Every Monday night, join us on the MichiganOne DMR Tech Net as we try to make Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) fun to use and easier to understand!
Monday night, May 12th, the MichiganOne DMR Tech Net team is honored to feature Steve Smith, KWØZ, to discuss the TGIF network. He’ll also be our guest for the May 20 “DMR Tech Net TV on Zoom” broadcast. We’d love to hear you share your thoughts and comments.
We’re on Brandmeister Talk Group 31266 (Michigan Nets channel) for the combined MichiganOne DMR Tech Net every Monday, starting with check-ins and comments at 7:30 PM ET followed by the DMR Tech Net portion after that.
DMR Tech Net upcoming topics:
- May 12 Steve Smith KWØZ (and maybe Robert Bretzman K4WZV) answer your questions about the TGIF Network & the TGIF Products Store
- May 16-18 Dayton Hamvention
- May 19 Dayton Hamvention 2025 recap
- Tuesday, May 20 DMR Tech Net TV on Zoom with Steve Smith KWØZ about the TGIF Network
- May 26 How to learn more about DMR
- June 2 What is HamShack Hotline & Hams Over IP?
- June 9 Stan WB8QJZ explains AllStarLink (https://www.allstarlink.org/)
- June 16 Handheld & mobile Antennas for DMR radios
- Tuesday, June 17 DMR Tech Net TV on Zoom with Benoit Sylvestre VE2VB from BrandMeister
- June 23 Using a Bluetooth headset with DMR
- June 30 DMR mobile radios hints and tips
- Jul 7 DMR apps to use on your cellular phone
- Jul 14 Maidenhead Grid Square location system
- Tuesday Jul 15 DMR Tech Net TV on Zoom going over the Open GD-77 firmware
- Jul 21 Using your radio’s side/hot keys
- Jul 28 Simplex vs Duplex Hotspots
- Aug 4 TOT, the Time-Out Timer feature
- Aug 11 Brad KE8WNV goes over the Open GD-77 firmware for your radio
- Aug 18 Tom N8TJ will discuss Q-codes
- Tuesday Aug 19 DMR Tech Net TV on Zoom about Maidenhead Grid Squares
- Aug 25 Using your Digital ID to make a Private Call or create a talkgroup
If you have a topic suggestion for a future DMR Tech Net, please let us know! Send an email to [email protected]
To read the whole newsletter, open the attached .pdf or visit our website: https://MichiganOnedmrtech.net/
📑 Table of Contents
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Introduction
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Purpose of the Discussion
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Special Guests: KWØZ and K4QZV
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What is the TGIF Network?
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Overview and Mission
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Key Features
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The People Behind TGIF
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Robert Bretzman, K4QZV – Founder & Chief Engineer
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Steve Smith, KWØZ – Net Control Operator
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TGIF by the 5 W’s
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Who
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What
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Where
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Why
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When
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TGIF vs. Other DMR Networks
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BrandMeister and DMR-MARC Comparison
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Pros of the TGIF Network
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Customization
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Low Traffic
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Strong Community
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Dashboard and User Tools
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Cons of the TGIF Network
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Smaller User Base
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Limited Repeater Access
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Manual Bridging
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Why Use TGIF?
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Ideal Use Cases
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Examples from DMR Tech Net
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How to Add TGIF to Your DMR Setup
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Step-by-Step Configuration
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Codeplug Tips
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TGIF Network Stats
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Estimated User Base
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Growth Trends
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TGIF Talkgroup 31268
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DMR Tech Net’s Home on TGIF
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Conclusion
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Final Thoughts
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Invitation to Join the Friday Net
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📡 The TGIF Network – the Who, What, Where, Why, and When
WHO:
The TGIF Network was co-founded by Robert Bretzman, K4QZV, who also serves as its chief engineer, and Mitch Savage (EA7KDO) in October 2018. It’s supported by a passionate community of digital radio operators, including Steve Smith, KWØZ, a Net Control Operator for TGIF’s well-known Friday Night Net.
WHAT:
TGIF is an independent DMR network built for flexibility, experimentation, and community engagement. It offers a full-featured infrastructure for digital voice communication using DMR radios, including dynamic and static talkgroups, dashboards, personal reflectors, and custom group creation.
WHERE:
TGIF is a global network accessible via the internet through DMR hotspots (like Pi-Star or OpenSpot) and bridges. It’s based in the U.S., but users span worldwide, with activity concentrated in North America and growing internationally.
WHY:
TGIF was created to offer a more personal, customizable, and community-driven alternative to large-scale DMR networks like BrandMeister or DMR-MARC. Its founders wanted a space where experimentation and freedom to tinker were encouraged without the bureaucratic structure of bigger networks.
WHEN:
The network has been active since around 2018 and continues to grow thanks to regular nets, open development, and user-centered features.
✅ Pros of the TGIF Network
- User-friendly Dashboard – Real-time call logs, talkgroup management, and hotspot monitoring.
- Freedom to Create – Users can request custom talkgroups or even set up their own digital repeaters.
- Less Congestion – Lower traffic compared to BrandMeister means better audio quality and fewer key-up collisions.
- Supportive Community – More direct access to the developers and helpful admins like K4QZV and KWØZ.
- Great for Learning – Ideal environment for new DMR users to experiment safely and confidently.
⚠️ Cons of the TGIF Network
- Smaller User Base – Fewer active talkgroups at any given time.
- Less Interconnected – Not automatically linked to major DMR networks unless manually bridged.
- Limited Repeater Integration – TGIF is mostly used through hotspots, with few physical repeaters.
💡 Why Consider TGIF?
- If you’re tired of the noise and chaos on BrandMeister, TGIF is a quieter, more manageable space.
- It’s ideal for niche nets like DMR Tech Net – in fact, talkgroup 31268 is the dedicated TGIF group for your team!
- TGIF supports technical learning, self-hosting, and even offers tools to build your own digital infrastructure.
- The Friday Night Net hosted by KWØZ is a highlight and a great way to connect with the wider TGIF community.
🛠️ How to Add the TGIF Network to a DMR Radio/Codeplug
- Register Your DMR ID at https://tgif.network if you haven’t already.
- Configure Your Hotspot (e.g., Pi-Star):
- Go to Configuration > DMR Configuration
- Select TGIF_Network from the DMR Master dropdown
- Enter your DMR ID
- Use Server Password if required (available in your TGIF dashboard)
- Add a Contact/Talkgroup to Your Codeplug:
- Add talkgroup 31268 (DMR Tech Net) as a digital contact
- Create a Channel with TGIF as the selected DMR Network
- Add that channel to a Zone for quick access
- Save & Write the codeplug to your radio.
📊 How Many DMR Users Use TGIF?
While there’s no official global DMR census, TGIF represents a small but growing percentage of the DMR landscape. As of late 2024:
- TGIF has around 20,000+ registered users
- In comparison, BrandMeister has over 200,000+ active IDs
- That puts TGIF at roughly 5–10% of the active DMR user base—though this varies by region
But size isn’t everything—TGIF’s tight-knit community, customization, and ease of access make it a valuable part of the DMR ecosystem.
Stephen Smith, KWØZ / K9NDN / NØUHE, licensed 1992.
KS-DMR.net UHF Repeater Affiliate – 444.750/449.750 MHz
Email: kw0z at arrl dot net [email protected]
Web: rivercitystation dot com rivercitystation.com
Listen for “The Barbed Wire Net” from Northeast Kansas
73 de KWØZ
If you can’t join us live for the DMR Tech Net, you can always listen to us via BrandMeister’s mobile Hoseline app or their Hose desktop software: (https://hose.brandmeister.network/).
We do record the show, so if you miss out and want to listen, or re-listen, to it, you can. The audio link is on our website, located at the very bottom of this post (after the show ends). We also have the AI interpretation/transcription of the audio, so you can read along.
You can always chat with the MichiganOne Tech Net team on TGIF talk group 31268, the MichiganOne DMR Tech Net channel or Brandmeister talk group 31266, the Michigan Nets channel.
Join the MichiganOne DMR Tech Net team on Telegram. Just search for “MichiganOne DMR Tech Net.” To download Telegram, go to: https://web.telegram.org and/or https://desktop.telegram.org/
Join the MichiganOne DMR Tech Net team on Discord: To join the MichiganOne DMR Tech Net team, click this link: https://discord.gg/EV82GNuCaS . To download Discord, go to https://discord.com
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On May 5th, the MichiganOne DMR Net moved to BrandMeister Talk Group 31266, the Michigan Nets Channel and combined with the DMR Tech Net. The new combined net is renamed as the MichiganOne DMR Tech Net. We start the combined net with the check-in portion for your comments at 7:30pm. After all check-ins, re-checks, and comments are completed, we switch to the DMR Tech Net segment (we estimate 8pm ET). The NCS schedule is:
- May 12 Allan N4ALK
- May 19 Brad KE8WNV
- May 26 Rick AD8KN
- Jun 2 Steve KC8WXM
We’re looking for more net control operators to help us with the check-in portion of the combined net. If you are interested and would like to volunteer, notify any member of the DMR Tech Net team and/or send an email to [email protected]. Stay tuned as more changes are coming.
https://www.michiganonedmr.net/
