E1748: Here's Why DMR Doesn't Work Like You Think
From Ham Radio 2.0 by Jason Johnston - KC5HWB
June 5, 2026 · 17 min
About this episode
This episode explores the misconceptions surrounding DMR and its technical realities.
In this video, we break down why DMR doesn’t work the way most hams expect — from real-world coverage myths, repeater behavior, and why your audio sometimes sounds worse than analog. Whether you're new to digital voice or a seasoned DMR user, you’ll discover the surprising technical realities behind Digital Mobile Radio that no one talks about. We cover simplex vs. repeater performance, color code confusion, talkgroup limitations, battery life impact, and the biggest mistakes operators make when switching from FM to DMR. Today's video is sponsored by the Hamspot hotspot - use code KC5HWB for a discount here - https://hamspot.square.site/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ham-radio-2-0--2042782/support .
People in this episode
Host: Jason Johnston
Topics covered
- DMR
- digital voice
- repeater behavior
- audio quality
- ham radio
- technical realities
Keywords
- DMR
- digital mobile radio
- audio quality
- repeater
- ham radio
- simplex
- talkgroup limitations
Sponsors
Hamspot
Mentioned in this episode
Products: Hamspot hotspot
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