Brandmeister DMR TalkGroups for VK & ZL as of September, 2025

 Brandmeister DMR TalkGroups for VK & ZL as of September, 2025.
Here are some  talkgroups for Brandmeister DMR network, some bridged to VK-DMR Network, some are some gateway ports setup by clubs and groups going to different networks, usually DStar.

505  National Calling Talkgroup for VK
5050 >> XLX500 G Reflector
5051 bridged to 3801 VK-DMR
5052 bridged to 3802 VK-DMR
5053 bridged to 3803 VK-DMR
5054 bridged to 3804 VK-DMR
5055 bridged to 3805 VK-DMR
5056 bridged to 3806 VK-DMR
5057 bridged to 3807 VK-DMR
5058 bridged to 3808 VK-DMR
50520 >> BMARC Net Monday 09.30utc
50521 >> IARS Chat
50525 bridge to P25 and NXDN Networks
50526 >> CCARC
50529 >> XLX500
50566  WICEN
50590  >> VK2HK Wires-X
50591  >> VK2GP Wires-X
50592  >> VK3KAY Wires-X
50594  >> VK2RFG 
505205  >> XLX500
5052110  >> XLX500

ZL TG's :
530  >> XLX299
5301  ZL1 Regional
5302  ZL2 Regional
5303  ZL3 Regional
5304  ZL4 Regional
53020  was used  for XLX626
53021  >> IFROAR  (Rotarians)
53029  >> XLX299 X
53050  >> XLX751
53060  Taupo ARC
53085  >> XLX299 >> AllStar Bridge
53099  >> XLX750

VK-ZL-Pacific:
95

Dashboard | BrandMeister

XLX Reflectors for VK & ZL as of 23rd August, 2025

 XLX Reflectors for VK & ZL as of 23rd August, 2025

here are some of the XLX Reflectors, looking at them, they are now all XLX, replacing the older XRF,DCS reflectors. Note- some are purely DStar, some are multi-protocol

XLX014 AU multi-protocol
XLX087 AU VK3AGK Ballarat  DStar
XLX129 NZ Hamilton 
XLX299 NZ BM530 and multi-protocol
XLX432 AU  VK3JED   Multi-protocol
XLX500 AU BM DMR & multi protocol
XLX530 NZ Taupo ARC
XLX750 NZ DVNZ multi-protocol
XLX751 AU multi-protocol

XLX820 AU VK4 DStar
XLX824 AU VK4 DStar
XLX903 AU VK2YI  Dstar
XLX940 AU VK2YM  DStar
XLXVMM NZ  DStar
VK4TUX  gone

Brandmeister Network Activity Viewer - hose.brandmeister.network

 This is a reminder of a Brandmeister tool website to give you a  live snapshot of current/recent activity on the Brandmeister DMR Network. You can you use the dropdown icon on right hand side to allow you to choose the view based on a region or country. In my example I am looking at EU and AU regions, you can select one region or multiple. If you click on the desired talkgroup you can monitor it, which is good tool to test if you transmitting or not. Choose a region and you can select & deselect it.  This website has been updated compared to how it originally looked.  Now it sticking purely to the required data and less graphics, to get more on your screen.

https://hose.brandmeister.network

Brandmeister talkgroup 530 ZL National Call

On Brandmeister DMR, one of the talkgroups I monitor is TG530, I keep hearing this strange white hash sound and bits and pieces of conversations and its randomly occurs,  including some drunken americans talking jibberish, I just never bothered to stop and try to figure what it was, I usually turn down the volume until it goes away again. 

This time I stopped to pay more attention, took note of the ID  and realised it was only one ID involved 530047, looked it up on the Brandmeister website, it comes up as ZL2AWW, showing two hotspots, then I  monitored the Heard list, its all sorts weird things going on, as if it tied to a gateway and a cluster in USA, strange behaviour for a ZL Call channel.

Its odd, with squeals and artifacts of digital transmissions and bits of one sided QSO's, sometimes maybe hear both sides and one american I recognise on several occassions comes up with some slurred words, god knows what he saying, I guessed he is pissed. Then I  realised it was coming from WW TG91

The two hotspots have different SSID's, and showing different frequencies, so I dont think the hotspots are relaying to each other, but at 600kHz away, and if operated in close proximity to each other they may interfere with each other. So it looks to be bleedthrough from one hotpot 53004721 txing locally, being received by the second hotspot 53004701 and it is broadcasting to TG530

P25 Repeaters for Sydney and surrounds - as of 11th February, 2025

 P25 Repeaters for Sydney and  surrounds

VK2RCG GPT Sydney City 438.200 MHz now standalone

VK2RNS Asquith (Sydney North) 439.975 MHz standalone

VK2RHP Horsley Park, (Sydney south west) 438.1375 MHz  TG10700

VK2RMB Terrey Hills 438.175 MHz  is standalone

VK2RWK Kurrajong, 439.825 is standalone

VK2RWS Berowra 438.275  w/ -5.4MHz  (WICEN rpr) - unknown status

VK2RWH Nelson Bay 439.625 standalone (WICEN rptr) - unknown status

Non-operational or redeployed :

VK2RHR High Range - being repaired

VK2RGN Goulburn - off air.

VK2ROT Paddington, off air, possibly gone
VK2RWI Dural - now a VK-DMR rptr
VK2RHT Chatswood - now a VK-DMR rptr
VK2RAG Somersby - gone, redeployed
VK2RCF Carlingford - gone
VK2RLE Heathcote - gone

VK3GWY digital gateway still missing.

 

I still looking around to see if anyone talking about why the VK3GWY gateway disappeared which tied BrandMeister DMR TG 50525 with P25 TG50525 and NXDN TG50525 and YSF 06015

while looking around I stumbled onto the VK3RBA 70cm digital repeater dashboard connected to Brandmeister DMR Network, from the dashboard we see BM TG505 TS1 and a local TG9 TS2, I will keep this in mind for the next time I visit Ballarat.

What I noticed from this dashboard is P25 and YSF showing as Not Linked.

vk3rba-d.vk44.net

VK3GWY disappeared

 the VK3GWY gateway seems to have disappeared, I haven't heard the VK3 network activity on Brandmeister DMR, P25, NXDN and YSF networks, not hearing the daily and weekly nets held on the VK3 network.
I noticed it disappeared off the various dashboards and checking Brandmeister dashboard it looks to be 26 days ago, so that is around the 14th September.

 

here are some Nets to listen to on DMR in VK/ZL, as of 13th May 2024

VK3XEM's Welfare Net, Mon to Fri 10am AEST, runs on the VK3 AllStar Network, but accessible from Brandmeister DMR TG 50525, also P25 TG 50525 and I think also on NXDN TG50525.

VK3KK Round Table Net, Wed 8pm AEST, same network as above, on the VK3 AllStar Network, but accessible from Brandmeister DMR TG 50525, also P25 TG 50525 and I think also on NXDN TG50525.

ZL Digital Net, Friday night, 8pm NZT, 6pm AEST, on  VKDMR TG 530 ZL Call Freq

Westlakes  Net, VK2ATZ  Sunday morning from 8.00am AEST on VKDMR TG3802 linked to Brandmeister TG5052

Westlakes Broadcast, Sunday morning 9.00am AEST on VKDMR TG3802 linked to Brandmeister TG5052

VK7 WIA / REAST Broadcast, Sunday morning 9.30am AEST on VKDMR TG5

VK-DMR Net, Tuesdays 0900z on VK-DMR TG505

BMARC Monday night net 19.30pm AEST and Thurs 19.30pm AEST via Brandmeister TG50520

 Port Stephens Net Thurs nights 19.30pm AEST VK-DMR TG3809 & Brandmeister TG5109

Data Rate on Brandmeister AU DMR network from OpenSpot hotspot

 just saving a screenshot of Received Data rate from my OpenSpot1 on the Brandmeister AU DMR network,

approx 3.1 kbytes/sec

DMR Node count for VK & ZL

 I have taken stat count of nodes in the past, this time I have written it down, but a couple years ago,  I found the numbers were much the same for VK-DMR versus Brandmeister nodes, in terms of VK activity, what I recall was around the 240-250 mark and looks much the same again today.

here is the count as of today, 22nd April 2024 for VK and ZL

VK-DMR :  Hotspots 242, Repeaters 56, Total=298.

BM  (VK): Hotspots  269, Repeaters 11, Total=280

ZL DMR+ : Hotspots Total=55 

BM (ZL): Hotspots Total=32

NOTE in ZL, repeaters don't have distinctive callsigns like VK does.

This is not a comparison of what is best, each type of DMR network does a different job, they are configured and operate differently, it is all about experimenting and learning, regardless of using one or both DMR modes and same goes for experimenting with other digital modes within the hobby.

DMR Nets for VK & ZL regions

 here are some Nets to listen to on DMR in VK/ZL:

VK3XEM's Welfare Net, Mon to Fri 10am AEST, runs on the VK3 AllStar Network, but accessible from Brandmeister DMR TG 50525, also P25 TG 50525 and I think also on NXDN TG50525.

VK3KK Round Table Net, Wed 8pm AEST, same network as above, on the VK3 AllStar Network, but accessible from Brandmeister DMR TG 50525, also P25 TG 50525 and I think also on NXDN TG50525.

ZL Digital Net, Friday night, 8pm NZT, 6pm AEST, on  VKDMR TG 530 ZL Call Freq

Westlakes  Net, VK2ATZ  Sunday morning from 8.00am AEST on VKDMR TG3802 linked to Brandmeister TG5052

Westlakes Broadcast, Sunday morning 9.00am AEST on VKDMR TG3802 linked to Brandmeister TG5052

VK7 WIA / REAST Broadcast, Sunday morning 9.30am AEST on VKDMR TG5

VK-DMR Net, Tuesdays 8pm AEST on VK-DMR TG5

Pi-Star MMDVM Upgrades

 I just poking around doing some TalkGroup config changes today on my DMR Pi-Star MMDVM node that I use for VK DMR network, I was prompted with an upgrade notice, so I proceeded to upgrade that DMR node and I also upgraded my P25 Pi-Star Node while I was a it.

I been running version 4.1.6 for probably 2 years now since it  was release in November 2021

I noticed during upgrade it did two steps, upgrade to 4.1.7, then onto 4.1.8

I then thought it be good idea to check the Release Notes to see what it is about, 

here is extract off the Pi-Star website, no new functionality, its underlying infrastructure changes, required to allow for new functionality to be added in future, such as M17 Support. I still hanging out for some P25 Gateway functionality. (fingers crossed)

Pi-Star Downloads - pistar.uk

current Release Notes, as of 19th April, 2024

16-Feb-2024 **Version 4.2.1** - Available for Download or Upgrade.
    This version addresses some issues with the nextiondriver.service
        unit file, and with NextionDriver in general. I had
        not actually intended to include the unit file with
        4.2.0, but it's there, so to clean that up, we need
        a minor upgrade.
    While working on NextionDriver, I also noticed an issue with
        4.2.0 not always syncing the time correctly.
        This update also addresses NTP issues in the 4.2.0
        build.
    Additional disk cleaning is done in the release image,
        reducing the image size slightly.

05-Feb-2024 **Version 4.2.0** - Available for Download.
    This release upgrades the base OS from Buster to Bullseye.
        Binaries / Dashboard are all the same as 4.1.x chain.
        There will be some of you that need (for some reason)
        to use the older binary set, if that happens to be
        the case, check out this post on the forum:
        https://forum.pistar.uk/viewtopic.php?t=4806
    On the NanoPi / OrangePi and Odroid releases, the kernels
        are now updated as part of normal OS updates.
    Along with the "Legacy" branch should you need them, there
        is also now a "Testing" that is going to keep pace
        with the upstream releases, so now any of you can
        take part in the testing of new packages.
    If you have a 4.2.0 Beta image installed, you can keep using
        it so long as it's working OK for you, the last bug
        that has been crushed relates to Wi-Fi on the
        Raspberry Pi Zero 2W, it would drop the Wi-Fi after
        a few hours, if you are seeing that, re-flash with the
        current release.

21-Jan-2024 **Version 4.1.8** - Available for Download.
    This it is not possible to in-place upgrade and get the changes
        that matter in this download, the /boot volume has
        been 64MB in size for many years, and before there
        were too many versions of Raspberry Pi boards, this
        was fine. The ever growing number of kernels and
        systems supported by Raspbian means that 64MB is just
        not large enough any more.
    This change to the size of /boot (up to 256MB) also requires
        that I lift the minimum uSD card size to 4GB (it has
        been 2G since Pi-Star launched 10 years ago). This is
        the start of a lot of work to take Pi-Star past some
        of the baked in decisions from years ago that have made
        upgrades painful.
    If you have a working system, upgrade to 4.1.8, but don't rush
        to re-image, 4.2.0 is on the horizon, bumping the OS
        to bullseye, and paving the way for what comes next.
    Those of you waiting for bookworm, well you need to wait just
        a little bit longer, we need a stable release on
        bullseye out, before we get too radical.
    New binaries are coming soon, I wanted to get some of the long
        standing issues cured before pushing those, I will
        re-spin the images once they land.

18-Jan-2024 **Version 4.1.8** - Available for Upgrade.
    Bringing in M17 components, it's not configurable on the dash
        yet, but that is coming soon. First bring in the parts
        to make the service work, and pull in audio files etc.
    More work is required, but the basics of the dash changes are
        done, still to-do update config page and the repeater
        info panel. Thos should get pulled in over the next
        few days.

05-Jan-2024 **Version 4.1.7** - Available for download and upgrade.
    It has been a while since I pushed a full update. Mostly that
        has been owing the to the very stable nature of the
        current build, however, it was getting to have some
        issues creep in.
    What is new? - Actually nothing new, this update us just fixing
        the expired keys for the apt repos. This caused the OS
        and other packages not to get some updates.
        Upgrade to 4.1.7 from the dashboard (it's faster) and
        the new keys get installed, allowing all of the update
        goodness to function once more.
    I know this is not terribly exciting, but there are other things
        being worked on that are more exciting, more news on that
        later.

NOTE: as I mentioned back in October, 2022, to run P25 mode, you have to use the old Kernel 4.19.97+  as the P25 Mode doesn't like the later 5.10.11+ kernel.
To use the later versions of DMR (ie. 4.1.6 and later) you need to use a later version kernel, 5.10.11+ or later, otherwise it starts up and looks fine, but will not connect to a Master, e.g. DMR+.

some amateur radio Nets to listen to

 today is Net for RAOTC (Radio Amateurs Old Timers Net held on first Monday of each month at 11am local  AU eastern time  on VK-DMR network TalkGroup 5

WELCOME to the Radio Amateurs Old Timers Club Australia Inc (raotc.org.au)

also is Simon VK3XEM's Welfare Net, held Mon to Fri at 10am local AU eastern time, on the VK3 All Star Network and VK3RBA network, including Brandmeister TG50525 and  P25 TG50525 and  NXDN TG50525

VK3RBA - Callsign Lookup by QRZ Ham Radio      VK3XEM on the Web – The truth is out there

also is the CCARC (Central Coast Amateur Radio Club) Morning Tea Net, held Mon-Fri  at 10am on the VK2RAG repeater 146.725 MHz , noting it needs 91.5 Hz CTCSS tone to access.

Home - Central Coast Amateur Radio Club (ccarc.org.au)

Amateur Radio Nets

 update on some Amateur Radio Nets:

Welfare Net : hosted by Simon VK3XEM - this net was created  at start of Covid, its pretty informal net, run Mon-Friday 10am local time for Victoria Australia,  operating on the VK3 Allstar network, comprised of several linked FM voice repeaters in Victoria (VK3) plus some digital repeaters, including access from Brandmeister TG50525

Central Coast Amateur Radio Club morning tea net - hosted by Bob VK2AOR, run Mon-Fri at 10am local (NSW-VK2) this is on the 2metre FM voice repeater, VK2RAG 146.725 MHz, plus interfaced with EchoLink gateway.

Both nets have people checking in locally and from overseas.

P25 Activity Update as of 29th March, 2023

 P25 Activity for Sydney area.

we have some P25 repeaters linked to the network on TG10700, these include :
VK2RCG GPT Sydney City 438.200 MHz
VK2RNS Asquith (Sydney North) 439.975 MHz
VK2RHP Horsley Park, (Sydney south west) 438.1375 MHz

Other Operational P25:
VK2RMB Terrey Hills 438.175 MHz but is standalone, waiting to be configured and linked to P25 network
VK2RWK Kurrajong, standalone
VK2ROT Paddington, standalone
VK2RGN Goulburn - not sure if it linked into network yet.

Non-operational or redeployed :
VK2RWI Dural - now a VK-DMR rptr
VK2RHT Chatswood - now a VK-DMR rptr
VK2RAG Somersby - gone, redeployed
VK2RHR High Range - failed, getting fixed
VK2RCF Carlingford - gone
VK2RLE Heathcote - gone

VK2RWS Berowra - gone

Planned :
possibly a P25 repeater for central west NSW (Bathurst-Orange region).

another DMR network

 

I discovered there is another DMR network out there,  this one called FreeDMR, looks to be based out of the UK. It has talkgroups for Australia 505 and 5050  and for New Zealand  it has TG530. It is aimed at opensource development and experimentation.

FreeDMR – Open Networking. Reaching out to the World.

Invalid radioID with dmr and p25

 Here is a news item excerpt  from the Brandmeister.network webpages,  this is important as I have also seen a few VK callsigns running invalid RadioID's  on the BM network. As the message states, you need to register and obtain a  valid RadioID number from RadioID.net that matches your callsign, otherwise the network administrators will block you.

Brandmeister DMR Network Update for VK & ZL as of 14 Feb 2023

 Brandmeister DMR Network  Update for VK(Australia) & ZL(New Zealand) as of 14 Feb 2023

Talkgroups:

95 VK-ZL Chat

98 Echo Test

505 VK Call Channel

530 ZL National Call Channel

5050 XLX500G Reflector

5051 VK1 Chat

5052 VK2 Chat

5053 VK3 Chat

5054 VK4 Chat

5055 VK5 Chat

5056 VK6 Chat

5057 VK7 Chat

5058 VK8 Chat

50510 XLX510-D Reflector

50521 Illawarra ARS chat

50525 P25 Bridge & VK3 Allstar Repeater Network

50526 CCARC VK2RAG

50531 VK3 chat1

50533 Southern Peninsula ARC (vk3)

50539 Next-Gen 

50566 WICEN

50590  VK2HK-2-ROOM Wires-X

50591  VK2GP-ND Wires-X

50592  VK3KAY-ROOM Wires-X

50593  XRF740-C Reflector

50594  VK2RFG-ROOM

5059742  XRF740-C Reflector

5301 ZL1 Chat

5302 ZL2 Chat

5303 ZL3 Chat

5304 ZL4 Chat

53020  ZL XLX626A Reflector

53021  ZL  IFROAR Reflector

53029  ZL XLX299X Reflector

53050  ZL  XLX751 Reflector

53060  ZL  Taupo ARC

53099  ZL XLX750 Reflector

and the official Brandmeister TalkGroup list  Talkgroups | BrandMeister

and the Pi-Star Brandmeister TG List  BrandMeister Talkgroup List - pistar.uk

Timeslots ? BM repeaters run with Slot1 and Slot2 Linked, Hotspots run in DMO (Direct Mode Operation)

meaning  that you do not need to specify a TimeSlot number (1 or 2) for use with the Brandmeister Network TalkGroups.

updated my VK-DMR handheld and hotspot today 12th Feb 2023

 I finally got around to updating my  VK-DMR Pi-Star hotspot and my TYT MD380 handheld, these are the ones I use for VK-DMR. This  reconfig and re-programming is keeping in line with the changes made by the VK-DMR network on 9th February, 2023.  I fixed up the hotspot to remove old static TG's I used to monitor and shifted the TG's on TS2 over to TS1, leaving only TG505 and ECHO in TS2. TG505 is the only static TG now, all the rest of the TG's in TS1 are UA (dynamic).

Out of the UA based TG's I only interested in TG's 5,9,530, 1910, 3801-3809, WICEN 3810, VK-JOTA 30

VK-DMR Network updates - January 2023

 Begin forwarded message:

From: "VK3TE via groups.io" <vk3te=bigpond.com@groups.io>

Subject: Re: [VK-DMR] Changes to the VK-DMR Network

Date: 29 January 2023 at 10:11:55 am AEDT

To: <VK-DMR@groups.io>

Reply-To: VK-DMR@groups.io

Good Morning All

For Hotspots this will have NO Impact to you as you set your TG’s that you want to listen to.

The Link from the Repeater Server to the Hotspot server to pass the TG’s will NOT change

So what ever is on the IPSC2 Repeater server will still pass the TG’s to the Hotspot Server

 

The Phase 2 all you will have to do is move the TG 380x to TS 1 Now and the same to reprogram your Radio for TG 380x to now use TS 1 (Time Slot 1)

 

Now for your Promiscuous Mode, we keep telling you that your Hotspot could hear another TG, and with your Radio is programmed to Promiscuous Mode it will jump to this TG, and if your Hotspot hears another different TG it will jump to this TG and your radio will follow and you do not know what you could be listening too, this happens a lot when listening to the TG 5 Broadcasts, and you then try to talk back to the person and you are now on a different TG.

 

This has been reported many times and even watching the VK-DMR IPSC2 Hotspot and Repeater Dashboards many of these promiscuous mode users are on the wrong TG when trying to talk back

 

As this is your choice we keep telling Amateurs that Promiscuous mode is not a good practice

 

You should be setting the TG for RX and TX for each channel you have programmed to your Radio, as the Hotspot just listens to what it is set to, and will follow what your Radio is sending to your Hotspot.

 

Anyway the Phase 2 of Changers will be coming to make it easier for all to use moving forward and the TG 8 for each Region will be removed and replaced with a New Set of Fixed TG’s and the TG 10008 to 90008 that is TG 8/1 to 8/9 will be replaced with a all New Set of TG’s you will need to check on the VK-DMR Network Web Site at https://vkdmr.com/

 

Peter Brennan

VK3TE & VK4SPB