DV Dongle

[RohnsRadio]

Has anyone tried the DV Dongle for D-STAR?

I recently got a ID-51A Plus. Got it mostly for the memory and ability to find local repeaters, but since it does do D-STAR and I am always trying something new.......

There is not a local D-STAR machine in my area and this looks like a good way to try it out.

Any ideas?

 

[JimNS3K]

Take a look at the DV4Mini. Do a google search. It's a dongle you insert into a USB drive. You then use the 51 to transmit to it. Great tool, especially if you don't have a repeater near by.. I believe the company selling it in the US is called Wirelessholdings.

Jim, NS3K

 

[KC1UA]

+1 on the DV4Mini for DStar. It's my understanding that the Wireless Holdings website was having some issues; not sure if they've been resolved but they are aware of it. The 'mini also allows access to DMR although the quality of audio transmissions seem to be an issue for a lot of users. It also works with C4FM and P25. Neat little device. I use mine with a Raspberry Pi 3.

The DVMega is another option. Lots of data out there to research.

 

[K5MPH]

I will 2nd that on the DV4Mini also,as you say you are to far from a repeater you can set this up as an personal HotSpot and enjoy D-star,here in Brownsville we are using an DV-RPTR Board V-1 using Control Center software for windows with an Antenna @45 feet and 35 watts out for a Local hotspot here it covers all of Brownsville we have around 7 Hams here that use the system it works out pretty good.......

 

[reconrider8]

dont have either but ive heard a bunch of have either one but ive heard alot of the hams on dmr say the dvmini is good on c4fm and d-star but not good on dmr but the mega is good on dmr

 

[RohnsRadio]

Thank-you for the options suggested.
I like the DV4Mini, it is cheaper than the DV Dongle.
It also says it will do not only D-STAR but, the other popular modes.
I think I will order one.

73

 

[dmaria]

Thank-you for the options suggested.
I like the DV4Mini, it is cheaper than the DV Dongle.
It also says it will do not only D-STAR but, the other popular modes.
I think I will order one.

73

I have the DV Dongle, the DVAP and the DV Mini. The DV dongle works very well as does the DVAP if you prefer RF. The DV mini is running on a Raspberry Pi and has some voice quality issues. It will drop packets and makes avery loud and annoying noise when it does. This happens regardless of the mode (DMR, Fusion or DStar). I have used the DV Mini on Windows and it does the same thing. I believe it has something to do with the way the data packets are transmitted. Bits are lost along the way with no way to recover.

If you are only interested in DStar and you will be using a microphone on your computer, The DV dongle may be your best bet. The DVAP would be my choice because you can use it around the house or out in the yard with your handheld.

 

[Chronic]

DV Mega

The DV-Mega is great , it plugs right onto a raspberry pi and it will do D-star , DMR and Fusion is coming soon all with a free software upgrade . and this way you don't have to keep a full size computer running all the time .

 

[RohnsRadio]

yeah I do want to use my HT, and I figure with that I could walk around the house and maybe in yard.

I am closing on a house very soon and just trying to get everything ready. Not been very active in several years. Not that it really matters but , my wife was killed in a car wreck one year ago. I am getting a new home and want to go back to some of the pleasures I used to enjoy.

Thanks again for all the help. And the Raspberry pie idea appeals to me as well. maybe that will be the next project.

 

[dmaria]

yeah I do want to use my HT, and I figure with that I could walk around the house and maybe in yard.

I am closing on a house very soon and just trying to get everything ready. Not been very active in several years. Not that it really matters but , my wife was killed in a car wreck one year ago. I am getting a new home and want to go back to some of the pleasures I used to enjoy.

Thanks again for all the help. And the Raspberry pie idea appeals to me as well. maybe that will be the next project.

In that case, you would want to use the DVAP or the DV Mega as mentioned earlier. Both work with the Raspberry Pi, but the DVAP will also work on a Windows computer (and a Mac if you use one).

 

[n0vkg]

openspot (a dvap-like device, minus the computer)

There is also this device:

https://www.sharkrf.com/products/openspot/learn-more/

It plugs directly into an unused ethernet port on your home's WiFi/Ethernet router.

 

[k7ng]

yeah I do want to use my HT, and I figure with that I could walk around the house and maybe in yard.

I am closing on a house very soon and just trying to get everything ready. Not been very active in several years. Not that it really matters but , my wife was killed in a car wreck one year ago. I am getting a new home and want to go back to some of the pleasures I used to enjoy.

Thanks again for all the help. And the Raspberry pie idea appeals to me as well. maybe that will be the next project.

I am also in an area a long way from the nearest D-star repeater. I started with a DVDongle and though I still have it I use it very rarely. The DVAP is a better choice since you aren't attached to a PC with a cord.

However, there is another option. I happened to have a spare Raspberry Pi 2b, and a spare dual band V/U radio that had a 9600 packet port, and a UHF collinear antenna. So with those items all I needed was the D-star interface. I bought a Star*Board from Moencomm and made a 'super' D-Star hotspot. I run the radio at 5W on a SNP channel and have D-star communications within a several mile radius depending on terrain.

If you should happen to have some of the things around that would allow you to do something similar to what I did, you might even do better for cheaper than a DVAP or DV4Mini. You can still use the ID51 around the house and still drive to the store without losing communication.