Discovering DMR notes
a) DMR: sites
- BrandMeister Dashboard
- BrandMeister News
- BrandMeister Wiki
- @BMMasterStatus
– Status of BrandMeister servers on Twitter.
- The DMR-MARC Network
- The Guide to DMR in the UK
by Eric, G6FGY – Provides good coverage of many aspects of DMR.
- Northern Colorado DMR
- Parker Radio Association
- eHam.net – product reviews and more
- QRZ.com
– look up info about hams by their callsign or name. Also news, forums, and a swap meet section.
b) DMR: forums
c) DMR: articles
- BrandMeister User API keys
, 2018, by Oliver, F4BWG
- Using the BrandMeister API
, 2019, by Vladimir, AC2F
- Helpful links about DMR, including some valuable notes about the TYT MD-UV380 radio
by Tom, W2XQ
- A Comparison of Digital Voice Modes of Amateur Radio
, 2016, by Andreas, OE8APR, founder of SocialHams.net
- The $400 World Wide Mobile Me
, 2017, by Barry, K0BSB, Minnesota DMR – some good resource info about a mobile DMR solution using Pi-Star, though the article is difficult to read because it scrolls over a very busy background image (Hint: If your browser supports it, use Reader view)
d) DMR: presentations
- Digital Voice for Amateur Radio
, 2018 by Dave, KC6N
- BrandMeister Network Intro (PDF)
, presented by Artem, R3ABM, and Denis, DL3OCK, at Ham Radio 2016 in Friedrichshafen
- BrandMeister Internals (PDF)
, presented by Artem Prilutskiy, R3ABM, at Ham Radio 2016 in Friedrichshafen
- Digital Voice Progress - 2016 (PDF)
by Roland Kraatz, W9HPX, via Charlotte D-STAR
e) DMR: books
- Amateur Radio Guide to DMR (PDF)
, 2015, by John Burningham, W2XAB
f) DMR: videos
- NoCO DMR
, 2018, Bud, W0RMT
- Anytone D868 Tutorial
by WoodburyMan
- Anytone 868 from New to First DMR Contact
by Chris, 2E0UKH.
- DMR Programming for Amateur Radio
, 2015, by Mike, K0NGA, Rocky Mountain Ham Radio
- SharkRF openSPOT Mobile Setup
(using a TP-LINK TL-WR802N router), 2017, by Jonathan, M0XXJ
- DMR/MotoTRBO
presented by Andy Ruschak, KK7TR, at MicroHAMS Digital Conference 2015
- DMR (radio) – The good, the bad, and the ugly
, 2016, by Joe Lalumia, W1XWX
- D Star XRF Reflectors – A Whole New D-Star Experience
, 2017, Bob, K6UDA
g) DMR: hardware & software
- Ham Radio Outlet (HRO)
, hotspots and digital radios
- Powerwerx
, hotspots and digital radios, and a good source for ham radio-related electronics (contact list, CPS, and firmware versions
- Manx Repeaters: I just got a new, un-programmed Hytera, now what?
- SharkRF openSPOT
h) DMR: tools
- CCS7 ID registrations:
- Registrations for Europe and Africa are handled by the European DMR-ID registration system
. Choose "Register services for an individual callsign (including private hotspots and private repeaters)."
- Registrations for everywhere else, including North America, South America, Asia, and Oceania, are handled by RadioID.net
.
- Registrations for Europe and Africa are handled by the European DMR-ID registration system
- BrandMeister Dashboard
- BrandMeister Hose line
– an experimental online streaming platform for the HAM radio Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) Brandmeister network made by PD0MZ
- CQ DMR Map
by EA2CQ
i) DMR: repeaters
- NoCO DMR Network
- DMR-MARC networked repeaters map
- DMR networked repeaters list
- RepeaterBook CO DMR repeaters
j) DMR: talkgroups & reflectors
- U.S. BrandMeister Server User Guide (PDF)
- BrandMeister talkgroups list
- BrandMeister talkgroups list
an easier to read list on the Pi-Star site that includes links to Hoseline
- List of reflectors mapped to talkgroups
- DMR-MARC talkgroups
- Rocky Mtn Ham Radio
k) DMR: nets
What follow is some nets I've come across and enjoyed, but there's no guarantee that they're still active (please let me know if they aren't).
- MON: PAPA DMR Roundtable
: BM 3106, 9p MTN
- TUE: SNARS
DMR Net: BM 31328, 9p MTN
- TUE: Colorado HD (Hotspot Discussion) net
, a multiprotocol net held at 7:30p MTN each Tuesday. Several Northern Colorado DMR hams—led by Bud, W0RMT, and Jimi, N7VDR—developed the Colorado Digital Multiprotocol group
and the associated Colorado HD (Hotspot Discussion) talkgroup.
- DMR/YSF/P25 talkgroup 31088
- D-STAR reflector DCS/XRF/XLX303 D
- YSF room 99256
- They also have a Telegram group: Colorado Digital Multiprotocol
. Recordings of the net are available at Colorado HD Net Recordings
, thanks to Vladimir, AC2F.
- SAT: BrandMeister Worldwide Net: BM 91, 10a MTN
- SUN: TAC 310 Net: BM 310, 6p MTN
- Some places to find lists of DMR nets:
- Ham Radio DMR Nets Telegram Group: https://t.me/HamRadioDMRNets
- Arizona Ham Radio DMR: DMR Nets calendar
- Michael, AF6FB: DMR Nets
- Ham Radio DMR Nets Telegram Group: https://t.me/HamRadioDMRNets
- See also: D-STAR nets
1) Some repeater-based talkgroups
The display names are just what I use.
TLKGRP Frequency CC TS DISPLAY ONSCREEN
Rocky Mtn Wide, Lee Hill Rptr (RMHAM Network)
700 446.9875− 7 1 LEE RCKY MTN 700
Northern CO Region, Lee Hill Rptr (RMHAM Network)
721 446.9875− 7 2 LEE NO CO 721
Rocky Mtn Wide, Horsetooth Mtn Rptr
700 446.7500− 7 1 HRS RCKY MTN 700
Northern CO Region, Horsetooth Mtn Rptr
700 446.7500− 7 2 HRS NO CO 721
Local, Parker Pinery Rptr
2 445.0750− 1 2 PRA LCL 2
CO STWD, Parker Pinery Rptr
3108 445.0750− 1 1 PRA CO STWD 3108
2) Some BrandMeister hotspot talkgroups
For hotspot-based setup: These all use the same TX and RX simplex frequency (whatever your hotspot is set up to use), color code 1, and time slot 2. (Repeater-based time slots are shown in parentheses.)
Links are to the BrandMeister Hoseline service, so you can get an idea of the activity on the talkgroup. The display names are just what I use.
TLKGRP DISPLAY ONSCREEN
World Wide (TS1)
91 WW 91
North America (TS1)
93 N AM 93
N AM TAC 310
310 TAC 310¹
N AM TAC 311
311 TAC 311¹
N AM TAC 312
312 TAC 312¹
Worldwide English (Dynamic)
913 WW EN DYN 913
US Nationwide (TS1)
3100 US WIDE 3100¹
Colorado Statewide (TS2)
3108 CO STWD 3108
Parker Radio Association LCL (TS2)
310844 PRA LCL 310844
Calling Area 0: Midwest, incl CO (TS1)
31090 MIDWST 31090
Calling Areas 7: West (TS1)
31097 WEST 31097
Eastern Oklahoma
31402 E OK 31402
Parrot Private (TS1 & TS2)
310997 PARROT 310997
Reg and Loc (APRS) Services (TS1 & TS2)
310999 APRS 310999
[1] Talkgroups 3100, 310, 311, 312 are linked across BrandMeister and DMR-MARC.
3) Some other hotspot talkgroups
For hotspot-based setup: These all use the same TX and RX simplex frequency (whatever your hotspot is set up to use), color code 1, and time slot 2. (Repeater-based time slots are shown in parentheses.)
The display names are just what I use.
TLKGRP DISPLAY ONSCREEN
DMR-MARC: World Wide (TS1)
1 WW 1
DMR-MARC: North America (TS1)
3 N AM 3
DMR-MARC: WW English (TS1)
13 WW EN 13
DMR-MARC: N AM TAC 310 (TS1)
310 TAC 310
DMR-MARC: N AM TAC 311 (TS1)
311 TAC 311
DMR-MARC: N AM TAC 312 (TS1)
312 TAC 312
DMR-MARC: Northern CO (TS2)
3171 NO CO 3171
Note: cross-connected to BrandMeister
DMR-MARC: Mountain Region (TS2)
3177 MTN RGN 3177
4) All BrandMeister regional talkgroups
The BrandMeister U.S. regional talkgroups mirror the callsign assignment regions shown in this ARRL WAS map (PDF).
Links are to the BrandMeister Hoseline service, so you can get an idea of the activity on the talkgroups. On repeaters, these talkgroups typically are on time slot 1. The display names are just what I use.
TLKGRP DISPLAY ONSCREEN
31090 0 MIDWST 31090
31091 1 N EAST 31091
31092 2 NY NJ 31092
31093 3 MIDATLTC 31093
31094 4 S EAST 31094
31095 S CENTRAL 31095
31096 6 CAL 31096
31097 7 WEST 31097
5) All BrandMeister state talkgroups
Links are to the BrandMeister Hoseline service, so you can get an idea of the activity on the talkgroups. On repeaters, the home state talkgroup is typically on time slot 2. The display names are just what I use.
TLKGRP DISPLAY ONSCREEN
3101 AL STWD 3101
3102 AK STWD 3102
3104 AZ STWD 3104
3105 AR STWD 3105
3106 CA STWD 3106
3108 CO STWD 3108
3109 CT STWD 3109
3110 DE STWD 3110
3111 DC STWD 3111
3112 FL STWD 3112
3113 GA STWD 3113
3115 HI STWD 3115
3116 ID STWD 3116
3117 IL STWD 3117
3118 IN STWD 3118
3119 IA STWD 3119
3120 KS STWD 3120
3121 KY STWD 3121
3122 LA STWD 3122
3123 ME STWD 3123
3124 MD STWD 3124
3125 MA STWD 3125
3126 MI STWD 3126
3127 MN STWD 3127
3128 MS STWD 3128
3129 MO STWD 3129
3130 MT STWD 3130
3131 NE STWD 3131
3132 NV STWD 3132
3133 NH STWD 3133
3134 NJ STWD 3134
3135 NM STWD 3135
3136 NY STWD 3136
3137 NC STWD 3137
3138 ND STWD 3138
3139 OH STWD 3139
3140 OK STWD 3140
3141 OR STWD 3141
3142 PA STWD 3142
3144 RI STWD 3144
3145 SC STWD 3145
3146 SD STWD 3146
3147 TN STWD 3147
3148 TX STWD 3148¹
3149 UT STWD 3149
3150 VT STWD 3150
3151 VA STWD 3151
3153 WA STWD 3153
3154 WV STWD 3154
3155 WI STWD 3155
3156 WY STWD 3156
[1] BrandMeister 3148 (TX STWD) is crosslinked to DMR-MARC 9000.
6) All DMR-MARC regional talkgroups
The seven DMR-MARC U.S. regional talkgroups have a different grouping.
The display names are just what I use.
TLKGRP DISPLAY ONSCREEN
3169 RG MIDWST 3169
3172 RG N EAST 3172
3173 RG MIDATLTC 3173
3174 RG S EAST 3174
3175 RG S PLAINS 3175
3176 RG S WEST 3176
3177 RG MOUNTAIN 3177
7) NoCO DMR talkgroups
The Northern Colorado (NoCO) DMR group is a group of Northern Colorado amateur radio operators who operate and maintain an amateur radio DMR repeater network. Usage of the repeater system is open to use by all licensed amateur radio operators with the appropriate privileges.
NoCO DMR talkgroups (BrandMeister). The display names are just what I use.
TLKGRP DISPLAY ONSCREEN
3171 NoCO (Northern Colorado)
31088 CO HD (Hotspot Discussion)
31083 CO Severe WX
31084 NoCO MTN (Front Range)
8) Constellations: a big leap for digital voice
There is work being done to include DMR into existing XLX reflectors, and by linking into the XRF/XLX infrastructure.
From the Kings of Digital Notify group: The Constellation reflectors are:
- D-STAR: XRF002, XRF310, XRF555, (all modules A-Z) and XLX313 (modules A-F).
- DMR: Use XLX313 as the master and select talk group 4001-4006.
- XLX212 is DMR only with 26 talk groups 4001-4026.
- XLX313 provides full time transcoding on all 6 modules.
- All nets are available on both D-STAR and DMR.
- Transcoded modules also available for QSOs.
8a) The advantage of a constellation
From the paper, "XLX and XRF Reflectors, DMR, and use with DMRGateway" by John Fields, K6KD, of the D-STAR Round Table Forum:
The advantage for existing DMR users are portals into current XLX/XRF infrastructure (individual reflectors or groups of linked reflectors) either using new DMR only Talk Groups or Talk Groups with transcoding. The advantage for existing D-STAR users is the ability to access the XLX/XRF infrastructure using many high quality, low cost DMR radios.
An example of a constellation net is the D-STAR Round Table Net, which because of this new flexibility is joined by people using D-STAR, DMR, and even System Fusion radios:
D-STAR Round Table is on a constellation of XRF/XLX Reflectors. To participate, you may connect to any one of the linked Reflectors: XRF002A, XRF310A, XRF555A, XLX313A, DMR XLX313/TG 4001 OR connect to a repeater that is linked to one of the reflectors.
Notes:
- To download John's paper, which provides a very good explanation of the interplay between XLX and XRF reflectors, subscribe to Groups.io: Kings of Digital Notify
. You can then find the paper in the Files section: XLX XRF DMRGateway:Pi-Star 060818.pdf
.
- Bob, K6UDA, has a good video about this: D Star XRF Reflectors – A Whole New D-Star Experience
.
- See the X Reflector Directory
for more constellation nets.
- As of Aug 2017: Private calls to 8001 - 8999 can be used to select XLX masters, for example, 8313 = XLX313.
- See also: DMRGateway notes
.
8b) Constellation setup
Follow-up note (Nov 2017) – Following the steps in a document written by Craig Jungers, K7EXJ, "Connecting your DMR radio to the D-STAR constellation", I configured the Pi-Star DMRGateway settings so that I was able to join into the Kings of Digital constellation with my DMR radio, listening to callers on both D-STAR and DMR radios. Sweet, this is progress! To summarize:
- I enabled the Pi-Star DMR Configuration with the DMR Master set to DMRGateway, and then set up the XLX section as follows:
- XLX Master = XLX_313
- XLX Startup TG = None [Note: This option is no longer available.]
- XLX Master Enable = On
- I added an XLX hotspot zone to my codeplug with the following channels:
- XLX313 CQCQCQ = TG 6, Group Call
- XLX Unlink = TG 64000, Private Call
- XLX313 A Link = TG 64001, Private Call (XLX313 A is persistently linked to the Kings of Digital reflector constellation
, which also includes XRF002 A, XRF310 A, XRF555 A, and XLX212 A)
- XLX313 B Link = TG 64002, Private Call (XLX313 B is persistently linked to XRF757 C and the QuadNet
)
- XLX313 C Link = TG 64003, Private Call (XLX313 C is persistently linked to XRF555 C = good for multimode extended QSOs)
- XLX313 D Link = TG 64004, Private Call (XLX313 D is persistently linked to XRF310 D = good for multimode extended QSOs)
- XLX313 E Link = TG 64005, Private Call
Kings of Digital Notify for Constellation reflectors
In early May 2018, the Kings of Digital announced a Notify service "to enable users to notify each other of either planned or ad hoc discussions on the Constellation." For more info, see: Kings of Digital Notify group.
9) BrandMeister static, dynamic, and auto-static talkgroups
Standalone article: BrandMeister static, dynamic, and auto-static talkgroups
These are simple features made a bit more complex by the fact that things behave differently when you connect to a BrandMeister talkgroup via a hotspot than when you connect via a BrandMeister repeater. Additionally, simplex and duplex hotspots behave differently related to auto-static talkgroups.
Here's how I understand BrandMeister static, dynamic, and auto-static talkgroups to be working as of Dec 2019.
9a) Via repeaters
When you're connected via a BrandMeister repeater, talkgroups can be static (always activated) or dynamic (user activated). John, AA7US, wrote a good explanation of this in a post in the old, now closed Pi-Star Users Support Group:
On a regular repeater system there are "static" and "dynamic" talk groups.…
Regular static talk groups are permanently linked to a repeater by an administrator using BrandMeister's SelfCare web dashboard. They can only be disconnected by the repeater administrator.
Dynamic talk groups are only temporarily linked to a repeater system each time someone keys up on a talk group. A dynamic talk group will time out … and automatically disconnect from the repeater. This makes it easy for users to share a repeater with different talk groups.
Network system administrators or repeater administrators determine how their repeaters are configured. Some allow only specific static talkgroups to be used on each time slot; others allow only static talkgroups on time slot 2, and allow dynamic talkgroups on time slot 1. In the latter case, the convention is to use time slot 1 to key up dynamic wide-area talkgroups, while local talkgroups typically are static on time slot 2.
BrandMeister system administrators tend to allow more dynamic talkgroups, while other networks can be more restrictive. The best way to understand how a repeater is configured is by visiting the specific repeater's website or by contacting the repeater operator.
When you activate a dynamic talkgroup on a repeater's time slot by keying up, it remains activated while there are transmissions on it, then drops from the repeater after some preconfigured period of inactivity, most commonly 15 minutes, but it can be some other period of time that the administrator has configured. When you're finished using a dynamic talkgroup, you don't need to manually unlink from that talkgroup; you can just key up another talkgroup or turn off your radio.
Note: Keep in mind that that this article is specifically addressing talkgroups. BrandMeister formerly supported linking to reflectors as well, but discontinued allowing that in late 2018. Some other networks still support linking to reflectors.
9b) Via personal hotspots
This section mainly addresses how auto-static talkgroups work with hotspots, but also will address how static talkgroups work with hotspots.
Auto-static talkgroups
The BrandMeister network has an additional talkgroup connection feature called "Auto Static" that applies to simplex hotspots.
Disclaimer: I don't know the background of why the auto-static feature was designed to work as it does. Perhaps it's meant to make things easier for hotspot users, so that we don't need to log into BrandMeister SelfCare in order to make a talkgroup we want to connect to static so that it won't time out. Regardless, that's the way the BrandMeister system administrators have designed things. My personal goal is to try to understand the feature well and use it as best as possible. The good news is that the auto-static feature is currently working better than ever.
Replying to a question about auto-static behavior related to simplex and duplex hotspots, Andrew, M1DNS, posted a good answer in the Pi-Star User Forum:
Simplex (hotspots) stay connected, the connection doesn't drop. Duplex hotspot / Repeater installation: the link is dynamic and will drop after X mins of no local use, unless you set a static [connection] with BrandMeister SelfCare.
So the behavior of a duplex hotspot is similar to a repeater, but the behavior of a simplex hotspot is different.
When you key up a BrandMeister talkgroup via your simplex hotspot, it automatically becomes static, in other words, it becomes auto-static. You can view this behavior via BrandMeister's SelfCare:
- Register for a BrandMeister SelfCare account:
https://brandmeister.network/
- After logging into your BrandMeister SelfCare account, key up a BrandMeister talkgroup via your hotspot, and then find the My hotspots option in the BrandMeister menu:
- In a wide browser window, it's the open left panel.
- On a mobile device or in a narrower browser window, it can be opened by clicking the top left Menu button (looks like three lines stacked on each other, and is commonly called the "hamburger" button).
- Click My hotspots to open a list of your hotspots, and then click the CCS7 ID associated with the hotspot you want to look at.
- In the hotspot Settings window that opens, scroll down to the Static Talkgroups section to see which talkgroups are static.
Note: It can take a minute or so for an auto-static talkgroup to show up in the Static Talkgroups list (sometimes you must refresh to see the change). - In a desktop browser window, if you point your mouse cursor at a listed auto-static talkgroup, you'll see a tooltip identifying it as "Auto Static."
Note (as of Dec 2019): The rest of the tooltip hasn't been updated to accurately reflect how the auto-static feature is working. Per my testing, the tooltip should read: "This talkgroup was set automatically as auto-static due to it being the last talkgroup keyed up."
Per my testing, there are a couple ways to disconnect from an auto-static talkgroup:
- Key up a different talkgroup – This will cause the new talkgroup to become connected as auto-static, and the previous talkgroup will be disconnected. This works even if the new talkgroup is one that you already made a static talkgroup (see "Static talkgroups" below).
- Note 1: It can take a minute or so for the new talkgroup to show up in the Static Talkgroups list, as well as for the previous one to be cleared off the list (sometimes you must refresh to see the changes).
- Note 2: If the new talkgroup is one that you previously made a static talkgroup (see "Static talkgroups" below), it will be listed twice, as a Static talkgroup (no ToolTip when you point at it), and as an Auto-Static talkgroup (displaying an "Auto Static" ToolTip when you point at it).
- Key up a public call to talkgroup 4000 – This will disconnect the active talkgroup and remove it from the auto-static status.
- Hint for the AnyTone AT-D878UV: I've made TG 4000 the first choice in the list of talkgroups in my 878. The talkgroup list can be accessed quickly by pressing the List key (a.k.a., Exit key), which is the red – – key on the right just below the display and above the P2 key. This means that disconnecting from a talkgroup can be accomplished with a quick set of two key presses: List, and then PTT, which makes it easier to disconnect from a busy talkgroup.
- Note: An alternative to using a public call to TG 4000 to disconnect from an auto-static talkgroup is to use a public call to TG 9, which for a hotspot user will, as I understand it, link you to your own hotspot.
Note: During my testing, when I keyed up a talkgroup on my duplex hotspot (the MMDVM_HS_Dual_Hat by Florian, DF2ET, Mathis, DB9MAT, and Andreas, DO7EN), it was listed in the Pi-Star Admin Dashboard's Active BrandMeister Connections module as a Dynamic Talkgroup. After 15 minutes of inactivity, it was cleared off that list; however, it didn't get cleared from being displayed as the linked talkgroup in the DMR Repeater module (on the left side of the Admin dashboard). Turns out that this is due to the fact that the dynamic listing is dropped server side, but that doesn't trigger any action in the local dashboard. The Active BrandMeister Connections module is reporting actions on the server side, while the the DMR Repeater module is reporting local dashboard status.
Static talkgroups
When you're using a hotspot, simplex or duplex, it's also possible to create one or more static talkgroups:
- Log into BrandMeister SelfCare.
- Make sure you have your hotspot turned on and the DMR mode enabled so that your hotspot is connected to a DMR server.
- In the BrandMeister Menu, click My hotspots to open the list of your hotspots, and then click the CCS7 ID of the hotspot you want to configure.
- In the hotspot Settings window, scroll down to the Static Talkgroups section.
- Type the number of the talkgroup that you want to make static in the left field (or, on a mobile device or in a narrower browser window, the top field), and then click the Right-Arrow button to move it to the right (or bottom) field and make it static.
Note: TAC channels should not be used as primary calling channels. In the U.S., the TAC channels (talkgroups 310 - 319) can't be added as static talkgroups, and also won't become auto-static. If you want a primary calling channel, try something like the U.S. Wide talkgroup, 3100. For more information, see the BrandMeister U.S. Wiki.
Advanced BrandMeister API use
See the article Using the BrandMeister API by Vladimir, AC2F
10) AnyTone firmware updates
The AnyTone firmware update process is different from other radios I've used, and I find it a bit convoluted, so much so that I end up having to hunt down and open the instructions every time I do it, so I'm going to record the steps here to make them easier for me to find!
- Download the updates from your vendor. This step always means downloading the firmware update and the matching Customer Programming Software (CPS) upgrade, because the AnyTone requires both to be on the same version. In addition, it is sometimes necessary to also download a USB driver update. Some vendors package them altogether; others list them separately. Extract any files that are zipped.
- Optional: Download the latest digital contact list. I figure if I'm going to go through the hassle of updating the CPS and firmware, I might as well bring my digital contact list up to date at the same time, especially given how quickly DMR registrations are growing.
- Important! Connect the radio to the computer, turn it on, open the previous CPS, set the COM port (on my computer, I have to set it every session), and then read the radio's codeplug. If a new digital contact list has been downloaded, don't bother reading the contact list, just the other data.
Note: If you have trouble with the USB driver (COM port not found), it might be due to Windows third-party signature verification. For a workaround, see the Driver signature enforcement note below. - Save the read data, and then close the previous CPS, turn off the radio, and disconnect it.
- Install the new CPS and, if needed, the new USB driver (I install the X64 version for my 64-bit system; a 34-bit system should use the X86 version).
- Open the updated CPS and then open the radio's read data that was just saved.
- If a new digital contact list has been downloaded, import it (Tool > Import > Digital Contact List), and then save the codeplug with a new name.
- Connect the radio to the computer, turn it on, and then in the new CPS, set the COM port. Turn off and disconnect the radio.
- In the CPS, open the Firmware Update tool (Tool > Firmware Update) and prepare for the update:
- While holding down both the radio's PTT key and Alarm button (the blue or orange button on top), turn the radio on, and then plug it into the computer. The LED Status Indicator will blink red.
- In the Firmware Update tool, opn the firmware update file that was previously downloaded (it will have an .spi extension).
- If necessary, choose the COM port, select Duplex, set the COM speed to the highest setting, and then click Write. The LED Status Indicator will glow steady red while the firmware is being updated.
- A message is displayed in the CPS when the update is finished. Turn the radio off, and disconnect it.
- Initialize the radio (formerly: Reset the radio's Main Control Unit/MCU):
- While holding the radio's PTT key and PF1 button (the button with one bar just below the PTT key), turn the radio on. It should display: "Are you sure you want to Initialize radio?" (Formerly: MCU Reset.) Press Confirm. Do NOT turn the radio off while this is displayed. This process will wipe all the data stored in the radio.
- When the initialization/MCU reset process is finished, set the time zone, date, and time. Use the P1 button to move through the date and time fields.
- When finished, turn off and disconnect the radio.
- Connect the radio to the computer and turn it on. In the CPS, set the COM port, and then Write to Radio. Write both the Digital Contact List and the Other Data.
- When the write is finished, turn off and disconnect the radio. Should be good to go!
AnyTone AT-D878UV icon update
One oddity of the AnyTone firmware update process is that icon updates—which are released along with some but not all firmware updates—must be run separately. After performing a firmware update, here's the process for updating the icons:
- You'll find the icon update files in the same zip file as the firmware update.
- While pressing and holding both the PTT key and PF2 key (the second key beneath the PTT key) side key), turn on the radio. The screen will display: UPDATE MODE.
- Connect the radio to a USB port on the computer.
- On the computer, open the CPS:
- Select the COM port: In the Set menu, select Set COM, and then select the correct COM port to use.
Note: During this process, if the CPS has any trouble using the COM port, first try exiting and then reopening the CPS. If that doesn't work, see the note: Driver signature enforcement.
- In the Tool menu, select Firmware Upgrade.
- Click Open Update File,select the appropriate Icon file (use the one with "Anytone" in the filename),
- Select Duplex and set COM speed to 921600.
- Click Write to update the radio with the new icons.
- Select the COM port: In the Set menu, select Set COM, and then select the correct COM port to use.
- When the write is finished, turn the radio off, and then back on.
11) DMR simplex frequencies
Thanks to a robust discussion on the Colorado Digital Multiprotocol Telegram group: Colorado Digital Multiprotocol
, here's a list of commonly used North America DMR simplex frequencies:
- Admit criteria:
Always or Channel Free
- Time slot:
1
- Color code:
1
- Talkgroup ID:
99
- UHF simplex channels:
441.0000 MHz
446.5000 MHz
446.0750 MHz
433.4500 MHz
- VHF simplex channels:
145.7900 MHz
145.5100 MHz