Washington Digital Radio Enthusiasts


WA7DRE 2M Repeater System

The WA7DRE 2 Meter Repeater system is a combination D-STAR and DMR repeater serving the Spokane area. It features D-STAR connectivity normally on REF029A (our home reflector) but is also capable of connecting to any REF, XRF, XLX, DCS, or any other D-STAR reflector. In addition, it can also be a DMR Repeater able to connect to Brandmeister talkgroups.

This is a Pi-Star based repeater, using a Raspberry Pi computer and an MMDVM interface board to a Yaesu DR1X repeater. Keep in mind that to be heard over an REF reflector, your callsign must be registered with the US Trust. Other types of reflectors do not require callsign registration.

Normally, the repeater is connected to D-STAR reflector REF029A, and DMR is not connected to any talkgroup. For DMR, we use the United States 3102 talkgroup server (DMR Master).

WA7DRE C 2M Repeater Information
Frequency
Callsign (RPT1)
Gateway (RPT2)
Location
145.150 Mhz (Minus Offset)
WA7DRE C
WA7DRE G
West Spokane

Operating Guidelines:

FAQ's:
Q: Is this repeater open for all to use?
A: Yes! Just like all other WA7DRE repeaters.

Q: Is this a cross mode repeater? Can I use a DMR radio to hear D-STAR transmissions? And vise versa?
A: No! Some Reflectors have that capability. Not this repeater. You must have a D-STAR radio to hear D-STAR transmissions, and a DMR radio to hear DMR transmissions.

Q: Does this DMR repeater allow connection to the PNW DMR talkgroups?
A: No. The PNW DMR talkgroups are not open for all to use. You must have their permission to use their talkgroups. There are other PNW DMR repeaters in the Spokane area where you can use the PNW DMR talkgroups. We connect to Brandmeister Master Servers (3102) so Brandmeister talkgroups can be connected. Brandmeister talkgroups are open for all to use, world-wide.

Q: How do I disconnect from a DMR talkgroup after I am done using DMR?
A: Make a group call to talkgroup 4000. Please be sure you know how to do this before you command the repeater to connect to any DMR talkgroup.

Q: A true DMR Repeater usually has two timeslots? What about this one?
A: This is NOT a true DMR repeater. It can only put a DMR transmission on timeslot 2. Listen and transmit on TS2. (need to confirm)

Q: If my QSO gets interupted by someone using the other voice mode, how long do I have to wait before the mode I want to use comes back?
A: All hang times are set to 20 minutes. You'll most likely have to wait for 20 minutes until the mode you were using is available again. That is why it is important to make sure the repeater is not in use BEFORE you key up. And make sure the other voice mode is disconnected if you can, before you start a QSO.

Q: Can we send D-STAR pictures over this repeater?
A: Yes! It works as you would expect. The latest Pi-Star and MMDVM is used to support fast data mode.

Q: Does this repeater support other digital voice modes such as Fusion, P25, NXDN, etc.?
A: No. Although the repeater and Pi-Star are capable of supporting other modes, we are not interested in them. They are disabled for this repeater. Only D-STAR and DMR are supported.

Q: This stuff is all new to me. Can you help me figure it out?
A: Usually NO. We know how to use this stuff, we put it up so you can use it too, if you know how. We wouldn't get much done if we had to teach everyone how to use it. If you need help, you should seek knowledge on the Internet or other local hams that can help. Ask over the air!