Digital Setup Queries

Licence free two-way radio services that now includes both FM and digital channels. Discuss models, modifications and other similar worldwide standards such as FRS and GMRS.
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DistantSignal
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Digital Setup Queries

Post by DistantSignal »

Hi guys, I have some questions about 'going digital'. Now I know Google is my friend but since this is a discussion board I thought I'd pick the brains of you guys on here and receive a direct answer instead :).

Basically, I know nothing about digital. For example, I work for a large fashion retailer and we have a MOTRTRBO radio for the storenet. Now does it transmit on RF? Or is it internet or what? How does the system work?

If I wanted to talk to someone on digital:

What would be the cheapest radio to do it on?
What software/platform does it use?
What sort of power do I use?
What sort of range would I get?

Also, if I was on a 70cm frequency in digital mode, would analogue users not hear my transmission?

Hope that all makes sense

DS
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kr0ne
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Re: Digital Setup Queries

Post by kr0ne »

DistantSignal wrote:I work for a large fashion retailer and we have a MOTRTRBO radio for the storenet. Now does it transmit on RF? Or is it internet or what? How does the system work?
Well even if it does use the internet, unless you walk around with a wire running back to a socket on the wall then it must be using RF... ;) MOTOTRBO is a digital radio system, so effectively it is just like any other radio except that the analogue voice data is sampled and converted into a string of ones and zeros before being transmitted.

Being digital, the voice data can be handled and forwarded in many different ways however and it is possible for it to be sent over the internet (or other data links) for at least part of it's journey. It really just depends on the system that you are using and how it has been set up.
DistantSignal wrote:If I wanted to talk to someone on digital:

What would be the cheapest radio to do it on?
That would depend on the digital system that they were using.
DistantSignal wrote:What software/platform does it use?
That would depend on the digital system that they were using.
DistantSignal wrote:What sort of power do I use?
The lowest power that is required to make the contact.
DistantSignal wrote:What sort of range would I get?
Where are you? Where are they? What power are you running? What kind of antenna are you using? What kind of antenna are they using? What power are they running? Is there a repeater in between? All of the above questions but for the repeater? How long is a piece of string?
DistantSignal wrote:Also, if I was on a 70cm frequency in digital mode, would analogue users not hear my transmission?
They would still "hear" your signal but would not be able to decode it (listen to the voice) unless they were using the same digital system that you were. I'm guessing you have an amateur radio license if you are thinking about using 70cm, if so you should bear in mind that it is against the terms of your license to use encryption on transmitted signals. Unencrypted digital transmissions are fine.
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radiosification
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Re: Digital Setup Queries

Post by radiosification »

MotoTRBO is a series of products from the company, Motorola. Not to be confused with DMR, which is a standard for digital radio. MotoTRBO radios follow the DMR standard, but because it is a standard, their radios should work with other manufacturer's radios that also follow the standard. (for example Hytera DMR equipment)
Think of it like mobile phones. Here in the UK, for a basic voice service, phones will use GSM. GSM is a standard, so you can get GSM phones from many different manufacturers, just like with DMR radios.
In another country, they have opted to make a nationwide cell phone network which is based on a different standard. Let's say this standard is called IS-95.
Phones from the UK will not be able to work with the infrastructure in the other country, because it uses a different standard.

Now, back to the radios, there are many different standards of digital, and you have to choose the one which is most appropriate for the purpose you will be using it for, or the people you will want to communicate with.
You won't be able to talk to people using different digital standards. If you were to choose DMR, you wouldn't be able to talk to, for example, D-STAR radios, P25 radios, NXDN radios, TETRA radios. This is the same for each of them - they won't talk to each other unless they follow the same standard. It's similar to analog modulations. You can't talk to someone in FM if your radio is on AM. Likewise, you can't talk to someone on SSB if your radio is on FM. You will be able to sense that they are there, if they are on the same frequency, with the signal meter, but you won't be able to decode their signal.
If you're interested in digital voice, check out my YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/radiosification
DistantSignal
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Re: Digital Setup Queries

Post by DistantSignal »

Cheers for the info guys, that clears it up!
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