Brandmeister: The Complete Guide to the Worldwide DMR Network

📡 What is Brandmeister?

Brandmeister is the world’s largest amateur radio DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) network. Founded in June 2014 by Artem Prilutskiy (R3ABM/DL5ABM) and presented at the HamRadio exhibition in Friedrichshafen, Germany, it was designed as an open, community-driven alternative to existing DMR networks such as DMR-MARC.

The name “Brandmeister” is a play on words: it combines “brand new master server” with the German term meaning “fire master”, a nod to its Germanic origins.

How does the network work?

The Brandmeister network is built in layers:

Each repeater or hotspot connects to a geographically nearby master server. All the master servers are interconnected, forming a worldwide mesh. When you transmit on a talkgroup, your signal is routed instantly to every user connected to that same talkgroup, wherever they are in the world.

The network in figures

🔄 Brandmeister vs other DMR networks

Brandmeister is not the only DMR network, but it is the largest and the richest in features. Here is a comparison:

📝 Registration: getting access to Brandmeister

Registration is a two-step process: first obtain a DMR ID (a unique identifier), then create a Brandmeister account.

Step 1: get a DMR ID from RadioID.net

Your DMR ID is a unique 7-digit number that identifies you on every DMR network. It is linked to your amateur radio callsign.

1. Go to radioid.net
2. Click “Log In/Sign Up” and create an account
3. Enter your callsign (e.g. HB9XXX), your licence class and the expiry date
4. Upload an official copy of your OFCOM licence (Swiss amateur radio licence)
5. Wait for verification, usually within 24 hours, sometimes up to 2 days
6. Receive your 7-digit DMR ID by email

Step 2: create a Brandmeister account

1. Go to brandmeister.network/?page=register
2. Fill in the form: callsign, email (ideally the same one as on RadioID.net), and select “Personal User Account”
3. Create a password
4. Answer the anti-spam question: “What is the common wavelength used for amateur radio operations in the UHF Band?” Answer: 70 (as in 70 cm)
5. Complete the reCAPTCHA and submit
6. You will receive a confirmation email within 15-30 minutes
7. A member of the Brandmeister team validates your account manually, usually within 48 hours

📊 The Brandmeister dashboard

The dashboard at brandmeister.network is the network’s control centre. It offers many features, even without an account.

Last Heard

The Last Heard screen shows every transmission on the network in real time: callsign, DMR ID, talkgroup, time slot, source (repeater or hotspot) and duration. You can filter by master server: for example, add ?page=lh&Master=2282 to see only Swiss traffic.

Hoseline: live listening

The Hoseline (hose.brandmeister.network) lets you listen live to any talkgroup from your browser or the Android app, without needing a radio and without logging in.

Network map

The interactive map shows every connected repeater and hotspot in the world, with their online/offline status in real time.

Other dashboard features

• Call statistics: traffic analytics by talkgroup, master server and repeater
• Talkgroup directory: complete list with descriptions
• Cluster management: organising repeaters into groups
• Contact export: for importing into your radio
• 17+ languages supported, light and dark modes available

📻 Understanding talkgroups

Talkgroups (TGs) are the central concept of Brandmeister. They are virtual “chat rooms” identified by a number. When you transmit on a TG, every user connected to that TG hears you.

Static vs dynamic talkgroups

Time slots (TS1 and TS2)

Each DMR channel is divided into two time slots using TDMA technology, allowing two simultaneous conversations on the same frequency:

• TS1 (Time Slot 1): reserved for international and national talkgroups (TG 91, TG 228, TG 920, etc.)
• TS2 (Time Slot 2): reserved for regional and local traffic (TG 2280, TG 2281, TG 9, etc.)

🇨🇭 Swiss talkgroups (HB9)

Switzerland has a complete talkgroup structure on Brandmeister, coordinated by the network administrators HB9STJ, HB9DUU, HB9TQJ, HB9FEF and HB9FND.

National talkgroups: TS1

Tactical talkgroups: TS1 (user-activated)

Regional talkgroups: TS2

French-speaking cantonal talkgroups: TS2

For radio amateurs in French-speaking Switzerland, here are the cantonal talkgroups:

🌍 International talkgroups

Worldwide and European talkgroups: TS1

French-language talkgroups

For French-speaking radio amateurs, here are the main talkgroups:

Special services

⚙️ The SelfCare portal

SelfCare (brandmeister.network/?page=selfcare) is your personal control panel. Once logged in, you can manage every aspect of your presence on the network.

Hotspot security

SelfCare features

🔌 Setting up a hotspot

A DMR hotspot is a personal mini-repeater that connects your radio to the Brandmeister network over the Internet. The two most popular software packages are Pi-Star and WPSD.

Prerequisites

• A valid DMR ID from RadioID.net
• A Brandmeister account with a hotspot password set in SelfCare
• An MMDVM hotspot (Jumbospot, MMDVM_HS, ZUMspot, etc.)
• A Raspberry Pi (Pi Zero 2 W, Pi 3, Pi 4 or Pi 5)
• Pi-Star or WPSD installed on the SD card

Configuring Pi-Star / WPSD for Brandmeister

1. Open the Pi-Star/WPSD dashboard in your browser (http://pi-star.local or via its IP address)
2. In Configuration → General: enter your callsign and your 7-digit DMR ID
3. Enable DMR mode and select simplex or duplex according to your hardware
4. In DMR Configuration → DMR Master: select BM_2282_Switzerland (the Swiss master server in Zurich)
5. Enter the hotspot password set in Brandmeister SelfCare
6. Set the ESSID: use “01” for your first hotspot (01-99 if you have several)
7. Set the frequency (e.g. 431.020 MHz in simplex) and the Color Code
8. Save and check: green “DMR Net” = successfully connected

Diagnostic codes

📱 Mobile Apps

Hoseline (official app)

The Hoseline app is available for Android (Google Play) and as a web version (hose.brandmeister.network). It lets you listen to any talkgroup in real time without a radio or a login.

BM Monitor / BM Client

The BM Client app (Android) offers advanced features:

• Real-time Last Heard
• Built-in Hoseline audio
• Remote hotspot control, management of static and dynamic TGs
• One-click clearing of dynamic TGs

🔗 The Brandmeister API

Brandmeister offers a complete REST API, documented at api.brandmeister.network/docs/. It lets you automate the management of your hotspot and integrate Brandmeister into your own projects.

Getting an API key

1. Log in to SelfCare
2. Go to Profile Settings → API Keys
3. Generate a new key in JSON Web Token format (API v2, recommended)
4. Use it in your requests with --user '[API_KEY]:'

Usage examples

Retrieve a hotspot’s profile:

GET /v1.0/repeater/?action=profile&q=[REPEATER_ID]

Add a static talkgroup:

POST /repeater/talkgroup/?action=ADD&id=[REPEATER_ID]
Body: { "talkgroup": 2281, "slot": 2 }

Remove all dynamic TGs:

POST /repeater/setRepeaterTarantool.php?action=dropDynamicGroups
Body: { "id": [REPEATER_ID] }

📋 DMR good practice and etiquette

DMR is a shared resource with network latency constraints. Your transmission may be heard by hundreds or thousands of users. A higher level of courtesy than on analogue FM is expected.

Essential rules

Time limits and QSY

• Most large talkgroups have a 10-minute limit per QSO
• For longer conversations: move to a TAC channel (310-319) or a tactical TG (22801-22804 in Switzerland)
• TG 91 (Worldwide): very short QSOs only, as it is a calling channel with a worldwide audience
• Test your equipment on TG 98, never on TG 91

Identification

Audio quality

• DMR digitises the audio with no levelling in transit, so correct levels are critical
• Test with the Parrot (9990) or ask the stations you work to check
• Keep an appropriate distance between the microphone and your mouth
• Audio that is too loud distorts and audio that is too quiet cannot be heard: the Parrot gives you immediate feedback

🇨🇭 Swiss DMR infrastructure

Swiss master server

Switzerland uses the master server BM 2282 (Zurich), active since 29 October 2021. The former BM 2281 server (Geneva) was decommissioned on 31 December 2021.

DMR repeaters in Switzerland

Switzerland has around 68 DMR repeaters spread across the country. Here are the main repeaters in French-speaking Switzerland and the major cities:

Swiss operating convention

1. Initial contact on TG 228 (national calling channel, TS1)
   → “This is HB9HPG, calling on TG 228”

2. Suggest a QSY to a regional or tactical TG
   → “Shall we move to TG 22801?”

3. QSO on TG 22801 (tactical, TS1) or TG 2281 (Romandie, TS2)
   → Normal QSO with no time limit on the tactical TGs

4. End of the QSO: the dynamic TG disconnects after 15 min
   → Or make a group call to TG 4000 to disconnect immediately

Swiss resources

• swissdmr.ch: official Swiss DMR site (news, repeater list, guides)
• dmr.zone: additional DMR information
• uska.ch/en/dmr/: the USKA DMR page
• RepeaterBook, Swiss DMR: complete list of Swiss DMR repeaters

📝 Summary: the essential talkgroups

Here are the talkgroups to program into your radio first for use in French-speaking Switzerland:

🤝 Our partners

Phonicom.ch: amateur radio specialist in Switzerland

At Phonicom you will find Brandmeister-compatible DMR radios, Pi-Star/WPSD hotspots, programming accessories and all the equipment you need to join the worldwide DMR network. Personal advice and delivery within Switzerland.

Visit phonicom.ch →