Virginia's Amateur DMR Linked Repeater Network
Virginia's Amateur DMR Linked Repeater Network
If you are like most operators, you want to stay up with what is happening with DMR in/around Virginia. While we try to post updates here often, there are other online resources to consider checking out.
On Facebook the SWVA DMR page is one of the most active, and there is also a page for the Tidewater talkgoup. On groups.io, the VirginiaDMR mailing list has posts about activity and hardware. If you know of additional resources, please contact us.
If you are at the Dayton hamfest later in the week (May 17 – 19) and want to talk back to your friends who have to work (or couldn’t get a permission slip to go) try the DMRVA portable repeater on 440.800 MHz (+) on CC1. It’ll feature VA statewide on TS2 and Roanoke Local (27500) on TS1. The repeater will be located in the flea market front lot. It’ll be intermittently available as it’ll be on battery power. Thanks to KD4EG and WB4EOT for this effort.
Hotspots are all the rage these days, and they are becoming extremely inexpensive. If you have multiple hotspots in your shack, please be sure to use a different frequency for each one. Especially if more than one is used on the same mode. We have noticed quite a bit of looping happening on some of the national TAC channels, in addition to VA Statewide (3151.) This is almost always being caused by multiple simplex hotspots in the same vicinity utilizing the same frequency.
This is of course a major annoyance, wastes system resources, and ties up an entire regional/national talkgroup unnecessarily. Please be mindful of this.
Please also be sure to pick frequencies for your hotspot(s) in the proper part of the band according to your local amateur coordination association. Virginia is covered by either T-MARC, or SERA, depending on which part of the state you live in. For example, SERA guidelines have set aside 440.9125-441.1750 for digital simplex. Any frequency in this sub-band should be acceptable for a low-powered simplex hotspot. Listen to the frequency you pick for awhile to make sure it is not currently utilized on a regular basis. Doubly so if you connect your hotspot to an external antenna. If you want to run a high-powered simplex “megaspot” on an external antenna, you should check with your coordinating body for their recommendations.
Please do not under any circumstances park your hotspot(s) on the weak signal or satellite allocations, or repeater input/output sub-bands.
Thank you for your cooperation.
James
K4JK
We are please to announce some additional TG’s on the system. These TG’s are linked to Brandmeister and will allow additional connectivity to other repeaters and hotspots. All of these TG’s are active on TS1 (PTT activated, 15 minute timer).
SWVA Regional – 31513
Shenandoah Valley Regional – 31514
Tidewater Regional – 31515
Tac 318
Tac 319
We also plan to add the Peninsula and OBX TG’s as soon as Brandmeister turns on the feeds (we asked for feeds over a month ago and haven’t heard back). Eventually we will publish new codeplugs that include these TG’s.
Please see the talkgroup page for a full and complete listing.
If you experience any issues with these TG’s, please contact us and let us know. Enjoy!
A UPS was the culprit of the recent outage at the Linden repeater site (but it protected the repeater and worked properly). The system is back and fully operational.
The linden repeater is off the air due to a presumed power outage. Stay tuned for an update when it is restored.
UPDATE: Power has been restored to the Linden Repeater.
Many folks are aware of a large scale outage and attack on the Brandmeister network that has been occurring for greater than 24 hours. Because DMRVA operates with a different architecture and more secure method of linking, all of our systems are fully operational. Links to and from BM on some talkgroups may be intermittent while they try to stabilize things. In the interim enjoy the repeater system.
Over the last couple of years the Richmond Local talkgroup has slowly been expanded and linked to other repeater sites, including Petersburg, the portable repeater, Powhatan, and soon Beaverdam. Since it has become more of a regional TG instead of a true local we made the decision to change the name to Richmond Metro. It is still on TG 27500 TS1 on DMRVA repeaters. It can also be accessed on BM repeaters on TG 31511. Please update your codeplugs as you desire.
A test transmitter sending FM modulated CW is on this frequency from the Beaverdam site and antenna. It will be on for a week or more as we try to assess real world reach of the proposed system there. If you copy it and are able to send us a report it would be appreciated.