How to setup an MD380 for use with a DMR

repeater
DMR is based on 12.5KHz channels with each one operating two time divided sub-channels or Slots. Each slot can
simultaneously provide a Tx/Rx communication path equivalent to two 6.25KHz channels operating on the same
frequency.

DMR is run by DMR MARC (Motorola Amateur Radio Club) a group in the US that manages the system and maintains
a register of all Amateur Radio stations permitted to use the network it manages.

It is represented in the UK by two independent DMR networks, the Phoenix network ( http://www.opendmr.net/ ) and
the Brandmeister network ( http://wiki.brandmeister.network/index.php ) These networks provide the backbone
systems to allow DMR radios to function.

Before using an MD-380 on the network you must register with DMR MARC to obtain a user ID and then configure the
radio by loading it with a code plug containing your ID and appropriate configuration data. The objective of this note is
to provide an initial understanding of the configuration process which is undertaken using the code plug editor software
(CPS) to produce the code plug.

As an example I’m using the Northern DMR Cluster of Phoenix based repeaters ( http://www.northerndmrcluster.com/ )
but the same process can be followed on a Brandmeister based repeater. There are 8 repeaters in this cluster. The
repeater I will configure in my code plug is GB7MR.

First gather the repeater data (sometimes a challenge to find) which in this case is clearly identified on the site.

Repeater Infomation
CALLSIGN CHAN OUTPUT INPUT COLOUR CODE QTHR WHERE
GB7HS DVU34 439.425 430.425 2 IO93BR BATLEY
GB7HX DVU46 439.575 430.575 1 IO93BP HUDDERSFIELD
GB7LE DVU53 439.6625 430.6625 2 IO93FU LEEDS
GB7MR DVU59 439.7375 430.7375 2 IO83XN MANCHESTER
GB7TD DVU13 439.1625 430.1625 1 IO93EP WAKEFIELD
GB7EL DVU57 439.7125 430.7125 2 IO83VT NELSON
GB7RV DVU50 439.625 430.625 2 IO83ST WILPSHIRE
GB7HM DVU51 439.6375 430.6375 1 IO83LC CAERGWRLE

Repeater Configuration Data

Repeater Slot Talk Group Description
All repeaters 1 9 Local
Calling Channel 1 WorldWide
Calling Channel 2 Europe
Calling Channel 13 WW English
Calling Channel 235 UK
113 WW English User Activated
123 WW English User Activated
119 WW User Activated
129 WW User Activated
80-83 UK User Activated
2 9 Local
GB7HS GB7HX GB7LE GB7TD 860 NE Regional
862 M62 Corridor Roaming
GB7MR GB7EL GB7RV 820 NW Regional
862 M62 Corridor Roaming
GB7HM 870 (DMR+4470) Wales Regional
820 NW Regional

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Settings required for GB7MR
The table entry gives:
GB7MR DVU59 439.7375 430.7375 2 IO83XN MANCHESTER
So for the GB7MR repeater the MD-380 must transmit on 430.7375 MHz using colour code 2 and receive on 439.7375
MHz

The talk groups required are:

All repeaters 1 9 Local

Calling Channel 1 WorldWide
Calling Channel 2 Europe
Calling Channel 13 WW English
Calling Channel 235 UK
113 WW English User Activated*
123 WW English User Activated*
119 WW User Activated*
129 WW User Activated*
80-83 UK User Activated*
2 9 Local

and for GB7MR specifically:

GB7MR GB7EL GB7RV 820 NW Regional

862 M62 Corridor Roaming**

* to find out about User Activation read the entry in http://www.dmr-uk.net/index.php

** roaming works like a cell phone switching to the strongest signal available but unlike Motorola handsets it is not
available on the MD-380 however UA access to it on GB7MR is potentially available when in range.

Code Plug step 1

The first step is to create a list of Digital contacts based on the talk group requirements.

Digital contact Talk

name group
Local 9
Worldwide 1
Europe wide 2
WW English 13
UK wide 235
WW Eng 1 UA 113
WW Eng 2 UA 123
WW UA 129
UA80 80
UA81 81
UA82 82
UA83 83
NW Regional 820
M62 Corridor 862

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Your CPS Digital Contacts window should now look like this:

Code Plug step 2

Now the important part where you actually program the radio’s channel information to which are attached the Digital
Contacts just defined. Here is the basic blank screen:

The important entries are:

Channel mode – Digital
Channel name – Recognisable
RX frequency – Output freq of repeater
TX frequency – Input freq of repeater
Contact name – Digital Contact ID
Colour code – for GB7MR = 2 (c/f CTCSS)
Repeater slot – all slot1 bar the 2nd TG9 + 860, 862
Admit Criteria – ‘Color Code’ for repeaters but
‘Always’ otherwise.
Read entry in Ref (ii) on last page

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I am not going to complete all 14 channels but here are some examples:

Local TG9 Slot 1

Worldwide TG1

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Europe TG2

WW English TG13

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Local 2 TG9 Slot 2

NW Region TG860

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Code Plug step 3
The final step in this process is to set up a grouping of the channels that can be selected by turning the 16 position
selector switch at the top of the MD -380. This grouping is called Zoning.

Here I have created a zone named GB7MR and added the first five channels defined in step 2 in the Channels
Information. Switch position 1 is the Local slot 1 channel, position 2 is the Worldwide channel etc.. The final channel
shows as available to be added.

The channel information can be reused in another zone definition if required as often as required.

Further reading
i) A DMR Primer https://hamgear.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/dmr-primer.pdf and also
http://www.larkfield.org/gallery/digital%20mobile%20radio%20(dmr)%20primer.pdf
ii) Amateur Radio Guide to Digital Mobile Radio
http://www.trbo.org/docs/Amateur_Radio_Guide_to_DMR.pdf

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