Master Server

Taiwan
MCC Prefix	466
Coordinators	BU2GH,
Website	https://brandmeister.network/

There is currently no dedicated Brandmeister Master Server for Taiwan. The closest server is South Korea #4501. Although you can connect your repeater or hotspot on any BrandMeister master server.

Taiwan Talkgroups

On BrandMeister DMR, talkgroups are available on both TimeSlot 1 and TimeSlot 2. Please check the dashboard page of your local repeater to find out if talkgroups are already configured statically, and if the sysop provides timeslot recommendations for dynamic talkgroups.

Getting Help

For further help, please contact Kim BU2GH.

Update TG info by Adam / BU2BF. (20180131)

Other hams in Taiwan familiar with BrandMeister setup, please add your callsign to this page!

A copy of NCC(National Communication Commission) journal published at May 2016 is attached for the Chinese-reading readers to understand the history and outlook of Taiwan amateur radio development, from the past to the future.

http://ebook.ncc.gov.tw/chinese/BookDetail.aspx?ss=134#page-0-1

DMR in Taiwan: a brief history, today’s landscape, and where to go next (EMS, youth, and repeaters)

Pre-1990 foundations. Amateur radio activity in Taiwan traces through several associations, culminating with the Chinese Radio Association (CRA) in Taipei before democratization and modern licensin

1991—CTARL becomes the national society. The Chinese Taipei Amateur Radio League (CTARL) was formed in March 1991 and is recognized as Taiwan’s principal amateur radio organization and IARU member.

1999—“921” earthquake (Sep 21, 1999). Taiwan’s ARES-style volunteers activated and supported emergency communications after the Mw 7.7 Chi-Chi quake; CTARL documents the mobilization.

2016—DMR arrives. Early adoption began mid-2010s; one of the first documented Taiwan DMR users reported DMR ID 4661001 in 2016, showing the pioneer stage. AmateurRadio.com

2018–present—BrandMeister era. Taiwan talkgroups were created on BrandMeister (e.g., TG 46600 Nationwide, 46609 HAMTalk, 46621 TMMARC) and multimode bridges like “DV Taiwan Club Digital Bridge” (TG 46699) appeared. Taiwan still lacks a local BM master; most nodes connect via BM 4501 (South Korea)

Regulatory snapshot (what matters for DMR & EmComm)

Repeater = “special amateur station.” NCC’s Administrative Regulations of Amateur Radio Operators and Radio Stations classify repeater stations as special stations requiring an application (often via a national amateur group) plus an establishment & operations plan (control method, station coordinates, system diagram, IDing method, record-keeping). Call signs for repeaters use “BX?… (X as 2nd letter) per the call-sign rules.

Control and linking. Stations may be locally, remotely, or automatically controlled; remote control links may use leased telecom lines (i.e., IP backhaul).

Emergency cooperation is explicitly allowed. Amateur stations may form networks with police, fire, or health departments for rescue under their coordination, on 3.5, 7, 14, 21, 145, 433 MHz; 145 and 433 MHz are designated for calling/emergency and shall be kept clear.

Content limits that affect EMS. No retransmission of non-amateur stations and no encryption (so no PII over ham). This shapes how EMS traffic must be handled (tactical/logistics only; no patient identifiers).

Bandwidth + coordination. Above 29 MHz the occupied bandwidth limit is 20 kHz (DMR’s 12.5 kHz fits). Operators must cooperate with frequency coordinators to resolve interference—relevant when slot/channel planning DMR repeaters. ncclaw.ncc.gov.tw

Where DMR stands today in Taiwan

Talkgroups exist and are used, e.g., 46600 (Nationwide), 46609 (HAMTalk), 46621 (TMMARC); 46699 bridges DMR/D-STAR/YSF. Youth-friendly global groups like JOTA (TG 907) and YOTA (TG 918) are also available.

Network placement matters. No local BM master means hotspots/repeaters typically connect to BM#4501 (Korea)—fine for day-to-day talk but potentially adding latency and a single regional dependency during crises.

Utilization for emergency rescue & EMS (practical model)

Keep it “tactical, not medical.” Use DMR for logistics, tasking, staging, resource requests (no patient identifiers), aligning with the no-encryption rule.

Pre-plan national & regional DMR roles.

TS1 = wide-area (Nationwide TG 46600) pinned as static on EmComm repeaters; TS2 = local/regional (e.g., 4662x series) dynamic as needed. (Map and finalize under CTARL frequency coordination.)

Maintain an offline ICS-style playbook: who owns which TGs, who can request dynamic linking, and fallback to analog FM on 145/433 MHz calling if digital fails.

Multimode bridges—with care. Use DMR↔D-STAR/YSF bridges (e.g., 46699) for inclusivity during drills, but avoid any non-amateur services and ensure IDs every ≤10 min.

Backhaul redundancy. Where repeaters rely on IP, add LTE/5G + microwave failover and onsite power (solar/UPS/generator). NCC allows remote control over telecom links, so design for graceful degradation.

Interagency nets. Build on Article 34: draft MOUs with Fire/EMS to run quarterly EmComm drills and clarify channel handoffs between ham tactical nets and official encrypted/professional systems.

Bringing in the young generation (pipeline & programs)

Use “try-ham” events legally. Article 39 lets clubs/CTARL host supervised operating for non-licensed youth at events—perfect for school maker fairs, JOTA weekends, and earthquake drills.

Physical repeater restrictions (today) & improvements (recommended)

What’s restricted/required now (summary):

Repeater = special station: Class-1 membership, management plan, station coordinates, system diagram, ID/record-keeping, assigned call sign format (BX… with “X” as 2nd letter).

Content limits: no encryption, no repeating non-amateur services (so no bridges to non-ham networks).

Coordination duty: resolve interference with frequency coordinators.

Improvements that would meaningfully help:

Stand up a Taiwan BrandMeister maste Server

(or equivalent national DMR core) for lower latency, local control, and resilience—especially for disaster mode—while keeping peering to global BM.

Publish a national DMR coordination plan under CTARL (timeslot/TG etiquette, emergency TGs kept static, cross-island linking rules, “quiet” periods on calling/emergency channels during activations).

Streamline repeater approvals for EmComm-tagged sites (prequalified checklists, SLA-like timelines) and recognize backup-power standards (e.g., ≥72 h) in the management plan.

Youth access on repeaters: encourage Article-39 supervised “youth windows” (e.g., weekly YOTA hour) on selected DMR slots to normalize on-air practice for students.

GO DMR TAIWAN!

Kim Liao BU2GH 2025, Fall, Assistance from ChatGPT 5.0

TalkGroup	Description	D-Star	YSF	Wires-X
46600	Taiwan DMR NationWide	No	No	No
46609	HAMTalk Club of Taiwan	Yes	Yes	No
46610	Taiwan DMR Tech Forum	No	No	No
46621	TMMARC(Taiwan Muti-Mode Amateur Radio Club)	No	No	No
46671	BU2GE CrossLink	No	No	No
46699	DV Taiwan Club Digital Bridge	Yes	Yes	No
46666	Central Taiwan Ham Radio Emergency Service Network	No	No	No
46601	Taiwan DMR Youth Net	No	No	No