SteveShannon

And for the record, you should never have to worry about being a bother when you’re asking questions.

Here’s a better description:

Each DMR repeater is a kind of a gateway into a network of DMR talkgroups. So a repeater connected to the Brandmeister network can be used to connect to almost every talkgroup on the Brandmeister network. So, my local DMR repeater has the Montana Chat talkgroup as its default talkgroup. But I have a bunch of channels configured that allow me to simply change channels and key up (as long as nobody is talking on the repeater at the time) and the repeater will be connected dynamically to that new talkgroup and not to its default talkgroup. Usually a repeater will eventually times out and return to the default talkgroup. I keep busy channel lockout turned on on my DMR radio so I don’t interrupt others.

If you get on the right talkgroup it can be busy all the time. TG 91 is worldwide English speaking and has conversations full time. But keep in mind that when you get on a DMR repeater and change talkgroups, everyone else listening to the repeater is taken to the same talkgroup. If you want to hear lots of activity and not just use the repeater locally, a hotspot is really the way to go.

He hasn’t been here since 2019.

RT System software can automatically populate repeaters in your radio’s memory based on location (zip code plus radius is just one way). Chirp has similar features. Use the memory banks or zones of many radios to create zones that reflect different locations along your journey and then just switch from bank to bank (or zone to zone) as you travel. Alinco’s DMR radio even has “roaming zones” and a built in GPS.

Here’s what their website says: WHAT IF I JUST USE AND DON’T JOIN THE SYSTEM? We won’t kick you off the System. However, we will notice if you’re on a lot and haven’t joined. You’ll probably get an email or phone call to encourage you to become a member. The PAPA System is member-supported and we depend on membership to support repeater maintenance and site rental.

Paid repeater? All ham radio clubs encourage membership and gleefully accept donations. We might have a difficult time paying for all that goes into the expenses associated with repeaters otherwise. Im not a Papa member and I certainly can’t speak for them but I suspect that if you donate what you can they’ll not mind you using the repeaters.

They’re selling new for $249-$269, unless you buy from Amazon. A friend just bought one from HRO after borrowing mine to see if it would work for him.

One is the loneliest number.

This!!! It makes no sense to add UHF transmitters just because they don’t have UHF transmitters.

If you look at the Brandmeister dashboard you can see if your signal is being received and what strength. Once you know, then you can configure a channel to the Parrot talkgroup and you’ll be able to hear what you sound like.

In my case Norton (not Windows) didn’t complain about the executable having a virus; it identified the website as a known problem site, which might be more related to information about users being discovered in phishing attacks.

Anywhere there’s a DMR repeater, you should be able to save a channel to join talk groups in that network such as TG 93, USA-Wide on the Brandmeister network. You take everybody on the repeater with you though.

I am impressed! You’ve certainly gotten the most out of that combination and in a heavily wooded, high humidity area with an antenna lower than the canopy. The use of the amplifier is something I haven’t seen others do; good job! The 200 mile range mentioned by wrxp381 is highly unusual except between high elevations and across deserts, which bear no resemblance to your swamp at sea level. As long as you’re epoxying the radome, you might consider drilling and epoxying (or screwing) in some pins to prevent the halves from separating. I would not worry about tuning that antenna. You’ll truly never notice the difference between a VSWR of 1.5:1 and 1.3:1. As you know, your feedline is attenuating quite a bit of signal though and in both directions. That’s your most easily identifiable avenue to getting more power, but it could also be expensive. Again, I’m impressed!

Here’s one of the best explanations of the requirements of the NEC and antenna grounding: https://reeve.com/Documents/Articles Papers/Reeve_AntennaSystemGroundingRequirements.pdf

Except for the term “sad ham.”

I bet the utility company loves having that tower and antenna that close to their transmission line!

He might be able to put together an RJ45 coupler, a straight through Cat6 cable, and the cable that came with the radios to get the right pin out and length, but shielding might be an issue.

When you’re an asshole to the one person who honestly tried to calm the discussion down a little you’re not likely to find much help. I realize that you just wanted specific answers to the questions you were asking, not to have someone tell you had already chosen wrong, but that’s how forums are. And I certainly understand how the idiotic outburst against CCRs is the farthest thing from being helpful. I’ve mostly learned to ignore that person and his whining about CCRs. But Gil (wruu653) truly is someone who tries hard to help. I hope you find someone who can help you with your repeater.

There is no field called "Duplex" in the FT-65R. "Duplex" is simply the field name built into Chirp map which is mapped to the fourth field in the channel table. Yaesu calls that field "Offset Direction" and the three choices for it are (Plus, Minus, and Simplex). If its function is confusing to you, it's because a poorly matched Chirp field name was used instead of using the Yaesu field name.

It's not really difficult, but it is needlessly complex, mostly because of leftover commercial radio characteristics: First, you have to create a list of talkgroups. Then you have to create channels. A channel consists of a channel name, Brandmeister ID (or other digital ID), timeslot, color code, frequency, bandwidth, whether transmit is inhibited, whether it's an analog or digital channel, and if it's digital you need a talkgroup assigned. That's why you have to create the list of talkgroups first. There are other fields as well including encryption etc., but you get the idea. Then you have to create at least one zone and assign channels to the zone. You may (not mandatory) also populate a database of digital IDs which links the call sign, Brandmeister ID, and contact name. This can be downloaded. The newest DMR radios have room for 500,000 contacts. My radio handles 200,000 so I can only load most of North America. On your radio you select a zone and then select a channel within that zone.

Well there goes the neighborhood... Be careful you don't snap your neck putting your nose in the air.

There is. I’m still helping my blind friend with his DMR radio (as well as my own) and I wish I could get the ear of the firmware programmers for these Anytone and Alinco DMR radios. There’s absolutely no reason it has to be as difficult as it is. With simple changes in firmware a person could easily just create two channels for each repeater (one per timeslot) and then just input or select the talk group. DMR radios would only be slightly more complicated than analog.

Those are just fine. Repeater frequencies transmit at 467.xxx MHz rather than 462.xxx MHz, so the SWR changes. But either SWR is just fine. You’ll never be able to tell the difference when using the radio