How to Start a Hobby with the DMR Radio

As a novice, how to start radio hobby.

"I am a novice. I want to use the DMR radio, but I don't know how to start. I don't know anything about the DMR radio." There are many people they want to start their radio hobby, but they don't know how to start. In their opinion, the DMR radio is too complicated.

In fact, it is very easy when you know its rules and parameters. From this article, I will introduce the DMR radio from the basic aspects and make you know well about it step by step.

When we get the DMR radio, what we want first is to make it can communicate with another radio. How to set it? This may be the first question in our mind.

How to set? We can put this question aside for a while. Let’s talk about what parameters we need to set and what’s the meaning of these parameters.

What parameters do we need to know first?

I will take HD1 as an example.

DMR ID, Frequency, Time Slot, Color Code, Contacts.

DMR ID

All users on the DMR networks require a DMR ID number which has their details attached to it. You can register for an ID via this link(https://register.ham-digital.org/). Please note that it can take a few days for the ID number to be issued.

If you have not registered, you also can use several numbers to replace it for the moment. This id is your radio id, it’s kind of like a phone number.

Frequency

Frequency is the most important parameter, If you want to communicate with another radio, your radio receive frequency must same with the other radio’s transmit frequency. Other radio’s receive frequency must be same with your radio transmit frequency. In simplex mode(radio communicate with radio directly, don’t via any repeater), transmit frequency same with the receive frequency. Note, the radio frequency must be the same with another radio you want to communicate.

Time Slots (TS)

This allows the repeater to operate as two repeaters in one box this reducing the bandwidth requirement on DMR. Various talk groups are assigned to a specific time slot. BrandMeister tend to use slot 1 for talk groups and slot 2 for reflectors whereas Phoenix UK use slot 1 for national/International and slot 2 for local/regional talk groups. A QSO can take place on both slots simultaneously without interfering with each other however only one talk group can be used on a slot at a time. In simplex mode, the time slot is not workable, unless you turn on the DCDM function. We will talk about it in the future.

Here we set the simplex mode, so no matter what time slots you select, it won’t affect the communication. But to make sure your radio can communicate with another radio. Here we set the same value with another radio.

Colour Code (CC)

This is the DMR equivalent of a CTCSS tone using numbers from 0 to 15. Set the same value with another radio, If not same, You radio will cannot communicate with another radio.

Contacts

There are two types of contacts – group call and private call. Group calls are talk groups which you will link to channels when programming your radio. Private calls refer to (1) reflectors which are explained further down and (2) users information where you add their DMR ID, call sign and name so you can see the details of anyone on the radio. If someone is talking and you just see a set of numbers then their details are not on your radio.

Here we don’t set any receive group list, so only your radio and another radio select the same group call contacts, you can communicate with each other.

So now we can know. If we want our radio can communicate with another radio. We need to set the DMR id first, then set the same frequency, time slot, color code, and contact. Other parameters just keep the default value, we will talk them later. like the follow.