Useful links for DMR

IMPORTANT NOTES:
This page is a collection of useful links which took some time to find and compile. If you know other useful links, please do not keep them for yourself, just drop a note in the reply fields below – Thanks !

If a link is broken, please report to me via the reply functionality below – Thanks !!!

Content and Link Comment Language
Anytone Manufacturers site of Anytone English
Download site of Anytone Latest CP’s and Firmware English
DMR for Dummies Tries to bring you the best and most simple information for getting started in DMR English
Miklor Radio Information Site Radio Information & Support Site, since 2012 Engish
BridgeCom DMR Experts and Distributors, specialized in Anytone, US-based CP’s, Firmware, BridgeCom University English
YouTube Instructional videos about Anytone AT-Dxxx radios (around 130) From unboxing to whatever Mostly English
German Anytone Facebook Group Useful information, you can post as group member German
Google search on anytone at-d578uv review If you change the radio type to 878 or 868 in the search field, you get reviews for the other radios Mostly English
Google search on Brandmeister Results depend on your location in the world, language of your computer Various Languages
DMR-MARC Network Very useful worldwide information English
RadioID Databases / DMR and DStar Registration DMR/DStar Registrar for North- and South-America, Asia, Oceania, Provides Database Searches on Users and Repeaters, Limited to 100 results, but also provides Database Dumps with the whole databases English
DMR and DStar Registration for Europe and Africa DMR/DStar Registrar for Europe and Africa, Provides Database Searches on Users and Repeaters German
AmateurRadio.digital Download of DigitalContacts worldwide in Anytone Format, directly importable English
Dutch OM PC5E Tons of information, CP’s, CP-Software and Firmware for various manufacturers and their DMR radios English
Brandmeister Dashboard All you need if you are in Brandmeister. Dashboard, LastHeard, Repeaters, Users, Statistics, Visualization….. English, but Language selectable top right menu
SharkRF openSPOT The next generation of hotspots. Latest one is the openSPOT3 (much higher league than MMDVM and pi-star English
MMDVM Dual Hat Hotspot and other hotspots Very informative site, Hotspot section English
Amateur Radio Notes As before, but from the beginning English
Pi-Star Digital Voice Software The famous pi-star application + operating system for raspberries with MMDVM boards as hat English
The Raspberry Pi Foundation The charity organization who brought the “Pi” to the world English
Google Search on DMR Emergency Communication Results depend on your location in the world, language of your computer Various Languages
Google Search on Amateur Radio Emergency Communication Results depend on your location in the world, language of your computer Various Languages
     
Worldwide Repeater List (all Networks)  Downloaded March 10 2020

This is a CSV File, but can not be directly imported to Anytones, it has to be adopted to Anytone’s Format.

 

PLEASE NOTE: The provided data is not accurate for all entries. Due to the inability of some repeater sysops to read instructions or manuals, you will find a lot of garbage, which needs to be cleaned before using the list. GOOD LUCK !

 
Worldwide Repeater List (Locations with Lat/Long)  Downloaded March 10 2020

This is a CSV File, useful for building a repeater map or to optimize repeaters on a trip. Also there are some TG’s / TS’s information in as well as which TG’s are on the repeater.

 

PLEASE NOTE: The provided data is not accurate for all entries. Due to the inability of some repeater sysops to read instructions or manuals, you will find a lot of garbage, which needs to be cleaned before using the list. GOOD LUCK !

 

 

DMR explained with a few words

When I first started with DMR my head started spinning and my consumption of pain killers against head-pain raised dramatically. After a while – understanding the concept – I can say that my analogue Yaesu FT857 is more challenging in terms of settings, than my Anytone DMR radios. Well I am deep into Computers since 1980 which is an advantage for sure. I strongly recommend to use Rons CSV Editor in the PRO Version for some $$$ or use OpenOffice Calc from within the OpenOffice suite. I mention that because Microsoft’s Excel is a nightmare compared to this two alternatives when it comes to csv files, and we mainly deal with csv’s.

DMR is not complicated, it is just damn complex. The other problem you will find, is that most information in the internet is either wrong, outdated, half the truth, unclear or goes too deep into details which are not important for the programming of a radio by the Codeplug -Software (CPS). Programming a radio via the codeplug is a bottom up approach.The whole thing consists of a channel list (analog and digital frequencies named by repeater or the use of it), Zones where you group your frequencies logically (i.e. by country, region, usecase or personal taste), a Talkgroup-list of Talkgroups (TG) you are interested in (World, local, regional, country, state, county, language or specific use like emergency comms).

The next hurdle you have to take is the quality of the Codeplug Software. Always the English translation is the best even if makes a native English speaker laugh out loud. If you understand English, feel like belonging to an elite group, which has access to an close to understandable piece of software. If you don’t speak English – good luck !!

Furthermore you need your personal DMR/CCS7 Identifier, a seven digit number which represents you and your callsign in the DMR (and DStar) network. For Europe and Africa, you can register here. North America, South America, Asia and Oceania must register here. In both cases you have to upload a scan of your License.

DMR user details are available in a DMR/CCS7 Database which is ready for download in the internet. Downloaded and imported to the radio, you will see each station with additional information like Call-Sign, Name, City, State, Country. Good sources are radioid.net, AmateurRadio.digital, but my preferred tool is the “easy DMR contacts generator” by HK3A as it supports different radio types. If you only see a 7 digit number, either your Digital ID list is outdated and you have to load a new one or your radios Digital ID database is full and the newly registered callsigns can not be loaded to your radio. Either way – it’s not the other OM’s fault that you do not see his/her callsign, the problem is on your end !

When dealing with repeater (channel-) lists, you will come across a colorcode. This can be a value between 0 and 15. Mostly color code 1 is used. You will find the color code in the repeater lists for DMR in the internet (see useful links for details). The color code of the channel in your codeplug has to be the same as the one on the repeater.

Finally you will find static talkgroups and dynamic talkgroups associated to TS1 or TS2. Which talkgroups are associated to which Timeslot you can find out on the website of your repeater or at the Brandmeister / DMRplus pages in general or for the desired country. The difference is that a static TG is always there, if you want to join a TG which is not static (=dynamic), you choose the talkgroup of your liking in the radio, select it, press PTT and you are subscribed (dynamically) to it with an inactivity timeout of 6-10 min. if you do not have a qso, otherwise you have to press the PTT again (and again) because this TG is closed by the repeater if it is not kept open by you (or others). Both kind of TG’s can be on any TS but you should use TS2 for dynamic talkgroups. The reason is if you choose a dynamic TG on TS1, you disturb the static talkgroups, mainly the country wide ones which are very frequented. If you want to listen permanently to a talkgroup which is not static on your repeater, consider to buy a hotspot, which you can configure to your personal needs without disturbing other OM’s.

 

Was it that hard ?

 

More good information can be found on the useful links page