Rick, You've already gotten some excellent advice. Let me just add this. Since you live near Boston, you should be able to hear and talk to a D-Star repeater. So first off, program your new radio to do that. Steve's note outlines the basics.
If you only set up MyCall, UrCall = CQCQCQ, the repeater frequency and offset, DV mode and RPT1 for the repeater and module (band) you are going to talk on, you will be able to talk to other local people through that repeater. But a lot of the fun is to talk to people on other repeaters and reflectors. Basically, you need to program RPT2 for the same repeater callsign but with a G in the 8th position so when you talk, your transmission will be forwarded by that repeater's gateway to any connected (or linked to) repeater. Doing just that will open up a ton of fun. Later, assuming your repeater's admin allows users to issue link and unlink commands, learn how to do that. This is called DPlus linking and unlinking, and it's really easy. Sometimes in the middle of the night, I'll link the local repeater to a reflector in Europe and chat away with interesting people. During this whole phase, I strongly recommend you NOT read the part of your ICOM manual that talks about Callsign Routing, areas, zones, etc. You will want to learn those things, but you don't need them to get started, and they are generally confusing to the person starting out in DStar. Once you have some experience with all that, then go back and read about Callsign Routing, etc. That can be fun, too. But please, skip reading that stuff until later. Have fun now. Jim - K6JM ----- Original Message ----- From: Steve Bosshard (NU5D) To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 11:30 AM Subject: Re: [DSTAR_DIGITAL] IS this D-Star going to be the death of me...........lol It's can be intimidating Rick, but once you get the basics - not so bad. http://www.dstarusers.org/viewrepeater.php?system=W1MRA First - send / receive frequencies work just the same as FM except in 2M there may be some non- standard splits and you may have to program and odd split. The database shows 145.160 minus offset -600 kHz. There are 4 fields in dstar that determine who and how you will talk. The easiest is MY. My for you is KB1JSW and unless you change calls shouldn't change. Next is RPT1. RPT1=W1RMA**C - C stands for the 2M band and by convention in the US is A for 23cm, B for 70cm and C for 2M. In Japan A is the first repeater installed and B is the second repeater installed. dstar users shows that W1RMA is not connected to the gateway system, so RPT2 is not used. Where there is a Gateway and you want your calls to go out of town, onto the network, the RPT=W1RMA**G ([*] represents a blank space) RPT1 and RPT2 don't change unless you move to a different repeater for coverage. Finally, UR determines who you want to talk to. For local calls set UR=CQCQCQ . If your friends use call sign squelch (probably not) set UR=(your friend's call) and DSTAR will selectively call your friend. If there is a gateway, the network will route your call the the repeater that you friend last used. There are many variations and add on features like reflectors that link many repeaters together, but this is just a get on the air and make a contact email. Once you get familiar with the basics it get to be old hat. 73, steve On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 1:07 PM, Rick <[email protected]> wrote: Hi, I'm a new member, I don't have a D-Star as of yet but am planing to go to pick up an 88o today or tomorrow. The more I read some of this stuff the more nervous I get that it'll be over my head. Is it going to be the death of me...........lol ? Thanks --Rick McKinney KB1JSW Outside of Boston
