DMR in Amateur Radio & Capacity Plus

[rescue161]

Is there any reason why Cap+ cannot be used on a network, such as the DMR-MARC? My thought is to run single repeater sites (2 time slots) in Cap+ mode, which would be a sort of 2-channel trunking system. Instead of 7 or 8 talkgroups competing for a single time slot, they would be spread-loaded across both time slots. I have a repeater here on the NCPRN and it works great, but now that more users are starting to come onboard, if someone selects TAC310, then any other talkgroup on that time slot is almost useless. Maybe I'm overthinking it. Right now, one talkgroup is on TS2 and is linked full-time. All of the other talkgroups are on TS1, i.e., Local, Nationwide, Regional, etc. Most are on-demand, with the exception of the Local TG. Being that the National TG stays fairly busy, if someone activates it on my repeater, then Local as well as any other TG on TS1 has to compete.

Somebody school me if I'm way off.

 

[com501]

First, EVERY repeater you want on your network would have to have linked Capacity Plus, that is a $5,000 (list) upgrade PER REPEATER, plus the required Moto approved router and switch, per site. At that point, you would THEN have to make sure that ONLY MotoTrbo radios were on the system, but the software for the mobiles is free....

Then the argument with DMR-MARC which I'm betting would be a big flop, not to mention the C-Bridge, which probably would have an issue too...

See where I'm going with this?

Not that it isn't a great idea, some of us have done just that, on our own systems, since we are in the industry and the equipment is out there...

 

[rescue161]

Understood. Thank you.

 

[PSEhub]

First, EVERY repeater you want on your network would have to have linked Capacity Plus, that is a $5,000 (list) upgrade PER REPEATER, plus the required Moto approved router and switch, per site. At that point, you would THEN have to make sure that ONLY MotoTrbo radios were on the system, but the software for the mobiles is free....

Then the argument with DMR-MARC which I'm betting would be a big flop, not to mention the C-Bridge, which probably would have an issue too...

See where I'm going with this?

Not that it isn't a great idea, some of us have done just that, on our own systems, since we are in the industry and the equipment is out there...

Perfect summary.

 

[escomm]

I would love to know how this trunking technology would comply with Part 97 with respect to the one way beacon transmissions since they're not being used for telemetry. Any thoughts?

 

[rescue161]

No idea, but thought it would be a better use of the spectrum, beacon transmissions or otherwise. I sent you an email Jeff about buying two more XPR8400s.

 

[escomm]

With how often the beacon and rest channel assignments going out I would imagine one could argue it being a poorer use of spectrum, but I don't know how the finer workings enough. Since com501 seems to have deployed such a system and would never ever break FCC rules I am wondering if my understanding on how it works is not quite accurate

 

[rescue161]

The way I am looking at it is that it would be a single frequency pair in less space than a standard wide-band analog repeater pair, but with the added benefit of have a lot more talk paths than a single repeater could ever imagine. Have a local chatter TG and a couple of event TGs to take care of everything else. So, 3 talk paths without interference with each TG on a single repeater. To me, that is a much better use of spectrum than putting up 3 different analog repeaters.

 

[phonebuff]

Then the argument with DMR-MARC which I'm betting would be a big flop, not to mention the C-Bridge, which probably would have an issue too...

Think this would be the show stopper. The only companies licensed to do Wire line voice on Cap+ and LCP are Twisted-Pair (now part of Motorola) and Avtec, C-Bridge is not licensed and therefore is restricted to IP Site Connect and Conventional system topologies.

 

[com501]

Trbonet is licensed in all countries except the USA and their product also does this. A US entitled IP Voice repeater will work with their system but Moto refuses to license them hence their restriction on selling it here. I suspect a sweetheart deal in the mix.

 

[PSEhub]

Trbonet is licensed in all countries except the USA and their product also does this. A US entitled IP Voice repeater will work with their system but Moto refuses to license them hence their restriction on selling it here. I suspect a sweetheart deal in the mix.

This situation of M restricting the Neocom offering is near the top of my list of Arbitrary and Annoying. The inability to use the Trbonet Android app unless a physical Mototrbo radio is connected by USB on the group is a really cool touch as well.

 

[escomm]

This situation of M restricting the Neocom offering is near the top of my list of Arbitrary and Annoying.

It's not arbitrary.