DMR registrations in Ireland at the end of Sept 2018

The number of EI stations registering for Digital Mobile Radio numbers continues to grow with an average of 12 per quarter so far in 2018. The chart below shows that 136 DMR numbers had been allocated as of the end of September 2018.

Out of those 136 numbers, 5 were clubs and 12 EI calls had two numbers so the total number is something like 119 individuals.

Looking at the island of Ireland overall, it is perhaps a little suprising to see how many DMR numbers are allocated in Northern Ireland by comparison.

The 410 from Northern Ireland can be broken down as follows...
GI* = 138
MI* = 213
2I* = 59

Buried in those figures are full, novice and foundation licences. Some may have two numbers and some may have upgraded from a foundation to a novice call in the last three years. If we use the EI numbers as a guide then that 410 in the north could actually mean something like 350 individuals.

That gives a ball park figure of about 470 individuals with DMR numbers on the island of Ireland.

The big difference in numbers between Northern Ireland the the Republic may possibly be accounted for by the following reasons...

1) One year ahead... Digital Radio and DMR started in Northern Ireland about a year ahead of the rest of the island. The big surge in numbers in EI in the first two months of 2017 mirror a similar surge in GI a year earlier.

2) Licence for beginners... It's a lot easier to get a licence in the north of Ireland with the option of a foundation and novice licence. In the Republic, the only option is to sit a test and get the full licence.

Links...
1) http://ham-digital.org/dmr-userreg.php