The RRS-NITRO handles analog (FM and FM Narrow) and DMR programming. The MD-9600 Radio Programming Software makes it easy for you to get all these channels programmed into your radio.

Programming Analog frequencies for repeaters or simplex activities is as simple in this radio as in any other, especially when using the RT Systems programmer. Set frequencies, tones and name just as you would for any radio. There is one extra step for this model. Zones.

DMR requirements include Contacts (for transmissions), Group Lists (for Receive), Memories (to put the Contact and Group with the frequency details), Zones (into which the memory channels are organized) and scan lists (for just that… scanning).

For Memories, Zones, Contacts, Group lists and Scan lists, the program uses a dynamic system to accommodate all those available to the radio. In some cases that is as many as 4000 memory channels, 100,000 contacts, and more groups that you could listen to in a lifetime!

The Programmer has built in sources not only for analog and DMR repeaters but now also for DMR Contacts. With a few clicks, you can have everyone registered in a new area into which you plan to travel.

Other settings of the radio are saved in the settings file. These include settings specific to:

• Radio Info
• Common
• Menu
• Key Settings
• Quick Messages

This radio requires more than just memory management. The Programmer handles everything you need to get on the air.

The programming process begins by first installing the program and then connecting the radio for driver installation. In most DMR radios, the USB electronics are in the radio. The RT Systems programs work with these on-board electronics of the radio. Drivers are installed with the programmer.

Once the connection between the radio and computer is complete, start the programmer and complete Communications | Get data from radio. This “syncs” the radio to the computer. This must be done only once for a new installation of the programmer, but can be done in the future if ever you want to capture the current configuration of the radio.

Start setting up details for this radio (DMR and Analog) in the file you just used for the "Get data from radio" process or open a new file (File | New) and start with a fresh slate for programming. For Analog, just enter your information on the Memories tab. For DMR, begin with Contacts and Groups: you will need these in the memory channels. Save your file as you work. The makes all the information available to the other screens as you go forward.

Moving on to Memory channels, everything for a channel is easily found in the spreadsheet. When the frequency is entered, details for the channel are set to defaults automatically. Enter a name to clearly identify the channel. Enter Tones for Analog and complete DMR with Contact and Group details.

Now for the most important part of file creation!! The radio will not know the channel unless it is in a Zone. Select the Zone tab from the bottom of the screen to organize your channels into Zones. Use the existing zones or create as many as you want.

Save your file as you work. This is a computer, after all, and you would hate to lose your work should the system fail. Actually, create and save as many files as you want or need: you are not limited to one file. Remember, radio programming is an overwrite process. Everything in the radio is replaced by everything in the file.

Zones (analog and DMR)

Organize your memory channels into “groups” (known as zones in this radio) to get your best use as you turn through the list. You might want a zone for home, another for at your vacation home, another for the 3K fun run where you direct traffic. When a zone is selected, the radio knows only those channels.

Contacts (DMR)

A list of people or groups to whom you can talk. This list can be customized with the ID and name of folks you want identified when you talk to them. This list can include talk groups from repeater systems (DMR-Marc, Brandmeister, or TGIF) which can be found through Internet searches.

Built right into the program is a Contact List search tool that makes finding those IDs for individuals as easy as knowing a location. This is accessed from File | External Data | Contact List in the programmer.



Select your Country. Then enter State and City for everyone registered in that location. Click Select All (or randomly select from the list) and click Apply to add these to your contacts list.

Group Lists

Now that you have all those contacts, you don’t want to miss hearing all the conversations. The Contacts can be collected into Group Lists to give you the ability to listen for lots of conversations at once time. Enter a name for the group. Then click Edit to easily add up to 32 Contacts to this Group.

Scan Lists

Set up groups of memory channels for scanning. The same channel can be added to several lists or can be omitted completely from scanning. Organize your channels to include only those you need for your current activity.

Display

Customize set menu features of the radio as they pertain to Display options.

Common

Customize other set menu features of the radio. Check boxes toggle features on or off, drop down menus list all selections and blank boxes for personalized entry add to the ease of setting up your radio exactly like you want it.

Buttons

Set functions for the buttons on the face of the radio. Two options for each button give you quick access to four radio functions.

RT Systems Programmers interface with sources of data to make it easy for you to find repeater information. Some of these sources even include information for repeaters outside the US. Your existing subscription to a service (where required) works in the programmer.

• RadioReference Search – This database has commercial and amateur repeaters. A subscription through RadioReference is required to access this data.


• RepeaterBook Search – This database contains domestic and international repeater listings. It is free to use from within the programmer.


• RFinder Web Search – This database has both domestic and international repeater listings. RFinder offers the best search abilities with single location or routing options. A subscription through RFinder is required to access this data.


• Frequency Lists– Find lists of frequencies including those for NOAA weather. These channels are easily added to the file once selections are made from the lists.


• Contact List– Use this part of the program to find amateurs registered for digital operations in a given area.


• Repeater List– Use this part of the program to find DMR repeaters in an area. Once found, simply select those you want to add to your file and complete the memory channel by clicking Apply. Remember: When you finish finding all those for an area, add these new channels to a Zone to have them available in the radio.

Radio Reference Search

An internet connection and subscription to the service are required for this search.

Enter the user e-mail and Password that you established when you purchased your subscription from RadioReference Then select the State– Select the state from the list and County– Select the state from the list to get repeaters for that area. Click OK.

Repeater Book Search

An Internet connection is required for this search.

Location – Enter City, State, Country (if not in the US).

Radius – Enter how many miles (up to 90 maximum) around this location.

Select Bands – This is not terribly important since it can be done on the next screen; however, you might want to limit the selection to reduce the number of repeaters in the results. Uncheck All Bands to make the individual bands active. Click OK.

RFinder Search

An internet connection and subscription to the service are required for this search.

Enter the User E-mail and Password that you established when you purchased your subscription from RFinder.

Location - Search around a specific city. Enter City, State and Country (if not US). Enter Radius up to 90 miles.

Route - Search along the route of a trip you’re planning. Enter the Start and End cities, a width (remember to limit this since you can’t hear repeaters that are too far away), and waypoints (other cities along the way). The search will travel along major interstate highways between the two cities. If the result is not along the route you plan to take, enter other waypoints on your route.

Map Route – Use this option to see the route the search will take. Close the map to return to the search screen. Click OK.

Grid Display

• RT Systems now available in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese.
• Set colors for text (Fore) or background (Back) of alternate rows for easier viewing across the columns.
• Freeze columns to keep information on the screen as you scroll to the right of the page.
• Hide columns you don’t use. Customize your printout: hidden columns do not print.
• Use Combo for Check boxes – changes the grid to eliminate check box selections that are disabled on some systems.

Memory Defaults

• Set options to control auto fill information for memory channel entries.

Font

• Set options to control the font in the column headers of the channel entry screens. Select any font and font size available on your computer.

Other

• Set options to control how the programmer handles the global Radio Menu Settings file.
  - Separate (default) handles the global settings of the radio in a “set and forget” fashion. Once you set these up and save the file you won’t have to reset them for a new frequency file.
  - Together as one gives you the ability to create files that are complete with frequencies and customized global settings. In this mode, each file begins with factory defaults for every option of the radio.
• Check “Get data from Radio” new file option to prevent data loss when you read from your radio into the programmer.

Click here to learn more about using Preferences to customize your radio programming experience.

Hardware Requirements