You pretty much have the gist of it. A lot of hams think DMR needs to be internet connected in order to be used. That’s not correct as you can use DMR in simplex mode, via a repeater, OR linked to the internet for a larger network.
I agree. I mostly use a local only talk group on my local repeaters. I find the wide area talk groups to be inhabited by poorly skilled operators.
I’ve been using DMR since about 2014, and after having much experience with the other DV modes, Fusion being a close second for me, DMR provides the best audio and features.
Having used IMBE P25, NXDN, DStar and DMR, DMR has the poorest audio only marginally better than DStar.
I do agree but I didn’t mention P25 since your average ham isn’t going to spend that amount of money on a radio and possibly doesn’t have access to P25.
I got into P25 with a XTS2500 that I bought for under $200. Sure, if you buy a APX or some other current P25 radio, you are going to be putting down a lot of cash, but if you watch buy and sell groups, Market place, and flea bay, it is quite resonable to get into P25 for $200 or less.
P25 gear isn't too costly on used market.
My TK-5210s and TK-5310s were only a few hundred dollars and they work fine. For ham radio a full blown Motorola APX radios with many features like trunking aren't needed and we really only P25 conventional and these type radios can be had for a lower cost.
Going forward they most robust, have louder audio in both P25/analog, plus manly less costly than lower quality ham radios. Also these models can have self programming activated via the programming software which allows you to alter the radio's programming on fly without needing a computer and cable to do quick changes.
Yep. I use my XTS 2500 almost exclusively these days, for both analogue and P25, unless I'm using DMR.
Isn't amateur P25 just about always IMBE?
You prefer IMBE over AMBE, AMBE+, and/or AMBE+2?
It depends. if you are using a ASTRO25(XTS/XTL) they use IMBE, if you are using APX, TK/VM/VP/Harris equipment its AMBE+. AMBE is backwards compatible with IMBE.
I use IMBE because i can not afford current P25 subscribers, and I have no issue with IMBE. At times, I struggle to remember that I'm using P25, the audio quality is pretty decent acutally
I'm sure I'll get flamed for this, but...
If I'm using a hotspot, my radio will literally be a few feet from the hotspot. Does it really matter very much what radio I use? Is there any significant reason why I can't use something cheap until I get everything figured out? Eventually, I'll probably want to put a DMR mobile in my car, but it seems to me that while I'm using a hotspot, almost any DMR handheld will do just fine for the dozen or so feet I need to tx/rx from radio to hotspot. I don't want to buy an expensive DMR handheld and then figure out that I don't use it a lot or that it doesn't give me anything more than a CCR would. Yes, I understand that if I'm trying to use DMR over a repeater, the same considerations apply as with regular FM, but I'm not sure how often I'll do that. Right now, the one net I most want to participate in isn't on a repeater I can reach from my house anyway.
Some people will say it doesn't matter what radio you use. I will say this. Not all DMR radios are created equal, and it is noticeable when listening with a quality DMR(NOT a CCR) subscriber.
My opinion of DMR is the opposite of most hams. I find it to be a PITA compared to Yaesu's Fusion digital. The implementation of DMR for amateur radio is much more complicated with time slots, color codes and zones.
I mean, it is a commercial format that has been adopted to amateur radio use. Welcome to the world of LMR radio. I will say, Tier 2 DMR is definitely much more time consuming to set up than say Capacity Plus trunking due to having static assigned time slots and talkgroups.
Additionally, although the radios in both DMR and Fusion are dual mode, (digital and analog) switching back and forth between the two is so much easier with Fusion.
Huh???
All it takes is a simple push of a button on the radio. With DMR it entails changing to a completely different frequency, usually in a different zone.
LMFAO. Uh, you can mix analogue and digital channels in the same zone. When I was involved in a CAP+ trunking system, I had Cap+, analogue and digital channels in the same zone.
My opinion is that the reason DMR became so popular in the ham community so quickly was the flooding of the market with comparatively inexpensive Chinese DMR radios.
I disagree. I think it was the ability to have multiple talk paths on a single RF channel. When I got into DMR, there wasnt a whole lot of options to get into DMR.
Why spend $500 for a Fusion digital HT when you can get a Chinese DMR radio for $200 or less?
I do like the audio on Yaesu System Fusion (YZF)
Also the Yaesu repeaters to make it all work always have some issue and Motorola repeaters on DMR are mainly work without issues. Our club's fusion repeater just to be reset with transmitting a crazy tone everytime someone tried to access it.
Yaesu's Fusion repeaters are absolute junk. that alone is reason enough to avoid Fusion. they are so bad on analogue, I hear the squelch crash when I unkey my portable that has reverse burst.
Don't really like how YZF is implemented on local repeaters. It is linked to a groups that goes 24/7 with hams Nationwide. I only use local or regional stuff on VHF/UHF and it doesn't fit to my use of these frequencies.
Yep, you are at the mercy of the owners choice of what to link the repeater to. One reason I LOVE P25 and DMR, is selective squelch.
Plus a few hams are on it all day and I hear the same blow hards droning every time tune into this mode. After about 10 minute listening to them it's tike to spin the radio dial.
Yep. selective squelch/no RX Group list means I can sit on the local talk groups on the DMR and P25 repeater, and not have to listen to all the lids/medical/"you're full quieting"/CQ CQ on digital modes.
Going forward DMR works best for my use and we have a very good group of hams that has set a DMR repeater network all over 3 states plus Washington DC area. These repeaters can be accessed with an HT in most cases. Mainly just use our Statewide Talkgroup or a few regional ones. Plus a few nets to get into during the week.
100% agree. I lost interest in the really wide area talk groups pretty quickly. 10200 on P25 is pretty decent, except for the transcoding from other modes has kinda lowered the quality.
I find programming very easy in DMR, but 95% of radios use on ham radio are retired commercial radios and have been programming them for years.
I'm the same. Ive been using repurposed LMR gear for many years and the learning curve going to P25 and DMR wasn't that bad.
With DMR you mainly have to enter the transmit and receive frequencies rather than the radios doing standard offsets.
Yep. Offsets are very much a hammy thing.
This is really not different than how real commercial/public Safety radios are programmed.
This is EXACTLY how LMR radios are.
Don't think I have ever saw a DMR ham repeater not using Color Code 1 in my travels within a few states for work, but some areas may have some on other CC.
yeah, because people are lazy.
CC 1
RID 1
TG 1
KID 1
CKR 1 should NEVER, ever be used. its a sign of people being lazy.
If I didn't use the radios in my car for other services, I would have nothing more than a handheld and hotspot. It's so convenient.
Hot spots are annoying. At that point, just use droid star or a phone app. I haven't heard one yet that isn't dropping packets. they usually make people sound like crap. especially on DMR where you are already at a disadvantage of using AMBE+ at half rate. no wonder the repeaters are dead.
