Icom: Icom ID-51A Plus 2

[Interpol]

Been looking at this unit and I'm intrigued by the additional features it has over the ID-51A Plus - namely the Terminal and Access Point modes. My understanding is that AP mode allows you to connect the ID-51A to an Internet-connected computer via USB where it can work exactly like a DVAP.

Has anyone had any experience using AP mode with their ID-51A Plus 2? I'm thinking that if I had one of these to complement my current D-STAR HT, I wouldn't need to buy a DVAP. Also, does anyone know how much power the ID-51A can transmit in AP mode?

 

[dmaria]

Been looking at this unit and I'm intrigued by the additional features it has over the ID-51A Plus - namely the Terminal and Access Point modes. My understanding is that AP mode allows you to connect the ID-51A to an Internet-connected computer via USB where it can work exactly like a DVAP.

Has anyone had any experience using AP mode with their ID-51A Plus 2? I'm thinking that if I had one of these to complement my current D-STAR HT, I wouldn't need to buy a DVAP. Also, does anyone know how much power the ID-51A can transmit in AP mode?

Icom recently sponsored a webcast for DStar. Among other things, it featured the ID-51A Plus 2 and the G3 gateway software that was needed to support it. The HT will not become a "general purpose" access point. It will only support call sign routing. A feature used almost exclusively in Japan. Perhaps this will change in the future, but as of now this makes it almost useless in the US.

 

[Interpol]

Icom recently sponsored a webcast for DStar. Among other things, it featured the ID-51A Plus 2 and the G3 gateway software that was needed to support it. The HT will not become a "general purpose" access point. It will only support call sign routing. A feature used almost exclusively in Japan. Perhaps this will change in the future, but as of now this makes it almost useless in the US.

Well that's disappointing. Oh well, that just means I can wait a while to see how things sort out until I decide to pull the trigger on a Plus 2.