If you haven't already, I'd recommend you consider the non-ICOM approach, which will allow you to save significant money. This would be using a gmsk modem or Node Adapter board to interface between the server and an analog radio. The boards are in the US $100 - $150 range.
For initial testing, you could start out with DVAR Hot Spot by KB9KHM in full duplex repeater mode. This supports DPlus but not callsign routing and runs only on Windows. Soon to be released is Dave Lake G4ULF's NI-Star software, which has been tested and accepted by the US Trust team to be fully G2 compliant. It runs on Linux, typically CentOS, and repeaters running it during the careful test phase typically run the other standard applications like Dplus, DPRS/D-Star Monitor, etc. without modification. David's blog at http://g4ulf.blogspot.com/ says they are now working on packaging and documentation, and that release is "imminent." The first repeater up and running was GB7MH in Sept 2009 as reported by the RSGB RadCom magazine Feb 2010. One of the most recent to come online is WG2MSK. See http://www.sidigital.org/ Once NI-Star is officially released, I expect to see many more new D-Star repeaters brought up with considerable savings compared to the ICOM only installation. Jim - K6JM ----- Original Message ----- From: Charles Scott To: [email protected] ; [email protected] Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2010 12:10 PM Subject: [DSTAR_DIGITAL] Looking for D-Star UHF Repeater/Controller All: Before I go out looking to buy new, does anyone have a UHF voice module (ID-RP4000V) and controller (ID-RP2C) available? Two? We're looking to put up two sites in Northern Michigan, primarily for E-Comm use. One site already has a transmitter combiner and receiver multi-coupler with separate recieve/transmit antennas so I could litterally just plug it in there (would be replacing an existing UHF analog repeater). The second location we'll probably have to install antenna hardware. Both have good network connectivity. Would be good if we could save a bit rather than pay retail. If not, where's the best deals? Thanks, Chuck - N8DNX
