Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions specific to the RATS Codeplug Project.  You might also want to check out our DMR Frequently Asked Questions.

Why doesn't your codeplug include talkgroup <anything>?

The DMRVA network carries a limited assortment of carefully selected talkgroups focused on Virginia regional and statewide communications.  The talkgroups available on the DMRVA network are published on the DMRVA talkgroup matrix, and these are the only talkgroups included in our public files.

Our codeplugs for neighboring DMR systems are focused on talkgroups that are shared with the DMRVA network, and other carefully selected talkgroups most likely to be of interest to the average Richmonder who is traveling through one of these other networks.  Other talkgroups may be available.

Our codeplugs are built with a limit of 16 channels per zone for maximum compatibility, which means we can't include all talkgroups on larger DMR systems.

I am having trouble getting the codeplug to load to my radio.  Help?

We get a lot of these questions.  Here are the most common root causes:

• Check the cable.  Be sure you have the correct programming cable and drivers for your operating system.  If your radio uses the "K" style 2-pin mic/speaker port connection for programming, apply a little extra force when inserting the cable to ensure it is fully seated.

• Confirm that your CPS version matches your radio firmware.  A mismatch between CPS version and radio firmware can cause data corruption and transfer failures.

• Confirm that your radio firmware and CPS versions are the same or newer than the source codeplug.  An exact version match isn't usually necessary, but your radio should have at least the firmware version indicated in our codeplug file, if any.   You may have problems when using a codeplug that is newer than your firmware, if it loads to the radio at all.  (This doesn't apply if you're doing a conversion using the N0GSG DMR Contact Manager according to our conversion instructions.)

• Confirm that your radio is in the correct mode for programming.  Refer to your radio's operating manual for any model-specific programming instructions.

If you still can't get your codeplug loaded, we may be able to help.

Where can I find the CPS or drivers for my radio?  Can you show me how to use the CPS?

We now have a page dedicated to this topic.

Do you support third-party CPS applications like OpenGD77, Chirp, or RT Systems?

Not officially, but (except Chirp) we do have a few member-contributed codeplugs built for these applications.

Can you program my radio for me?

Generally, no.  There may be some occasional opportunities for in-person programming assistance like at a club Field Day, but this type of service is not something we have the personal bandwidth to offer.

What are Quiet channels?

Most RATS DMRVA codeplugs currently include a Quiet channel.  This channel has no talkgroup associated with it.  It allows the radio to idle on time slot 1 and listen only for direct ("private") calls, text messages, and All Calls.  If you want to be available for direct calls without being disturbed by any other radio chatter, spin the dial to the Quiet channel.

What is Monitor All?

Many RATS codeplugs include a Monitor All function.  Monitor All is a combination of Receive Group Lists and a Scan List, working together to listen for traffic from specific talkgroups on both time slots.  This is not the same as promiscuous mode, which will receive all activity on the current time slot, regardless of talkgroup.

RATS DMRVA codeplugs incorporate Monitor All into the Clear Timeslot channel.  When your radio is on Clear Timeslot, Monitor All (if supported) is automatically activated.  RATS codeplugs for neighboring DMR systems place Monitor All on Clear Timeslot if it exists on the system;  otherwise Monitor All may have a dedicated channel in the zone.

Do you plan to offer codeplugs for the Brandmeister network?

We do have a codeplug add-on which includes a handful of Brandmeister systems in the Hampton Roads region of southeast Virginia, but at this time we do not have plans to expand our Brandmeister offerings.  Brandmeister offers the least consistent user experience of all the DMR networks.  A large number of published Brandmeister "repeaters" are little more than hotspots or low-budget, homebrew systems that offer extremely limited coverage area and widely variable performance.  Systems vary in their time slot and talkgroup configurations.  These variations are often not well documented and add unnecessary tedium to the codeplug creation process.

The focus of the RATS Codeplug Project is on our statewide DMRVA network and neighboring C-Bridge systems.

Do you plan to offer codeplugs for the K4USD network?

We would love to, but so far we have not been able to locate any good documentation on that system, and there appears to be no functioning website.  If you are aware of an up-to-date list of repeaters and talkgroups for K4USD, please email us at codeplug-request@rats.net.  If we can get all the information we need, we'll consider making a codeplug for nearby repeaters on the K4USD network.

Why are your "specialty codeplugs" separate from the main files?  Wouldn't it be easier to incorporate those into the main codeplugs?

Our specialty codeplug offerings include add-ons for several surrounding DMR networks.  These add-on codeplugs will be infrequently updated.  Keeping this content out of our mainline codeplugs achieves a few things:

• It simplifies the codeplug maintenance process by reducing the amount of information we're working with at once. 

• It enhances radio compatibility by reducing the number of zones and channels in each file.  Some radios, like the CS750 and CS800D, can hold all 200+ of our zones.  Most can't.

• Content and changes in these codeplugs can be more easily tracked when they are separate from our main files.

At this time there are no plans to incorporate the specialty files into our main codeplug files for the CS750 or CS800D series.