DMR and Satellite 🛰️ with a PI-STAR hotspot and a RETEVIS RT-3S GPS model

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The past couple of months have been extremely busy but I have been really enjoying myself with our fantastic hobby Amateur Radio. I have been making awesome DX on HF using AM, FM and SSB (phone/voice). The results have been phenomenal with solar cycle 25 so far. My HF Station has been working great 👍.

I have also been really enjoying the DMR side of Ham Radio as well as the Satellite 🛰️ bands. 
Over the summer I set up a DMR hotspot at home as I had just picked up my first DMR radio which is the RT-3S from RETE✓IS. This model is the one that has GPS which is needed when you upgrade the firmware to be able to accurately track the Satellites. 
I didn't use it with its original firmware set from the factory, I did infact download the openGD77 firmware and CPS (programming software). This was straight forward enough with the YouTube videos that are found alongside the program files and instructions on the  openGD77 page .

The RT3S is a good bit of kit, well built and nice to use. Since upgrading the firmware I can easily write code plugs (memory channels set up with repeators or talk group channels) quite fast with ease. I had to buy an official RETEVIS USB programming cable as the similar BAOFENG cable looks the same but is a different chip set and would not work. 
The Sat stuff is also really good with accurate tracking and auto frequency correction, it's brilliant! To make this happen you have to plug the cable back in open the CPS and there is an option in extras which allows you to update the Keplarian elements (keps) which ensure you have the latest updated Sat/ISS positions. 
so as you can see the openGD77 firmware is really cool for Sat operating. Just a reminder that to make it work properly you need a GPS model. 
The RT3S works on both Analogue and Digital allowing me to be able to use it out and about on simplex as well as the repeators but best of all is the DMR digital mode.
I already mentioned that I set up my first PI-STAR hotspot. This took me a couple of days of reading up and watching other Ham Radio ops on YouTube but really and truly it was again straight forward enough to get sorted. I bought the hotspot preassembled but re-flashed the SD card with the latest PI-STAR operating system.
I also created a DMR I.D for myself by going to radio i.d.net as well as registering with BrandMeister which is the Talk group network I have been using with the PI-STAR hotspot.
The actual DMR experience is proving to be real good fun. I didn't expect to like it so much but I do. I like the quality of audio but most of all I really like the amount of active stations on DMR especially the World Wide channel known as TG91 (Talk Group 91). I keep making QSO with all of my friends around the world that struggle with making a QSO over HF or even Satellite into my station. On DMR using the Hotspot on 70cms FM they all sound 5/9. 
You may think so what, it's part RF and Part Internet, which is true but I can walk my dogs and hit my hotspot from up to a mile and a half away which is brilliant when I'm outside. That's 70cms FM RF. 
I will be listening  a little later and checking in on the Saturday weekly TG91 world wide check in net, which is very cool hearing everyone from literally everywhere. Yes DMR is much better than I expected and I am really glad I spent £65 on the RT3S and £35 on the PI-STAR hotspot. Both items were sourced via Ali Express, the latest addition to my radio hobby is one I am pretty sure I will continue to enjoy alongside the HF, VHF, UHF Ham Radio operating for a long time. Just thought I'd share the good findings, hope to hear you on TG91 Digital Mode Radio  73.

Comments

PE4BAS, Bas said…
Great fun Simon, I know a neighbourstation that also is experimenting with DMR and hotspots from Aliexpress. Very interesting although not my kind of radio experience. But our hobby is so diverse, there is something in it for everyone. Good luck and I hope to catch you in a couple of weeks in the CQWW contest. 73, Bas
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