What Is A Digital Ham Radio Hotspot? DMR/DSTAR/C4FM Hotspots Explained 

Good information Eric. I have been having fun with amateur radio for 70 years. DMR is just adding to the adventure and learning a lot even at age 85. Just got into DMR about 2 months ago. Thanks de Gary/W0DYD/MN

I'm retired, on a budget, and live in a rural area with no repeater in range. I'm studying for my license because I always wanted to explore ham radio and now that I am retired I do this sort of thing. A few videos that I watched almost made me give it up. I'm not ready to buy a $3000 receiver and spend another $1000 installing a big antenna just because I am in a rural area with no repeater. This video got me excited and gives me hope. Now I know that I can build a decent mobile unit and go "hunting" when the weather is good, and then sit at home and possibly further explore those contacts with a hotspot. Thanks for that.

Thanks for one of the best and simpliest explanations of hotspots and how they work.

I am an absolute rookie in thirst for education and stumbled upon your channel. Thank you for all the great knowledge you are sharing!

Thanks for the simple, yet thorough explanation!

I'm a little late getting serious about DMR but once again your videos to the rescue!

Great historical perspective. Digital has incredible possibilities. Got my first hotspot set up for DMR, now I’ve ordered the parts to build my own Dstar hotspot. Thanks!

ive been a firefighter and a lifeboat man and still when you go into some clubs your greeted with some people that wont talk to you purely because your deemed to be bellow them im there to learn but sometimes most times you will not ask a question just so you dont receive the this guys thick or raised eyebrows so been able to watch your videos and understand and receive the answers to the questions you will not ask is a massive pleasure well done i belive they need younger people in this hobbie just a complete shame when the hobbie seems to be dieing phil uk

4 years after the make of this video and it is by far still one of the best to re-watch. Thanks much for information + humor .

AS an old guy getting back in after 15 years this video was very helpful in helping me get back up to speed. Thanks!

Thank You. You filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge. Still getting my equipment together so this helps me decide which direction I'm initially going and what I need to get there. Once again you always come through with what I need. Thank You and "73"

As a soon-to-be-newbie Ham (waiting for local testing to resume), I like much of your content. It's informative and you talk to your viewer not at them. And I LOVE the attitude - "Can we have some fun?". Don't even have a license yet, but already running into so many "old ways" and "Doom and Gloomers" who seem to want nothing better than to keep amateur radio stagnant. Thanks for being a vocal knowledgeable voice for advancement and growth.

Thanks Eric. I have watched 20 different people trying to teach me about DMR and you are the only one that I have understood. I will watch your other videos to get the rest of the story on the other digital modes. Again, thanks!!!

Thank you for this info and posting the video!

Great. Open spot 2 …. Check. That seems crystal clear. Now i need to find another one of these videos that has a great description of which handheld digital radio to buy.

This is some excellent history and background! Thank you so much!!!

The most comprehensive video so far as I plough through the information out there trying to get a good grounding in Digital Voice Comms.. thanks you

Thank you Eric - great explanations!

Nicely done Eric, thanks for doing, very helpful.

I now run both and enjoy both, so thanks for the explanation.

I was looking for a video to explain hotspots to my friends and this one is awesome! Good job!

Thank you for your time and effort you put into your vids . The best around. 73

I would be one of those noobies. Hot spots, nodes, reflectors, repeaters, rooms, talk groups, Wires-X, Fusion, nXDN, DMR, D-Star, P25, IRLP, Echolink, AllStar... It’s all blah blah blah to me. The topology diagrams are very very helpful to visualize what the heck you are talking about. A million thanks for that.

Fantastic video for us Newbies! Appreciate the drawings you made on Computer too, to explain it better. TYVM and keep up the great work...

I'm a brand new tech. Still waiting on my callsign. Doing a bunch of research right now. Thank you for simplifying things.

Good chat, Eric! For all the others, the whole point is have fun when fun works or is needed and keep HF w/independent power supply handy for emcomm when all else fails. These things are complimentary, not “one-or-the-other” competitive.

Thank you for the wonderful info. I am new to Amateur radio and really new to DMR. This has been very helpful.

Thanks for the explanation, it's really clear!

Thanks for the info! That cleared up a lot of questions. 73s

You are the man! Cleared up a lot of questions. Thanks for all the vids and keep them coming.

Great explanation you cleared up some grey areas thanks.

Answered all my questions and more. Thanks!

This was great. Back in the hobby after an absence of something like 10 years. This was exactly what I needed to know. I love the evolution of all this in the digital arena. Since the video was just over 2 years ago, now I guess I need to see what the successors are to Jumbospot and Openspot2. LOL The narrative on this video was easy to follow and it all makes sense. We've got all the modes around here and the routing through a hotspot makes total sense to me. NG8E

Perfectly done for us new birds just learning to fly on digital. You cleared up my questions on hotspots in this one video. Yes, understanding that analog may be of extreme usefulness in "THE" moment, but you can't live your life for that, can you? Also, digital can give you information from around the world which the media may choose not to place an importance. So even using it for a "heads up" to a developing problem somewhere, or just talking with a 8th cousin Aussie, it's all good. Thanks for the clarification!

IAM getting lots ok useful knowledge watching your videos keep up the great work and thank you.

Thanks for a very informative video! I'm 73yrs old and it's hard to comprehend the digital world. I really learned a lot from your video. Thanks Again! K8JRH

Thank you very much, Eric. This is the second of your videos I've watched and enjoyed. I am now about to join the Vero Beach ARC. You have very well motivated me! 73 de W1JAY

Hi!!! My name is Eric, just watched your dmr hotspot video, awesome info, wasn't aware dmr hotspots even existed. anyhow, looking forward on getting my own hotspot one day. I live in the country area and repeaters are either to far away or are beeing under repair. By watching your video, it gave me hope on doing the things i love about radio!!! 73's from your fellow ham in Canada 🇨🇦.

WOW !! great information ! just got my tech license. This is a deep rabbit hole !! LOL !! this new hobby can be expensive, I knew it !! I love it !! going for my general license now I know a lot more, and this would be perfect for my expeditions, and camping adventures. thanks

OMG what a great info video. Big thanks.

Great overview of the HotSpot scene ! Thank you for posting this video !! 73 SBF

Thank you for the very informative video. A lot of infos, mainly with the history of all the hotspots. 73, Richard VE2CH

24:30 - Amen... be prepared but have some fun.

Thanks for whirlwind tour of hotspot. Very interesting.

Have been holding off going DRM, mainly due to no repeaters close by (closest is 200+ miles away). Thanks to your excellent video it makes my decision easier to make...thanks.

finaly a no nonsense informative vid well done

Excellent overview Eric thanks!

Eric - I support the other comments below - you have helped me to better understand the world of "Hotspots" - Thanks Again for another great presentation ... 73

Thanks for this interesting conference. 73 from ON3IBZ. ;)

Thanks for all your great videos. Frank KM4ZRT in Florida

Great history dive for newbies trying to understand all that jargon D HAM people use around. Thanks!

Great Video Eric!

Thanks for the informative video. I am new to DMR and looking forward to getting into the hobby!

Man Eric, without your videos, my NEWB self would be screwed. TY so much for what you do.

...as always, a well explained topic ! Tnx.

thanks for all the help, been yrs since looked at this kind of stuff, we had a echo link repeater here n the county but its back strait analog now, have a 440 DSTAR up north but have to run 100w to hit it n don't have DTMF on that rig, so b getting one of these looks like, 73s

Thank you for your explanation about hot spots. I was watching several videos trying to determine if I needed one or not. I watched several videos that did not help to clarify (at least not for me).

Thanks, finally getting answers

Thanks for the explanation!

Thank you so much, great video.

Good video. I knew about 75% already but it took me a bunch of hours researching. Wish I would have found your video a month ago. I ordered open spot 2 yesterday so I’m excited. I live in a rural area with no digital repeaters near. KI7WBR

Thank you for breaking down these hotspots

Thank you Eric very good information very good video

I am just back into the hobby after a 20+ year hiatus! It’s good to see that hams (and the industry) are keeping pace with technology. However, I must admit that the first thing I bought to get back on the air was a Benchor Paddle. You can teach this old dog new tricks, but CW is home sweet home for me! Great video and very informative. Thanks! _ _ ... ..._ _

Love your background! Clever.

Another way (if you are starting up) is to just use a phone or computer with internet access. That way you can explore Digital Mode first before buying a digital radio & a hotspot. All you need is your call sign & a Brandmeister ID.

Yes learned a lot. I’m just getting started in this hobby and enjoy your attitude about Zombie time and Disaster Commo, just have fun. Well done and keep making the educational videos please! Thank you!

Thanks OM. You are right about the "funny" repeater culture. We have a "Metro" TG that is hooked up to so many repeaters, from NY to FL, it should be called the "East Coast" TG. Hotspots seem to fit the bill for mobile and work-around local machines. Keep having fun and servicing the public.

Well done Eric

Excellent video Eric. 👍

It's good to see digital and hotspots. They are an extension of the hobby and they will help keep amateur radio alive. Hopefully draw more people to the hobby before we lose it. When there is a power outage or catastrophe we still have analog! It will always be the root of amateur radio. Lets grow. Lets stay alive. GREAT VIDEO!!!!

I actually got into ham cuz I'm always fly fishing for weeks at a time with no reception and it was lonely sometimes. So I studied my but off to pas extra and put together a small station in my RV. An ICOM 7300/9700 (obviously 9700 hasn't shipped yet but soon) and a compact vertical on a 30ft mast and get great reception 160-6 good reception VHF UHF and a Arrow ll to play with . No more lonely nights! Just hope I can use the Dstar without wifi. Thanks for the info. KM6VAY

Great Vid, cleared up a few questions I had....Like what the hell is a hotspot! Thanks.

Excellent James another great video I am learning all the time from you 73 Phil G0BVD

good job Erick thanks 73 very good

Thanks... A good starter course video! And I find it funny that two years later we are talking about a "zombie apocalypse" I better get mine quick!🤣 Not even a Tech yet but I have an Any Tone D878 UVII Plus on its way to me. I wanna learn, listen, and get familiar with it before I got hotspot digital... after all, I gotta get FCC legal first!🤣 Thanks again!

Great informative video. thanks

Really useful video.

Enjoyed it and learned lots. I like to play with different things. thanks Kenn w4tki

Great info,thanks mate

I agree with you with the respect of not tying up the repeater. As a ham radio operator I would like to be considerate of my fellow ham operator’s. I am very new to this mode of operation now after retiring I was looking for something to do in this mode intrigues me very much.

I'm just getting into ham radio and I think this video just solved my biggest problem -- Crappy location.

Great video

Excellent video thank you very much

As a old 90s licensed HRO i have come back after 18 year break to total new world... this is the best explanation video so far... im very much at the checkout and staying faithful to Yaesu and love the look of the FT3d any advice please comment ,. thank you for your channel and i have found this 73's G7WDH

Eric, great job. You provide so much unique value to this hobby, even with the other competitive channels. Why do you want to do something else?

Good explanation.....👍🏻👍🏻

Great video. I am still learning what DMR is and how a hotspot works. Waiting for my radio and hotspot to arrive. 73. ZL3GP.

Just getting into dmr so all help great fully recieved

Thank you for this informative video, new subscriber, new tech here with a FT70. Want to learn all I can about this digital tech.

Thanks for this . The drawings on Microsoft Draw(?) was very helpful.

Good video‼️

I bought a DXMINI it is perfect, Sits on my mantle and looks great while working flawlessly. So Ofcourse I need one for on the go. I ordered the pi zero and mmdvm and display and case and all the little doo-dads to make it all work. Now that I know more about them I can’t wait to put it together myself. I’ll hopefully have DMR at work and on the commute from the convenience of my trusty UV-380

Nice and informative video. I hope to get on to those digital modes eventually.... :) 73 es cul.

Great video. I’m just getting into Ham. I’ll be testing on element 2 mid-month. I enjoy you videos because I don’t have an Elmer locally to help me. I was heavy into CB way back in the 70’s. It was much friendlier back then. Each local area would have their own channel and people we’re still courteous. I do have a question though. Are you able to use d-star with one of the cheap Chinese dual band radios that is not d-Star enabled? If so, how? Thanks again for all the time and energy you put into making things fun.

Just found the site great video

Excellent overview! Sending it to my club members.. thanks and 73 de n5csu

long and fast delivery, BUT! excellent presentation and super overview. Fine job! my second time through the whole thing. and now I have a basic understanding. (Iron head, but sinking in.) Cool! And let’s have fun.

great tutorial

hotspots are ROIP and VOIP Radio Over IP and Voice Over IP this wasn't mentioned in the video and thought it should be. Just for those not in he know. :) Great video and explanation of all the different hotspots.