DMR Etiquette

I have recently had a number of conversations with new DMR users wondering how to use the network without being impolite to other users, even inadvertently.  I thought it would be useful to write this all down for everyone’s future reference.  If you have anything to add or disagree with anything, please leave a comment! I will try to keep this updated.

Also, please note – these are just my opinions.

How to be Polite on DMR

1. Listen before you talk.
   1. When you first turn your radio on, listen for a minute or two and make sure the channel is clear before keying up.
2. Set the admit criteria in every channel to color code.
   1. This will prevent you from keying up on top of someone.
3. Don’t use the calling talk groups (Worldwide, North America, etc) for QSOs. Think of them as the 52.525 or 146.52 of DMR.
   1. Not only is this obnoxious, but you will unnecessarily key up thousands of repeaters for no good reason.