Sota-link Project Part. 2

Hi Marc,
having just learnt about DMR over the last month, as well as details on how to configure a Baofeng RD-5R HT I also cover some of the background around the complex minefield that is DMR:

Take a look here: DMR Topics | DD5LP / G8GLM / VK2JI blog

73 Ed.

I’m new to it all too, you would have to send the repeater 4000 to disconnect from its current talkgroup, then sent it 973 to connect it to SOTA. You can either disconnect it again when finished and return it to it’s ‘usual Talkgroup’ or after a period of inactivity it should return itself to said talkgroup if it’s been set that way by its keeper.

I think that’s correct, that how it works on my hotspot anyway, I imagine the repeaters to be the same

I believe (and I could be wrong) the 4000 disconnect code is related to linking using reflector technology. This is used by Hot spots but less often by repeaters, at least in the Brandmeister network. The timeout - or someone accessing and connecting to a different TG is how a TG link is dropped - in fact it is possible that the link can be dropped mid QSO by another amateur accessing the Time Slot with a request for a different talk group.

73 Ed.

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I find myself with a spare hour in my schedule this afternoon, so I’ll pop up Gun G/SP-013 with my Fusion handy. SOTA-LINK WIRES-X & C4FM simplex in the next hour.

Hi Richard

No DMR equipment here as yet but this might prove to be the incentive to invest in something. I am spoilt for choice with both a 2m and 70cm DMR repeaters within a few miles of here and accessible by HT I would think.

Anyway, I’ll try and digest the comments above so far (thanks to the various contributors) and do some more reading.

73 Marc G0AZS

I have created a DMR Help specfic thread here: Helping each other get into DMR to avoid filling this thread with DMR questions and answers.

Ed DD5LP.

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There was activity on my HotSpot around this time on 973. It unfortunately didn’t correspond with my activity at my HotSpot. Around 4AM local I think.
Compton

Thursday 10th May 2018 - Gun G/SP-013

A bit of time to kill between some maths tutoring work in Stoke-on-Trent, then some of the same in Holmes Chapel. I was “saving” The Cloud G/SP-015 for the evening’s 6m events, so it had to be Gun.

I just carried the FT70D Fusion/analogue handheld in my pocket - no rucksack or anything. I was able to successfully get into SOTA-LINK via MB6AH gateway, and have a quick chat with a few SOTA chasers.

I made four QSOs, two each on 2m FM and 2m C4FM. I was a lovely sunny afternoon and I could have lounged around fro hours, but I had my next bit of work to get to in Holmes Chapel.

I’ll be back on SOTA-LINK in the next ten minutes.

I noticed some “other traffic” on SOTA-Link today. This might prove a little confusing for SOTA-Link users. It happens because a vital part of the SOTA-Link infrastructure is the MB6SO node. This is a public node so, while it is usually connected to the SOTA Wires-X room, other users can connect it to different rooms. The traffic in these rooms is then relayed into the SOTA-Link network. After a while MB6SO will automatically return to SOTA-Link.

Going for a circular walk taking in Gun G/SP-013 now. I’ll be on SOTA-LINK if I can get in during the walk, and QRV on C4FM simplex when I get to the summit.

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Hi Richard

I don’t know what happened yesterday afternoon as our qso came to a very abrupt end…I never heard anything for the rest of the day? Seems to be working again as I had a qso with Roland G4APO this morning.

Tom…not at home so will miss you this afternoon.

73 Allan GW4VPX

Yes I’ve heard people calling “CQ UK”. I presume that’s because of the situation you describe Richard?

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Yes - that will be the cause. I could tie the node to SOTA-Link permanently but as there are no other nodes nearby I feel that I should let others use it for different purposes. I doubt that it will be more than a very occasional problem unless Fusion takes off. It will always switch back to SOTA-Link automatically after a short period.

Friday 11th May 2018 - The Cloud G/SP-015

I had a little time in-between dropping Liam off for his hospital volunteering, and meeting him again for lunch - or so I thought! Time to activate The Cloud!

Looking at the time I reckoned I had available, I was tempted to take a longer walk maybe starting and finishing at Timbersbrook in order to boost the weight loss mission currently in operation. However, I decided to devote the extra time to setting up the SOTAbeams MFD, thus allowing me to get out better on 2m C4FM.

I was able to access SOTA-LINK easily via MB6AH and chatted to a couple of people on here first. As I was about to switch to C4FM simplex, I had a call from Liam to say that there was a buildings problem at the ward he was working on, and therefore the volunteers were being sent away.

Fortunately, I got four C4FM QSOs in short order, then descended and went to meet Liam in Subway.

Friday 11th May 2018 - Gun G/SP-013

After a “fiery tuna” sandwich each, and a beard trim each (not at the same establishment), Liam and I made our way to the other side of town. He’d planned an afternoon socialising with his friends at Art Space. Again, I took the opportunity to bag a local SOTA activation while he was doing so.

I went to Gun, and this time took the decision to carry just the handheld, but take a longer walk. This meant walking back down the road until diverting right across a farmer’s field, on a PROW. This linked to a narrow back road (cul-de-sac) that climbs the north shoulder of Gun Hill. A public footpath then leads off to the right and climbs gently to the trig point. This is a very pleasant short route, shown to me by Richard G3CWI a few years ago.

On the first part of the walk, I accessed WIRES-X on G3CWI’s new Macclesfield node MB6SO - and changed the room to CQ-UK. This resulted in a chat with an op in Halifax.

Later on the ascent, I was working into Fusion repeater GB3LH (Lichfield) and chatting to M1IQD and G6UYG. At the summit, I only logged one C4FM contact - this with Gary M0XGS who seems to be getting me on all my Fusion activations at present. After that, I didn’t have any luck with soliciting further C4FM contacts, nor with accessing SOTA-LINK. I did add four analogue 2m FM QSOs though.

Then back to Macc, pick Liam up, drop off at home, visit a student for some maths private tutoring, back home, walk to the pub with Jimmy and Liam (Becks Blue for me)… Always keeping busy me…

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Glad to see you’re keeping up with the aversion therapy Tom :wink:

First two weeks of dieting - 9lb lost Paul. Still eating nice meals. Not eating between them, and going alcohol free seems to be incredibly effective!

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The old joke is that if you give up alcohol you won’t live any longer - it’ll just seem that way!

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Finally got you on one of your C4FM activations, easy contact with your MFD :grinning:

I wondered why I couldn’t hear you on the second summit. But did hear you briefly through GB3CF on your walk up.

Carolyn

OFF TOPIC ALERT

Nice one Tom keep it up :slight_smile:

I’ve been going at it since last November and have just passed the 2-1/2 stone off mark… it’s getting to be hard work now though! The only way that works for me is counting every calorie :frowning:

Sad but true :-s

BACK ON TOPIC ALERT

Just noticed my FT991A does C4FM might see if I can get a vertical 2m antenna up over the weekend and check out what I can hear :slight_smile:

73 de Paul G4MD