Digital Mobile Radio (DMR): -These sites will help clarify the capabilities of DMR and exactly how it works. http://ncprn.net http://dmr-marc.net -Where to purchase a DMR Radio (May want to ask BT before you buy) Tytera MD-380 UHF DMR Tytera MD-390 UHF DMR (Waterproof) Connect Systems CS-800 UHF DMR Mobile Motorola XPR-6550 UHF DMR Motorola XPR5550 UHF DMR Mobile
Keep in mind that digital radio is under the same shortcomings as DTV...more power to cover the same distance, IF the conditions are good. Get a heavy rainstorm and you can pretty much count on the signal breaking up so badly that it is useless. YMMV
I have consulted on a number of Analog to Digital Conversions of local Fire and LEO Systems, around, and My advice to the controlling .GOV, has ALWAYS been, "Do NOT take the Word of the Sales Droid, on how well the System will work, and what ever you do, Make them Document the New System is preforming as well as the Old System, BEFORE they get the FIRST DIME in Payment. Also put a Penalty Clause, in the contract, that States They MUST Prove & document the New System with Trials, and Engineering Data, for the expected Coverage Area, BEFORE, Payment of ANY Funds, and AFTER the new System is Operational, for 6 months, they will come back, and remove the Old Analog System. Any failure to meet Operational Schedules, of Operational Timelines costs them $1KUS, a week. " That keeps the "Fly by Night" Outfits from even Bidding, and also keeps the BIG Boys, Honest, in their dealings with these small Fire & LEO Outfits.... Digital is Great, and has a lot of capabilities that Analog just can't do, but it MUST be Engineered, Properly, and the System MUST Function, as Designed, or it is worse than nothing at all, and LIVES are at stake, if it doesn't work.....
DMR isn't at all like TV. TV occupies bandwidth that is 6 mhz wide. DMR is narrow band. TV must deliver audio and video in the stream while DMR only the audio. We have a UHF DMR at 1600' on a 2000' tower, outputting 40 watts and 88 watts ERP. There is a TV antenna on top putting out 15000 watts ERP. Now, folks 65 miles away can't watch our channel, but on any given day I can talk to the DMR repeater over that distance with 5 watts. Oh, and rain makes no difference. All facts and not conjecture.
