Please count me in on your first DVAP/D-STAR call.
Dave Hubbell
862.266.2339
On 7/13/2010 7:11 PM, Donald James wrote:
Hi Jim, Donald (N2VU) in New York. I'll try and give you a call when I
get everything set up here this weekend. I just ordered my DVAP and
IC-92AD on Monday, I'll obviously be looking to try it out with
stations in other parts of the country.
73's de N2VU
-----Original Message-----
*From:* [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of *J. Moen
*Sent:* Tuesday, July 13, 2010 1:06 PM
*To:* [email protected]
*Subject:* Re: [DSTAR_DIGITAL] The Next New Guy with Questions
Will,
Welcome to D-Star. I'm in the SF Bay Area, mostly on K6MDD C. I
expect we'll talk to each other.
The DVAP requires a D-Star radio, typically an HT. You are right --
people get it to access repeaters and reflectors on the D-Star
network, usually when their D-Star radio can't reliably make it to a
repeater.
I'm using something similar, a HotSpot. Same idea, but the
transceiver is an analog FM radio connected to my PC and to a gmsk
node adapter board. I normally run it at 5 watts, which gives me good
coverage around the house and nearby, or 10 watts when I want to go
further away. I actually have good signal levels into K6MDD, but part
of the "mountain" is in the way, causing multipath and lots of R2D2.
The HotSpot solves all that.
To enjoy talking on D-Star repeaters and reflectors before investing
in a D-Star radio, you can get a DV Dongle. Using the PC's speakers
and mike, your PC connects directly into the D-Star network. No RF
from your end at all.
There is a lot of creative development going on, both hardware and
software based, that is likely to make it easier to get into D-Star in
the future. If you were following the thread "Are you
experiencing..." there were various references to the idea that even
at current price levels, D-Star radios offer a lot of functionality
for the price. And I'm pretty sure things will be getting better as
competition from homebrewers as well as other manufacturers comes online.
Regarding D-RATS, I played with it a little but have forgotten most of
how I did it. Hopefully someone here will be able to help, plus you
can join the yahoo group "drats_users" and ask there. I remember
being very impressed with the application so far, and Dan continues to
enhance it. It's obviously perfect for EmComm.
Jim - K6JM
----- Original Message -----
*From:* Will <mailto:[email protected]>
*To:* [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>
*Sent:* Tuesday, July 13, 2010 8:34 AM
*Subject:* [DSTAR_DIGITAL] The Next New Guy with Questions
Hello D-STAR People,
Well Im new to the group and have only been `playing' with D-STAR
for a month or so but I am having fun while learning this new
technology. I am a hardware design engineer working in the Data
Storage industry so I love all things technical, and enjoy
understanding new technologies and have been a ham since before
Packet Radio came out (yes a long time).
I purchased an Icom IC-80AD and have been using it to chat with
forks on the W6DHS and K6MDD D-STAR repeaters which I can reach
with an outside antenna at my home QTH. But my real reason for
getting into this technology is to utilize it's message passing
capabilities for EMCOMM functions. I am the Assistant Coordinator
and Team Trainer for an Amateur Radio Team (part of a large well
funded CERT Organization ) sponsored by the Metro Fire District
here in the Sacramento Valley.
With all that said, I am trying to teach myself all things D-STAR;
reading everything I can find and then trying it in the evenings
with my IC-80AD.
But... I have lots of questions that my sometimes `thick-skull'
can't understand from what I have read. To Start:
Q. General Question regarding the DVAP hardware -- To use the DVAP
appliance, must the radio be D-STAR ready and therefore it's only
use is for hams who do not have a D-STAR repeater in range, giving
D-STAR capable radios RF access around the house or office into
the network?
If so too bad, it would be a great tool if a generic 2M HT could
talk to it and the DVAP handle the additional routing functions.
This would allow many more hams to get into the digital erra...
Still I want one as I could use at my office to have access to the
network as I can't hit the repeaters from my desk or from home
when I am away from the outside feed line.
Q. I am trying to configure a demonstration for my sponsoring
agency to show the abilities of D-STAR for message handling. I am
working with D-RATS (Awesome effort by the developer) and I can
send and receive email and messages computer to computer using the
internet and the ref.d-rats.com reflector but I have been unable
to pass any messaging if I move one system to an RF link. I know
it's in my configuration, but Im not sure where? [it's not a
connection issue as I can read and program the radio all day long
using the Icom CS-80_800 application]. Everything I have read so
far references setting up D-RATS and not much on the radio
[Thick-Skull Syndrome kicking in here].
On the Radio I am using W6DHS__C as RPT1, and W6DHS__G for RPT2
and my call N7IPY for MY CALL, but what should I use for the YOUR
Call field? Ultimately I hope to be able to send an email and
message text to an internet connected system via the above RF
hardware link. Is that Possible? [As I only have one D-STAR radio
and a second one is not in the current budget, I can't experiment
simplex.]
Sorry for the long winded message, any help, emails, informative
links, etc., for the next new guy would be great. I have lots more
questions but this is a good start...
Thanks and 73s
Will Waters -- N7IPY -- [email protected]
<mailto:engineer1%40surewest.net>
