VIDEO: Beginners guide to digital voice modes (D-STAR, DMR & FUSION) ...by Tim, GW4VXE

As part of the RSGB Tonight at 8 video series, Tim GW4VXE gave an interesting presentation on digital voice modes like D-Star, DMR & Fusion. This is really aimed at beginners or anyone who is not familiar with these modes.

The video is shown below. The presentation lasts from about 06:00 to 1:09:30 and there is a Q&A session after it which lasts until 1:43:40.

Digital Radio Operating Manual - Sept 2021... by Steve Wright, EI5DD

Steve Wright, EI5DD has now updated his comprehensive manual for anyone in Ireland with an interest in the DMR, C4FM and D-Star digital modes. The 62-page document  is a substantial increase on the 44-page 2020 edition and should be of interest to anyone starting off and even to established users who want to get a better understanding of the various digital systems.

While the guide is primarily aimed at radio amateurs in Ireland, a lot of the material covered should be of interest to radio amateurs in other countries as well.

The online manual can be seen HERE

Digital Radio Operating Manual... by Steve Wright, EI5DD

Steve Wright, EI5DD has now compiled a comprehensive manual for anyone in Ireland with an interest in the DMR, C4FM and D-Star digital modes. The 44-page document should be of interest to anyone starting off and even to established users who want to get a better understanding of the various digital systems.

While the guide is primarily aimed at radio amateurs in Ireland, a lot of the material covered should be of interest to interested parties in other countries as well.

The online manual can be seen HERE

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

EI DMR registrations at the end of June 2018

As of the end of June 2018, there were 126 DMR registrations allocated to EI callsigns. It had looked as if the growth in digital registrations had begun to taper off at the end of 2017 but it continued to grow in 2018.

Snapshot of DMR activity in EI - 10th March 2018

After a few contacts earlier today on digital radio (DMR), I began to wonder what the DMR activity levels in Ireland was like among EI calls. After a small bit of digging, I came up with some stats which are current as of the 10th of March 2018.

Some stats...

1) 108 DMR numbers...There are 108 registered DMR numbers issued to EI calls. Even though number 272109 was issued, number 272008 is missing...so that's 108 in total.

2) 100 Individuals (incl 3 clubs)... Eight individuals have two DMR numbers a) EI9IL/EI1UN b) EI3JE c) EI4GJB d) EI4KN e) EI5CA f) EI7IG g) EI8EJB and h) EI9ED. So that makes 108 - 8 = 100 individuals with registered DMR numbers. (Three are clubs but I'll count those as individuals).

3) 46% Heard... Out of the 100 individuals registered for DMR, only 46 have been heard. (49 - 3 duplicates from EI3JE, EI4KN and EI7IG). If that's correct then that means 46% of the those that have registered a DMR number have actually activated it.

4) 41 active in 2018...Of the 46 heard, a total of 41 of these were heard in the first 10 weeks of 2018. That probably represents the current number of EI calls actually active at present on this digital mode.

5) Distribution of activity... Of the 41 heard in the first ten weeks of 2018, this is where the majority were heard last...(as of the 10th of March 2018)...
...a) 21 heard on MMDVM individual hotspots.
...b) 7 heard on EI7WCD in Tramore near Waterford City.
...c) 7 heard on EI7CDD in West Waterford.
...d) 2 heard on EI2GCD in Galway City.

6) Registrations by County... If we count the club calls and account for those with two DMR numbers, this is the breakdown by county (3 and more)...

It breaks down as Cork 14, Galway 13, Waterford 8, Limerick 8, Dublin 6, Louth 6, Clare 5, Mayo 5, Wexford 4, Donegal 3, Tipperary 3, Kerry 3 and Kildare 3.

7) DMR Registrations by Quarter... The chart below shows the total number of registered DMR users in Ireland (EI) at the end of 2017.

It's worth pointing out that the stats above don't show the large pocket of activity in Northern Ireland as well (GI).

Taken all together, there are three pockets of activity in Ireland...in the south-east near Waterford & East Cork, near Galway City and in the north-east near Belfast.

It's amazing there is no real activity yet from near Dublin? Why?

Links...
1) EI registered DMR numbers

EI DMR Registrations...

A few weeks back, I got a registration number for using DMR (Digital Mobile Radio). Considering DMR has its roots in the commercial world, I think that this will become the de facto standard for digital radio on the VHF amateur bands in the future...as opposed to D-Star or Fusion.

I was curious to see how many EI stations have registered to do and I put together the chart above. The 2017 peak coincided with articles in the IRTS newsletter.

The chart below shows the total number of DMR registrations for EI calls at the end of each quarter up until the end of 2017...

As of the 9th of February 2018, there are 106 EI calls registered on DMR. Needless to say, not all of them are active or may even have equipment but it does show a growing interest in this digital mode.

Update 9th March 2018 : Using the 'Heard Users' function, 47 of the 108 registered users have been heard using DMR. That's roughly 44%.