Hello from KM1U

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KM1U
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 3:14 pm

Hello from KM1U

Post by KM1U » Tue Aug 04, 2020 2:51 am

Hi,

I’m still debating about purchasing the GD77 and using DMR. I’ve read many articles, postings, and viewed numerous Videos. My hesitation stems from my concerns about being able to devote the time and energy needed to master the DMR “learning curve.” I must admit to being intrigued by the whole concept of an open operating system.

73, Al, KM1U

VK3KYY
Posts: 7489
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 3:25 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Hello from KM1U

Post by VK3KYY » Tue Aug 04, 2020 3:23 am

Welcome Al

I've changed your username to your callsign, KM1U to match the site policy.

I think some of the perceived steep learning curve for DMR is caused because the official firmware in most radios is not designed for Ham radio use, whereas the OpenGD77 is designed only for Ham radio use.

So a lot of the complex workarounds that are needed to normally make these radios suitable for Ham radio, are not needed.

There are still a couple of concepts which you would not encounter on FM....

1) 2 voice streams per frequency / Channel , Because the signal is "time domain multiplexed". These are called TimeSlot 1 and TimeSlot2
2) Talkgroup routing on your local repeater, if you have one. This will depend on how your local repeater is setup and what other repeater network its connected to via the Internet.

Talkgroups are a the DMR equivalent of an email, mailing list. If you transmit on a specific talkgroup, your signal goes out to all the repeaters and hotspots connected to that group

KM1U
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 3:14 pm

Re: Hello from KM1U

Post by KM1U » Tue Aug 04, 2020 3:36 pm

Thanks for the info, it was very helpful.
I’m a retired university professor, soon to be 78. Other than weather and emergency nets, 2 M FM here is very quiet, thus my tentative interest in DMR.

Al

VK3KYY
Posts: 7489
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 3:25 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Hello from KM1U

Post by VK3KYY » Tue Aug 04, 2020 9:52 pm

I regularly speak to several people on DMR who are older than you.;-)

nr0d
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2020 7:18 pm

Re: Hello from KM1U

Post by nr0d » Tue Aug 04, 2020 10:19 pm

For what it's worth, I've been a ham for 27 years and there were no digital modes for quite a bit of that. I'll freely admit that I'm a computer nerd, but I don't feel like much of this stuff really translates from that, except perhaps for plugging in a USB cable and installing a Windows program.

Anyway, you can do it - there are just a few reasonably simple concepts to quickly get down, and then you'll wonder why you thought it was tough. If you can do repeater offsets and CTCSS tones, you can do this. Give it a shot!

And it's very true that OpenGD77 is much MUCH nicer to program than a regular DMR radio is - I had an MD-380 before this unit, and DMR is normally just not all that designed for ham use. But with the way OpenGD77 does things and Brandmeister doing Talker Alias so you don't have to keep contact lists as up-to-date, it's a ton easier than on other radios.

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