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QB, a Buffer Bridge BackBone Project, NATS, the culminating product
putting Talkgroups on a robust failover network
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The QB project has evolved into NATS and DCI has switched to this superior implementation based on the work of Armando IK2XYP, JP KC9KKO, Robert N5QM and Mike NO7RF.

This 18 month project actually went live on August 9th, 2014 and is/was known as the North America Talkgroup Server or NATS for short.  NATS as a moniker has since been re-branded as DMRX in May 2015.  DCI is no longer involved in the care, maintenance, support or development of this project.  The pioneering concept of a talkgroup server is now used worldwide, primarily do to the very liberal (spelled: FREE) licensing for ALL the talkgroup servers by the c-Bridge developer, Raven Net Systems, LLC.

These original efforts built, in part on the QB method enabled HAM DMR to move to the next and far superior level of service.  The platforms are in place and the TG servers are now online and ultimately did move past the most difficult part, adoption by the Amateur MotoTRBO repeater owners and c-Bridge administrators.  That was a needless slog, made strong by the strong political currents in Ham DMR groups.
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The info below is now a legacy project superseded by NATS.

This project now provides select talkgroup and data services via a backbone server and and it is now available to any c-Bridge wishing to participate.  Our connection points are located in California, Illinois and Italy. 

The next leg in the project is to expand the redundancy of CPM connections to the backbone.  This will be another benefit of connecting to the backbone via CPM rather than CC's to insure that you get the connections if a backbone c-bridge were to loose its Internet connectivity.
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The "QB" (short for Quad-B or Buffer Bridge BackBone ) project is supported by 3 c-Bridges cross-connected for handling only specific talkgroups.  These c-Bridges have no repeaters and are in place in data centers with the sole purpose of providing ultra-reliable talkgroup connections  to other c-Bridges located worldwide.  The QB c-Bridges are located in California, Illinois, and Italy.  Any QB may support your conference or CPM connections, typically assigned by geographic location or best Internet path.

QB is "Politically Neutral" and will not favor any DMR group over another.  All c-Bridges are welcome to participate regardless of your current affiliations.  All you need is a desire and a c-Bridge manager preferred (but CC's are also supported).

The QB Forum is available to support repeater owners and Bridge admins as well as provide updates and changes to the project.

The QB BackBone c-Bridges are:

Talkgroups are now available to provide to other c-Bridges via CPM's.  If these talkgroups are provided by QB, then your connectivity will continue even if the bridge you are connected to were to fail.  No longer will the talkgroup paths be severed or cut into to segments on a single c-bridge failure.

The following Talkgroups are now available on the QB backbone:

  • the Bridge - Wide area secondary talkgroup currently carried by 20+ c-Bridge

  • Comm 1- Original and primary IPSC talkgroup created by TRBO-6 (TS1 typically)

  • Comm 2- Secondary talkgroup to complement Comm 1 (TS2 typically)

  • Data - Complete data services; text mes, radio check, call alert, Private Call (optional)

  • TAC 310 - Wide area Push-to-Talk only talkgroup for least resource footprint

  • More Talkgroup Information at DCI's Talkgroup page

  • Additional talkgroups will be added in the future

If you as a c-Bridge administrator CPM into one of the backbones managers, QB can feed 1 or 2 services that will not lose connectivity.  As a c-Bridge admin, you may chose either timeslot for any service on your managers so that these talkgroups can co-exist with existing talkgroups on your c-Bridge.

If you wish to join in or inquire further, please read about the CPM project first to better understand the Pro's and Con's, then send an Email to QB or call out for a QB station on TAC 310.

DONATIONS:  The QB project has no official sponsors or underwriters.  It is fully supported by 3 hams who are able to each contribute a 2nd c-Bridge as well as their CoLo's to support a better mousetrap for the benefit of DMR hams worldwide.  If however you as a business or individual have a interest to assist our project by way of hardware (IPSC-5's), CoLo space or cash donations, we would proudly roll donations back into our project and/our offset our significant on-going costs; simply Email us.
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Revised: 05/30/2017 21:47

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