Why hotspots are so popular (Amateur radio)
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- čas přidán 7. 01. 2019
- Hotspots cover a variety of digital modes: DMR, Yaesu System Fusion (aka C4FM), D-STAR, NXDN and P25. They have become increasingly popular over the last year or so. In this video we look at what makes these MMDVM based hotspots so great and why people keep buying them.
Link to buy a hotspot: smarturl.it/jumbospot
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My blog: radiosification.blogspot.com/
Facebook page: / radiosification-102742...
Twitter: / radiosification - Věda a technologie
Join my Zello channel! The password to get in is "digital". zello.com/radiosification
OK I'll join
Yes!!! Radiosification is back!!!
This is the best video on DMR Hotspot that i have seen.
It eliminates a lot of ambiguity and for the first time, I really understand it.
Unfortunately, there are no DMR operators around me and no DMR repeaters too do I just have to stay on my analogue for now.
But this is a really great piece and I look forward to more of you soonest.
Thank you Radiosification
Thanks so much. If there are no other DMR users and no repeaters near you, then you should definitely get a hotspot! It's the perfect solution for you
I can't agree less. By the way, you recommended the Quangsheng UV-R50 and I've really fallen in love with it.
It's been so functional, easy to handle, with a very loud speaker and good sensitivity.
I will also be glad if I could get a suggestion for a first DMR radio
If you're going to get a hotspot then the TYT MD-380. It's cheap and works well. It has a superheterodyne receiver which is definitely a good thing. The only downside of the radio is that it's single band (not dual band) but that won't matter if you're using a hotspot anyway.
Thanks Ben!
You have convinced me to get a hot spot.
Purchased one using your link and now await it's arrival.
Looking forward to having a listen on other networks not available over the air here locally.
Great, thanks Adam. P25 seems to be somewhat popular down in Australia. The Pacific talkgroup is fairly active, most with Australians. You might manage find some local P25 users on there!
My hotspot came today (23/04/19) so I'm busy setting it up, with the help of your youtube videos so thanks.
Great, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. 73s
Great video. Clear, concise and well informed. Thanks.
Very informative mate cheers
Thanks you,. I just ordered one of these generic type hot spots as a result of your videos.
I've had my jumbo spot and Anytone AT-D686UV for about a year now...lots of fun!
I am thinking of getting this hotspot to work more comfortably at home with the DMR. Is it easy to jump between groups using this hotspot? Or I do select TGs on my radio? Can't seem to find an answer.
You do it with talkgroups on the radio. Same as a repeater
These hotspots have made the digital modes like dstar & dmr come alive for hams that can't use local repeaters.
I use a dvmeger on a blue stack with a old mobile phone as the controller and playing around with these modes is so much fun can't wait to see what's next.
Yeah they're great fun. Thanks for the comment Wayne
Great video Ben. Thanks.
Thanks Chris
Thanks 4 this nice video, I have 2 MMDVM and very happy with them. 73, ON6FY David
Thank you for a very nice video. You hit on my biggest point on why hotspots? Is it really radio? The only difference between this and me using my cell phone and “what’s app” is that I know the person I’ve reached using my mobile. For me it’s the thrill of creating my own EM waves and sending them halfway around the world with no other infrastructure other than power (unless I’m using solar). For pure communications, like emergency services, this really promotes interoperability, which is a great reason to have one in the shack. Andrew Victor, I think you missed the point, not having a DMR repeater in you area IS the reason to own the hotspot, to allow you to use DMR in you area. Wow, there goes another hundred bucks into the hobby!!!
Bob
I use one because the BM repeater in Colorado Springs has been down for a long time. I also got a WiFi hotspot from my wireless company so I tint have to keep my phone near the radio hotspot. I can walk a good distance from my work vehicle and still use my DMR radio.
Great Video. Thank You, I ordered one "duplex" have had DMR license, but no repeaters close enough. I used to think like you regarding internet compared to ham operators working the airways.Anyway I have two DMR digitak radios and soon a TYT U380 hopefully I didn't buy wring radio(s). I may be back asking for help if I can't get it up before 2021. Stay Safe
Great Video, keep making them..you really make it simple for use digital noobies!!!
A large part of popularity, yes is because many cannot access a digital repeater with a HT. However, being able to use a hotspot or repeater as you see fit is a big plus. Many Hams have chosen hotspots and their digital access over repeaters (analog and digital) that are totally controlled by a single or group of Hams who demand compliance to their rules on the equipment they own. Not a bad idea, but their repeaters remain dormant or very quiet. The attraction of world wide QSOs vs local analog it just too strong causing many Hams to drift away from analog repeaters.
I enjoyed the video getting one built should be here Friday 73
Great, good luck
Good clear explanation. I am trying to find out if I can modify this to use with my MotoTRBO IPSC (VHF Hi) network so that existing radios can be used in underground bunkers.
No, you cannot. It's for amateur use only. The software is very explicitly licensed as amateur use only
Welcome back !!! Could you please make a video Programming Digital talkGroups on the Motorola XPR7550 !!! Thanks cheers from California
Have a look at my tyt md380 programming for amateurs video. It's pretty much the same as that, except you create the channels already in a zone and don't need to add them to a zone afterwards
I own two hotspots. One I keep in my home and one that is in my car, (it uses either my phone in 'hotspot' mode or with a mobile wi-fi hotspot.
Hi, this video was of great help, thank you.
Also, Can I build a hotspot for my Yaesu FT 4XR or ICOM IC-7300 ?
Any radio that supports one of the digital modes supported by the hotspot, yes.
I m new on DMR and not near a repeater , and think also to bey a Hotspot , thanks for the info Grtz from PA3GPU , see you on Zello HI
Great. See you on Zello sometime, I'll try to come online more
will it allow you to access to repeaters far away? Sorry, i'm a newbie.
I just bought a yaesu 70 ... now to figure it out.
Can these be setup for local only repeaters, or even a mesh network of LAN (no internet) hotspot repeaters to extend the range?
Thank you for your video, question can I remove the rubber duck antenna and put another antenna 30 feet up on a pole outside to increase my range your suggestions on coax and antenna applications, thank you again.
You could probably give it a try but I doubt it would work very well. The power output from the hotspot is so low that you'd have nothing left by the time the signal goes through a long coax. And you can't use these with amplifiers because the signal they put out is too dirty
Or like in some of the places where I live. The nearest repeater is 75 miles away!
This is Ke7omu and I will be getting one soon.
still have one of these in the mail.
i am using my dv4mini, and, due to
good wlan only in my new (nursed)
home, my openspot1 is pretty
useless now..
You can buy some devices that take a wifi connection and convert it to ethernet for you. That would let you continue using the DV4mini. Not sure what the proper name is, but I have a device that you can set to "gateway" mode and it does this.
I’ll probably will get one just to have. I have a YSF Repeater in the area that I can connect to but Just in case go in the area where there isn’t a repeater. I could then connect to be able to talk
Definitely getting one! The Exact same one you have there can be bought for $38. Shipped,In The USA now! These are flooding the market from everywhere & their cousins...LOL !
BTW: I have Fusion Repeaters here in SE AL,but i'm just out of reach with my high 2m antenna & New FTM-7250D...
I am looking at getting a hotspot as I am in a country area and ne repeaters close enough for me to access
I've got one I assembled it myself, and learnt alot in the process. I use it mainly for getting on DMR Brandmiester network there's no repeater for that anywhere near me.
Is it real radio? Is it the future of radio? For that look to network radio. Here in the UK the emergency services will be switching Airwaves off in a few years and are looking at a 4G based system. Taxis / minicabs tend to use a 3G/4G based data system. no speech at all. How long will it be before building based security guards will be using similar systems. Then there's shop watch pub watch etc. It's true if the 3G/4G system goes down your screwed, but these days if that were to happen the world would stop.
Yeah that's true. Although the emergency services system will be designed to be very reliable I'm sure. The handsets they use will also have back to back mode, like DMO mode on the current tetra radios. So they'll still be able to communicate over a limited range if infrastructure is down. But one of the strong points of amateur radio in my opinion is that it can work without any infrastructure.
Do I need a digital radio to be able to use a hotspot? Or can I use a normal vhf/uhf radio to contact the hotspot which can then make it digital?
No you need a digital radio for it because the digital radio contains the vocoder.
Basically it allows a technician licensed operator to talk around the world!
There's no need to stand up on a windy hill... lol well that's the fun part!!
Yes how you encode a digital voice makes it easy to use some modulation standards. You can transcode a encoded voice to other standards like DStar. Unfortunately the cheap hotspots do not have the needed power to make a DMR to DStar conversation. This the value of a more expensive hot spot.
That's not the issue at all. To transcode you would need the ambe chip in the hotspot.
radiosification I should have said you did a good job describing a hotspot. On you statement you need a ambe chip yes that was the case in the past. Now the encoding can be done in the digital domain because with a good audio codec the transcoding can be done with a DSP. Unfortunately you still have to pay to use the encoding.
Oh I see. I didn't know that so thanks for explaining. I thought that DVSI only sold AMBE on a chip to avoid people using it without authorisation. So you're saying that they now sell a software licence for it?
radiosification I’m not sure how they handle the software.
So question. Why do you need the radio at all? Couldn't you just use a microphone and a speaker plugged into the hotspot ?
Amigo bom dia qt custa esse aparelho diz ai
Can you make a video about 'radio' internet or better yet... satellite internet? Also satellite phones please. Thanks. 😊
I'd love to play with some satellite phones but they're very expensive!
@@radiosification lol, very true. 😊
Yes I will
you will what?
the link doesnt work for the uk.....
So what is the difference between P25 (C4FM) and YSF (C4FM)?
This is why I hate that yaesu named it C4FM. It's very confusing for people.
C4FM is just the modulation. The rest of the format is different. The signalling system is designed differently like p25 has talkgroups, fusion doesn't.
@@radiosification Do they have the same modulation of C4FM? And if so, why does a P25 radio not communicate with a YSF radio? Is there any technical aspect making these two standards not work with each other?
@@galax574 yes they have the same modulation but the rest of it is different. The bits that make up each frame are not the same. For example p25 might (I don't actually know, it's just an example) have the first 5 bits of each frame denoting the talkgroup being transmitted on. Whereas fusion doesn't even use talkgroups so it would use those bits for something different.
@@radiosification thanks for declaring
Brandmeister. The only thing that is missing is a lan connection on the jumbo spot.
Ah you couldn't get it connected to your wifi? I found that the wifi reception isn't very good on the jumbospot so try putting it very close to your wireless router and see if that makes a difference? You may have to restart it too
@@radiosification yes my shack is in the loft so wifi isnt the best but it does work. I will try it next to the router tho. I have had to reboot it on a fiew occasions. Lets be honest Ben for £70 its a bargain. Its given me a chance to try one for not much money. I like it so i can look for a better 1 now lol
The range of the hotspot is decent though so you could just plug it in next to the router then go upstairs and use it. Mine works fine for at least 100 metres
@@radiosification I have one of these the plugs into the pi zero w, about £4 and the problem is solved. Micro USB 2.0 5P to RJ45 Network Lan Ethernet Cable Converter Adapter for Tablet ebay.us/JNf74p
cheaper than having to use a pi3
That's a good idea, thanks for sharing
Do hotspots work on GMRS frequencies?
No
Can I use this hotspot device just to monitor until I get my ticket?
No because it transmits on amateur frequencies and you have to put your callsign in for it to even connect.
Iv got RF shark hot spot
I am probably the only ham who both likes, and loathes these hotspots at the same time. Nobody ever has their levels set correctly. Some guy connects to our repeater system and his volume is SUPER low, so i have to crank my radio up to 11 to hear him, then a local radio->repeater chimes in and blows me into low earth orbit. This is the very same reason I hate echolink. REALLY wish someone could figure out a way to fix this problem... :(
Unless the mode is being converted from a different vocoder (D-star to DMR/Fusion for example) the audio level is not changed by the hotspot at all. It just takes the data and passes it through. It doesn't even have the capability to decode AMBE. The issue is that certain people just don't know how to use the radio properly! You should let these users know that their audio is too loud and they should take across the microphone at a couple of inches distance instead of trying to kiss it 😂
@@radiosification Very interesting... I actually did not know this was the case. See- this is why I love this channel. Always learn something new!
Hmmmmm, maybe I DO want a digital radio after all......
Are there MMDVMs that support VHF?
I believe some do exist if you look around for them yes
@@radiosification Thanks for reply. But how can you tell if it is VHF-capable? I mean, is there any field in the dashboard that indicates the hotspot is VHF-capable? I tried enter a VHF frequency in the dashboard, and the dashboard doesn't give me a "red colour". But I didn't click "apply change" as I worried that I'd destroy the hotspot. lol
I think you would have to buy one that supports VHF. I remember seeing one a long time ago on eBay.
@@radiosification Thank you so much!
Da o preço em dolares
Will this work GMRS?
No, it's for amateur radio only.
Tem ponta entrega
Hi is it compatible with dPMR
don1estelle no it won’t
No it's not compatible with dPMR right now. However the Icom and Kenwood radios that have dPMR all have NXDN too, which is a very very similar mode.
Problem with Digital amateur Radio (VHF & UHF), there is no with all the digital modes - DMR, DSTAR, C4FM(Fusion), P25! I'm just not interested and can not afford a separate radio for each digital mode. I am interested in a complete digital radio with all digital modes. Not interested in proprietary digital radio brands and models.
If there was a radio with all modes then you definitely wouldn't be able to afford that haha. I can imagine it would cost thousands. Anyway you don't need to have all modes, you just pick one that most people around you use. Or just don't use digital at all. It's up to you. I use it because it's something different and new, and I find that interesting. If you don't care then just stick with FM.
I think gadget people buy hotspots then try to convince others that using an expensive handie for the last two feet is radio. It is less radio than using a phone
The end of ham radio is here, we are now using wire connection. how sad.
To me a hotspot turns a long distance radio into a glorified wireless mic/speaker for an internet connection. For the life of me I don't understand why there isn't DMR radios that just connect over wifi/ethernet or an app for your cellphone that talks to DMR, D-Star, etc over wifi or cellular data. It seems such a waste to have to buy a radio and a hotspot (if you have no repeater available) just to get on DMR, D-Star, etc.
It's because the vocoder is closed source and proprietary and they restrict it a lot. You can't just make an app and include the vocoder. You'd have to pay massive licence fees to DVSI and since it's ham radio nobody has that kind of money.
On the other side of this. I don't enjoy talking to the people around me. Why would I reach out further?
To find someone you do enjoy talking to?
It looks that the repeaters are getting obsolete I prefer to talk on my hotspot than on my local dead repeaters I have friends that spend 6,000 dollars on a repeater , tower , carriers , amplifier , controller, tower , coax ect for a coverage of 20 miles really repeaters is something of the pass
for communication purpose, why don't just use your cell phone ? If you have internet available.
You should do that. It's a far better solution.
@@radiosification so what is the benefits to use hot spot compare to smart phone . I am not radio guy, but want learn , thanks
It's just for fun really. You can talk to other people who are just using their radio on a repeater, or using a hotspot as well.
May I ask a "Stupid Question": why would anyone want to talk to strangers on internet by doing so much complex things, you can do it on your computer easily. OK, I get it, Ham radio is useful when there is a disaster, but internet would be done when there is a disaster, then.... what is the point?
well you can connect to other people on their hotspots, but it also connects to repeaters too. So you could be chatting to a friend you've met over the radio while he's driving home from work connected to the local DMR repeater and you're sitting in your garden outside of wifi range.
Ham radio is not all about survival and disaster situations anyway. A lot of it is just people who like radios chatting with each other.
So in short, the point is to have fun.
it's good but useless without internet... that's what radio required
And whats a hotspot not?
It's not an elephant, or a car, or a planet, or a colour, or a programming language. I could go on...
A good spot!
I won't be buying one. I just don't have the technical skills to make things like this work.
It's not so hard to learn, there are plenty of videos.
One thing I've learned over the years is that when people can't be bothered to even try, it's not worth spending your time trying to help them. Leave him to it.