About the Central Texas Trunked Radio System

The Central Texas Trunked Radio System, or CTRS, was founded in 2021 by our very own Tek Wizards. The system is fueled by a team of skilled individuals who constantly contribute toward the greater Digital Voice Modem Host (DVMHost) project that our system drew inspiration from. DVMHost has opened up the possibilities of operating a nationwide APCO Project 25 Phase I Trunked Radio System with hotspot-based sites. APCO P25 is a digital modulation standard protocol developed for Public Safety in North America, with use overseas where TETRA is not feasible. CTRS has opened access to their fixed network equipment (FNE) to the public for hobbyists looking for a fun opportunity to test P25 Phase I capabilities and communicate with other hobbyists across the country. CTRS is FCC Part 90 compliant with starter licensure for users operating small sites. Users do not need to have an amateur Part 97 license to part-take. Traditionally, Project 25 systems cost thousands of dollars at the minimum for one site, and multi-million for a footprint like ours. However, CTRS has managed to lower the barrier to entry to a more affordable rate with room for growth through use of Raspberry Pis paired with one or more MMDVM duplex hotspot boards. We mentioned growth- users can upgrade their sites to run on compatible mobile radios with a separate controller board to get more range from their site. In addition to our network having plans to deploy wide-area sites that bring several users together with even less localized equipment needs, further means of making CTRS better continue to happen!