September is just around the corner, and with it comes a welcome return for one of the most beginner-friendly initiatives in UK amateur radio. The RSGB Youth Committee’s DMR Youth Net is back after its summer break, meeting every first Tuesday of the month at 7pm BST — and if you’ve recently passed your Foundation licence and want to make your first digital voice contact in a welcoming environment, this could be exactly what you’ve been looking for.

What Is the DMR Youth Net?

Launched back in 2025, the DMR Youth Net was set up by the RSGB Youth Committee specifically to give younger and newer operators a space to build confidence behind the microphone. The net gathers on RSGB Youth Talk Group 23554, which is available on both the DVSPh and Brandmeister networks, and since it started, operators have joined from right across Europe.

The aim is simple: give you a chance to make real contacts with other people on the radio, without the pressure of jumping into a busy DX pile-up or a technical HF contest. You just check in, exchange a few words, and leave knowing you’ve actually done it. For many new Foundation holders, that first contact is the biggest hurdle, and a structured net like this really does help.

What Is DMR, and Why Should Foundation Licence Holders Care?

DMR stands for Digital Mobile Radio. Unlike the analogue FM you might be using on your first handheld or mobile transceiver, DMR converts your voice into a digital signal before transmitting it. The result is typically cleaner audio over longer distances, and crucially, it opens up the world of talk groups: virtual “channels” that link radio amateurs from different countries over the internet, using repeaters and hotspots.

Each talk group has a number, and RSGB Youth Talk Group 23554 is the one to know. Think of it like tuning to a specific station, except instead of listening to a broadcast, you’re joining an international conversation with other licenced amateurs.

Foundation licence holders are fully permitted to use DMR, and you don’t need any special endorsement or upgrade to get started. Your M7 or 2E callsign works just as well as any other on the digital networks.

Do I Need a Special Antenna or Lots of Power?

Here’s the good news: not necessarily. While DMR can absolutely be used via repeaters in the traditional sense, one of the most popular options for home operation is a hotspot. A hotspot is a small, low-power device, often about the size of a deck of cards, that connects to your home broadband and acts as a personal repeater, linking your handheld radio straight to the Brandmeister or DVSPh network.

This means you can participate in the DMR Youth Net even if you’re in a flat with no outdoor antenna space, or if you’re not yet confident about setting up HF equipment. You just need a DMR-capable radio (popular options include the Ailunce HD1 or the TYT MD-380, both available for well under £100) and a hotspot such as the MMDVM-based Pi-Star setups that many amateurs already run.

If you want to try before you buy, check whether there’s a DMR repeater in your area. The RSGB’s repeater finder can help, and you may be able to reach Talk Group 23554 directly from your existing radio without any extra kit at all.

Other News from the Shack This Week

It’s been an eventful few days for UK amateur radio more broadly. The RSGB has announced a leadership change, with Graham Smith, G4NMD taking over as Chair of the Board following the 22 August Board meeting, as part of what the Society describes as a planned and orderly transition.

There’s also a reminder that nominations for the annual RSGB G5RP Trophy close on Friday 11 September. If you know someone who has recently discovered HF DXing and made impressive progress, whether working a good number of new countries or taking part in DXpedition activity, you can nominate them by emailing RSGB HF Manager Ian Greenshields, G4FSU at hf.manager@rsgb.org.uk.

And in a result that made this Foundation holder smile, Steve Chalk brought home a Bronze Medal from the IARU Region 1 ARDF Championships in Romania last week, competing in the M60 category of the Sprint race. ARDF (Amateur Radio Direction Finding), sometimes called fox hunting, is a sport where competitors use directional antennas to track down hidden transmitters in a race against the clock. It’s a brilliant crossover between radio skills and the great outdoors, and well worth looking into if you fancy something a bit different from sitting in the shack.

What’s Next for You?

If you’ve been sitting on your Foundation licence and haven’t yet made your first contact, the DMR Youth Net on the first Tuesday of September is a brilliant opportunity to change that. Get your callsign registered on the Brandmeister network (it’s free and straightforward), borrow or buy a DMR-capable radio, and check in at 7pm BST. You don’t need to say much: a callsign, a signal report, and a 73 is more than enough to start.

Amateur radio has always been about community, and it’s genuinely heartening to see the RSGB Youth Committee creating spaces where that community can grow. Give it a go. You might just get the radio bug all over again.

73 de M0LGI