The better version of DroidStar for Windows!
HamDMR is a modern, tactical digital voice client engineered for DMR, YSF, P25, NXDN, and D-Star networks. Built on top of the battle-tested DroidStar engine, HamDMR introduces a native APRS-IS client, live telemetry, bidirectional Maidenhead locator calculations, and a sleek cyber-dark interface optimized for desktop operation.
Crafted with passion for the amateur radio community by TA1EEI.
HamDMR is a dedicated fork and enhancement of DroidStar, originally created by Doug McLain (nostar / AD8DP).
Heartfelt gratitude and utmost respect to Doug for his relentless work and open-source contributions that have empowered thousands of amateur radio operators worldwide to stay connected across digital voice modes.
- Integrated APRS-IS Client:
- Real-time packet ingestion stream with automatic callsign highlighting.
- Periodic automated position beaconing with customizable SSID and comments.
- Bidirectional text messaging with delivery status tracking.
- Fast telemetry checkouts via embedded aprs.fi radar links.
- Bidirectional Maidenhead Grid Converter:
- Dynamic coordinate translation: Edit your decimal Lat/Lon to calculate your QTH Locator (e.g.,
KN41aa), or type a grid to automatically update your coordinates.
- Dynamic coordinate translation: Edit your decimal Lat/Lon to calculate your QTH Locator (e.g.,
- Modernized Dark Tactical Theme:
- High-contrast, glare-free dark palette designed for late-night shack sessions.
- Launches automatically in maximized desktop mode (
Window.Maximized).
- Privacy First (Zero Credential Leakage):
- DMR IDs, callsigns, and BrandMeister security keys are stored exclusively in the host's Windows Registry (
HKCU\Software\nostar\DroidStar). Distributed binaries are completely portable and leak no private credentials.
- DMR IDs, callsigns, and BrandMeister security keys are stored exclusively in the host's Windows Registry (
To access digital voice reflectors and talkgroups:
- Valid Amateur Radio Callsign.
- DMR ID: Issued free of charge at RadioID.net.
- BrandMeister Hotspot Security Password: Configured inside your BrandMeister SelfCare panel (
SelfCare -> Hotspot Security). - AMBE Vocoder Plugin: Required for digital voice synthesis and decoding.
Grab the latest pre-compiled archive from the Releases page:
- Download
HamDMR-v1.0.0-win64.zip. - Extract all contents to an accessible folder (e.g.,
C:\HamDMR). - Launch
DroidStar.exe(orHamDMR.exe).
Due to licensing requirements, the AMBE vocoder plugin is not distributed within the binary package. Load it via either method below:
-
Method A (In-App Automatic Download - Recommended):
- Go to the Settings tab.
- Paste this link into the Vocoder URL field:
[http://pizzanbeer.net/droidstar/plugins/vocoder_plugin.winnt.x86_64](http://pizzanbeer.net/droidstar/plugins/vocoder_plugin.winnt.x86_64) - Click the download button in the app.
-
Method B (Manual Download):
- Download the plugin directly from pizzanbeer.net plugins directory.
- Place
vocoder_plugin.winnt.x86_64directly in the root directory alongside your.exefile. - In Settings, ensure the Vocoder dropdown is set to Software vocoder.
- In the Settings tab, fill in your Callsign, DMR ID, and BM Pass.
- Click Update hosts and Update ID files to download the latest global talkgroup lists and public amateur radio DMR registries (enables real-time station callsign and name resolution on RX).
- Switch to the Main tab, choose your Talkgroup, and you are on the air!
- Open the APRS tab.
- Click APRS EDIT ⚙ and verify your callsign, SSID (e.g.,
-7for handhelds,-9for mobile stations), and beacon comment. - Update either your coordinates or your 6-character QTH Locator (Maidenhead Grid).
- Click START TRACKING to establish the APRS-IS connection.
HamDMR is released under the GNU General Public License v2.0 (GPLv2), adhering to the licensing terms of the original DroidStar codebase.
73 de TA1EEI
Good DX & Clear Signals!
