A friend just talked to Larry, KL4GR in Homer, Alaska on the first day of the first DMR repeater in Alaska on the North America talkgroup.
Digital voice...talkgroups...sounds more like commercial phone than amateur radio. Sort of like D-star - best thing since sliced bread for emcomms...until the infrastructure isn't there to support it when it's needed most. Maybe that's the entire point. Lull ham radio operators into the digital realm until there are no longer any able to communicate freely and openly.
DMR FAQ K1TMM Radio - DMR FAQ | K1TMM Radio Short answers to common questions. Looking at this, I have to wonder why? I have a cell phone with unlimited mins.....
Have to register an ID number (like a phone number) and have worse coverage than cell... If this is the future of ham radio, heaven helps us all.
We used a D-star handheld on a local D-star repeater at field day and it worked well but DMR being open sourced with more compatible units makes it the way I will go when I drop the hammer on digital. Kind of Beta vs. VHS deal but with Yeasu and Kenwood on board with DMR, Icom and D-Star may be Beta.. Digital Mobile Radio Association | How to join DMR - Handheld, hand portable DMR walkie talkies • Kenwood Comms There are many econo chicom DMR radios out as well. 409shop walkie talkie buy-two-way-Radio-Wholesale-retail