Loose Notes 2/27/16

  There are just a few developments over the past week, and I want to get them updated early. 

FM Repeaters 

• RepeaterBook is inquiring if the 146.820- (no tone?) repeater in Fergus Falls in on-air or not. If you can confirm either way, update the listing. 

• We have a new cross-band link in the metro! The VHF 145.290- (114.8 PL) repeater in New Brighton is now linked to the UHF 444.750+ (114.8 PL) repeater in Columbia Heights. In previous on-air conversations with K0FCC (Dan), he's said that his plan is to link three bands together. Judging by the listing for the (currently down) 224.500- (114.8 PL), it looks as if the intention is to add 1.25M to this linking scheme. 

• I'm not sure what's happened to the 443.250+ (DCS 023N) repeater in Dayton lately. It used to come back with an S7 or S8 signal, but now it's only S4. 

• I've been wondering in the 443.000+ (114.8 PL) SNP repeater in Chaska is ever going to come back on-air. This was an interesting UHF machine that came back S9, and had a working auto-patch, but it's been down for a couple of weeks now (at least). 

Satellite 

•  With AO-85 (Fox 1-A) already in orbit and working, the next "bird" is scheduled to launch some time in January of next year (2017). This would be another FM satellite, Fox 1-B. Plans are already being made for Fox 1-E, which will be an SSB (linear transponder) satellite. 

• Though it was launched in mid-2014, the FM satellite EO-80 still hasn't had been activated for amateur use. 

DMR 

• Well, I was wrong about a new DMR repeater going up in Prior Lake. N0AGI (Nagi) did get a new 50W repeater and duplexer, but it isn't going up on the Prior Lake site. Rumour has it that the new repeater is in search of a site in the south metro, though. Testing has gone well.

• We're now up to 88 DMR IDs in Minnesota. Several new operators have been added in Faribault now that the 442.175+ has been moved there. Also, new operators have popped up in Ham Lake, Blaine, White Bear Lake, Bloomington, New Hope, Buffalo, Willmar and even Duluth.

• I just welcomed WA0CQG (Carl) this morning to DMR as his first contact. He had a very good signal into the Minneapolis 442.425+ repeater from Bloomington. 

• In a QSO with K0LAV (Paul) on the MARA 444.800+, I learned that Paul is now on DMR with a full-powered rig. He's still trying to navigate the code-plug, but I'm very confident that he'll be able to access the Oakdale 443.425+ machine. The Dayton 442.850+ is probably a safe bet, too, from his location. You really only need to be able to get in to one repeater. 

• Also, in that same QSO, Paul reiterated his plan to put a VHF DMR repeater on the air. It wouldn't be linked to the UHF network, but would serve as a standalone 100W power-house for local coverage on TS1 (Time Slot 1). A selected few talk-groups would be accessible on TS2, and these would likely be state-wide in nature (i.e. covering a single state, rather than world-wide or regional). All DMR rigs are monoband, so keep this in mind when shopping for a rig. You'll need a second rig to access this VHF repeater along with the UHF network, though you won't need a second DMR ID. There was no mention made of the planned site for Paul's new repeater, though the stated power level and narrow-band digital nature of the mode should provide metro-wide coverage. 

• Discussions will soon be starting on a potential re-arrangement of time-slots on (at least) three local repeaters: the Dayton 442.850, Oakdale 443.425, and Minneapolis 442.425. Currently, the calling channels are all on TS1, and everything else is on TS2. As local traffic increases, TS2 is starting to get locked up. Start thinking about clever options to move TGs off of TS2, and what you would like to see carried on TS1. It's good to start discussing this now, rather than at some future point where we have a serious problem. You can also submit your ideas here on the blog.  

APRS 

• It seems that almost as soon as I mentioned the KD0KZE gateway coming back on-air, it went down again for the week. 

• Southern Minnesota's KG0QR-1 gateway has now handled more than 6.2k packets this month! It's handling digipeated packets from Windom to Winona, all the way up to Ramsey. 

• The Mora 147.240+ (146.2 PL) repeater now has an APRS icon, courtesy of N0DZQ. 

• With the nicer weather, we're seeing a lot more aircraft equipped with APRS. Please remember to adjust your N-path when you do this, so that you aren't using digipeaters. You really don't need multiple bounces at high altitudes, and you are only causing unnecessary congestion. WIDE 1-1 is a considerate adjustment.                               

DMR: Reflector-based talk-groups

  Lately, I've been having a little fun exploring a different facet of the DMR world. The popularity of the DV4Mini dongle has opened up DMR (and other modes) to those operators without a repeater in their vicinity. There are three talk-groups on our local (K4USD) network that allow this kind of operator access to the RF side: the Hytera Reflector (TS2, TG 4639), the Brand Meister 8001 (TS2, TG 8001) and the Brand Meister 8002 (TS2, TG 8002). 

  These are "worldwide" channels without time limits on QSOs. However, they are PTT -- which means that you need to key up on these particular TGs to open the repeater to them, and that they have a disconnect timer.  

  You still need a DMR radio to access these talk-groups using a DV4Mini, and it has to be a UHF transceiver, as well. The DV4Mini receives the signal from your HT and passes it on to the network through a computer. If you're asking, "What's the point, then? Why not just use the HT to get on a repeater?", then you aren't considering that everyone doesn't live within range of a DMR repeater. People travelling can also talk to their local operators back home (or other operators anywhere) by using an internet connection. And amateurs that have living arrangements that preclude the use of an exterior antenna can also access the world through these three talk-groups. There are still many countries that don't have a lot of (or any) DMR repeaters, after all. China, for example, only has four. Russia has only three. Japan has none. This type of operation is an excellent alternative in those places.

  It's a limited kind of access to the world of DMR, but it is access. You can't access "Local 2" or "North America", for example. But you can talk to RF-based operators on local repeaters that have access to these three TGs -- or other internet-based operators anywhere. 

  This morning, I had a nice chat with an operator in Texas and another in England. It was interesting to hear how this kind of operation is developing in different parts of the world. In England, they have a whole block of talk-groups set aside for DV4Mini operation. They have regional breakdowns, and a general channel on TG 4400., and it's primed for future expansion. There are even cross-over operations with D-star reflectors in some cases.

  It remains to be seen how popular internet-based DMR operation will be using this kind of device. Rather than being used as a "workaround", it could become the preferred means for a certain subset of amateurs. You can access many places in the world that the RF-based "Worldwide" (TG 1) channel doesn't cover, and you don't have to contend with restrictive time limits, moving to a TAC TG, or tying up a time slot on repeaters all over the world. And the DV4Mini could end up being the best tool to communicate across the various digital modes.

  As it stands with our local situation, these three talk-groups are PTT and don't take up a timeslot when no one local is using them. Multiple local repeaters means that an operator on one repeater can access one of these three TGs without taking away the slot on another repeater. 

  It's another interesting angle to explore on your local repeater. If you don't have these three talk-groups on your radio, I suggest adding them and at least giving them a listen.

Loose Notes 2/20/16

  I'm going to attempt to catch up on another week's happenings in the metro amateur radio scene. Let's hope this works... 

FM repeaters 

• RepeaterBook questioned whether the 146.985- (no tone) in Hastings was on the air or not this week. This is a repeater that I haven't even ker-chunked in over a year, and I was always under the impression that it was in Inver Grove Heights instead of Hastings. Maybe it's moved. Either way, 25W into a three-element Yagi brought back a nearly full-scale signal. I updated the listing to show it as "on-air". 

•  The 224.500- (100.0 PL) 1.25M repeater in Columbia Heights has been down for a couple of weeks now. The 224.940- (100.0 PL) in New Brighton also seems to only be working infrequently. Of course, the TCRC's 224.540- (100.0 PL) machine has been down for several months now.

• Per N0AGI (Nagi), the System Fusion repeater that was formerly on 442.175+ will not be going back on the air. When a DMR repeater was installed on the same site, the idea was that the Fusion machine would move to a different site at some point. That isn't going to happen. The repeater was sold to another amateur operator to use as a testing platform. There's still a UHF Fusion machine in Burnsville (444.300+) and a VHF machine in Eden Prairie (146.880-), so that area still has coverage.

• Speaking of the 146.880- C4FM repeater, I've noticed that they dropped the CTCSS tone on the input. I've always wondered why this machine didn't use tone squelch to prevent analogue users from hearing digital traffic. Removing PL tones on a VHF repeater seems equally bewildering to me. 

•  There is still no word on the club website as to the apparent remote base linked to the TCFMC's 444.100+ (114.8 PL) repeater.

• The traffic on the morning drive-time "nets" (actually roundtables) has dropped off steeply over the past two weeks or so. I'll usually monitor the 146.850, 145.370, and 444.100 repeaters as I'm getting ready to for work, and I can't help but notice the declining activity. 

EchoLink 

• The EchoLink node on the 444.425+ (114.8 PL) has been down for over a week now, as N0YNT (Matt) is not in town to give it a kick. The node for the 224.660- (100.0 PL) repeater is back on, after several days of down-time. I haven't been able to connect to the node on the 145.290- (114.8 PL) repeater for over a week, though it shows up as "logged in". And the node for the 145.370- (107.2 PL) is now "listen only" -- which I've never seen on any other repeater. Of course, the TCFMC maintains it's perfect streak of leaving their node logged off for well over two years now, in spite of mentioning it on their website. 

DMR  

• Big news for the local DMR scene! Per N0AGI (Nagi), a fifth DMR repeater is going on-air in the metro -- perhaps this weekend. Running on 443.125+, it will be at the same site as the 442.175+ machine used to be (before it moved to Faribault). More info and photos are available here, but it will be a 50W machine with a six-cavity duplexer -- all brand-new gear. We already have a fairly decent idea of the coverage, since an identical 50W machine was operating at this same site for a couple of weeks. The plan is for the Faribault repeater to switch to an omni vertical antenna, which would cut down the coverage of the 442.175+ for the south metro considerably -- especially when the vegetation returns. The addition of this new repeater in Prior Lake will assure continuous coverage for the south metro when the Faribault repeater switches over to normal coverage. This means that the south-west and southern freeway approaches to the metro will, in all likelihood, be HT-mobile accessible. Coverage of the south-eastern approaches will probably require more power than a 5W HT can provide, but reception should be no problem in that part of town. This arrangement will leave the 442.175+ repeater in Faribault free reign to cover southern Minnesota, and probably reach to Mankato and Rochester with a full-powered rig. 

•  There is a new DMR website for you to check out: MNDMR.net. The twintrbo.com website remains alongside this new site. MNDMR.net will be the place to get updated code-plugs, get information about repeaters, coverage maps, and talk-groups offered. Discussions are carried out on this forum. 

• The Doers Co-op and the MN DMR Enthusiasts will have a booth at the upcoming Mid-winter Madness (March 12) in Buffalo. Stop in to check out DMR, APRS, and other nifty projects. You can also get your DMR radio programmed, too. A TYT MD-380 DMR HT will also be given away, courtesy of N0AGI. 

• I am now officially out of the DMR code-plug business. I've been maintaining the Connect Systems code-plugs for the metro network for some time now, and the vast majority of operators with CS rigs are now able to keep their own radios updated. Those that can't perform this task will simply need to learn, instead of scapegoating me. Writing and updating code-plugs is a tedious and thankless task as it is. When operators that have never even seen the Connect Systems software start telling me what's inside it, and demanding "proper" programming, then it's time for the Big Experts to take over. The latest CS code-plugs are still available, and they can be used as a template to build your own 'proper' version. I've written blog posts in the past giving instructions on how to edit various aspects of code-plugs: adding channels and editing scan lists and zones. I'll probably add another post in the future explaining how to add contacts. 

APRS 

• KE0CRW (Greg) has set up an RPi RX-only APRS gateway in Plymouth. KE0CRW-10 runs on DireWolf from Greg's home, and is still in the experimental stage. The metro really needs a gateway in this particular area, though it may not end up running full-time. The more people that gain the hands-on experience to create gateways and digipeaters, the more options that the local community has when key elements of the network fail.  

• Also, a new APRS gateway has appeared in Circle Pines. KD0KZE is now covering the north-east and north-central metro, with very good direct reception coverage. When you include digipeated packets, this gateway is handling traffic all the way to St. Cloud. I seem to remember that KD0KZE was in operation at some point in the past, but went off-air. The loss of the WR0P digipeater in Cambridge has reduced APRS coverage in the rural areas north of the metro, so seeing new gateways pop up on the northern edges of the metro is an encouraging sign. 

• N0DZQ is also back in action near Wyoming, MN. Previously, the machine had stopped receiving packets. It's now carrying the load for most of the traffic on 35W north of the metro, and even gating the N0HOY-10 digipeater in Arden Hills. Great to see this one back in the line-up! 

• Likewise with KG0QR-1 in southern Minnesota. It seemed to have gone quiet for quite a while, but is now back. While this gateway is a local coverage machine for directly-heard packets, it's crucial for gating the digipeater-heavy southern Minnesota packet traffic. It's handled over 4K packets so far this month! We could use a couple more like this one down there.        

                               

Loose Notes 2/12/16

  I'm just catching up on the developments over the past couple of weeks. Some interesting stuff has been going on, and a few minor developments are worthy of mention. 

FM Repeaters 

• Per K0UMM (Travis), the VHF SuperLink repeater on 147.015+ in Collegeville (near St. Cloud) is "sickly". Travis rang up the machine for a "noisy S1" from less than 13 miles away. More troubles for the crumbling SuperLink network. Even worse, he also noted that the 146.940- in Sauk Rapids is "off-air". No mention of these problems on the St. Cloud ARC's website, but it appears that they're raising money for a new repeater. No mention as to which repeater they are raising money to replace. 

• Near Albert Lea, the 146.880- (100.0 PL) wide-area two-metre repeater is back on the air. Also in that same area, the 443.525+ (100.0 PL) is reported as back on the air. 

• The 462.675+ GMRS repeater in Crystal is down. Per N0RVY (Steve), the transmitter has failed. No timetable for restoration at this point. 

DMR 

• The big news in the local DMR world is that N0AGI (Nagi) and N0BVE (Don) have moved the 442.175+ machine in Prior Lake to Faribault. More information can be found in Nagi's blog post on the subject. Don and Nagi were reportedly able to access the repeater continuously on the drive back to Prior Lake using an HT and an external mobile whip. The site in Faribault is much higher in elevation and the tower is higher than the (currently abandoned) site in Prior Lake. A Yagi is currently beaming the signal towards the metro, but that will switch over to an omni vertical in a few months. This move comes as a big surprise, but the Prior Lake site didn't really reach well north of the Minnesota River. It's possible that operators just south of the metro will have to upgrade their rigs and/or antennae once the repeater switches to a vertical -- especially as the leaves come in. 

APRS 

• W0YC-5, the major metro APRS gateway, was down for about two days last week. Fortunately, tropospheric conditions weren't overloading the metro with distant traffic, and we've gained adequate redundancy to handle these failures without collapsing. 

•  AE0MT-10 is back on the air as an RX-only I-Gate in Coon Rapids after an absence of just under two weeks.  

• Though the month of February is still young, two RX-only gateways have racked up impressive stats. KE0NA-11 in NE Minneapolis has gated over 1300 packets so far, while N0KFB in Mounds View has handled nearly 5000 in the same period. Both of these gateways are operated out of homes with rooftop antennae. It really can be done.             

Exploring local DMR coverage

  The local DMR community didn't even have the chance to fully assess the coverage of the new Dayton 442.850+ DMR repeater before two new repeaters went on-air: the Oakdale 443.425+ and the Prior Lake 442.175+ machines. 

  KC0VRV (Matt) experienced problems getting in to the Oakdale repeater reliably from near Hugo (about 14 miles) with an HT and an indoor antenna. Using higher power levels, KE0NA (Dave) has worked the Oakdale repeater from NE Minneapolis, and KA0KMJ (John) has done the same from Brooklyn Park. KC0BBK (Galen) can also reach the repeater from Falcon Heights. A lot more experimentation will need to be done before we have a clear idea of the Oakdale .425's HT coverage.  
EDIT: Using a seven-element Yagi and 45W, I got in very well to the Oakdale 443.425 from Plymouth (about 23 miles away).

   In an on-air conversation with AD0MI (Pete), he expressed confidence that a full-powered mobile could reach the Dayton repeater from Buffalo, based on experience with the Fusion repeater on the same site. I know that I can use the Dayton machine with an HT and a stubby 2-inch antenna indoors at my home ten miles away. Driving around Plymouth with an HT as a mobile and a dual-band whip on my trunk, I have no issues getting in to the repeater beyond very low spots. My experiences have shown me that HT mobile coverage ends in Robbinsdale, where the Minneapolis (442.425+) repeater picks up seamlessly. I've also found low areas in New Hope where an HT mobile is unsuitable. KE0NA has used the Dayton repeater from NE Minneapolis with a beam antenna at high power. 

  I was surprised to hear KA0KMJ reaching the Prior Lake repeater from 30 miles away using full power (40+W). I've yet to set up a beam and try the same thing from Plymouth, but I'm optimistic about success. In a few months, when the 442.175 is moved to a much higher tower, coverage should be very impressive. This is another case where we need more experience to determine HT coverage of the Prior Lake machine. 
EDIT: Using a seven-element Yagi and 45W, I was able to get in to the 442.175 repeater without packet loss from Plymouth (about 26 miles).

  A few local operators are now experimenting with "roaming" on Motorola radios. Dave has set up a code-plug to take advantage of this feature, which switches the radio to the repeater that has the best signal. Using roaming, N0BVE (Don) drove from Hudson, WI to Minnetonka along the 494 loop with continuous coverage using an HT and an external mobile antenna. 

  It seems that an HT mobile setup, or an HT at home with an exterior antenna, would be an adequate solution for many operators. Certainly, a full-powered mobile should give someone seamless coverage from home or on the road within the freeway loop (and a lot of areas just outside of it). Considering that most of the network is operating at the "hobby repeater" level of RF output, this is quite impressive. It's doubtful that much more could be gained by adding PAs to the existing repeaters. It's perfectly feasible to use a repeater with only one "bar" of signal, due to the digital nature of the mode. It's impossible to distinguish between an operator blasting in to the repeater with high power and another operator using only the bare minimum.

  Future expansion might be into Wisconsin. N0YNT (Matt) has also set a target of adding another repeater at the St. Paul campus as a backup solution, rather than as an attempt to expand coverage. This would probably take care of things should the Minneapolis or Oakdale repeater fail -- for a time, anyway. Other frequently-mentioned targets for expansion are Rochester and Duluth. And there's still a repeater in Ellendale (between Owatonna and Albert Lea) that could go on the air at any time. 

  My impression is that the NE metro is the weakest link in the network's coverage, though a full-powered station will certainly work there. Something In Forest Lake, Isanti, or North Branch would solidify coverage greatly. 

  EDIT: N0BVE (Don) has been testing the coverage of the Prior Lake repeater south of the Twin Cities today (Sunday). Using a 5W HT as a mobile with a 5/8-wave whip, he was able to get in to the 442.175 from Faribault. A few other areas to the north of there, such as Elko, were hit-and-miss due to terrain. Per N0AGI (Nagi), operators in Rochester have reported that they are able to hear the repeater, too -- but not access it. Using a full-powered mobile should provide more reliable coverage. When this repeater moves to the new site, three times as high as the current site, coverage should be much more solid. Mankato and Rochester could be possible with a full-powered mobile.

Fourth DMR repeater up in Prior Lake

 N0AGI (Nagi) has a new DMR repeater on the air at 442.175+ in Prior Lake, complete with an APRS icon. The local DMR scene has exploded in the past two months, after simmering for the previous five months. Four months ago, when I got in, there was one reliable repeater and a second (low coverage) machine that was often not on the air. 

  Over the course of the past two months, a small group has added a repeater in Dayton and another in Oakdale. UHF being what it is, there are dead spots in coverage due to terrain. But it's undeniable that coverage has vastly improved into St. Paul and the east metro -- even at 5W transmission power levels. None of these DMR repeaters operate at anything near the power-house RF outputs common in analogue and some other digital mode repeaters in town. They are all 25W or less. Still, the narrow-band and digital nature of the mode has been leveraged to make coverage work at these lower power levels throughout the majority of the metro. 

  The south metro coverage has been spotty from the first, basically being provided by the 442.425+ machine at the University and requiring a more powerful signal than an HT can offer in most cases. It's still a bit early to make definitive statements, but the Oakdale repeater doesn't seem to reach much of the south-east metro (e.g. Inver Grove Heights, Cottage Grove, Eagan) due to terrain. The Dayton repeater also lacks coverage in the south-west metro, facing similar topographical challenges. It seems unlikely that high power levels would make a substantial improvement in either of these situations. 

  This was a situation that called for a fourth repeater sited in the south metro itself. But the DMR team had no site in that area, nor a spare repeater to put up. Nagi had been talking about operating a DMR repeater out of his home in Prior Lake, and even shopping for repeaters, but it had all seemed months away to everyone in the DMR community. He was negotiating access to a great tower in Prior Lake, and it seemed natural that the DMR repeater would wait until the tower was secured. 

  I was quite surprised to find out by email, during an intense roundtable on the 444.425+ Friday night, that Nagi had actually put the repeater on the air. He lacked a user radio to test the repeater, but the network op was able to access it through the C-bridge and confirm that it was connected to Local 2 -- and, thus, the rest of the local network. 

  Since hardly anyone has an updated code-plug that includes the new 442.175+ repeater, it will take a while to determine the coverage in the south metro. NK0M (Brandon) made a stab at it with an HT from Shakopee (seven miles away), but didn't fare well. Packet loss was heavy, but Brandon's effort proved that it was actually operating and connected to the local network. At this point, it's safe to say that, if you were previously able to access Nagi's Fusion repeater on that same frequency, you should be able to get in to the new DMR repeater.  The new DMR repeater in Prior Lake is now the most powerful DMR machine in the state, running 50W.

  I'm told that the System Fusion repeater will return to the air under a new frequency pair, so C4FM users shouldn't see this as a loss. 

  It would be very surprising if this new DMR repeater were not relocated to the higher tower once access has been obtained, and the Fusion repeater would probably join it. I'm looking at the current site as a test arrangement, and one that finally links an uncovered area of the metro to the rest. The south metro is a challenge to cover (especially with UHF) due to the steep drop in elevation south of the Minnesota River. There will undoubtedly be dead spots in the south metro coverage (as all three of the other repeaters have in their respective areas), and an exterior antenna may be needed for HT operation, but I think that the community will be pleasantly surprised at what's now possible. And, once the new tower site is in place, coverage should be quite impressive. 

  If you have the ability to update your DMR radio to include the 442.175+ repeater, it would be great to get some first-hand experiences of the coverage.            

Loose Notes 1/24/16

  I've been unable to access my outdoor antennae until recently, due to the cold weather. The door to the balcony froze shut, which meant that I couldn't set up any of my Yagi beams or swap my exterior whip for other bands. Fortunately, the whip that was outside when the cold snap hit was reasonably good on 2M, and I've been able to operate my 5W APRS beacon. Other than that, I've been limited to indoor antennae until this past Friday... so mostly it's been DMR or local UHF for me. On top of that, the battery for my Nexus 7 tablet is at the end of its useful life, and that's what makes my APRS beacon work. It now takes two days to charge it for every one day of use. A replacement is on the way, and I'll have my beacon back on the air soon.

Satellite

• Those six Chinese SSB satellites (XW-2A - XW-2F) are still having trouble. 2B and 2D only have their CW beacon working, and nobody's heard from 2E in weeks. XW-2A generally has a good morning and evening pass locally, with about half of the 4-5 daily passes being too low for anything but an "egg-beater" antenna with a good horizon to work. XW-2C doesn't have many high passes (mostly below 30 degrees), but you'll have about four passes a day (about ten minutes each) if you can work with the lower angle. Remember, these are not FM satellites -- SSB, CW, RTTY, or PSK only. 

 

DMR

• The third local DMR repeater (443.425+) is scheduled to go on-air today (1/24) sometime before noon. N0YNT (Matt) has said that he expects a straightforward installation. The site in Oakdale has hosted an analogue UHF repeater on that frequency for several years, so he basically just has to swap the analogue machine for the digital. Hopefully, there are enough DMR operators with updated code-plugs out that way to test the new repeater's coverage. 

• Per an on-air QSO with K0LAV (Paul), I've learned that a two-metre DMR repeater might be coming on the scene this year. Paul envisions a more limited array of talk-group options than the current UHF network, and a dedicated time-slot for local operation. With TS1 devoted solely to local traffic, TS2 would offer three state-wide TGs: Virginia, Pennsylvania, and D.C. Since all DMR rigs are monoband, you'd need a second radio to access both networks, but there's a significant faction of local operators that don't much care for UHF and this could be just the development to spur wider adoption of the mode. There are currently no plans to link this VHF DMR repeater with the other local UHF DMR repeaters.

• Minnesota has been gaining new DMR operators fairly quickly, judging by the additions to the DMR-MARC database. It seems as if we are adding at least two a week, as far as IDs go. Getting a DMR ID is one of the first steps to getting on the air, so this is a decent indicator of the mode's adoption. Code-plugs for several different models and makes are available, and you'll need the programming software and a cable to program your radio and add your ID to the code-plug.  

• The local DMR network (K4USD) has added a few new regional talk-groups recently: Mid-Atlantic, South-west, Mountain, and Southern Plains. These are all PTT TGs, meaning that you need to key up on the talk-group first to get the repeater to connect to it. A few new state-wide talk-groups were also added a couple of weeks ago: Maryland, D.C, and Pennsylvania. Make sure that your radio has the most current code-plug so that you can access these new (PTT) state-wide TGs. 

• We can always use help maintaining code-plugs. With three repeaters now, and more different models than ever being supported, it's a big job to keep all of the code-plugs up-to-date. Essentially, you would need to add any new TG to the contacts, create a channel (just copy and paste an existing channel and edit it), add the channel to an existing scan list and zone, and do this for all three repeaters (copy/paste, and edit the frequency). You can also add any new DMR IDs to the contact list (name, callsign, ID). If this is too "technical" for you, then help out your fellow operators with programming their radios to get them on the air or keep their radio updated. 

 

APRS 

• I've noticed that some of the old reliable digipeaters and gateways have stopped working and no longer receive. The KG0QR-1 gateway in southern MN hasn't received any packets in well over a month, and no longer transmits. It's basically just an icon maintained over the internet. The WR0P digipeater near Cambridge is now just an RF beacon, and hasn't received any packets in nearly a year. In the north metro, the TX I-Gate KD0RVY-1 hasn't received nor transmitted anything in three months. The N0DZQ-10 TX gateway has also just been nothing more than an icon for the past three weeks. 

• The WB0MPE-7 digipeater outside of Rochester is now back on the air. Now if we can just get a gateway set up in the Rochester area, things would look a lot better to the south. 

• The N0HOY-10 digipeater is back on the air, after a few days of down-time.

• The (sorely-needed) RX-only gateway west of Hibbing, K8IRC, has gone dark. Northern MN is another area with a lot of digipeaters and few gateways. The Hibbing N0AGX-12 TX gateway has handled over 23K packets so far this month, and the Knife River KC0MKS-1 I-Gate has handled over 34K. Up in the far NE corner of the State, the KB0BDN-10 gateway has handled over 10K packets. Somebody in Duluth, Grand Rapids, or Bemidji really needs to step up and operate an RX-only Raspberry Pi gateway to reduce the load. You can't just keep throwing digipeaters on the air without something to actually gate the packets. There are four digipeaters around Duluth alone, and not a single I-Gate. 

• By comparison, the W0YC-5 gateway in Minneapolis, with a much greater population density, handles over 37K packets a month. The N0AGI-5 gateway handles over 27K packets each month. Even the N0FKB RX-only gateway gates over 10K packets. We gate our own traffic. That's as it should be.

FM repeaters 

• The MARA 444.800+ (114.8 PL) is back on the air, after being down for a couple of weeks. Per K0LAV (Paul), the board connections on the old Micor repeater had become oxidised. A little TLC in the form of spraying De-Oxit brought the machine back to life earlier today (1/24). 

• The 146.730- (114.8 PL) in Forest Lake is also back on the air, courtesy of K0LAV. The repeater itself needed replacement in this case. Currently, the AllStar service hasn't been restored, but there's a possibility of this machine being linked to the 146.610- (141.3 PL) in Isle in the future using AllStar. 

• I've been watching the new 444.875+ (114.8 PL) repeater in Spring Lake Park for a while now. N8AGJ (Rock) set this up at his home, and coverage appears to be spotty and favouring the west and south-west. It comes in quite well here in Plymouth (about ten miles away), but operators in nearby Mounds View (for example) have had difficulty getting in. My impression is that the machine transmits better than it receives. It takes at least ten watts for me to "ker-chunk" it, but it comes back S9. If you can access the .875, consider posting a propagation report to RepeaterBook to give the local amateur community a better idea of this new machine's real-world coverage. 

• The 442.175+ (114.8 PL) Fusion repeater in Prior Lake is switching over to digital-only operation this week-end. It's nice that there's a sufficient System Fusion user base in the metro to make something like this viable, and it seems to be the vision for the future, at least locally. We could use a few more analogue repeaters with WIRES-X (HRI-200) implemented to continue to give analogue users access to the growing SF network as the trend to digital-only goes forward. I'm no Fusion expert, but I understand that supporting the hybrid (analogue and digital) model puts significant limitations on the digital potential of Fusion repeaters. The 223.900- and 145.230- repeaters currently "translate" analogue traffic to SF digital format. KE0NA (Dave) is looking at an RPi solution that would allow operation of the HRI-200 (WIRES-X) box without the necessity of a dedicated PC, and this could be an easy way for several more analogue repeaters to help ease the switch to digital-only Fusion in the metro. 

• I'm not exactly sure of the details, and the club website is devoid of any mention, but it seems as if the TCFMC 444.100+ repeater has some kind of a remote base connected to the internet. I've been hearing operators from the East Coast on the "dot one" morning roundtable, along with vague mentions of the capability. Apparently this remote base also provides access to HF, too. I've been unofficially invited to "stay the hell off" all of the TCFMC repeaters for years now, due to (honest and accurate) blog posts putting the TCFMC in an unflattering light, so I'm unable to confirm or glean any more information about this development. Still, it sounds like an excellent and novel idea. It's even better because the TCFMC EchoLink node hasn't been logged on for years now, so this remote base (or whatever it really is) is the only way to open up the club's resources to the rest of the world.

DMR Demystified

  One of our local operators, KD0ZHJ (Bob), recently bought a TYT MD-380 HT. This is a very popular entry-level DMR radio that has really convinced a lot of people to give the mode a try. I met with Bob to load a code-plug to his new radio, but I was unable to install the driver for the programming cable. Even if I had been successful in programming the radio, the other half of the equation would be explaining how DMR works and how to navigate your way around the network. 

  This forced me to think about DMR from an "outsider's" perspective in order to explain the differences between standard analogue repeater operation and DMR network-based operation. Up until now, our local amateur community has educated each other as we go, as we're all relatively new to the mode. This means that you have to get a radio and get on the air to behold the mysteries. A better approach might be to have that information available beforehand. 

  There's already information about programming various radios, the different networks, and the technical aspects of the mode itself. I'm not going to duplicate that here. A lot of the 'introductory' material I've found assumes that the prospective operator understands a good deal more than they actually do. Nobody likes to feel awkward and "out of the loop", so I'm going to explain some of the basic concepts that will give a prospective DMR operator a head start. 

Time Slots 

 

  There's no analogy to analogue repeaters here. All technological discussion aside, every DMR repeater operates as if it is, essentially, two repeaters. Two completely different and independent QSOs can take place simultaneously, if they are on different time slots. The time slot that you use is programmed in to your radio, and is determined by the talk group that you choose. I'll get to talk groups shortly, so bear with me here. Two people can't use the same time slot at the same time, just as two people can't simultaneously talk on an analogue repeater. On a DMR repeater, however, you can't "double" -- the repeater simply won't allow you in if that slot is currently in use. Of course, two (or more) operators can alternate on a time slot, just as on an analogue repeater.  

  Most of the time, you don't need to worry about time slots. It's not as if you need to adjust your radio and choose your slot. It's built in to your choice of talk group. Each talk group has a time slot assigned to it, and you can't change that. On our local network, for example, the talk group (TG) "Local 2" uses time slot (TS) 2. If you are transmitting on "Local 2", then time slot 2 (TS2) is "tied up". No one can transmit on any of the other talk groups assigned to TS2 while you are transmitting on "Local 2" (TG2). For example, "Midwest Regional" (TG 3169) is assigned that same time slot. Anyone wanting to transmit on "Midwest Regional" while you are transmitting on "Local 2" will either have to use a different repeater or wait until you un-key. 

  However, if you are talking on "Local 2" (TG2, TS2), another person can simultaneously be on "North America" (TG3, TS1), because that talk group uses the other time slot.  

  The vast majority of talk groups on our local network use TS2. You can find the list of available talk groups, along with their assigned number (TG) and time slot (TS) here under the "Talkgroups" heading. 

  I mention time slots here because you might find yourself unable to get in to the repeater at certain moments because the time slot you are trying to use is "tied up". It doesn't mean that anything is wrong with your code-plug or your radio.  

 Talk groups in general

 

  Talk groups are like channels on an analogue radio -- though I hasten to clarify that the term "channel" on DMR has a specific and different meaning. Without talk groups, every DMR operator anywhere in the world would be sharing the same space -- kind of like all HF operators sharing the same frequency. It would be messy and unusable, mixing people trying to talk across town with people trying to talk to other continents. 

  To avoid this, DMR uses a variety of talk groups (TGs) aimed at a specific user group. Every TG is assigned a number and a time slot. 

  Unless you are programming a radio, you normally don't need to concern yourself with TG numbers or TS numbers. The exception would be when another operator asks you to "QSY" to another talk group. You aren't really changing frequencies, so "QSY" is an inaccurate term, but it's what people understand. Someone may ask you to "move to 310", for example. The important thing here is that you don't need to memorise TG numbers and punch them into a keypad in order to use talk groups. All of that is already programmed in to your radio when the code-plug is loaded. 

  Mostly, talk groups are based on locations. Examples would be "Local 2" (local area of the repeater), "Midwest Regional", "North America", "SE Regional", "World Wide", etc. There are exceptions, with some talk groups being based on language, such as "World Wide German" or "World Wide English". 

  So, the basic procedure is that you choose one of the talk groups (TGs) that's programmed into your radio and start talking on it. Assuming that the time slot is open, it's just that easy. 

 PTT talk groups

 

  This is a somewhat confusing topic for the uninitiated. There are a lot of PTT TGs. "PTT" stands for "push to talk", of course. These TGs are also referred to as "push up" talk groups. 

  In a sense, these talk groups don't actually exist until you use them. Well, they exist, but the repeater isn't connected to them, so it's as if they don't exist from the standpoint of the end user. 

  An example on our local network would be "World Wide English" -- TG13, TS1. If you set your radio on this talk group to listen to all of the fascinating global QSOs, you'll probably be disappointed. Unless someone else on the same repeater that you are using has actually transmitted on "World Wide English" in the past five minutes or so, that talk group isn't even connected to the repeater. You won't hear anything. 

  The solution is to key up (PTT) on that talk group. This connects the repeater to TG13 ("World Wide English"), and you can either talk on it or listen. 
  
  There are two important things to keep in mind about using (including monitoring) any PTT TG. 

  The first is that opening that PTT talk group sets a timer off, and the repeater will disconnect if you don't transmit within about five minutes. There's no notification given when a disconnect happens, so you have to "ker-chunk" the talk group regularly even if you are just listening. 

  The second thing to bear in mind is that using that PTT TG ties up the time slot assigned to that talk group. In the case of "World Wide English" (TG13, TS1), TS1 would be tied up for the entire time that you are talking on that PTT TG. Anyone who wanted to use, say, "North America" (TG3, TS1) would have to either wait until you were done or use another repeater. 

  As I mentioned before, there are a lot of these PTT TGs. Practically all of the "regional" talk groups are PTT, for example. I'll explain "TAC" (tactical) talk groups shortly, but all TAC TGs are PTT. Knowing how PTT talk groups work is completely opaque to those new to DMR, as there's no equivalent on analogue repeaters. Unfamiliarity with the PTT TG concept causes friction and confusion. 

  PTT TGs are used to conserve bandwidth and reduce repeater transmit time. You need to understand that any DMR repeater is constantly transmitting the content of every non-PTT talk group. Making a talk group PTT is a compromise that makes the content of talk group available on demand. There's nothing whatsoever wrong with using these PTT TGs, but you need to be aware of the behind-the-scenes process. 

TAC talk groups 

 

  TAC TGs (short for "tactical" for some obscure reason) are nifty and useful, but they are another aspect of DMR operation that has no parallel in analogue repeater operation. All TAC talk groups are PTT -- they are not connected to the repeater until you actually key up on them. Pretty much all of them operate on TS2 (at least on our local network), so using them means that no local communication is possible on that particular repeater while a TAC TG is open. The only exception is "COMM 1" (TG 3777215, TS1). 

  TAC TGs are often called "repeater-to-repeater" channels, but that's not exactly true. It's more of a an indication of how TAC talk groups are actually used. There's a considerable amount of traffic on "TAC 310" (TG 310, TS2), for example. Anyone on any DMR repeater can listen to it or join in, provided the talk group has been opened on the particular repeater (since it's PTT, remember). So it's not really any more of a "repeater-to-repeater" talk group than any regional PTT talk group would be.  

  There's an idea that TAC TGs are somehow "private", but they aren't. Two operators "QSY" to a TAC TG and create a connection between their two different repeaters, but anyone else can open that TG on their repeater as well. It's kind of like moving to simplex from a repeater.

  In virtually all cases of TAC TG use, two operators on a crowded (or "calling") talk group decide to move to a TAC talk group to continue their conversation. Not all TAC TGs are carried on all repeaters, or on all networks, so there may be some "negotiation" involved. TAC 310 is pretty universal, but European operators seem to prefer "TAC 1" (TG 8951, TS2).  

  There are TAC TGs that only exist on a particular network, and there are politics involved as to which get carried on which networks. Our local network (K4USD) has eight TAC TGs exclusive to the network, for example: TAC 312 - TAC 319. There's no point in suggesting that someone on a different network "QSY" to TAC 315, in other words. 

  Any time you are on a "calling channel" (which I'll explain shortly), it's considered polite to move to a TAC talk group for an extended conversation. Again, it's similar to moving off of 146.52 (on FM simplex) to another channel to avoid monopolising the "calling channel". This concept, however, probably isn't too familiar to new hams.  

  There's absolutely no point in moving from a local talk group to a TAC talk group. You'll simply tie up the slot and prevent anyone from using the local TG by opening the PTT TAC TG. The only exception would be moving to (the previously-mentioned) "COMM 1" TAC TG, since that's on time slot 1 (TS1). 

  You can, of course, monitor TAC talk groups. The issue of timed disconnect still applies, however. 

  It's a good idea to familiarise yourself with your radio ahead of time so that you know which zone your TAC talk groups are in, and how they are named. You don't want to figure all of that out when someone asks you to move to one of them. 

 There is a net on TAC 310 on Sunday evenings.

"Calling" channels 

 

  This is a topic that new operators are often unaware of, and create friction with other users unknowingly. There are certain talk groups that are designated for "calling", and there are certain operators that are very anal about enforcing this. On our network, most of these are PTT TGs. The exception is "North America" (TG3, TS1), which is "full time". 

  On "North America", the consensus seems to be that ten minutes is a reasonable limit. If your conversation has gone on for close to that, you really should start negotiating a TAC TG to move to, or break off the QSO. 

  In the case of "World Wide" (TG1, TS1) -- which is PTT on our network -- the limit is two minutes. This basically means that you need to start setting up another option as soon as contact is made. I should point out that "World Wide" is the top-level talk group carried by all repeaters, and is different from "World Wide English" (TG13, TS1) -- which is also a "calling" channel.  

  The other calling channels on our local repeaters would be "World Wide German" (TG10, TS1) and "World Wide Nordic" (TG17, TS1). Obviously, these are non-English talk groups. Please don't be the guy that goes on these TGs speaking English. 

  On the language-based calling channels (WW English, WW German, WW Nordic), the time limit is a bit softer: around five minutes. 

  In practical terms, you don't have to move to a TAC TG from a calling channel. You can move to "Midwest Regional" (TG 3169, TS2) from "North America", for example. Just be aware that someone in, say, California might not have that Midwest talk group available on their network. The odds of an operator outside of the U.S. having such a talk group available to them locally is extremely thin. Using a TAC talk group is probably your only option in these cases. 

  Again, your familiarity with TAC talk groups really pays off when using calling channels. At a minimum, know where you can find TAC 310, TAC 311, TAC E (a/k/a "UA English 1" or TAC Eng 1"), and TAC 1 on your radio. Consider modifying the zones with calling channels on them to include these four common TAC TGs on the same zone.

  Regional, Statewide, Local, and TAC talk groups are not considered to be calling channels and have no time limits. 

Local 2 vs. Local 9 

 

  On our local network, all of the repeaters carry these two talk groups "full time". They are both on TS2, which means that they both can't be used simultaneously on the same repeater. 

  "Local 9" (TG9, TS2) is the local channel for the repeater. This was a meaningless distinction when we only had one working DMR repeater in town. Now that we will soon have three (or maybe four), it kind of matters. Think of "Local 9" as working like your standard analogue repeater. Talking on Local 9 puts you in touch with other people on the same repeater (provided they are listening to "Local 9", of course). 

  For example, if you are on the Dayton 442.850+ machine using Local 9, nobody on the Oakdale 443.425+ machine will hear you. Here's a nifty thing to keep in mind, though: you won't tie up the time slot on the other repeater by using Local 9 on the Dayton machine. 

  "Local 2" (TG2, TS2) is the linked local channel for all of the metro repeaters. Talking on Local 2 means that you are carried on all three (or four) local DMR repeaters. Think of it as getting on the HandiHam linked network. 

  Of course, using Local 2 ties up TS2 on all of the local repeaters, too. Or looking at from another way, if someone is using TAC 310 on the Oakdale repeater (using time slot 2, remember), you won't be able to reach Local 2 on the Oakdale repeater from the Dayton machine. 

Summary 

 

  Activity is so low right now that "tying up a slot" is hardly ever a concern. Still, we are using a shared resource, and understanding how your use of that resource impacts others is the key to considerate operation. 

  On an analogue repeater, everyone understands the concepts of "doubling" and monopolising a repeater. It's transparent. On a DMR repeater, however, none of this is obvious from the outside. Things that you expect will work, simply do not, for reasons that are mysterious and opaque.

  Likewise, people can use analogue repeaters extensively and be unfamiliar with "calling channels" and "moving to simplex". Certainly, the idea of PTT talk groups is alien to those who do already understand those two concepts. 

  This all may seem complicated, but it becomes second nature very quickly once you comprehend how the entire network of repeaters interacts. I haven't covered everything, but I hope that I've imparted enough information that a new DMR operator can hit the ground running and avoid the most common pitfalls, conflicts, and baffling situations. It's certainly more than I understood when I first waded in to the environment.

Metro DMR is rapidly shaping up

 Per N0YNT (Matt), the new DMR repeater on 442.850+ in Dayton should be on-air in about three weeks. While it probably won't reach to the south-west suburbs (e.g. Chaska, Chanhassen, Eden Prairie), the west metro and north-west exurbs will certainly gain DMR coverage for the first time from the Dayton site. 

  While there were once plans to move the 442.425+ repeater at the University to a new pair, I think that idea might be shelved for now. The MARA remote receive link (at the same site) de-senses the .425 and prevents weaker signals (from the metro fringe) from getting in to the machine. A separate repeater in the north-west means that the .425 is no longer the only option. 

  While the 442.025+ DMR repeater has been operating out of Matt's home near Como Park, its coverage has been very local. Again per Matt, the current vision calls for the .025 to move to a site in Oakdale and operate on the 443.425+ pair. This is much further east, and could actually end up with coverage to the St. Croix River, and down to Cottage Grove and Inver Grove Heights -- while still covering St. Paul proper. The switch-over is likely to happen by the end of January.

  Much of the anticipated coverage is sheer speculation. All that we really have to go by is our experience with the (somewhat deafened) 442.425+ machine. The repeater's transmitted signal can be clearly heard over a wide area, though. Narrow-band digital generally has a greater range than analogue FM, all other aspects being equal. Also, the vast majority of metro users are operating with HTs at low power levels (though with exterior antennae). 

  It'll take time and co-operation from the other DMR operators in town to determine the actual and practical coverage of these three sites. I don't feel that it's unrealistic to expect good coverage within the metro freeway loop, though. There will be significant overlap between these repeaters, too, so the number of UHF "dead zones" should be minimised.

  All three of these repeaters will be linked together on the "Local 2" talk-group (TG), and (probably) "MN State-wide". Each repeater will have unlinked coverage on the "Local 9" TG. 

  There's a fourth repeater in Ellendale on 442.025+. Nobody knows when it will go "on-air", but it will link back to the metro. 

  For those of you with DMR radios, it's obvious that your code-plug will need to be updated to include the Dayton 442.850+ and the 443.425+ machines. I've made an updated code-plug for the CS-700, CS-750, and CS-800 radios, and did major work on the TYT MD-380 code-plug, too. The Motorola radios will be the big challenge now. 

  Connect Systems has brought the price of an MD-380 back up to $165, but you won't find these for much cheaper than that anywhere else. This has proven to be a very popular and effective HT for DMR, and we'll have a new code-plug for it any day now. It's an exciting time to get in to the local DMR scene -- at a fraction of the price for a D-Star or Fusion radio.

EDIT: Per KE0NA (Dave), the 442.425+ repeater does reach into Prior Lake when a full-powered mobile is used. Also per Dave, N0AGI (Nagi) is seriously considering the addition of a DMR repeater in Prior Lake over the next few months. So the current issues with south metro coverage could vanish before very long. Even more exciting is that, with four repeaters, the overlap would increase and even fewer "dead spots" would exist. And all of the approaches to the metro would be covered for commuters and travellers.

Modifying DMR codeplugs: scan lists

  Previously, we've looked at how to edit zones and channels on a DMR radio using the programming software. Scan lists are another aspect of the DMR radio that users like to shape to their tastes. This is a list of channels that the radio will scan when placed in scan mode, and every channel can have a different scan list assigned to it if you prefer. You can also change scan parameters -- even make duplicate lists with only the parameters changed. 

Let's look at that file "tree", and click on the "+" next to "Scan List": 

   As you can see, I have several different scan lists in this codeplug.  Let's suppose that I want to add  "MSP Midwest Regional" to the "MSP Regionals" scan list. First, single-click on "Midwest Regionals": 

  You'll see a box like this, similar to what we saw when we edited zones. You can, of course, change the name of the scan list -- though it never displays on your radio -- by typing in a new name at the top box. This scan list only has digital channels (talk-groups) on it, but you can mix in analogue channels if you prefer. By clicking on "MSP Midwest Reg", the "Add>>" box appears. Clicking this will add "MSP Midwest Reg" to the "MSP Regionals" scan list. 

  You will have to go back to the "MSP Midwest Regional" channel and assign this scan list to it once this is done, however. 

  There are boxes for Priority Channels with a drop-down menu. You can make any channel in the scan list a priority channel, meaning the radio will check it more frequently when scanning, and you can set the amount of time you want the scan to dwell on that priority channel to the right (under Priority Sample Time). "Signaling Hold Time" determines how long the radio will remain on a channel once it detects activity. When you key up your mic during a scan, the radio will transmit on the channel specified under "TX Designated Channel". It doesn't have to be the channel that activity was detected on, though that's usually what's done. 

  To be clear, what this change has done -- once the channel is edited, the file saved, and the file uploaded to the radio -- is to change which channels will be scanned. If you are on "MSP USA" and hit scan, "MSP Midwest Regional" will now be scanned along with the other channels in the scan list. Previously, it would have been left out because it wasn't on the scan list. 

  In the last post, we had an analogue channel without a scan list assigned. Using the "Add" button on the bottom of the scan list box (shown above), I made a new scan list called "UHF Local". And, using the same technique that we employed above to add "MSP Midwest Reg" to the "MSP Regionals" scan list, I made the following new scan list of analogue repeaters: 

  You'll notice that "HHM .650" (the 444.650+ HandiHam repeater) is second from the top. Again, we take channels from the left side and add them to the right side. Every channel on this list had to be edited to assign "UHF Local" as the scan list. This is how that looks in the case of "HHM .650": 

   Once "UHF Local" was created as a scan list, I selected it from the drop-down menu on the channel. If properly done, hitting scan when on any one of the channels in "UHF Local" will scan all of the channels in the list. 

  As you might have guessed by now, making a code plug is a lot of work. These modifications are relatively easy, because of the groundwork laid by codeplug's author. With a little effort, you can polish up that original effort and make something that works ideally for your individual situation.

Modifying DMR code plugs: zones and channels

  As I mentioned previously, the software for the TYT MD-380 is extremely similar to the software for the CS-700, so I'll use my CS-700 codeplug as an example. The software for the CS-750 and CS-800 radios is more advanced, but the same general approach is used. Since the MD-380 is a very popular entry-level radio, I'm going to gear this toward those users. 

   First, a screen shot of the codeplug immediately after opening it:

 To get to this point, I've assumed that you've downloaded a code-plug, saved it to your computer, and opened it with the programming software using "File/Open". On the left side, you'll notice a "tree" with things like "Zone Information", "Scan List", and "Channel information". Up towards the top left, you'll see "General Setting". A single click on "General Setting" will open the settings, and this is where you enter your DMR ID and callsign. 

  Obviously, you would enter your own information in these two boxes. Without your radio ID, a DMR repeater won't allow you access. You are not anonymous on DMR. 

Zones

Now, close this settings box and click on the "+" next to "Zone information" on the left side. 

 This shows you all of the zones in the codeplug. Yours will be different, but the same principle applies. From here, you can delete entire zones that aren't useful to you, or copy/paste the contents of one zone into another with a right-click. Be careful, and have a backup copy handy. If you're happy with the zones, and just want to make minor changes to the channels that are in one or two -- or add a new zone -- you have to dive into the zones themselves. Single-click on the zone you want to change. In this case, I'm choosing "MPLS DMR". A window will open to the right, showing you the contents of the zone: 

             
You can change the name of the zone in top box ("Zone Name") if you like. On the right are all of the channels included in the "MPLS DMR" zone. They are all DMR talk-groups (TGs) in the above case, but you can include analogue channels if you want. This zone is full -- it has 16 channels assigned to it already. If you want to add something to it, you'll have to delete something first. Let's suppose that you'd really like to have the Midwest Regional TG from the St. Paul (currently 442.025+) repeater in this zone, instead of the Midwest Regional TG on the Minneapolis repeater. They both go to the same talk-group, of course. But when you're in St. Paul, maybe you like to chat on the TG and you'd like it the same zone as the other Minneapolis channels. 

  First, you need to remove "MSP Midwest Reg". Click on that channel (fourth one down), and the "<<Delete" box will appear. Click "<<Delete" and that channel will move to the left side ("Available Channels"). Now you have an empty slot for "STP Midwest Reg". Click on the channel (on the left side), and the "Add>>" box will appear. Clicking "Add>>" will move "STP Midwest Reg" to the right side, and it's now in the "MPLS DMR" zone. Once this change has been saved, and the new codeplug loaded in to your radio, you can access "STP Midwest Regional" from that zone on your HT.

  I should note a few things here. If you have space already (less than 16 channels) in a zone, you don't need to delete anything. We only did that because the zone was full, and to show you how to remove a channel from a zone. You also can't have the same channel in a zone twice. You also can't change the order of the channels in a zone without deleting everything in that zone and starting over -- or making a new zone and deleting the old one. 

  To make a new zone, look at the bottom of the "Zone Information" box. You'll notice "Add". Clicking on that will create a new zone that you can name and fill with any channels, in whatever order you prefer. Select a channel from the left side by clicking on it, then click "Add>>". Note that "Add>>" is in the middle of the "Zone Information" box, and is different from "Add" (which creates new zone). 

  This process is exactly the same for analogue repeaters, if there are any in the codeplug to begin with. 

Channels 

  As I mentioned in the last post, channels are merely the information needed to access a repeater or talk-group, and are not usable until they are assigned to a zone. You might want to edit a channel to change its name or to change the scan list assigned to it. You also might want to enable VOX, talkaround, change the time-out, or default power level. There are two different kinds of channels in DMR software: digital and analogue. They have different options available to edit. Going back to the "tree", click on the "+" next to "Channel Information". You'll see something like this: 

  There are a lot of channels in this particular codeplug, as I've included every MN UHF repeater. Let's edit a digital channel (talk-group) first. Suppose you want to change the name of "MSP Local 9" and change the time-out (TOT). Single-click on "MSP Local 9" (third one down), and the channel edit box will open: 

  I've circled the boxes of the things most commonly modified. To change the name,just type in a new name towards the top next to "Channel Name". To change the time-out, use the drop-down menu for "TOT" (in seconds). Notice the "Scan List" drop-down on the upper left. This is what you'll use to assign a new scan list to a digital channel later. Until you know what you're doing, you probably shouldn't change an uncircled box. Changing any of these elements, saving the file, and loading the updated codeplug to your radio will make your radio the way that you prefer.   

  Analogue channels work the same way, but have different things that you can change. Let's edit one of them. Suppose that you want to change the settings for the HandiHam 444.650+ analogue repeater. You'll find that on the left as "HHM .650". Clicking it brings up this box: 

 
  Again, pretty similar. There's no option to assign a different RX Group or Contact, because this is an analogue repeater. You probably are familiar enough with the various parameters of analogue repeaters and channels that I don't need to caution you about making changes. 

  In this case, I haven't assigned a scan list to the 444.650+ channel, so we can do that in the next post. Even if you make a scan list and add a channel to it, it means nothing until you assign that scan list to the channel. That's why I had to explain how to edit a channel before dealing with scan lists.

  On the bottom of each channel's box is an "Add" function -- cut off in this picture -- similar to what we saw under "Zones". This is used to add new channels. It's possible, for example, that your codeplug has no analogue channels. You will need to click "Add" and create a new channel for every repeater you wish you use on your radio -- and then add them to a zone. 

  Once you've made the edits you want, save the file (File/Save) and load it on to the radio.