By:  Mat - G7FBD

Bye then - GB7LZ

At short notice (via a 3rd party), GB7LZ has decided to experiment?? with "Other networks".  As the ADMIN team maintain,  groups can leave when ever they wish, although a direct email to the ADMIN team would be just a polite thing to do! That aside, all the best and thanks for the FISH.

By:  Mat - G7FBD

By:  Mat - G7FBD

Welcome - GB7FB - Bideford. Our latest member

Something Wonderful: Changes comming to GB7BS/ The Southwest Cluster.

Something Wonderful

The title of this news item may confuse some; much as it has our recent Facebook postings and YouTube viewers.

It was aimed to get peoples attention and raise interest, which may of lead to questions being asked.

Since its concept in 2014, the SouthWest Cluster (SWC) has existed to provide a reliable, simple to use, DMR Network across partner repeaters in the area. Over this time period a few early adopters into the cluster have moved on to other Networks. (This is one of the mantras of the SWC. Groups are encouraged to manage their own repeaters and their own destiny’s). But generally, member repeater numbers have increased.

This has caused us a little, not so well known predicament!

Motorola by design only supports up to 15 devices. One of those is known as the “Master Repeater”. This repeater holds a database of all the SWC Repeater members connected to it, and distributes data to the other repeaters so they learn about each other.

We have grown to 10 repeaters at time of writing this, along with a couple of monitoring units we use to help maintain the cluster, this brings us to 12 units. And we have another two repeaters interested in connecting into the SWC. So we are quickly reaching the magic number of 15.

Mark – G4SDR and I have been working on this ’15 is the max number’ problem for over 2 years; one solution would have cost lots of money. But late last year we became aware of FreeDMR. Since then we have been working with Simon and Jon from FreeDMR here in the UK who have kindly customised their software solution to meet our requirements for the SWC.

Compare the old network layout to the new network layout. Keen eyed among you will spot two things. The first thing: GB7BS has been demoted from being the ‘Master’ repeater (That role has been taken over by the server) to being a Peer, just like all other SWC repeaters. 

The second thing: “Dial on demand Talkgroups” on Slot 1 Talkgroup 9 (next to the red line going to the internet). No, this is not a printing mistake; Talkgroup 9 will continue to be your local repeater only Timeslot/Talkgroup, as it does now.

However, one of the “Wonderful Things” that FreeDMR brings to the SWC is a function called “Dial on Demand” Talkgroups.

YES your radio will continue to transmit on Timeslot 1 Talkgroup 9 to the repeater and the repeater will be transmitting on the same Timeslot/Talkgroup back to you, but thanks to the new server your transmission is converted to Talkgroup 2350 and relayed up into the FreeDMR network as 2350.

Anyone tuning to your local repeater while you’re using a dial on demand Talkgroup will hear that Talkgroup, and can join in without having to change any settings on their radio or hunt for the Talkgroup in use.

All we do ask is, once you finish a DoD QSO, Manual dial Talkgroup 4000 and press PTT for a second to Disconnect you. You will hear the message  “Not Linked”

Dialling TG 5000 (PTT) will cause the server to report either the currently dialled and connected Talkgroup number, or simply report  “Not Linked” if no one is using a DoD.

Just a few last things about the new Timeslot 1 Talkgroup 9.

• While using DoD you’re only tying up your local repeater not the whole SWC.
• There is no DoD timeout unlike some networks. You want a 50 min QSO you have it.
• If someone leaves a DoD Talkgroup active (Shame on them) the system will automatically disconnect it after 10 minutes of inactivity.
• Every 15 minutes you will hear your local repeaters Callsign beacon. This is only on Slot 1 TG9 and in speech.