Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.
Welcome to the Charlie Tango DX Group. The home of ALL things Radio - CB, 11m DX, Amateur, PMR446, PLD, Network and Data. We welcome all radio enthusiasts of all knowledge levels. Join today and claim your own unique World Famous CT Call-sign
Join in with the fun of the Charlie Tango DX Group Summer 10m Challenge - from April 1st 2024
Call Sign : 26TM205 Posts : 3 Times Thanked : 0 Join date : 2021-04-14 QTH or Location : Stoke City Equipment Used : Alinco DR-135DX, 5/8th vertical home base, 1/4 wave whip for static mobile. +446MHz Age : 62
Subject: DMR on 446MHz Thu Oct 13, 2022 4:10 pm
Is there any activity on DMR simplex 446 in Staffordshire? Cant say I have ever heard anyone else on there apart from the normal Analogue FM signals. Do any of you guys ever call on there? I believe Danielle is active but being in Yorkshire I can't say we have much chance of a contact. But hey you never know. Using Colour code 1 TG1 and can qsy to any of the 16 channels. Cheers Mark
Guest Guest
Subject: Re: DMR on 446MHz Wed Oct 19, 2022 12:40 am
Don't know at around that way, but locally (Medway Towns) for me, DMR446 simplex seems to be pretty much shunned bar a few closet groups who make outsiders very unwelcome in my experience, a bit like DMR Simplex on 2 & 70 ham side. Most of the rest is business or school staff heard if you scan Promiscuous Mode.
DX-Digger New Member
Call Sign : 26TM205 Posts : 3 Times Thanked : 0 Join date : 2021-04-14 QTH or Location : Stoke City Equipment Used : Alinco DR-135DX, 5/8th vertical home base, 1/4 wave whip for static mobile. +446MHz Age : 62
Subject: Re: DMR on 446MHz Fri Oct 21, 2022 3:32 pm
Thanks Chris, yes Promiscuous mode always on. and netmon to scan for colour codes, I guess 446MHz DMR is just not the in thing then here in the Midlands then. Ah well I will keep searching you never know. 73 Chris ATB Mark
Guest Guest
Subject: Re: DMR on 446MHz Fri Oct 21, 2022 4:24 pm
Hi Mark,
Indeed, you never know.
Mind you, i suspect you'll more likely find you'll hear T2 traffic from business or site use or schools, down here such is a mix of T2 DMR use, DPMR, and some FM 446 usage (a few domestic users - the odd kiddie/parent chat and a few local friends/relatives natter, and a few business users running radio on the cheap, and highly territorial about 'their' channel).
What really kills legit DMR446 use, or rather the lack of use of, is the sheer scarcity of T1 gear.
I mean, if you count the number of CE certified DMR446 T1 (as you would legally use for license-free use) sets, on sale in the UK or offered say on Amazon, you'll have fingers to spare on one hand.
Only one i know of, that's not premium money and easily got is a Radioddity item that's factory pre-programmed, but at around £70 per item (no packages offered on Amazon), you're not likely to be buying into it for enough sets to provide family group or suchlike for camping trips and suchlike.
More likely, you'll find, people who do go digital for domestic/leisure activity radio use, just buy into UV-3R/5R/9R's and clones of as you can buy bundles cheap, better range then 446FM gear, easily programmed to 446 for slapped wrist usage - or just buy bottom end T2 DMR for similar reasons - which are at least half-legit (as in certified).
An absolute bargain, if you're duely licensed (i hold T2, full Ham, and SBLS tickets, and a defunct USA military ham callsign still that's not usable anymore but lifetime issued), amongst multi-channel digital HH's are Retevis RB25's. Programmable anywhere between 400-480 Mhz, proprietary NBDR digital mode (which in itself gives privacy) and high level 'slapped wrist for most' encryption within the NBDR mode. So, at about £35 each, but obtainable legally imported in dual & quad packs or more direct sourced, use any SMA-F practical resonant antenna with them, & 10W output makes them a closet bargain overlooked because few if anyone outside of the radio technically curious know of them or it's digital mode. They are, because you'll need an SL or suchlike ticket (i can't recall precisely without checking docs not at hand at the moment), mostly used by who they are marketed at, hotel radio comms and security use. I managed to discover the PM function on my pair i bought to test out of curiosity via bit of hex modding of a read codeplug, so i can easily ID which commercial users are using them locally - since nobody is using the HE option. Make for unusual 70cms use, useful for marshalling i guess at rallies or suchlike if you've a suitable ticket for legit use.
But it's more likely you'll find it's commercial DPMR or FM on SL frequencies activity around and about, because business users were mis-sold the gear as it gets a better return on price than much better and more affordable DMR446 T2 gear.
I get a pretty good picture of what's local usage and nearby counties equally, as i keep a scanner going + a bank of SDR's running 24/7 monitoring nearly every digital mode used in the UK. And for certain, DMR isn't amongst to heavy hitters of use - only really heavy use are hams on 70cms using them to link via hotspots and bugger all simplex use which is a crying waste of good gear.