Repeater(s)

[guadmaster]

I was listening to my scanner earlier today and I came upon a repeater freq 147.120000, an occasional recording states that its “Repeater W5EPH”. Some ham operators were talking away, I gathered that they weren't from my local area (Southern Texas), there must be other repeaters around, does anyone have other frequencies?

 

[pappy1]

Search the Ham Bands, Should be several repeaters found in the 144-148 and 440-448mhz

 

[nd5y]

You can look up Texas ham repeaters on the Texas VHF FM Society web site
http://www.txvhffm.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=40

You probably heard the W5EVH repeater in Laredo

 

[ke5ldo]

There are several systems of repeaters linked into the SALTGRASS repeater system, a statewide amateur repeater syste. Do a Google search for SALTGRASS and you will get the site.

 

[guadmaster]

Thanks everyone! With your help I was able to find the information I was looking for. This repeater system sure make for some interesting listening

 

[atms169]

What is this?

If you are in the Webb County area, look up 147.36. It's digital but I can't decode it. It's not always on either so it makes it hard to figure it out.

Good luck!


Very strange...

I was listening to my scanner earlier today and I came upon a repeater freq 147.120000, an occasional recording states that its “Repeater W5EPH”. Some ham operators were talking away, I gathered that they weren't from my local area (Southern Texas), there must be other repeaters around, does anyone have other frequencies?

 

[fineshot1]

If you are in the Webb County area, look up 147.36. It's digital but I can't decode it. It's not always on either so it makes it hard to figure it out.

Good luck!

Very strange...

Its probably amatuer digital which is DStar which your scanner can not decode.

 

[guadmaster]

Got it...I added to my repeater system and will keep an ear out for it...Thanks

If you are in the Webb County area, look up 147.36. It's digital but I can't decode it. It's not always on either so it makes it hard to figure it out.

Good luck!


Very strange...

 

[bwillcox]

If you are in the Webb County area, look up 147.360. It's digital but I can't decode it. It's not always on either so it makes it hard to figure it out.

You're hearing the KE5KAF Dstar repeater in Laredo.

Dstar is AMBE (GMSK) instead of IMBE like the P25 stuff so a typical Uniden or Ratshack won't be able to decode it.

-b-

 

[atms169]

I did find a scanner online that will decode all the digital signals. It's made by Icom...

Just passing it along.

 

[mam1081]

I did find a scanner online that will decode all the digital signals. It's made by Icom...

Just passing it along.

Probably not all - just the D-star or P25...(The IC-2500 Communication Receiver with appropriate add-on boards), or just D-star (ID-800, 2820, IC-91AD, V82 (with chip), U82 (with chip), 2200H (with chip), etc...).

 

[atms169]

How can I purchase the 2200 radio? I just want to listen on the Amateur Stuff. Know of a good place to pick one up?

 

[mam1081]

How can I purchase the 2200 radio? I just want to listen on the Amateur Stuff. Know of a good place to pick one up?

Well, there is one here: http://universal-radio.com/catalog/fm_txvrs/0102.html ($139 now)
But you'll also need the UT-118 digital card (another $189).

Keep in mind that this is only a VHF radio - it's fine if you want to only listen to the Laredo D-star repeater (only VHF now - could add UHF or 1.2 GHz in future) or any other VHF analog channel, but it will not work outside of the 118-174 MHz area.

 

[loumaag]

Its probably amatuer digital which is DStar which your scanner can not decode.

The only thing that bothers me about that comment is that somehow it has gotten to the point where amateur digital = DStar. <sigh>

 

[bwillcox]

Lou, there are numerous places where amateurs are also running P-25 gear on the ham bands (mostly Moto but sometimes Kenwood or Vertex commecial gear) . There's a big thread up in the Moto section where numerous P25 capable repeaters are listed.

All of those machines are decodeable with your Uniden or Radioshack (or GRE when they strike out on their own)

The Dstar gear does some stuff the P25 gear won't (mainly its low and high speed data capabilities) and the P25 gear does some stuff the Dstar gear won't (encryption, compatibility with public safety)

I suspect that since Dstar is an open protocol, there will eventually be support in scanners for it. At least there's a chance there unlike for those guys that have Provoice (*hack* *spit* *ugh*) systems near them.

 

[kv5e]

If you are in the Webb County area, look up 147.36. It's digital but I can't decode it. It's not always on either so it makes it hard to figure it out.

Good luck!


Very strange...

http://www.jfindu.net/dstarlh.aspx?rptr=KE5KAF

KE5KAF C Laredo- DStar repeater on the US Root DStar Network

No one has developed a bandwidth conserving dynamically routed system with other perceptually coded NB voice/data emission types as an alternative to DStar.

Part 97 subpart A *drives* the ARS to the furtherance of the radio art and technology innovation. Home Brew DStar and the nexgen gateway is coming soon that greatly expands the capabilities.

The DD at 1.2 GHz is a really powerful tool for amateurs to leverage of linking TCP/IP communications for EMCOM and public service events.

I'm not trying to poke ribs here....but just providing an alternative view of what amateurs are accomplishing now and laying a new technology path for a few years downstream.

DStar is just another tool in the box....but it is getting an increasingly sharper edge!

P25 has been leveraged in some areas, but the lower data throughput on the CAI does not provide as much simultaneous voice data capability as the DStar protocol as currently implemented.

Testing here in Dallas since 2003 shows that the current DStar user radios and Icom repeaters work as well or better than collocated analog systems, particularly in weak signal areas. The RX sensitivity on the Icom repeaters is good. but a little below the highend /\/\ platforms. We've come up with some good enhancements for that.

Add the simultaneous data, callsign Layer2/3 routing, and conserved spectrum, and I'd say IMHO that amateurs are furthering the radio art.

Most of all.....WE ARE HAVING FUN!!!

Craig A. Green KV5E
NE5R DStar SYstem Administrator

 

[atms169]

Well I am interested in listening in on this Dstar repeater. I phoned Universal Radio and they will not sell me that radio as I do not hold an Amateur License. So, how can you listen if you can't purchase the radio? I find it a little expensive for around $350 - $400 dollars just to listen to one repeater here. However, if I sold my Uniden I could "upgrade" to the Icom PCR2500 and the two modules for P25 and Dstar. Best of both worlds for now. I do travel to Houston and San Antonio, I am sure to pick up some Dstar stuff there as well.

I have been monitoring the digital noise on the k35kaf repeater here in Laredo and it seems to be more active than I had first thought.

I guess it's better than not listening to anything as most stuff here is encrypted. Other than some DPS frequencies.

Well, there is one here: http://universal-radio.com/catalog/fm_txvrs/0102.html ($139 now)
But you'll also need the UT-118 digital card (another $189).

Keep in mind that this is only a VHF radio - it's fine if you want to only listen to the Laredo D-star repeater (only VHF now - could add UHF or 1.2 GHz in future) or any other VHF analog channel, but it will not work outside of the 118-174 MHz area.

 

[loumaag]

TO: bwillcox & kv5e
I think you misunderstood my lament, it was exactly what I typed, nothing more, nothing less.

-------------

Well I am interested in listening in on this Dstar repeater. I phoned Universal Radio and they will not sell me that radio as I do not hold an Amateur License. So, how can you listen if you can't purchase the radio? I find it a little expensive for around $350 - $400 dollars just to listen to one repeater here. However, if I sold my Uniden I could "upgrade" to the Icom PCR2500 and the two modules for P25 and Dstar. Best of both worlds for now. I do travel to Houston and San Antonio, I am sure to pick up some Dstar stuff there as well.

Actually I am happy to see another dealer not selling amateur equipment to non-amateurs; not saying that you would, but there are enough "pirates" on the ham bands already. In reference to your thoughts on PCR2500, I would suggest you look into that very carefully, that is a lot of radio for the simple thing of listening to some hams chat back and forth and it does not do what most of today's scanners do. The alternative is to get your ham license, then instead of listening, you can join in.

 

[kv5e]

TO: bwillcox & kv5e
I think you misunderstood my lament, it was exactly what I typed, nothing more, nothing less.

NP....... I just want to let everyone know we are having fun and experimenting.

73, KV5E

 

[mam1081]

Lou, there are numerous places where amateurs are also running P-25 gear on the ham bands (mostly Moto but sometimes Kenwood or Vertex commecial gear) . There's a big thread up in the Moto section where numerous P25 capable repeaters are listed.

All of those machines are decodeable with your Uniden or Radioshack (or GRE when they strike out on their own)

I'm one that runs P25 . I personally think it sounds better than Dstar and the error correction is MUCH better in fringe areas. We're running at 15k now, but can easily set it to narrower bandwidth if needed. If the amateur bands around here were busy enough to need that kind of bandwidth (or the dstar advertised 6.25k), that would be great!(more people using ham radio? what a concept) I'd like to play more with dstar, but I just haven't gotten into the infrastructure equipment much.

And all those scanner listeners with P25 capable scanners can hear us without buying another module or a different radio...

Don't take this as a fight of P25 vs Dstar - there are lots of those in other forums - I just thought I'd speak up...


No Dstar repeaters in San Antonio yet - there is one west of Houston (in Magnolia), Laredo, Temple, and Dallas so far in Texas.