Maine DMR Repeater TalkGroups

Please Read ---- Understanding How C-Bridge Talk-Group Priorities Are Established
A Excellent Article by Tom Marshall - AA1SM, Html Click Here for PDF

TalkGroups Available On The Maine C-Bridge

TS2

LOCAL - TG 9 (single site)
NETAC2 - New England TAC-2 - TG 8802 (PTT activated) see note below
ME Statewide - TG 3123
NH Statewide - TG 3133 (PTT activated)
REGION NORTH - TG 8 (MA-VT-NH-ME) also SKYWARN © Secondary TG
New England Wide - TG 3181 (CT-MA-RI-VT-NH-ME and New Brunswick)

The New Brunswick, 3029 Talk Group is available on Repeaters Bordering New Brunswick CA

Note: (5/25/2016) NH SW is now PTT activated for all Repeaters on the Augusta C-Bridge.
LOCAL talk group timer is set for 2 minutes. For All Other TS2 talk-groups, hold-off timers are set for 5 minutes.

TS1

SKYWARN © Primary DMR: TG 759 (SKYWARN)
NETAC1 - New England TAC-1 - TG 8801 (PTT activated) see note below
Northeast - TG 3172 (full-time)
North America - TG 3 (PTT activated)
Note TG3: Effectively immediately, the North America talkgroup (TG3) will return to its original purpose as a wide-area talkgroup
available to all North American hams for general QSO at any time.

WW Calling - TG 1 (PTT activated)
WW English - TG 13 (PTT activated)

TAC310 - TG 310 North America(PTT - activated)
TAC311 - TG 311 North America(PTT - activated)
UA1 - TG 113 Engish1 Worldwide (PTT - activated)
UA2 - TG 123 Engish2 Worldwide (PTT - activated)
Audio Test TG9999 (one way to Norcal VU meter - norcaldmr.org )
Parrot TG9998 (PTT echo-test, test your audio)

All TS1, PTT activated, talk-group hold-off timers are set for 5 minutes.

Note: TG1 should only be used as a CALLING CHANNEL for less than 2 mins. Then switch to another talkgroup.

** We have two new talkgroups for the New England DMR network:
NETAC1 (TG 8801 Time Slot 1) and NETAC2 (TG 8802 Time Slot 2)

These two talkgroups are PTT and are designed to be "TAC" channels internal to the New England DMR community. The talkgroups will not be distributed beyond the Boston and Augusta C-Bridges. The purpose is to have a channel to QSY to that will not compete with other individuals outside New England. The other TAC channels have become very busy and it is a better use of resources to have some internal TAC channels. One is on TS1 and one is on TS2 so the user can determine which one makes more sense to QSY to. For example, on a busy Maine repeater where MH SW is in use a lot, NETAC1 would make more sense. But if TS1 is busy, then perhaps NETAC2 would make more sense. So there is flexibility.

NETAC1 blocks North American and Northeast...there is no block for the WW and WWE talkgroups since they are on PTT anyway and not likely to conflict (and it's just too much programming) - hold-off timer is set for 5 minutes.
NETAC2 blocks Statewide talkgroups, Region North, and New England Wide - hold-off timer is set for 5 minutes.

TS = Repeater Time-slot
TG = Talkgroup
PTT = The Talkgroup is normally not linked unless activated by pressing your PTT button.
There is usually a time-out that de-links PTT Talkgroups after no use.

Do not forget you can always use Simplex for Local Chats.
VHF (1) 145.790 --- (2) 145.510
UHF (1) 441.000 --- (2) 446.000 --- (3) 446.0750 --- (4) 433.500
[Use TG99 / CC1 / TS1 /Admit Criteria: Always / In Call Criteria: TX or Always]

Note: Please remember DMR System is not like a analog repeater system, with multiple talk-groups you must leave a 5 to 10 second pause between transmissions so other people can brake away to another talk-group on another repeater in the system, or join in your conversation.
To put it in plane language, you could be tyeing up the time slot on the entire system if you do not a leave pause between transmissions.