Join Us Monday Night As We Discuss “Would You Rather Build Or Buy A Hotspot, and Why?”

Posted on October 27, 2024

Join us on Brandmeister Talk Group 31266 (Michigan Nets) for the DMR Tech Net on Monday, October 28th from 7:30 PM ET to 8:25 PM ET. The net will conclude early to allow time to switch (QSY) talk groups to the Michigan One DMR Net (which begins at 8:30 PM ET on BrandMeister Talk Group 3126).

This Monday night we will be further discussing DMR Pi-Star Hotspots (per a suggestion from Curt Bates KFØCQN).  Would you rather build or buy one (as there are pros and cons of each method) and why?

Join us every Monday night as we make Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) easy to understand and fun to use!

When deciding whether to build or buy an MMDVM Pi-Star DMR hotspot, there are pros and cons to each approach based on factors such as cost, technical skills, customization, and convenience. Here’s a comparison:

Building an MMDVM Pi-Star Hotspot:

Pros:

  1. Customization: Building gives you full control over the components you use, including the Raspberry Pi model, MMDVM board, case, and antennas. You can tailor it to your needs.
  2. Learning Experience: Building your hotspot from scratch helps you understand how the system works. It’s a valuable educational experience, especially for those who enjoy DIY electronics projects.
  3. Cost: Building can be slightly cheaper than buying a pre-made hotspot, particularly if you already own some components (like a Raspberry Pi) or can source parts at lower prices.
  4. Upgradability: You can upgrade individual components as needed. For example, you can easily swap out the Raspberry Pi or antenna for better performance.

Cons:

  1. Time and Effort: Building your own hotspot requires more time to gather parts, assemble, and configure the device. If you’re not familiar with Raspberry Pi or Pi-Star software, there may be a steep learning curve.
  2. Technical Expertise: Some knowledge of Raspberry Pi, MMDVM, and networking is necessary. Mistakes during assembly or software configuration can lead to a non-functioning setup.
  3. Troubleshooting: If something goes wrong, diagnosing and fixing issues can be challenging for beginners.

Buying a Pre-made MMDVM Pi-Star Hotspot:

Pros:

  1. Convenience: Pre-built hotspots are plug-and-play. They come pre-configured, so all you need to do is enter your DMR ID and other basic settings.
  2. Timesaving: A pre-made hotspot saves you time since you don’t need to source components or spend time assembling and configuring the device.
  3. Professional Build Quality: Many pre-built hotspots are compact and professionally assembled, which might result in better reliability and longevity.
  4. Support: When purchasing a hotspot, you often get customer support and a warranty, making troubleshooting easier if something goes wrong.

Cons:

  1. Cost: Pre-built hotspots tend to be more expensive than building your own, as you’re paying for convenience and the assembler’s profit margin.
  2. Limited Customization: Buying a hotspot off the shelf gives you less control over the components, which might not meet your specific needs (e.g., certain Raspberry Pi models or antennas).

Conclusion:

  • Build if you enjoy DIY projects, want to save money, and prefer learning through hands-on experience. This option is great for hobbyists and those who want to customize their hotspot.
  • Buy if you value convenience, want to get on the air quickly, and are willing to pay a bit more for a ready-made, reliable solution.

Both options will get you connected to DMR networks, but the best choice depends on your technical skills, available time, and interest in tinkering with electronics.

Building a MMDVM Pi-Star DMR hotspot is a fun DIY project that allows you to connect to DMR networks from anywhere with an internet connection. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to build one:

Materials Needed:

  1. Raspberry Pi (most commonly the Pi Zero W, Pi 3, or Pi 4)
  2. MMDVM Hat (Modem) compatible with your Raspberry Pi
  3. MicroSD Card (8GB or higher, Class 10 recommended)
  4. Micro USB Power Supply (5V/2A minimum for Raspberry Pi)
  5. Pi-Star Software (can be downloaded from the official site or WPSD)
  6. Case (optional, but useful to protect the hardware)
  7. Antenna (comes with most MMDVM hats)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Assemble the Hardware:
  • Attach the MMDVM Hat to the GPIO pins of the Raspberry Pi. Ensure that the alignment is correct (pin 1 of the MMDVM board should match pin 1 on the Pi).
  • Connect the antenna to the MMDVM Hat if it isn’t already attached.
  1. Prepare the MicroSD Card:
  • Download the Pi-Star Image from the Pi-Star website.
  • Use a program like Balena Etcher or Win32 Disk Imager to write the Pi-Star image to the MicroSD card.
  • After the writing process is complete, insert the MicroSD card into the Raspberry Pi.
  1. Network Configuration:
  • For a Raspberry Pi with Wi-Fi, you’ll need to set up your Wi-Fi connection:
    • After writing the image, eject and reinsert the MicroSD card into your computer.
    • In the root directory of the SD card, create a file named wpa_supplicant.conf with the following details:

bash
Copy code
country=US
ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=1
network={
ssid=”Your_WiFi_SSID”
psk=”Your_WiFi_Password”
}

    • Save the file and eject the card from your computer.
  1. Boot the Raspberry Pi:
  • Insert the MicroSD card into the Raspberry Pi.
  • Connect the power supply, and the Raspberry Pi will boot. Pi-Star will configure itself automatically.
  • Allow about 2-3 minutes for Pi-Star to initialize fully.
  1. Access Pi-Star Web Interface:
  • Find the Pi-Star’s IP address by logging into your router or using a network scanning tool like Angry IP Scanner.
  • Once you have the IP address, open a web browser and type in the Pi-Star’s IP or http://pi-star.local/ to access the Pi-Star Dashboard.
  1. Pi-Star Initial Configuration:
  • The default login credentials for Pi-Star are:
    • Username: pi-star
    • Password: raspberry
  • Once logged in, go to the Configuration page and:
    • Set your Callsign, DMR ID, and Frequency.
    • Set Mode to DMR.
    • Set the Dashboard Language and Time Zone appropriately.
  1. Configure DMR Settings:
  • Scroll down to the DMR Configuration section:
    • Select the DMR Master (e.g., BrandMeister, TGIF, or other networks).
    • Enter your DMR ID (available from RadioID) and TX/RX Frequencies.
    • Enable BM API (for BrandMeister) and add your API key if you want to manage your hotspot from BrandMeister’s dashboard.
  1. Apply Settings and Reboot:
  • Once you have input your configuration, click Apply Changes. The Pi-Star hotspot will restart.
  • After rebooting, your hotspot should connect to the selected DMR network.
  1. Test Your Hotspot:
  • Use your DMR radio to transmit and monitor the hotspot for activity.
  • You can check the Pi-Star Dashboard to see the status of your connections, talk groups, and traffic.

Additional Configuration:

  • Static IP Address: Set a static IP address for easier access to the Pi-Star interface.
  • Backup: Use the Pi-Star web interface to back up your configuration for future use.

Conclusion:

You now have a working MMDVM Pi-Star DMR hotspot! This hotspot can be used to access a variety of DMR networks and talk groups, and it’s portable enough to take with you wherever you have an internet connection. Enjoy experimenting with the different modes and features!

If you want more advanced setups or troubleshooting tips, the Pi-Star website and forums offer extensive resources​.

Send an email to subscribe@dmrtechnet.net if you want to subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter.  To see previous newsletters, check out our website: https://dmrtechnet.net/

You can always chat with the DMR Tech Net team on TGIF talk group 31268, the DMR Tech Net channel or Brandmeister talk group 31266, the Michigan Nets channel.

The DMR Tech Net team is assisting Dustin N8RMA with NCS duties on the Michigan One DMR net.   Here is the list of the upcoming NCS (Net Control Stations) for it:

  • Oct 28 Rick AD8KN 
  • Nov 4 Steve KC8WXM
  • Nov 11  Dustin N8RMA
  • Nov 18 Tom N8TJ and/or Rick AD8KN

https://www.michiganonedmr.net/

The next DMR Tech Net TV Zoom broadcast is Tuesday, November 19 from 8pm-9pm ET.  Join us as David Wolf WO5H will be our guest. He’ll tell us about how he was able to add amateur radio products to Radio Shack’s product line in the 1990’s and answer your questions!

To join the DMR Tech Net TV Zoom meeting, click the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84447664395?pwd=djZMbFZaWVRkRDRudkRFeWc2WWV4UT09

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