 800 MHz transmitters, what about 500 people within 1,000 feet of you with FRS/GMRS radios yakking on them endlessly? I'd take leaky coax from a 50W transmitter 1/4 mile away than several watts being radiated within sight of me.

GMRS would probably work great if there wasn't so much co-channel interference in the parks. WDW's Nextel system is not sharing the same channels as the DTR/Trisquare radios, so even with a noisy transmitter it still won't cause as much interference as an on-channel source.

When I go there next I'd love to tape a VHF radio, UHF radio, and a DTR or Trisquare radio together and try them out under the exact same conditions. I'm sure the results would be interesting.

For the Hams, there are 2M and 440 WDW repeaters on property apparently. If this is true, coverage should be phenomenal, although you're limited to who you can talk to.

Every time I've been there the WDW repeaters have been silent. On the air... just no users.

 

[rescuecomm]

I usually do code/channel since we won't be giving any information over the air that could be exploited. I have scanned using the monitor all function and never heard anyone else talking on Directalk. That could be a function of the short range and where I work.

Bob

 

[lmrtek]

frs and gmrs radios in crowded amusement parks is a no win situation.
way too many people using them.
I use my TriSquare radios in these places without all the interference.
Recently went to Nascar race.
100,000 plus in the stands.
I tried to use my frs/gmrs radios with PL and scramble.
No dice on ANY channel.
Unpacked the TriSquares and they worked on the first channel I picked.

 

[MrBill1]

I use GMRS at Disney all the time. I have a 40 watt mobile repeater in my truck attached to a deep cycle battery and use real 5 watt portables. No problems talking at any park.

 

[cdesigns]

Disney World crew uses iDEN phones

Yesterday I went to Disney World "Orlando" magic Kingdom to be exact to take my 3 year old daughter for her birthday present.

I took my (2) Motorola i355's in MOTOTALK "DIRECT TALK" Mode and as soon I was getting into the ferry from the parking area to the park, I started to receive comunications on my i355, CH 1 was very active, I managed to get comunications on CH1, Codes 1,2,3,4.

I had to set up my i355 to CH 4 code 12 to have a more private comunication with my wife.

Around the park I saw a Disney cleaning person with a radio and it had the NEXTEL logo on it. Then I started to look closer to all the disney crew radios, I saw (1) DTR radio, (2) i605 , and several i355's like mine.

Even the security personnel are using i355's, all of the crew were using the earphone/mics.

They were using the MOTOTALK feature and not on-network walkie talkie, I was able to hear one of the cleaning crew on channel 1 code 3.

Here is a pic of one of the i355 I saw on the trolley, they had it well protected hehe.

 

[rescuecomm]

Darn! Who let our secret out?

Bob

 

[KD0NDO]

do you need a license for DTR

 

[cdesigns]

Darn! Who let our secret out?

Bob

I thought Disney had enought money to get DTR's but maybe they use the phone feature also who knows.... They use UHF radios with a pretty good repeater for their parade cordinations, It's fun to hear , when pluto is missing a glove, cinderella car has an empty tire, things like that.

 

[mdickerson17]

nope! no licence for dtr!

 

[matt131]

Does anyone know what UHF frequencies Disney world is still using?

 

[KD0NDO]

do you need a license for murs

 

[iMONITOR]

do you need a license for murs

No license needed. However MURS does have some rules and restrictions.

 

[KD0NDO]

what freq band do they use

 

[dipschitz]

UHF vs. 900 MHz

I have tested the Motorola CP200 UHF 4 watts to the Motorola DTR-650 1 watt 900mhz portable and I have gotten better range out of the DTR-650 radios. My conclusion to that is that due to the 900mhz and them being digital is why I would be getting the better range.

I have been in the 2-way business for 22 years. I have sold the Motorola CP200 UHF 4 watts and the DTR 650 1 watt in a side by side comparison. The main difference was the noise floor, which would reduce the range on the UHF. There is no noise on the DTR radios, even with a guy standing in front of a large shop fan. This is one reason the DTR talks further. In digital the signal is the same the entire path until you have no signal. In analog it starts to deteriorate and gets worse all the time. The 900 Mhz has a great bounce effect indoors also, better than UHF. I wouldn't buy a pair to use at the deer lease, they wouldn't work very good around trees and vegetation. So, I agree. The DTR radios are the best of both worlds being 900 MHz and true digital...they work great with only 1 watt.

 

[slalomkayaker1]

I just got a pair of the DTRs one gen 1 550 and and gen 2 650. For me in a semi-urban environment they netted about 1.5 miles range at most. Generally I saw about 3/4 mile to a mile of very solid range (ie dont have to wave it in the air to get signal)

This is much better than my MURS radios for some reason. I attribute it only to the fact that they are digital and the higher frequency works better in the urban environment. Keep in mind, the radios still have to travel through a good amount of foliage which deteriorates 900 mhz signals.


What kind of range does these radios get in a city block environment??

 

[RayAir]

I picked up some DTR's with the removable antennas and took them along aboard the Carnival Sensation late last year. They yielded full ship coverage and complete privacy. Very impressed.

Note: i did a range test of the DTR compared to the i355 and the range was practically the same. The DTR's with the 900Mhz 6" antennas only got another 100 or so feet before the user not available came up. i 355's are also MUCH cheaper. look on EBAY.