The Backwoods DMR Group was officially formed in October, 2024 when a group of amateurs in south-eastern NC became interested in converting several otherwise dormant analog voice repeaters to DMR. Our members have dedicated quite a bit of energy into bringing DMR alive in the area. Some individuals have donated repeater equipment, radio codeplug information and internet service while others have worked on securing antennas and site/tower lease agreements. With five active DMR repeaters in the area, our network covers multiple counties in both North Carolina and upstate South Carolina.
The group decided to utilize the Brandmeister network. The results have been excellent. All K4BLA repeaters use a Color Code of 1. Both timeslots are capable of wide area. It is preferred that timeslot #2 be used for local/regional talkgroups, and timeslot #1 used for all other Brandmeister dynamic talkgroups. Currently, “East Coast 31373” is the group’s “go-to” talkgroup and is the most widely-used on timeslot #1. It is strongly encouraged that newcomers onto the system use this talkgroup and timeslot while getting familiar with the Brandmeister network and DMR as a whole.
You Can Listen to TG 31373 by clicking The Link Below
https://hose.brandmeister.network/?subscribe=31373
The five DMR repeaters currently managed by K4BLA are listed below. Please click on the blue repeater ID number to be taken to a Brandmeister link for that specific repeater. You will also be able to view the stations last heard on that page.
The seven K4BLA DMR repeaters are listed below. The RepeaterBook link to these repeaters is HERE.
314380 – Elizabethtown, NC – TX 440.6125, RX 445.6125. Motorola XPR8400 repeater at 40 watts combined with DB420 antennas at a county-owned facility. The transmit antenna is at 180 feet AGL and the receive antenna at 215 feet AGL. The antenna pattern favors north toward Elizabethtown.
314392 – Fayetteville, NC – TX 439.0875, RX 449.0875 (note the non-standard +10 MHz shift!) Motorola DR3000 (AKA XPR8300) repeater at 40 watts. Duplexer is a Wacom WP-678-R2 and the antenna is a DB413 8-bay offset at 975 feet AGL. Antenna pattern favors NNE toward Fayetteville.
314393 – Delco, NC – TX 144.940, RX 147.440. Motorola SLR8000 repeater at 75 watts. Wacom custom-split 2.5 MHz spacing four-cavity duplexer. Antenna is a DB224 four-bay at 650 feet AGL. Antenna pattern is offset toward the SW (Nakina, Longwood, Ash, Myrtle Beach)
314408 – Laurinburg, NC – TX 444.7375, RX 449.7375. Motorola XPR8400 repeater at 25 watts. Split DB420 antennas combined with county public safety equipment. RX antenna is at 380 feet AGL favoring NW. TX antenna is at 320 feet AGL favoring NE.
314916 – Whiteville, NC – TX 442.5625, RX 447.5625. Motorola XPR8400 repeater at 40 watts. Phelps-Dodge PD696 four-cavity duplexer. DB408 omni-directional antenna top mounted at 150 feet AGL.
314398 – Calabash, NC – TX 144.920, RX 147.420 . Motorola XPR8400 repeater at 40 watts. Phelps-Dodge PD696 four-cavity duplexer. DB408 omni-directional antenna top mounted at 150 feet AGL. This is a +2.5 MHz split like Delco uses. The antenna is a Comprod 2-bay dipole offset at 345 feet AGL and fed with 7/8″ Heliax. The antenna is pointed toward Sunset Beach/Ocean Isle, but should work up and down HWY 17 with a decent mobile setup for 25+ miles in each direction. On behalf of K4BLA, we truly appreciate these agencies allowing the use of their equipment .
314686– Mills River ,NC. TX 441.8625, RX 446.8625. Motorola XPR8400 running at 45watts. This repeater is right outside of Asheville. The repeater is at a location offered by a fellow ham radio operator located on top of a mountain in Mill’s River, NC at 2,200 ft of elevation . The repeater has a decibel 4 cavity Duplexer. Antenna is a Diamond X50. This Site does have a generator.
Andy, KQ4CLZ has taken the time to craft codeplugs for several popular radios. The link to the codeplugs is here: