Saturday, Mar 6 2010

IntroductionsLet’s get to know one another

PurposeIntroduce new users to D-StarRefresh current users in procedures and

practicesHelp with radio programming including

programming examplesExplain D-Controller functions and command

structureExplain Linking, Routing, Reflectors

What IS D-Star?Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur RadioDeveloped jointly by the Japan Amateur Radio

League and ICOM beginning in 1999Significant changes released in 2004Defines 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 VoiceUses the AMBE CODEC, provided by Digital

Voice Systems, Inc.Operates at 4800 bps

2400 bps for the voice channel1200 bps for the Forward Error Correction

channel1200 bps for the low-speed data channel

Approximately 6.25 kHz occupied bandwidth – a significant spectrum savings compared to 16 kHz occupied by a standard FM voice signal

Advantages and DisadvantagesRange is approximately the same as a

standard FM repeater, but with a differenceStandard FM Repeater signals gradually

degrade and get noisier with distanceD-Star signals decode and sound fine until they

“drop off a cliff”Marginal D-Star signals will “R2D2”

D-Star radios cost somewhat more than comparable FM radios

While an open standard, only ICOM is making D-Star equipment

More Advantages and DisadvantagesCODEC is proprietary – this gives some

people heartburnProgramming becomes more difficultYou can link to any connected D-Star

repeater in the world with simple commandsLinking is currently Internet based, reducing

reliability in the event of a disasterThere are many more advantages and

disadvantages, but we’ll leave that for future discussions

Current NC D-Star RepeatersW4GSO – Greensboro, NC – 70 cmAK4EG – Burlington, NC – 2 m, 70 cm, 23 cmKR4RDU – Carrboro, NC – 70 cmKI4WXS – Charlotte, NC – 2 m, 70 cm, 23 cmKR4RAL – Raleigh, NC – 70 cm

On To The Good StuffOR

How to USE that new D-Star radio!

Some Definitions to Start OffRepeaterD-ControllerGatewayD-PlusReflectorLinkingRoutingDV-DongleDV-Access PointQuick-Key

Callsign FieldsMyCallUrCallRepeater 1Repeater 2

How to Make It All WorkThink of it like layersNormal FM repeater – Frequency, Offset,

maybe ToneD-Star repeater – Frequency, Offset, ID

(MyCall), Destination (UrCall), Repeater used (R1), Additional Repeater used (R2)

All fields must be properly set to make it work like you want it to

Some ExamplesFor regular day-to-day communications

MyCall – K4HCUrCall – CQCQCQR1 – W4GSO**BR2 – W4GSO**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)MyCall – K4HCUrCall – CQCQCQR1 – W4GSO**BR2 – Blank or “Not Use”

My transmissions WILL NOT be passed to the Gateway – will ONLY be heard on the local repeater

Linking vs RoutingRouting defined in the D-Star standardLinking defined by D-PlusRouting is more cumbersomeEvery station wishing to participate must alter

their settings to participate in RoutingLinking 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 OverviewTwo types of RoutingCallsign 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 RoutingMyCall – K4HCUrCall – WG5QR1 – W4GSO**BR2 – W4GSO**G

Routed to last heard repeater/port WG5Q used

To reply, WG5Q would need to alter his settings (using one-touch reply)

Source RoutingMyCall – K4HCUrCall – /KR4RDUBR1 – W4GSO**BR2 – W4GSO**G

Transmissions would output on the KR4RDU Port B repeater

To reply, a station would need to alter settings

Note the port is in the 8th position

Linking – THE Preferred WayMyCall - Stays the same, all the timeUrCall – Normally CQCQCQ

Also used to Link, Unlink, Callsign Route, Source Route, issue D-Plus and D-Controller commands

R1 – Always the repeater and port you are talking into – 8 digits

R2 – Used for Gateway and (future) RF port forwarding – 8 digits

Link ExamplesMyCall – K4HCUrCall – REF017CLR1 – W4GSO**BR2 – W4GSO**G

This will link the repeater to Reflector 17CNote L in the 8th positionThis is the only time the port is moved from

the 8th position to the 7th position

Link ExamplesMyCall – K4HCUrCall – KR4RDUBLR1 – W4GSO**BR2 – W4GSO**G

This will link W4GSO B to KR4RDU BNote no space between KR4RDU and BNote L for Link in position 8

Link ExamplesMyCall – K4HCUrCall - *******UR1 – W4GSO**BR2 – W4GSO**G

U in the 8th positionThis will Unlink from any repeater or

reflector

Command ExamplesMyCall – K4HCUrCall – W4GSO**ER1 – W4GSO**BR2 – Not Use

Echos from D-ControllerAlso shows BER (Bit Error Rate)

Command ExamplesMyCall – K4HCUrCall – W4GSO**ER1 – W4GSO**BR2 – W4GSO**G

Echos from D-PlusAlso shows BER

Command ExamplesMyCall – K4HCUrCall – W4GSO*S0R1 – W4GSO**BR2 – Not Use

SAVES a message for automatic playback

Command ExamplesMyCall – K4HCUrCall – W4GSO*R0R1 – W4GSO**BR2 – Not Use

RECALLS (Plays) a recorded message

Command ExamplesMyCall – K4HCUrCall – W4GSO*C0R1 – W4GSO**BR2 – Not Use

CLEARS a recorded message

Notes on Channel Memories

More Programming IdeasUse Memory Banks for different areasDevelop a naming convention that YOU

understandBuy the Software, and make or buy the

cables – your life will be much easier

Questions?

Thank You!