PMR446

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dPMR446 radio

PMR446 , often incorrectly referred to as PMR (short for Personal Mobile Radio , Private Mobile Radio or Professional Mobile Radio ), is (in Germany since 1999) a radio application for everyone to which the UHF frequency range 446.000–446.200  MHz is assigned. PMR446 is the European equivalent of the American FRS , short for Family Radio Service .

Frequency range

Analog frequency modulation is used as the modulation method. In the related radio applications dPMR and DMR , voice is transmitted digitally.

The analog channels have a channel spacing of 12.5 kHz; the digitally operated channels (dPMR446 / DMR Tier I) can be used with a channel bandwidth and a channel spacing of 6.25 kHz or 12.5 kHz, depending on the access method. A transmission cycle may last a maximum of 180 seconds, the maximum equivalent radiated power (ERP) is 0.5 watt.

According to ruling 46/2020 of the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA), frequency allocation in Germany is limited to 31 December 2030.

Analog frequency usage

The frequency range is divided into 16 channels in a 12.5 kHz grid . To avoid adjacent channel interference directly below 446.0 MHz, the channel grid has been increased by 6.25 kHz and thus by half a channel width (i.e. to 446) compared to the normal arrangement in which the first channel would have received exactly the frequency 446.00000 MHz , 00625 MHz). Due to the special grid of 6.25 kHz for quartz-controlled devices, the possibility of using unapproved devices such as B. amateur radios with significantly higher transmission power than the permitted 0.5 watts. In the meantime, however, amateur radios with digital frequency tuning have mastered the 6.25 kHz grid used here.

FM channel
 Center frequency
in MHz 		Channel width / channel grid
in kHz
1 446.00625 12.5
2 446.01875 12.5
3 446.03125 12.5
4th 446.04375 12.5
5 446.05625 12.5
6th 446.06875 12.5
7th 446.08125 12.5
8th 446.09375 12.5
9 446.10625 12.5
10 446.11875 12.5
11 446.13125 12.5
12 446.14375 12.5
13 446.15625 12.5
14th 446.16875 12.5
15th 446.18125 12.5
16 446.19375 12.5

Digital frequency usage

TDMA channel

DMR Tier I

Center frequency
in MHz 		Channel width / channel grid
in kHz
1 446.00625 12.5
2 446.01875 12.5
3 446.03125 12.5
4th 446.04375 12.5
5 446.05625 12.5
6th 446.06875 12.5
7th 446.08125 12.5
8th 446.09375 12.5
9 446.10625 12.5
10 446.11875 12.5
11 446.13125 12.5
12 446.14375 12.5
13 446.15625 12.5
14th 446.16875 12.5
15th 446.18125 12.5
16 446.19375 12.5
Channel FDMA
dPMR 		Center frequency
in MHz 		Channel width / channel grid
in kHz
1 446.003125 6.25
2 446.009375 6.25
3 446.015625 6.25
4th 446.021875 6.25
5 446.028125 6.25
6th 446,034375 6.25
7th 446,040625 6.25
8th 446,046875 6.25
9 446.053125 6.25
10 446.059375 6.25
11 446.065625 6.25
12 446.071875 6.25
13 446,078125 6.25
14th 446.084375 6.25
15th 446,090625 6.25
16 446.096875 6.25
17th 446.103125 6.25
18th 446.109375 6.25
19th 446.115625 6.25
20th 446.121875 6.25
21st 446.128125 6.25
22nd 446.134375 6.25
23 446.140625 6.25
24 446.146875 6.25
25th 446.153125 6.25
26th 446.159375 6.25
27 446.165625 6.25
28 446.171875 6.25
29 446.178125 6.25
30th 446.184375 6.25
31 446.190625 6.25
32 446,196875 6.25

Frequency listing in accordance with order 42/2016 of the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA).

The channels for the digital operating modes DMR Tier I and dPMR446 are numbered differently.

DMR Tier I uses TDMA ( Time Division Multiple Access ) with a channel spacing of 12.5 kHz, while dPMR446 uses FDMA ( Frequency Division Multiple Access ) with a channel spacing of 6.25 kHz.

Range

The devices may have a transmission power of up to 0.5  watts ( ERP ), which enables a range of approx. 5 km under very good conditions.

The maximum range of a PMR446 device strongly depends on the environment. Under optimal conditions, you can bridge up to ten kilometers (e.g. between two mountain peaks). In heavily built-up areas, you can often not even travel a kilometer. In forests, the range is usually between two and three kilometers. Most hand-held devices (especially those in the lower price segment) only manage just under 200 m in built-up areas.

The range of the transmissions in the digital operating modes can differ from the analog variant under certain conditions with the same transmission power. ( See also: DMR446 )

"Sub-channels": CTCSS and DCS

In addition to the 16 channels, the use of pilot tone methods allows user groups to be formed which interfere less frequently with one another. These are sometimes incorrectly referred to as “sub-channels”.

In general, CTCSS ( Continuous Tone Coded Subaudio Squelch or Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System ), an analog process, or the digital squelch Digital-Coded Squelch ( DCS ) are used for this. Depending on the manufacturer of the radio, DCS may be used. U. also referred to differently.

With both CTCSS and DCS it should be noted that only the incoming signal is blocked. When transmitting, in addition to the language, the CTCSS tone or the DCS signal (which is not audible to the receiver) is transmitted, and the receiving radio device opens the CTCSS or DCS squelch if the coding matches.

If you have the radio z. B. set to channel 4 and CTCSS coding 13, you can only hear those stations that also transmit on channel 4 and also transmit the same CTCSS tone no. Any users broadcasting channel 4 and another CTCSS sub-coding (e.g. 12) will not be heard. It is thus possible for several user groups (e.g. a boy scout group, a motorcycle club and a family) to share the same channel without having to listen to the broadcasts of the other groups. This is why the CTCSS codes or DCS codes are often referred to as “sub-channels”.

All users who have not set CTCSS sub-coding or CTCSS 0 can listen to all transmissions on the channel, including transmissions with CTCSS 13 or DCS 12. However, they are only heard by other stations that also have no CTCSS sub-coding or Have set CTCSS 0. DCS / CTCSS encodings must not be confused with "security against eavesdropping", because anyone who is on the "main channel" CTCSS 0 can hear all broadcasts on the "sub-channels". These coding methods are only used to hide other participants on the same channel.

It should also be noted that two user groups on the same channel can interfere (often unnoticed) - namely when two radios are transmitting at the same time, since both incorrectly assume that the channel is currently free. In this case, both user groups are often unable to receive the broadcasts because the signals sent at the same time and on the same channel interfere with one another. It is effectively a hidden station problem (hidden terminal problem). Better radios can therefore indicate whether the channel is currently free, so that you can make sure before sending that you will not be disturbed by other participants or vice versa. With some devices there is also the option of blocking transmission when the channel is busy ( busy channel lockout ).

Exactly the same considerations as for CTCSS also apply to DCS. Please note that the two methods are not compatible with each other. This means: A radio that transmits on channel 4 with CTCSS code 13 will not be heard by a radio that is also set to channel 4 but DCS code 13 - and vice versa.

Gateways

About HF gateways long distances can be bridged via the Internet. A program (e.g. eQSO , FRN , TeamSpeak or Mumble ) is set up for this purpose, which transmits the audio signals received from the CB radio , PMR, Freenet or LPD / SRD radio device to the Internet and to another location feeds a CB radio, PMR, Freenet or LPD / SRD radio device back in. The similarly working Echolink network has been around for a long time in the amateur radio sector . ( see also: VoIP )

Legal

In contrast to SRD or Freenet, the PMR446 can be operated in almost all European countries.

Frequency ranges for everyone's radio applications are not always assigned uniformly across Europe, but for PMR446 they are. Outside of Europe, PMR446 is not permitted as a public radio service, with a few exceptions. Such exceptions are non-European Spanish and Portuguese parts of the country, Dutch and French overseas holdings, Russia with its Asian part, Greenland, South Africa and Singapore. PMR446 is also approved in Turkey; However, there is also information on the Internet that holidaymakers are allowed to take a maximum of one pair of devices with them.

Germany

In Germany, the frequency assignment for PMR446 is currently limited to December 31, 2030.

PMR446 devices must meet the requirements of the Radio Equipment Act ( FuAG ). Only specially certified devices approved for PMR446 radio may be used, to which the manufacturer must enclose a declaration of conformity in which the device is described in detail. Furthermore, the operating instructions must contain clear instructions on how to operate the device. All devices must also be marked with the CE mark . The devices may not be technically modified by the user. Most of the devices are handheld radios, but there are also a few mobile devices (for car installation) and floor-standing devices with a desk design. Interference from other frequency users must be expected as the frequency range is not exclusively assigned.

In Germany, the so-called mobile phone ban at the wheel also applies to the use of radio devices in motor vehicles. However, until June 30, 2020, a general exception for two-way radios still applied to this ban on use for vehicle drivers.

Switzerland

In Switzerland, the use of a radio device at the wheel is not permitted: Article 31 of the Swiss Road Traffic Act and Article 3 of the Traffic Regulations stipulate that the driver of the vehicle must turn his attention to the road and traffic and that he is not allowed to do anything while driving makes it difficult or impossible to operate the vehicle. Since this also applies to the operation of a radio device, sparking at the wheel is not permitted in Switzerland.

Austria

In Austria, the use of a radio device at the wheel is currently permitted; this also applies to PMR radios.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Vfg 42 / 2016. (PDF) General allocation of frequencies in the frequency range 446.0 MHz - 446.2 MHz for radio applications for voice communication with handheld radios ("PMR446"). Federal Network Agency , September 28, 2016, accessed on December 29, 2016 .
  2. ↑ [1] last updated version (2020) of the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) (PDF file; 67 kB)
  3. ↑ A guide to the new PMR446 license-free radio frequencies following ECC Decision (15) 05 and what it means to you .
  4. ↑ a b c dPMR446 - Welcome to the dPMR Association .
  5. ↑ DMR446 - Digital 446 in one page .
  6. ↑ List of countries in which the use of the radio application is permitted (European Communications Office) , out of date.
  7. ^ Wider Choice of Radio-Communication & Wireless Devices for Consumers and Total Annual Savings of $ 200,000 for Telecom Equipment Dealers .
  8. ↑ https://tuketici.btk.gov.tr/hangi-telsiz-cihazlari-icin-izin-ve-ruhsatname-alinmasi-gerekir-izin-ve-ruhsatname-alinmadan-kullanilabilen-telsiz-cihazlari-nelerdir
  9. ↑ http://service.alan-electronics.de/national-restrictions/pmr-freigabe.htm
  10. ↑ [2]
  11. ↑ [3]
  12. ↑ § 23 Para. 1a StVO
  13. ↑ § 52 Abs. 4 StVO
  14. ↑ https://www.blick.ch/auto/service/tcs-ratgeber/tcs-ratgeber-funken-beim-fahren-id46803.html
  15. ↑ https://oerd.or.at/wp/funkgeraet-benuetzen-beim-autofahren-erlaubt-verwaltungsgericht-wien- Judt-durch-erkenntnis-und-spruch-vom-5-12-2018-funkgeraet-benuetzen- ist -at-tax-not-prohibited /