Any hams using D-Star?

Realtor MA

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Anyone out there using D-Star? I started playing around with it. Bought an Icom IC-91AD at nearfest. Kind of fun but heavily dependent on the internet. In some ways it's a grown up version of echolink but definitely more sophisticated and cooler.
 
The more advanced, technically inclined guys are playing with DMR, NXDN and/or P25. I'm using all three, including some EF Johnson P25 radios. All three have the AMBE +2 vocoder, which is two generations newer than the AMBE vocoder in the D-Star radios. Even the IMBE vocoder implementation in phase 1 P25 radios sounds better than D-Star.

I think Icom missed a golden opportunity a few years ago by not halting the use of AMBE and the GMSK modulation. No other DV modes use GMSK because it is that bad. Everyone else is using 4-level FSK which is much better than GMSK.
 
Not me. Too complicated. I'm pointed in the other direction with a brand new QRP CW rig and learning Morse.

I suppose if I knew more hams using Dstar I would probably enable it in my Yaesu grigs.
 
I'm sure I'll end up with some p25 radios fairly soon. I'll have to look into DMR and NXDN.

The more advanced, technically inclined guys are playing with DMR, NXDN and/or P25. I'm using all three, including some EF Johnson P25 radios. All three have the AMBE +2 vocoder, which is two generations newer than the AMBE vocoder in the D-Star radios. Even the IMBE vocoder implementation in phase 1 P25 radios sounds better than D-Star.

I think Icom missed a golden opportunity a few years ago by not halting the use of AMBE and the GMSK modulation. No other DV modes use GMSK because it is that bad. Everyone else is using 4-level FSK which is much better than GMSK.
 
I've got a Hytera DMR radio on order. A 70cm DSTAR repeater is being setup in my town very shortly. I'm not a fan of of DSTAR, but if there's going to be one right down the street, I might as well use it.
 
Not me. Too complicated. I'm pointed in the other direction with a brand new QRP CW rig and learning Morse.

I suppose if I knew more hams using Dstar I would probably enable it in my Yaesu grigs.

D-start doesn't exist in your current rigs, unless you bought a new digital radio in the last few months. IIRC Yaesu doesn't play nice with D-Star.
 
Wow, you really need to have advanced digital signal processing skillz to keep up with amateur radio these days. This stuff is quite high tech!
 
D-start doesn't exist in your current rigs, unless you bought a new digital radio in the last few months. IIRC Yaesu doesn't play nice with D-Star.

Icom is the only one producing rigs with Dstar. There are also dongles and DVAP (digital voice acces points) that you can connect to your computer. If you have no dstar radio you can use a dongle and then your computer becomes the 'rig'. Of course all of your connections are via the internet which is pretty much the way with dstar anyway. If you have a digital radio you can use the dvap to access the computer with your radio. that way I can access pretty much any repeater around the world with my handheld dstar radio. Of course you can do that through any of the various repeters as well but if you're not in range of a repeater you use the dvap in tthe same way.
One of the cool things about Dstar is its ability to find a particular ham. The dstar nextwork knows where your radio last made contact. It uses that info if someone is trying to call you. If it can't find you there it will default to your home repeater.
The radios I have will also do regular analog so they're not worthless in a SHTF scenario.
 
I have been using Dstar, the technology is cool. Making worldwide contacts with 100mw is pretty cool. I can hit a couple of Dstar repeaters from my QTH. I usually hang out on Reflector 10C or 50C. Having said that, the technology does require quite a bit of infrastrucure support, which we all know will not be there in a SHTF situation, as Realtor MA said. Anybody familiar with Kenwood TS-930S rigs???
 
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I've been messing with Dstar and have made some progress but haven't quite got it all figured out yet. I have the Icom ID-51 and IC-7100 as well as a DV Access Point (DVAP). Definitely has potential but it doesn't seem to be an intuitive 'on the fly' mode as far as I can tell. It's on my list to dig a little deeper though, as there are a bunch of guys who seem to be doing just fine with it.
 
Definitely a learning curve. But it's not as hard as it first seems. it does take some planning. I'm still trying to figure things out too.

I've been messing with Dstar and have made some progress but haven't quite got it all figured out yet. I have the Icom ID-51 and IC-7100 as well as a DV Access Point (DVAP). Definitely has potential but it doesn't seem to be an intuitive 'on the fly' mode as far as I can tell. It's on my list to dig a little deeper though, as there are a bunch of guys who seem to be doing just fine with it.
 
Drove up to HRO in Salem, NH yesterday and of course, stopped by FS on the way for some ammo.
I purchased an Icom ID-51A 50th Anniversary Edition.
Joined MMRA, played with DSTAR today on their Brookline repeater and I'm finally getting the hang of it.
People from all over the world working DSTAR on 2-meters. Who knew?
 
Moving deeper into the D-STAR realm, I got a DVAP so as not to tie up my local repeater with my experimenting, then a Raspberry Pi to make it more portable and independent.
I am now discovering that I can also work D-Plus, DCS, and XRF reflectors as well.
There's a lot to discover out there and so many are working reflectors.
With a little handheld, I'm now talking to people all over the place just as if they are next door.
 
I'm thinking using this thread instead of starting a new one is the right thing to do. I've been investigating the digital modes and I've decided Dstar is the right one for me to start with. Mostly because there aren't any digital repeaters near enough to me to be effective. If you are into Dstar and would mind questions from me I'd appreciate that. However I have a question for today. I have a DVAP coming tomorrow. I have tried so far unsuccessfully to register. As you probably know one is supposed to register with the Dstar repeater closest to them. The registration url's for the three closest to me either don't work or are not provided. I have sent an email to the address you're supposed to describing my problem. So far no answer. My question is will I be able to listen using the Dvap before I'm registered? Thanks in advance for your help.
 
I'm thinking using this thread instead of starting a new one is the right thing to do. I've been investigating the digital modes and I've decided Dstar is the right one for me to start with. Mostly because there aren't any digital repeaters near enough to me to be effective. If you are into Dstar and would mind questions from me I'd appreciate that. However I have a question for today. I have a DVAP coming tomorrow. I have tried so far unsuccessfully to register. As you probably know one is supposed to register with the Dstar repeater closest to them. The registration url's for the three closest to me either don't work or are not provided. I have sent an email to the address you're supposed to describing my problem. So far no answer. My question is will I be able to listen using the Dvap before I'm registered? Thanks in advance for your help.

If I remember correctly it took a little while for them to acknowledge my registration too.
 
OK, so an update for me. I bought an Icom ID 51a Plus and a DVAP. I have the DVAP up and running on a Raspberry Pi. At least I think it is. I'm pretty sure I'm hearing the beacon. After looking at the manual and way to many youtube videos I'm still unable to figure out how to program the radio to use the DVAP. Anyone have a source for good info on this? Thanks in advance for your help.
 
I've been able to make contacts via a reflector (or gateway?) via the Hampton, NH repeater while mobile using an ID-5100, but I too have had trouble using the ID-51 and a DVAP. I can connect to gateways and copy traffic, but can't seem to get the radio settings right to where I can transmit out into the world. I don't have any good advice for you but will be watching this thread for sure.
 
Have you programmed the UR Call= CQCQCQ
Repeater 1 = Callsign + band letter. Has to be 8 characters, left justified with band letter in the 8th character. 2M=C, 70cm=B.
Repeater 2 = Callsign + G for gateway.
Hope this helps.
 
Saw some videos!!!

This is AMAZING!!!

I was blown away when I saw the "waterfall" on PSK31.

D-Star kicks it up exponentially.

Just not sure if this will hold up when SHTF.

I think I am leaning toward Icom rather than Yaesu and want to get a Galaxy Tab to connect to it.

How far do you have to be away from a repeater with a handheld?
 
Saw some videos!!!

This is AMAZING!!!

I was blown away when I saw the "waterfall" on PSK31.

D-Star kicks it up exponentially.

Just not sure if this will hold up when SHTF.

I think I am leaning toward Icom rather than Yaesu and want to get a Galaxy Tab to connect to it.

How far do you have to be away from a repeater with a handheld?

I'm not sure I understand your question. The closer you are to a repeater in any mode is better. Digital modes are a bit more effective in propagation simply because there is less of a payload to deliver as I understand it. As you probably know the more information there is to deliver the more power you need to get it there. There is only one repeater near me here on Cape Cod. It's in Falmouth and I'm in Chatham. I don't actually hear it. I think it's down now. I connect using a DVAP. Connecting in that manner is a bit more limiting than having access to a repeater. For the time being it's all I have. I share your wonder at the the technology. It has allowed me to get back into VHF. There is almost no activity on the analog repeaters here. I'm loving digital and I have a DMR radio coming soon. Good luck with whatever digital mode you choose to explore.
 
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