Amateur radio has always been about communication over distance, but DMR combined with the BrandMeister network adds a new dimension to that. Instead of relying purely on RF propagation, your signal travels over the internet infrastructure to reach other stations anywhere in the world — while still being a proper radio contact at both ends.
The radio I chose for this is the Baofeng DM-32UV. It is a capable and affordable entry point into DMR, with dual-band coverage, GPS, and digital APRS built in. Let’s just say the programming software and firmware have their… character. I will leave it at that.
My first steps were on the local repeater LD5BR on Rundemanen, which gave immediate access to the Norwegian talkgroups and beyond. It works well, but I quickly realised that a personal hotspot alongside it has real advantages — particularly the ability to have multiple static talkgroups active simultaneously, always ready for monitoring without any manual intervention.
So I built one. A Raspberry Pi Zero 2W with an MMDVM duplex hat from AliExpress, running Pi-Star. The whole thing fits in a small enclosure and draws minimal power. Operating on your own frequencies within your own property, with full control over the configuration, is a satisfying setup. Effective power for communicating with the hotspot from inside the house is measured in milliwatts.
DMR is a rabbit hole I have only just started going down. Between talkgroup management, APRS over DMR, cross-mode bridging, and the BrandMeister infrastructure itself, there is plenty more to explore. More articles will probably follow as the learning continues.