Another very important thing to do when calling CQ on a distant repeater module is to announce HOW you are getting your signal to them.
If you know you are working via a Dplus linked session, then announce this during your CQ transmission. Hopefully they will then realize that they don't need to do anything special on their radio (as long as they have URCall as CQCQCQ and RPT1 and RPT2 set correctly). If you are pushing your audio to a repeater module port with Icom callsign/repeater routing (eg. setting URCall to /VK5REXB), then announce this during your transmission. This extra information can make all the difference when someone listening on VK5REX port B wants to call you back, if they are quick and they use the one-touch reply setting facility... the radio will be ready to go. If they don't use one-touch reply and they don't know where you are calling from, they might not be able to talk back to you. The original Icom callsign and gateway routing is one way only, the called party either needs to enter your callsign into their URCall field OR push back to your repeater port with the "/" gateway routing. This also makes a three (or more) gateway conversation impossible with the original Icom routing. The Icom G2 software has the ability to multicast and send audio to multiple gateways when a special URCall is used, but this needs to be set up on each participating gateway and can't be quickly re-configured on the fly. Dplus makes things like multiple gateway nets and contacts easy, but it can sometimes be confusing when you don't know where you are connected to. Dplus linking allows you to "monitor" a remote system and check on activity. This can't be done with Icom callsign/gateway routing which "sends" your audio outwards. You won't hear anything back unless the remote user/s sends their audio back in your direction. Michael. VK5ZEA --- In [email protected], "ipscone" <ipsc...@...> wrote: > > Followup on use of "/": > > Ok, I've used the "/" when calling a Japan destination. I had thought this > was because Japan was using older software. But am I confused on the reason? > > 1) Is the "/" required on ALL calls, where one is using a repeater vs an > individual callsign, in the UR field? Even in the U.S.? > > 2) If a "/" is used, is it the protocol to announce your calling repeater, to > allow the called station to know your origination repeater? I had assumed > (probably falsely) that this was the protocol only when calling a Japan > station. > > Can this "/" be explained in a little more detail, for various scenarios? > > Thanks, > Mike > KC7VE > > > --- In [email protected], Gary Pearce KN4AQ <kn4aq@> wrote: > > > > > > Response threaded in the questions: > > > > At 01:21 PM 3/22/2009, you wrote: > > > > >I've been trying to understand the usage of the UR field. I understand > > >that it's where you put the destination call sign. But it's usage is a > > >little vague and confusing. > > > > > >For instance. > > > > > >1) I have made calls locally, without changing from the default CQCQCQ. > > >When it putting something there mandatory, to complete a call? > > > > There are a variety of situations where you need something specific in the > > UR field. For local repeater operation, or for DPLUS "linked" repeater > > operation, CQCQCQ is all you need. > > > > To route your signal to a distant repeater (the original method of D-STAR > > networking), you put the distant repeater's callsign and port letter in the > > UR field, preceded by a / (the / says it's a repeater). A six-character > > callsign, preceded by the slash and followed by the port letter, will fill > > the 8 character field. > > > > To route your signal to a specific D-STAR, no matter where they are, enter > > their call sign (no slash, no port letter). The D-STAR network maintains a > > list of everyone who's keyed up a Gateway-connected D-STAR repeater, and > > will route your signal to the last repeater that person keyed up in the > > past few weeks. (of course, it has no way to know if that person is still > > listening). > > > > There's more. ICOM's radios have a form of selective calling based on call > > signs. If you put your radio in "DSQL", it will remain silent to all > > signals unless they have your call sign in their YOUR (UR) field. This > > works locally on repeaters and simplex, and over the network. A call routed > > over the network to you because it has your call sign in its UR field will > > open your "DSQL" receiver. > > > > >2) And, there are times when a "/" is required in front of a repeater call > > >sign. When is the "/" mandatory and when it is not? > > > > The / tells the system you're routing to a repeater, not an individual. So > > it's mandatory to reach a repeater using the "original" routing scheme. I > > think the DPLUS linking scheme, discussed below, is becoming more popular, > > the routing scheme still works and has some advantages. > > > > >3) And, is the module number necessary, in the UR field? > > > > Yes, when routing to a repeater. Many D-STAR systems have all three voice > > modules (2m, 70 cm, 23 cm) under the same call sign. The module number > > tells them which repeater you want to key up (A=23cm, B=70cm, C=2m). > > > > >4) And, there are only 8 character field to deal with and some callsigns > > >and port take all 8, if you count a slash. Are there any combinations that > > >exceed 8 characters? > > > > No. 8 is the limit of the system, so nothing can use more. > > > > >5) Say I was monitoring the D-Stars user list. And say I saw someone in > > >San Diego, using KI6KQU B. If I want to make a call to that person, in say > > >San Diego, would I put their callsign in the UR field or would I put the > > >repeater callsign? OR could I use either? If I used the repeater, would I > > >prefix it with a "/" or would I leave out the "/"? > > > > Either would work. Putting in the repeater's call sign (with the required / > > and port letter) guarantees your signal reaches that repeater. There is a > > delay in propagating user key-ups to the network. I'm not sure how long it > > is now, but maybe 10 minutes or so? So if the person has been bopping > > around several local repeaters, the network might not be quite up to date > > on the last key-up, while the info on dstarusers.com is updated instantly. > > When you don't have access to dstarusers.com, putting in their calls sign > > (no /, no port letter) is the safer bet, unless you know they only monitor > > one repeater. > > > > >Another Example: > > > > > >I was told to set UR to UR:REF001CL (no slash), to connect to a reflector > > >and just listen to what is going on. Then change it to UR: U (<- 8th > > >position), to disconnect. Is "C" the port number? What is the "L"? > > > > That's correct, though you'll do more than listen. If you transmit (with > > CQCQCQ back in your UR field, you'll also transmit to the reflector. > > > > In this case, the C is the port letter of the reflector (done that way to > > be similar to the way repeaters work - each reflector is actually three > > reflectors, A, B and C - the letters have nothing to do with an RF band). > > And it's in the 7th, not 8th, position. A little confusing, but the guys > > who designed it needed the 8th position for the L, which is the instruction > > to initiate the link. > > > > >If I just wanted to listen in on the San Diego repeater, would I enter: > > >UR:KI6KQUBL and just key the mic or is there something else required to > > >just monitor a specific repeater? > > > > That's right - just key the mic, and the info you've entered does the rest. > > The repeater will announce that it's linked (or that the other repeater is > > busy or unavailable). No touch-tone keying, etc. Doing what you describe > > would link your repeater to the San Diego UHF repeater. It's a two-way > > link, so any transmissions on your repeater would go out in San Diego as > > well. As far as I know, the ability to just "monitor" hasn't been built in. > > I suppose it could be, though that might be confusing to the local users. > > > > Once you make your "link-me" key-up, be sure to change your radio back to > > having CQCQCQ in your UR field, or the "link-me" instructions will get sent > > every time you key up, and your actual transmissions won't be heard (at > > least I think they won't - I'm not sure of that last point). > > > > >Eventually I will catch on to all of this. Right now, the more I learn, > > >the more questions I have. > > > > > >Mike > > >KC7VE > > > > We're all still learning! > > > > 73, > > Gary KN4AQ > > > > ARVN: Amateur Radio//Video News > > Gary Pearce KN4AQ > > 508 Spencer Crest Ct. > > Cary, NC 27513 > > <mailto:kn4aq@>kn4aq@ > > 919-380-9944 > > www.ARVideoNews.com > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > >
