A simple, non-technical overview DMR / Digital Voice Repeaters

A simple, non-technical overview of DMR & Digital Repeaters. In this video, I will explain how to access Digital Repeaters for Digital Voice & DMR Ham Radios. This includes DMR (Anytone, BTECH, Baofeng), Icom D-Star and Yaesu System Fusion.
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[@jd-uo8hc]

Thank you for taking the time to make this series. The information provided and helping the public get into the hobby/technology.

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Thanks for your kind words of encouragement.

[@andyfirecone5044]

Without doubt, this has been THE most informative video I have found for a beginner like me. I am sick and tired of clicking on so called “everything you need to know about…” videos, only to find that that all it does is confuse me more! I can assure you that you will now become my point of reference for helping me get started with ham radio. Thanks again from the UK

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Thanks for the kind words. As I learned how to use this stuff, I would do a video. What you are getting is my own personal experience and research. I was so frustrated with getting bits and pieces of information with major gaps of knowledge in other videos. All my videos are what I learned as I go along in my journey. I try and share what I wished I would have learned from someone else. This way, others don't have to repeat the same hard learning curve. Thanks for taking the time to let me know my friend.

[@tradedate]

This is a great explanation of DMR. You make it clear to understand. Simple and straight to the point. You've earned my subscription!

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Wow, that is a great compliment. Thank you!

[@REXOB9]

I'm really enjoying your videos, thanks. Clear, concise explanations.

[@BobPlank_KK4DIV]

Well explained; I believe this will help many hams that are confused with digital. I've been using various digital modes for a while. Started with Dstar, moved to Yaesu Fusion, and now am enjoying DMR. I guess you could say, I've tried all the flavors, but settled on DMR. Keep up the great videos!

[@hamradiomadesimple]

It took me months on my own to figure this all out. I asked other hams and they could not give me a clear explanation on the differences. This was just one of the reasons I've done these videos. You would think someone would make it simple to understand but then again.... thanks for your encouragement!!

[@davidlateano9684]

Great series of videos especially for us newbie’s 😊

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Glad you think so! Check all the other videos on my channel. It is following my learning curve in Ham Radio. As I learn something new, I make a video. Have fun!!

[@jsm136]

Great job!

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Thanks for letting me know!

[@DaveM7EYT]

Thank you so much for all the info in this video, it really has helped me with my decision. 73

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Great to hear! Let me know with what you went with.

[@TotallyUnknownSomeone]

Thank you Sir

[@hamradiomadesimple]

You are most welcome. Keep learning then practice what you learn. Easy to forget this stuff if you don't use it.

[@thebnbaldwin]

Great video as always! Running Anytone 578 base and mobile, 878 HT, just ordered a Open Spot 4 Pro. I need to get comfortable with FL Rig and the various digital modes on HF before diving into the hot spot!

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Good choice since I have both too! I recently set up my AT-587 as both a local (private) repeater for analog and digital. I now can use my AT-878 back to my AT-578 as my own repeater. Let me know if you are interested in knowing more about this. Love my Anytones!!

[@thebnbaldwin]

@@hamradiomadesimple That's interesting. That would be a good video IMO.

[@hamradiomadesimple]

@@thebnbaldwin Bridgecom did one but did not explain it clearly. If you have questions email me at [e-mail]: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4i5e6F9ic2Xq6M Shows you how to set it up in Repeater Mode. Not in Digital but I figured it out. Key to understanding this is that once you enable Repeater Mode, it locks all the buttons. So, you have to have it set to the right Frequency / Repeater Setup THEN enable the Repeater Mode function. I programmed the P6 Short Press Button to turn on and off the Repeater Mode.

[@deskduty]

Great video. Thanks!

[@hamradiomadesimple]

I hope this is helping you be more proficient with Ham Radio and cutting down your learning curve time. That is what I've been trying to do with this channel. Thanks for taking the time to post this.

[@deskduty]

Watched a bunch of the videos last night. They were all great. Just got my license and bought the Anytone 578 and 878.

[@hamradiomadesimple]

I have both so great choice. How are you on learning the software to program them?

[@deskduty]

@@hamradiomadesimple I programmed a few analog channels so far and have just been listening. Just installed the antenna and power cord for the mobile. I ran into an issue programming the 878. My speaking on the radio stopped working. I tried reloading the code plug and resetting the radio. Sending the radio back to be swapped out. It only works with an external speaker/mic. The radio is only a week old.

[@DonzLockz]

Another great video.👍 A small boo boo found at 4.15 ... 440 and 70cm, instead of 2m and 70cm. :)

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Great catch and thanks for posting my mistake. It won't be the last one 🙂

[@TheTuscaloosa]

Thanx for the Video. Visited Raleigh a couple of times. My son is in Bragg. Regards from Germany. Dg9gk

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Wow, thanks for taking the time to post this. Yep, down the road from me. Thank him for serving our country!! Your e-mail - Roll Tide??

[@telephoneman01]

I have a repeater near me that is FM but uses DPL 315. I can't program my id=52A or my ic-2730 to connect. I used analog many years ago, but this digital stuff is hard to understand. Do you have any thoughts on this dilemma?

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Send me the Repeaters Call Sign and I will look it up on Repeater Book.

[@telephoneman01]

@@hamradiomadesimple W4FTK 443.8000. +5 MHz DCS 315

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Did the Squelch setting fix your issue?

[@telephoneman01]

I purchased the ICOM program kit and it worked like a champ. I still don’t know what I was doing wrong. All I know is it works now.

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Document what you do right on anything going forward. As you add more apps / software, it is easy to forget key settings. I do this for everything including each radio. Glad to hear that you up and running.

[@Callmedstone]

Looking forward to this. The entire DMR space is littered with half-baked reviews, misinformation, oversimplified, or highly technical overviews. With all of the promise this technology held it’s disappointing to see the monopolies held by the likes of Brandmeister, etc. While in theory it might be an open standard; in reality it’s quite the opposite. Alright, let’s see if this video lives up to it’s promise. 😅. I have no idea why repeaters are such a black art considering their relevance.

[@hamradiomadesimple]

You are spot on. It took me weeks to get my brain wrapped around this. I even asked seasoned Hammers and they could not explain it to me. I hope this helps you. If not, reach out and let's get on the phone to talk through. You will find some strong opinions on what system is the best (Fusion, DStar, Open). Bottom line, it is what TYPE of repeaters you can have access based on your HT Manufacture AND if you are trying to go through a Node / Gateway (Internet Connected) in order to gain access to other repeaters, rooms (chat rooms) etc. Let me know if I was able to make this simple enough to understand!!

[@Callmedstone]

@@hamradiomadesimple I'm gonna sleep on how to respond . In brief: yes, your video was immensely insightful . thanks for doing it, truly. I think the larger problems with the DMR (and amateur radio tbh) are a bit of a paradox : while multifaceted it's also simple. People want to know how to use the tech, but they also want to know how to do stuff with it and expand the landscape (without the school-crossing-guard, pitchfork-wielding, gatekeeping amateur radio mafia . Now, what could-be vs what will-be is a massive hypothetical at this point (Arduino, etc). Maybe we need to step away from the brand that is DMR and look at it from a different vantage point. Many of us thought this was some turnkey stuff; instead we got unassembled wobbly Ikea furniture with bamboo wrenches and a manual writen in ancient Aramaic. I realize there are a lot of moving parts to this space and backwards compatibility for analog and digital operators is a double-edged sword at this point which will either make or break its future (e.g. digital data modes). Once we figure out how to open this space I think we could see some phenomenal tech come out of it. Radio-based authentication challenge-response mechanisms, and so on and so forth. Sky's the limit. Unfortunately, if we look at where Arduino matured unless measuring the moisture levels of your pet cactus is your jam, there isn't a whole lot of stuff which manifested itself from that space, so who knows what will transpire from all of this. Give people a way to easily hook up these radios to their mobile devices or computers and do some dope stuff using their data and we might start seeing a new dawn. Alright, I obviously went way off course with this. Yes, thanks a million for doing this. I think what people really want to know is how to do stuff with this tech. DMR's future is dead-in-the-water unless its space is re-designed. But hey, that's just my opinion. I hope to god that I'm so wrong about everything I just said . Have a great evening/weekend. Whoever comes up with to bridge these to 2.4Ghz and a powered web server or mobile device and we're talking major potential. Man, the marketing brochures for these devices were sweet, tho! Take care!

[@hamradiomadesimple]

@@Callmedstone GREAT INSIGHT and love your analysis! It is a mess and something better needs to come along. I agree with so much you that have stated. I don't hold out hope for something better and if it does come down the pike, I bet it cost an arm and a leg!

[@Callmedstone]

@@hamradiomadesimple Thanks. Since last posting I watched some of your other videos. You're one of the first instructors I've seen in this space which didn't make me want to throw my ipad through a window. You have some serious instructional chops. I'm not sure new tech (though it is a vendor-driven economy; so who knows) would have to cost more. At the end of the day, a sub-$100 wireless router is more complex than a digital handheld radio. I'd love to see that kind of wizardry we see in other industries (e.g. cellular bonding -- used in broadcast applications) applied to radio. Thanks for taking the time to respond (and acknowledging my unparalleled genius) as well as for taking the time to put these videos on youtube; something which I am certain many will find useful. have a great weekend.

[@hamradiomadesimple]

@@Callmedstone Again, thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate others (like you) who can recognize the elephant in the room and state it CLEARLY!! Keep posting insights and hopefully others will benefit from your knowledge and wisdom like I have!! God Bless my friend!!

[@Rubedo777]

I’m glad I found your KZbin channel. After 25yr+ away from ham radio I can now get back into it. Life situations change… What a load of gobbledegook… all the abbreviated references are a new language, now DMR, which had to be looked up. It strikes me that you need a Ph.d to understand what’s going on now. Technology advances are fine but it is exclusive to only those who understand the principles and the how it works. I ask too many questions and then can’t understand the answers. DMR is a clever thing, far too reliant on other technologies and therefore easy to collapse. All this causes “mental fibrillation “ and information overload to be enjoyable… good luck with that. Technology will be our undoing. Thank you for your channel it is most helpful. Best wishes to everyone. 73 btw I live in 🇬🇧 uk

[@hamradiomadesimple]

Totally agree with you!!! Finally someone who stated what I have felt for a long time. It doesn't have to be so complicated but unfortunately, the manufactures made it that way. When I was first learning all this stuff, I asked a well respected ham radio mentor some questions and he did not know the answers. I knew I was in trouble!! I had to spend many hours trying to figure all this out. Hopefully it makes sense in the videos. Stay safe my friend in the UK!!