Monitoring for DMR use on an FM radio ?

[KILLERPARSNIP]

Hello all,

I have been attempting to listen for DMR activity on the local repeaters using my standard analogue transceiver just to see if there is any activity before possibly buying a DMR will I hear digital noise or am I barking up the wrong tree ? So far the radio hasn't piped up once ?

Thanks all

[Transwarp]

No experance in using digital so can't offer any guidance, other members will have though so maybe a post from with some advice will follow

[Octane Red]

Which are the local repeaters you are monitoring? As depending on their configuration, the advice can vary.

But in relation to your question, a basic point. If the repeater is mixed mode (analogue and digital), then turn off any RX / decode CTCSS tone. There is no CTCSS on digital. And yes, you will hear digital noise on analogue.

Let us know which repeaters and there may be quite a few things to suggest. Not just to hear digital noise but to actually hear the traffic, before you buy a radio.

[paulears]

You will hear the digital buzz if there is any digital traffic - BUT - lots is not talking, it's just data between nodes and sort of management data, as in I'm here, I'm ready, use me. My local DMR repeater transmits a lot, with few people talking.

[KILLERPARSNIP]

Thanks for the replies, The repeaters I'm listening to are GB7DY,GB7WD,GB7KR,GB7BM . As yet I haven't heard a thing at all despite being able to hear and work all the analogue sister repeaters !

[Octane Red]

OK, that's useful, as it reveals that these 4 repeaters are on the Salop DMR cluster, which is quite a limited one, compared to networks such as Brandmeister or DVS/Phoenix. Its also unfortunate as I am not familiar with any monitoring tools that would enable you to correlate activity on a webpage with activity on the repeaters. The network seems to have a webpage here - https://salop-repeater.weebly.com/ but unlike Brandmeister, there doesn't appear to be a link to any activity monitors that might show when the repeaters last relayed traffic. By comparison, a nearby Brandmeister repeater spills a lot more information on the web - https://brandmeister.network/#/device/235247

Looks like you need someone with actual experience of these Salop repeaters to advise if they are much used or not. One thing that looking up these repeaters shows is that none of them are using mixed mode, i.e. analogue AND DMR. So any traffic you are hearing on analogue is coming from elsewhere. But, if you are tuned to the 4 output frequencies AND are in range and are hearing nothing, its suggesting that they are not being used very much.

Hope that helps.

[KILLERPARSNIP]

Thanks for the replies,I have been listening to various repeaters/networks on Hoseline and have to say at best I'm finding it difficult to understand and at worst impossible is this a reflection of how DMR is or more the Hoseline site I wonder ?

Thanks all

[Octane Red]

A somewhat more accurate representation here....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h37vn3OcXWU

Its true it does have a characteristic sound.

[KILLERPARSNIP]

The first comment says it all ! "The audio was just as clear as when ozzy Osborne talks"

[Octane Red]

Have you tried an audiologist?