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Digital Communications Interconnect
MotoTRBOtm.org
not affiliated with Motorola but we sure like their stuff

     DCI MotoTRBO Amateur Radio Group
 

This site is now a legacy asset and no longer actively maintained.

The domain was created January 29, 2014

Our Ham DMR history may be of some interest

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Our mission is to connect to and converse with the regional DMR Ham community by openly sharing our network resources and talkgroups to enable dynamic connections to all regional radio amateur DMR groups.  We are no longer actively involved in national efforts due to the politics and divisiveness shown by several major c-Bridge groups.

Our main pursuits are to actively participate in the growth of the Amateur DMR regional community generally and MotoTRBO networking more specifically, to learn more about the "c-Bridge" and promote linking via the c-Bridge and other 3rd party efforts that can expand the abilities of TRBO networking.  Independent network growth is very easily implemented with the c-Bridge making it no longer necessary to share authentication keys with other IPSC networks.  We also desire to have in place the ability to work emergencies and nets with redundant talkgroup servers to insure smooth day-to-day communications as well as during priority and emergency events as they occur. 

Simply being able to load the time slots in the ham DMR world quickly is a great reason to reach out to all the groups.   Other reasons are to explore DMR and TRBO as well as learning more about the technology, but also, connections can be simply for special functions such as hamfests, conventions and other demonstration events.  The connections can be short or long term, scheduled or impromptu.  The beauty of the c-Bridge is that connections can easily be severed, made dormant until needed and then reconnected, manually or dynamically.  Any administrator or manager of an  ISPC network knows how that can be problematic when adding or trying to delete repeaters from an IPSC network. But also, this method requires no trips to the hilltops and no worry about the network security being compromised by a disgruntled repeater owner or system operator.  This helps to insure that our approach remains politically neutral across all the independent Ham DMR groups.  Political neutrality has become astonishingly difficult in the past few years.

Important Caution:  Do not buy any equipment, especially DMR repeaters, before you know it will do what you want to accomplish.  Read this simple Ham DMR GUIDE or ask around first.  Motorola repeaters are the standard in Ham DMR networking and no other manufacturers are able to network to Motorola's MotoTRBO repeaters (directly) though gateway projects are appearing.

DCI has c-Bridge connections to many other c-Bridges.  DCI actively supports the c-Bridge and the philosophy of connecting IPSC networks for many reasons and more especially now, since the creation of  talkgroup servers.  Most importantly, peer slots on a simple IPSC network were finite and operationally, more problematic as the number of repeaters grow on a single IPSC network.  The c-Bridge broke that limitation wide open and now offers so much more than a simple party line on 2 time slots.  Talkgroups can be used for routing and this enables the use of more than a single Talkgroup on a Timeslot.  While not the complete answer to TRBO's IPSC limitations, it is a quantum improvement. 

DCI is active in the alpha and beta testing of the c-Bridge and has several in addition to our main c-Bridge.  Occasionally, new software will hit the main c-Bridge, cause issues and must be rolled back.  Member repeater users are encouraged to report problems to help us be able to better assist the developer better their product.  The latest versions/issues are reported on our Netwatch page.

If you already have a TRBO repeater or you are part of an IPSC network, you are welcome to explore  bringing your repeater or IPSC network onto the  DCI Open IPSC network.  DCI can also peer in (join) to your network of 1 or more repeaters.  Whether to simply get your feet wet as you get up to speed and then move off into some other direction or you may desire a long term affiliation, our network managers are available to use and gain experience with TRBO networking.

If you have a c-Bridge, then it can easily link to our c-Bridges for talkgroups not available via the talkgroup servers and these types of links (conference connections) are preferred over that of putting a c-Bridge peer on your network or your repeater on our networks.  If interested in exploring these options, please Email us at: DCI Linking

DCI would encourage other c-Bridge operators and their repeater owners to adopt the international "iCall Talkgroup" as well a nationwide "Emergency Talkgroup".


c-Bridge / Forum DCI uses the "50x", "IPSC-5" and Virtual c-Bridges by Rayfield Communications
Guide A "Beginners Guide to DMR" or DMR for Dummies booklet written by John, W2XAB, released May 2014 at Hamvention, Dayton Ohio, now updated since
History Background on TRBO-6 and DCI beginning in late 2008
Linking How to get started with your repeater or affiliate one of our IPSC networks as a peer or via your c-Bridge
Network Affiliations Short list of "known" c-Bridged IPSC networks, most being linked with DCI currently.  See:  "the Bridge" talkgroup for additional networking
News Get the latest information on additions or changes for the DCI Group
Open ISPC We support repeaters and IPSC networks that desire to connection to the many other ham IPSC networks
Repeater Listing Repeaters on the DCI's IPSC networks
Sitemap The page of last resort (or is that first?) for category lists or alphabetical
 
April 2015 UPDATE:  It has been said many times, in various ways, that if 3 hams get together to form a club, that 2 clubs will be created.  Another way to synopsize this DMR group experience is to say that, "Infrastructure breeds politics".  No matter how you slice it, there are many approaches out there in the ham DMR community and the big guns are now running the show their way with little room for the "Independent c-Bridge Operators" (ICBO's).

CHANGES PENDING or IMPLEMENTED:

  • This website and its active maintenance will be reduced to serve our current member repeaters and their users while the focus forward is to actively serve the Pacific Northwest region of the USA.
  • Connections for current member repeater managers will be maintained; no one must leave, no changes.
  • New Individualized/customized repeater managers will no longer be our hallmark except for our regional support.
  • The Open IPSC network will still be open to new connections that wish an independent DMR presence.
  • DCI will continue to explore, support and alpha/beta test the c-Bridge software and deployment options.
  • Emails from non-member repeaters/users requesting DMR information and/or support will likely be referred to the Yahoo MotoTRBO USA group with few Email responses in the future.

The time and money pit that DCI (TRBO-6 as well) has invested in since 2008, while fun and immensely educational, had been reduced to a burden over politics and bent personalities.  We have joined others who no longer try to help in the national DMR arena simply because we had the time, experience, resources and that desire to assist the wider ham community.

This decision was made before the Florida c-Bridge TG eruptions, radio ID blocking and the lawsuit brought by 1 ham against 20 plus repeater owners or their trustees.  This is extremely sad coming on the heals of DCI's issues with MARC and CalDMR (UPDATE 7-3-15: CalDMR has dissolved).  DCI's departure was prophetically timely in hindsight.  I have no further words on this pitiful spiral down the toilet of the Ham fraternity.

NADMRC has been a near complete flop as most c-Bridge groups will not speak up for their fellow independent c-Bridge operators, more especially not publically against any of the MARC policies of black-balling or other efforts to marginalize these independent operators.  CalDMR (now disolved) and MARC are now allied and NATS is history as well.  This is the trifecta, a straight line of uniformity and conformity...and control.

DCI sees the light and has ceased its involvement in the ICBO battles.  TAC 310/TAC 123 was the instant and last effort to try to maintain an independent worldwide Push-to-Talk talkgroup and it too has been suppressed and is quite likely to be eliminated by the alliance, as TAC 123 has already.

This longstanding effort to provide c-Bridging services to any repeater that came our way has been a wonderful experience, albeit expensive and time consuming.  DMR Email and c-Bridge support required hours each morning for responses and follow-ups.  Considering the nastiness of Ham DMR as well as time management and costs, it is time to roll-up the carpet and devolve to a much smaller operation, one that focuses on local and regional support, growth and enjoyment and more importantly, out of the polarization and politics seemingly inherent on the national stage. 

DCI now leaves behind this unfortunate chapter, if not book on Ham DMR.  -- NO7RF / WB6WUI

 

Revised: 10/11/2022 19:49

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