At 05:59 AM 8/27/2009, you wrote: > > The DVDongle is a device and software that allows a PC to connect > to the D-STAR network similarly to a radio. >> It's also one of the > cheapest entries into D-STAR at $199 USD. > > > > From my hotel room in a city that doesn't have any D-STAR > repeaters, I can still talk to people and check into nets using the > DVDongle. It also works well inside of offices and EOCs, areas that > don't have great RF coverage. > >If one dongle user communicates with another dongle via a reflector >to which no gateway is linked (no RF), is that a QSO, a VOIP >telephone call, or some type of chat room? (General question, not >addressed to Ed per se)
Well, this has been debated in Echolink circles, and the consensus there is that it's not ham radio, until there's some RF involved _somewhere_, so as soon as an RF link joins in, then it's ham radio. :) Down here, most users are on RF, typically mobiles using one of the two local gateways. I use the Dongle and park it on REF003 C, because of my high RF noise (damn PCs) environment and lack of external antenna for D-STAR at this time. 73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL http://vkradio.com
