I'm surprised you didn't suggest that the analog FM users on simplex simply put a PL tone on- it works in simplex, as well, you know. That would allow people to maintain their unsquelched condition if a DV communication is in progress. These reasons to keep from offending non-DSTAR users don't really hold water- back in the day, there were people with AM radios, and people with multimode (FM, SSB, AM, etc) radios. The folks with AM radios were annoyed when they heard "noises" on their AM sets. They didn't have PL tones at their disposal at the time. And yet, here today, how many radios in the VHF/UHF spectrum have an AM setting? Seems the more beneficial modes have won-out over the less beneficial modes. This is not to say that DV is more beneficial than any of the other modes, but it is intended to point out the specious characteristics of the complaints, of those without DV capability, about DV. The same argument can be made about packet radio, APRS, an all the digital modes (AMTOR, PACTOR, etc), and all those modes have a place on our ham bands.
For the record, I agree with the author of the original post that hearing something akin to open squelch noise burst on an otherwise quiet channel is a bit disconcerting. Personally, if a mode doesn't get me something- longer communications range, more error-free communications, clearer voice quality, etc, I just won't use it. If DV really got us more range, (It's only marginally better, and in some circumstances, worse, than FM. SSB and CW really are the king of the hill if one wants maximum range), on VHF and HF bands, and HF is still better yet. I will allow that satellite communications may yet be better, especially in low solar cycle conditions, but there are limited opportunities (time with a bird up between two communications endpoints) to use most of the satellites. DSTAR is unique in that it allows mixed voice/data on the same frequency, same mode, and it is also unique in its Internet and Repeater-based features, none of which are really useful when infrastructure is compromised (loss of the repeater and/or Internet connection means loss of these features). Remember, if the phone in your house is inoperative due to disaster, the Internet traverses the same carrier(s), and it too will not be available. Same goes for cellular service- given the cell site is intact, if cell service is unable to get out of the local area, it is most likely due to failure at the local Central Office (CO) carrier at which the cell traffic is routed. Again, if this is down, most likely so is one's Internet. As Field Day is about Disaster Communications preparedness, it would make sense to rely solely on one's own infrastructure (back-up power, hastily erected antennas, etc.,) to make contacts. Again, Field Day is about testing one's ability to communicate outside one's local area, in a disaster scenario- permanently-erected antennas may have been damaged by the disaster, after all. I am sure many will find this post unsettling, and some will find it outright offensive to their DSTAR mindset. I apologize to those folks, in advance. For the record, I have three DSTAR radios, among all my other multimode radios. I believe there are tools in every toolbox that serve unique purposes, and they are useful for those purposes. There are a large variety of tools in one's toolbox because no one tool is useful for all tasks. Such is the same for radio transceivers, as well as our hobby. It would be best if frequency coordinators did the heavy lifting here, and if people want to use DV in simplex, the frequency coordinators should make sure there is spectrum allocated for such purposes. One wonders why they have not done so to date. 73, Shane --- In [email protected], Gary Pearce KN4AQ <kn...@...> wrote: > > At 10:29 AM 4/19/2010, john_ke5c wrote: > > > Nothing that would prevent you from making and scoring points using DV > > > Simplex. > > > >If anyone seriously plans on using VHF simplex DStar during Field Day, a > >simplex frequency other than 146.520 might be agree upon? Perhaps 146.580? > > > First, the rules for all ARRL contests and Field Day prohibit using 146.52 > for making contacts. > > As for 146.58, well, here's something to keep in mind to avoid having > D-STAR get a really bad reputation among analog simplex users: > > Stay off the analog simplex channels! > > It's a courtesy thing, not a rules thing (other than that amorphous "good > amateur practice" deal). On an analog receiver, a D-STAR signal sounds like > "open squelch," a fairly loud rushing sound. So it is pretty much > impossible to share a simplex channel between analog and digital users. The > D-STAR users won't have a problem. They'll hear either nothing (auto-detect > turned off), or they may hear the analog signal normally (auto-detect > turned on). The analog users can do nothing to prevent hearing the D-STAR > Woooosh, short of leaving the frequency. And that will make them very > unhappy indeed. > > This is worse than mixing it up among repeaters, where tone access can at > least mitigate the problem some. We can't expect all simplex users to begin > using tone encode/decode to avoid hearing our D-STAR signals. > > The solution: separate spectrum. In much of the country, the spectrum > between 145.5 and 145.8 is already "digital," albeit for packet. 145.67 has > been informally adopted for D-STAR simplex in areas where there is no > incumbent packet system. > > So for Field Day, I suggest 145.67 unless you have packet activity in your > area. Attention Minnesota! 145.67 is used for a statewide packet system. > > 73, > Gary KN4AQ > > > > > ARVN: Amateur Radio//Video News > Gary Pearce KN4AQ > 508 Spencer Crest Ct. > Cary, NC 27513 > <mailto:kn...@...>kn...@... > 919-380-9944 > www.ARVideoNews.com >
