Pi-Star / MMDVM (Jumbospot) Motorola incompatibility?

[G0WBX]

Hi.

Having extreme trouble trying to get a Motorola DP3600 to work with a Pi-Star / MMDVM hotspot and the Brandmester network in the UK.

Sadly, the JumboSpot board (from Amazon, not cheap) turns out to be a clone, with minimal noise filtering on the PSU rails, but it "calibrates" OK using pistar-mmdvmcal. Also, using the same Motorola DP3600 radio. Audio quality and reliability receiving data from the network is 100%.

Doing the Radio to MMDVM checks, BER is well under 1% at all times (average some 0.06%) and according to the Pi-Star dashboard, no packet loss from the radio.

As above, I've got it receiving fine, but it just will not pass audio when I transmit. The Pi-Star recognises my transmission, ID and callsign, grabs a new dynamic TG (despite the same TG's being already assigned as static TG's) but no audio passes.

Assuming there is no fundamental compatibility issue* between Pi-Star/MMDVM and Motorola (who after all played a major part in the commercial world with DMR.)

(* I've been told, that the Brandmeister Echo TG9990 talk-group, needs to be used as a "private call". But if I try that, the radio refuses to even key up!)

What am I likely doing wrong? Obviously something.

Any assistance at all welcome, re the Pi-Star and Motorola (I have access to a working CPS install.)

Any extra information needed to help advise, just ask.

73.

Dave G8KBV (or G0WBX)

[G8SEZ]

Surely the whole point of the parrot being a private call is that the parrot routes it back to the CCS7 ID that originated it.

[G0WBX]

Hi again All.

To: KE7FNS:-
Yes, the radio causes the system to grab TG9990 (The code-plug has that set as a "group call", as the radio will not even key up as a "Private" call, that I can see. I have both methods programmed as separate channels within the zone. Only the Group call version allows the radio to key up and transmit.)

As before, it is a Motorola DP3600 handheld, the one with display and keypad.

(I probably need to talk with someone who knows the Motorola radios and CPS software inside out and sideways to sort that out.)

I can hear others using the Parrot, and also other TG's if I enable them, so audio traffic from the network to the radio through the pi-star is just fine. It's the other way around that is not happening, no audio passed, at least that's what appears to not be happening.

The live logging seems to indicate it's working:-

Code: Select all

M: 2020-10-12 19:06:31.686 DMR Slot 2, received RF voice header from G0WBX to TG 9990
M: 2020-10-12 19:06:38.224 DMR Slot 2, received RF end of voice transmission from G0WBX to TG 9990, 6.5 seconds, BER: 0.4%, RSSI: -60/-47/-47 dBm

But, nothing *Ever* comes back, the pi-star does not even key up it's local RF TX. But, it does so just fine for other traffic from the network.
To my faded mind, that implies that something either in the pi-star's config' regarding sending the actual audio stream to the network, and/or Brandmeister is not correct, but I have no clue what, or where to look.

The same radio, on our local repeater (and others when travelling) works just fine, and also in digital simplex mode on DH4 etc with other non Motorola radios without error or issue..

I am utterly lost with this. Not helped by the "thin" (i.e. non-existent) documentation.

73.

Dave G0WBX.

[G0WBX]

The BM page showed you have successfully transmitted to the parrot, you think it didn't but you did, or else it wouldn't of shown up on your BM hotspot page.

You need to get your radio programmed to connect to a private number 9990, and you also need to program that channel to listen to that private number.

I have a feeling you have it set to connect to 9990 group call, and you are trying to listen to 9990 group call.

If you were to just setup a channel to 3100 group call and listen to 3100 group call everything would work perfectly.

3100? Not heard of that one before. What's special about it?

I have tried a group call to 235 (and 2351/2) and no responders, even when I specifically call someone who was themselves calling CQ!

Configuring the Motorola for a private call then, "May" be the issue with the Parrot, but I'm not yet convinced..

FYI. I can listen to any TG I dial up without issue, including the parrot! (I've heard dozens of people using (and abusing) it.)

I also listened to the Sunday net on the UK RAYNET TG the other week, with very good quality audio, just I could not reply via that route.

I'll have to find someone who knows their way around the CPS software. I like documentation, but what's available for that software is impenetrable if you're not already initiated in the industry. Acronym soup etc...

Anyway, lunchtime over, there's a 2.5kW 8GHz TWT based power amp in need of my attention...

73.
Dave G0WBX/G8KBV

[G0WBX]

You should just go buy a cheap btech dmr-6x2 they are much easier to operate and program.

But have you seen the RF output spectrum from many of those low cost radios! Not nice. In fact, some are right antisocial. Having said that, the spectral purity of what comes out of the clone JumboSpot I seem to have, is less than social too.
Rather large phase noise skirts to say the least. (To be investigated later.)

Plus, if I accidentally drop the Motorola and then without realising it, drive over it (done once so far!) It still works afterwards, with only minor damage to the battery case. One crack, sealed now with epoxy.

Anyway.

I've just added a post to the OLED display corruption discussion elsewhere on this forum.
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=660&start=10#p15405
To be precise.

For now, at least I can see what the Pi-Star thinks it's doing.

I also have it on good authority, that there is no inherent incompatibility between a Motorola DMR rig and the Pi-Star. So myself and another are arranging a suitable to both of us date and time, to do a zoom meeting where we can screen share to find out how and why things don't seem to work.

Oh yes, I do realise the difference between private and group call's. Just cant at the moment find out how to correctly configure the Moto' to do a private call to what in effect is a group!

73.
Dave G0WBX/G8KBV

[AF6VN]

Oh yes, I do realise the difference between private and group call's. Just cant at the moment find out how to correctly configure the Moto' to do a private call to what in effect is a group!

I don't know Motorola config, but on my radios, the simplest is in how the CONTACT was defined.

As exported from my MD-390, item "1=" is group (1) or private (2)

Code: Select all

[Contact28]
0=BM TAC 10 (319)
1=1
2=319
3=0
[Contact29]
0=BM Unlink Dynami
1=1
2=4000
3=0
[Contact30]
0=BM TG 9
1=1
2=9
3=0
[Contact31]
0=APRS 310999
1=2
2=1
3=0
[Contact32]
0=BM Hurricane
1=1
2=3199
3=0

I then have a channel defined for each.

I don't have the parrot programmed, but there is a way to do private calls when "on a group channel"... Requires me to manipulate the menu system of the radio for MANUAL contact entry. Seems to require (for the MD-390)
Menu / Contacts / Manual Dial
Entering 9990
Pressing PTT and speaking -- If one delays too long, the private call clears out and one ends up spamming the talk group configured on the channel (I just did in relearning how to do this).

[M1ENA]

The DP3600 works fine with Pi-Star. I, too, had a similar problem getting a private call to work. Then I noticed a tick box at the top of the Motorola CPS.

In the "General" section, just below where you enter your callsign and DMR ID is "Private Calls". If that isn't ticked it will refuse to action any private call. That was all it took to get it to make private calls for me (obviously the other parameters have to be correct too).