DStar Users Meeting Saturday Mar 6 2010 Introductions

D-Star User’s Meeting Saturday, Mar 6 2010

Introductions �Let’s get to know one another

Purpose �Introduce new users to D-Star �Refresh current users in procedures and practices �Help with radio programming including programming examples �Explain D-Controller functions and command structure �Explain Linking, Routing, Reflectors

What IS D-Star? �Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio �Developed jointly by the Japan Amateur Radio League and ICOM beginning in 1999 �Significant changes released in 2004 �Defines two modes �DD (Digital Data) – High-speed digital data – only on 1. 2 GHz – not in very wide use �DV (Digital Voice) – Voice (and a low-speed data channel) available on 2 m, 70 cm, and 23 cm �We’ll be discussing the DV mode

Digital Voice �Uses the AMBE CODEC, provided by Digital Voice Systems, Inc. �Operates at 4800 bps � 2400 bps for the voice channel � 1200 bps for the Forward Error Correction channel � 1200 bps for the low-speed data channel �Approximately 6. 25 k. Hz occupied bandwidth – a significant spectrum savings compared to 16 k. Hz occupied by a standard FM voice signal

Advantages and Disadvantages �Range is approximately the same as a standard FM repeater, but with a difference �Standard FM Repeater signals gradually degrade and get noisier with distance �D-Star signals decode and sound fine until they “drop off a cliff” �Marginal D-Star signals will “R 2 D 2” �D-Star radios cost somewhat more than comparable FM radios �While an open standard, only ICOM is making D-Star equipment

More Advantages and Disadvantages �CODEC is proprietary – this gives some people heartburn �Programming becomes more difficult �You can link to any connected D-Star repeater in the world with simple commands �Linking is currently Internet based, reducing reliability in the event of a disaster �There are many more advantages and disadvantages, but we’ll leave that for future discussions

Current NC D-Star Repeaters �W 4 GSO – Greensboro, NC – 70 cm �AK 4 EG – Burlington, NC – 2 m, 70 cm, 23 cm �KR 4 RDU – Carrboro, NC – 70 cm �KI 4 WXS – Charlotte, NC – 2 m, 70 cm, 23 cm �KR 4 RAL – Raleigh, NC – 70 cm

On To The Good Stuff �OR �How to USE that new D-Star radio!

Some Definitions to Start Off �Repeater �D-Controller �Gateway �D-Plus �Reflector �Linking �Routing �DV-Dongle �DV-Access Point �Quick-Key

Callsign Fields �My. Call �Ur. Call �Repeater 1 �Repeater 2

How to Make It All Work �Think of it like layers �Normal FM repeater – Frequency, Offset, maybe Tone �D-Star repeater – Frequency, Offset, ID (My. Call), Destination (Ur. Call), Repeater used (R 1), Additional Repeater used (R 2) �All fields must be properly set to make it work like you want it to

Some Examples �For regular day-to-day communications �My. Call – K 4 HC �Ur. Call – CQCQCQ �R 1 – W 4 GSO**B �R 2 – W 4 GSO**G �This enables anything I transmit to pass to the Gateway – this includes connected Dongles, Access Points, Repeaters and Reflectors

�For local ONLY communications (e. g. don’t want to interrupt conversations on a connected reflector) �My. Call – K 4 HC �Ur. Call – CQCQCQ �R 1 – W 4 GSO**B �R 2 – Blank or “Not Use” �My transmissions WILL NOT be passed to the Gateway – will ONLY be heard on the local repeater

Linking vs Routing �Routing defined in the D-Star standard �Linking defined by D-Plus �Routing is more cumbersome �Every station wishing to participate must alter their settings to participate in Routing �Linking requires a single command, then everyone set up for Gateway operation can participate �Routing is blind – you can’t hear what’s going on at the distant end �For these reasons, Linking is normally preferred over Routing

Routing – A BRIEF Overview �Two types of Routing �Callsign Routing (to a specific station) �Source Routing (to a specific Repeater) �One advantage of Callsign Routing is you don’t need to know WHERE the called station is – the call is routed to the last repeater where that station was heard (some delay in this)

Callsign Routing �My. Call – K 4 HC �Ur. Call – WG 5 Q �R 1 – W 4 GSO**B �R 2 – W 4 GSO**G �Routed to last heard repeater/port WG 5 Q used �To reply, WG 5 Q would need to alter his settings (using one-touch reply)

Source Routing �My. Call – K 4 HC �Ur. Call – /KR 4 RDUB �R 1 – W 4 GSO**B �R 2 – W 4 GSO**G �Transmissions would output on the KR 4 RDU Port B repeater �To reply, a station would need to alter settings �Note the port is in the 8 th position

Linking – THE Preferred Way �My. Call - Stays the same, all the time �Ur. Call – Normally CQCQCQ �Also used to Link, Unlink, Callsign Route, Source Route, issue D-Plus and D-Controller commands �R 1 – Always the repeater and port you are talking into – 8 digits �R 2 – Used for Gateway and (future) RF port forwarding – 8 digits

Link Examples �My. Call – K 4 HC �Ur. Call – REF 017 CL �R 1 – W 4 GSO**B �R 2 – W 4 GSO**G �This will link the repeater to Reflector 17 C �Note L in the 8 th position �This is the only time the port is moved from the 8 th position to the 7 th position

Link Examples �My. Call – K 4 HC �Ur. Call – KR 4 RDUBL �R 1 – W 4 GSO**B �R 2 – W 4 GSO**G �This will link W 4 GSO B to KR 4 RDU B �Note no space between KR 4 RDU and B �Note L for Link in position 8

Link Examples �My. Call – K 4 HC �Ur. Call - *******U �R 1 – W 4 GSO**B �R 2 – W 4 GSO**G �U in the 8 th position �This will Unlink from any repeater or reflector

Command Examples �My. Call – K 4 HC �Ur. Call – W 4 GSO**E �R 1 – W 4 GSO**B �R 2 – Not Use �Echos from D-Controller �Also shows BER (Bit Error Rate)

Command Examples �My. Call – K 4 HC �Ur. Call – W 4 GSO**E �R 1 – W 4 GSO**B �R 2 – W 4 GSO**G �Echos from D-Plus �Also shows BER

Command Examples �My. Call – K 4 HC �Ur. Call – W 4 GSO*S 0 �R 1 – W 4 GSO**B �R 2 – Not Use �SAVES a message for automatic playback

Command Examples �My. Call – K 4 HC �Ur. Call – W 4 GSO*R 0 �R 1 – W 4 GSO**B �R 2 – Not Use �RECALLS (Plays) a recorded message

Command Examples �My. Call – K 4 HC �Ur. Call – W 4 GSO*C 0 �R 1 – W 4 GSO**B �R 2 – Not Use �CLEARS a recorded message

Notes on Channel Memories �W 4 GSO Gateway �While you can manually change the values especially �W 4 GSO Local in Ur. Call for Linking, �W 4 GSO Link to Ref 17 C Routing and issuing commands, this tends to be �W 4 GSO Link to Ref 02 A �W 4 GSO Unlink cumbersome �W 4 GSO Save Message �I have several “channels” programmed with the same �W 4 GSO Play Message frequency information, but �W 4 GSO Clear Message to perform different �Plus others functions �Memory Names identify what is what

More Programming Ideas �Use Memory Banks for different areas �Develop a naming convention that YOU understand �Buy the Software, and make or buy the cables – your life will be much easier

Questions?

Thank You!