D-Star

[WX2MIG]

Never gave much thought to this new digital mode called D-Star until my directors at Emergency Management requested I upgrade our VHF/UHF communications to include this mode.
Purchased the Icom ID-800H, and started the learning process which can be a bit confusing until you get the hang of it. It's been a bit of a challenge, but not so complicated that it cause any frustration. I'm still learning the ropes but so far have had gateway and reflector QSO's to a wide variety of regions around the U.S. and across both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The more I played with it, and learned about it, the more I wanted one of these radios for my own shack. The wife still doesn't know I spent the money, but I went ahead and ordered the new ID-880H for myself.

Was wondering if anyone else here is using this new digital mode.....?
If so, what are your thoughts on it....?

 

[Brianw7cvs]

Hey there. I have an IC-92AD HT that I got in 2008 and I like the D-Star mode. However, there is not a D-Star network in place here in Idaho at this time. A UHF repeater is in the area but it is not up on a gateway yet.

As I understand, the Gateway is in the planning stages I we speak. The system will be located on a 8200ft. mountain above the city. Right now we are in a holding pattern. There are about 10-12 serious Amateurs around here that have base and/or mobile stations and who are working to get the module on the mountain.

As for our Emergency Management folks associated with the public safety sector, there is still much work to do to build(rebuild)the needed relationships to work in a cohesive manner.
The HAMS of yesterday really strained and damaged those ties.

Anyway, good luck with your D-Star rig in the EOC and the 800H your wife will learn about sooner or later.

I hope we get to the point you all are with PS and local officials.

 

[WX2MIG]

Our Emergency Management has never before had any relationship with Amateur Radio. Back in the 70's when it was call "Civil Defense" they had a passing relationship with area CB radio operators, but that didn't last very long. It's taken 30 years to get them to accept another volunteer communications medium into their ranks, so I understand what you're talking about.....

As long as the D-Star repeater is connected to a computer, you should be able to access the gateway by programming the "UR Call" in your radio to hit another repeater....(at least that's the way I understand it to work).....(I'm still learning the ropes)

There is a privately owned 440 Mhz D-Star repeater within my base station range that is not hooked to a computer, and does not have gateway access, because the guy that owns it only wants it for local communications, however there are 2 other 440 Mhz repeaters that do have gateway access, and also a 2 meter repeater with access. Plus the 2 local clubs in my area are both working on getting 2 more 400 Mhz D-Star repeaters up. The mode is growing by leaps and bounds around here.....

 

[k3roj]

D-Star was mentioned here in the Baltimore, Md. area but didn't go any farther since people didn't want to spend the money for something that may not work for them. In the last few years there has been a lot of confusion as to what the emergency services such as RACES, ARES etc. should use for communications. I attended a demonstration at a RACES meeting where after an hour of hooking up a laptop, connecting multiple cables, antenna and software, they were never able to talk to the other testing station since they were trying the MT-63 digital mode. Just my thoughts but I was an Army MARS operator on 80 metres in the 1970's and relayed hundreds of messages using CW which beats all other modes in speed and dependability.

 

[Milkman]

The one thing that I don't understand is how does D-Star work when the power grid is down? I know that with analog I can still talk. If D-Star goes down with the grid going out. How is it better? To me it seems like a huge price on D-Star equipment. Just to say I've got a D-Star radio. And I know that this post is a little old. But here in the Baltimore, MD area D-Star repeaters are still not working. And everything that it's suppose too could take another 10-25 years to get up and running. If ever. What a waste! You can keep your high priced no working D-Star.

 

[G4HAA]

Hiya Milkman

I think DSTAR does well in areas where there is a lot of private investment of both time and equipment. I think the idea of DSTAR is excellent, but in some ways it is a little too complex for its own good.

I have tinkered with electronics and radio for over forty years now, but when I needed to program up a DSTAR radio the other day it still had me doing a little head scratching! The manual supplied with the set was very comprehensive, BUT, it seemed as though it had been written by the original research and development team which tended to make it very hard going.

In theory DSTAR could continue to work if the local grid went down in two ways (at least?). One way is that stations could still communicate simplex, either digital or analogue, using battery or generator powered stations. However, DSTAR also has the ability to link multiple stations together in a huge chain, so messages can be relayed from one unit to another automatically, and not only speech but images and files/text too.

All that said I still prefer CW on HF!

73, Mark.