Calgary D-Star Qestion

[Ambulance2014]

Just wondering if any Calgary D-Star Users can help me out , I am wanting to get a Transiver that can Listen to D-Star communications. But am wondering just a couple questions :

1 Does the D-Stars in Calgary Get used very much for Ham users ?
2 if I were to program the D-Star frequency in Edmonton or Banff for example would I be able to receive voice from there communications on that Frenqencys?

3 i recently noticed a D-Star live audio in Edmonton on the live Feeds and I herd cross band from somewhere in the States on that frequency does this happen a lot and in terms of distance wise how far can a D-Star signal to to pick up other D-Star communications on that specific Frenqency?

 

[robertmac]

Sorry if I get a little defensive when I hear of a non licensed person buying an amateur transceiver [not transiver]. You have already posted about trying to obtain a transceiver for EMS/FIRE/CPS. If you have some interest in amateur radio please try and obtain an amateur license. They are not that hard to obtain and will give you a good education in to radios and proper radio operation. To answer your questions further you might look at this link: Digital Voice for Amateur Use - The RadioReference.com Forums. So to answer your specific questions: 1. Not nearly as much as analog. There are a couple of nets on Monday and Friday nets that can be received in Calgary with a D-Star or a Dongle [I can't comment on use of a dongle but they are used for receiving and transmitting-see link above for more information]. 2. No scanner can decode D-Star, so no, programming the D-Star frequency in Edmonton or Banff would not work. Programming the Calgary area D-Star frequencies will only cause your scanning to receive annoying digital noise. 3. It is not cross banding what you hear on the live feeds. The voice is passed through the internet to the repeaters. Distance is wide open. There are nets on D-Star that have had Australia check ins.
There are also other "digital" nodes as they are passed over the internet that operate on amateur radio. These are IRLP [using DTMF codes like dialing a phone], Ecolink [DTMF or computer], Fusion and Wires [Yaesu]. More are starting to become popular on amateur radio including P25, DMR which also are opening up the world through the internet connections. Then if you really want to talk to other countries, getting licensed for HF privileges will again open up the world without internet. Mind you, the largest factor here would be to have a proper antenna. But just a simple wire antenna allows one to talk to most of Canada and the US.

 

[VE6E0]

Just wondering if any Calgary D-Star Users can help me out , I am wanting to get a Transiver that can Listen to D-Star communications. But am wondering just a couple questions :

1 Does the D-Stars in Calgary Get used very much for Ham users ?

You do hear traffic, and some of the reflectors are fun, but there is more activity on the analog FM repeaters.

2 if I were to program the D-Star frequency in Edmonton or Banff for example would I be able to receive voice from there communications on that Frenqencys?

First, IIRC the Banff machine is no longer active.
As for programming the frequency, yes, you could receive and decode it, if you were in the repeater's footprint. If you are trying to listen from Calgary, no, unless you access a local Calgary machine, and connect through the gateway.

3 i recently noticed a D-Star live audio in Edmonton on the live Feeds and I herd cross band from somewhere in the States on that frequency does this happen a lot and in terms of distance wise how far can a D-Star signal to to pick up other D-Star communications on that specific Frenqency?

This is a function of connecting the repeater to a reflector. If you want to get more information, please check out the following site.

Home - D-STAR Info

I would also say Robert gave you some good advice. Sign up for a radio class with a amateur radio club, get a license and enjoy the hobby (with a depleted bank account, ) With Field Day coming at the end of June, go to one of sites, and talk to the hams and see when classes start. More information can be obtained from the ARRL. Field Day

Cheers

 

[davecason]

Hi Guys,

Sorry to chime in here but you CAN buy whatever the heck you want - licensed ham or not.

You are right in suggesting that he get his license, but if he wants to use it - I'd say go nuts but just unplug the mic. THOU SHALT NOT TX ......

RAC says you can buy whatever you want too, but you can't operate it without a license. I'm trying to find the definition of what "operate it" means ..... (grin)

Cheers'
Dave

 

[beeperboy]

They must have "dumbed down" that like everything else. It used to be illegal to be in possession of transmitting equipment without an appropriate licence.

That was one of the questions on the Ham radio exam 30 years ago.

 

[mikewazowski]

I remember when the dealer would hang into your finals until you came in and produced your licence.

 

[davecason]

When you're wrong, you're wrong ! .... and I'm wrong!

Hey Guys,

I'm wrong, it got to bugging me so I went and double checked with IC yesterday after asking around. I had 3 guys say nope it's all good you can buy stuff and two say nope you can't. DOH!

So just to make sure I called Industry Canada and asked ..... so officially you still can't purchase equipment without a license .....so technically RAC's statement in their website is wrong too but here what I got from a staff person at Industry Canada.

By the the Radiocommunications Act radio equipment should only be possessed by a person authorized to use it. For amateur radio equipment the authorization is an Amateur Radio Operator's Certificate obtained by passing the appropriate exam.

However, the government department charged with enforcing the law is much more concerned with the use of radio spectrum and so would not be likely to act on a simple issue of possession of a transceiver or the operation of the receiver portion and would be much more concerned by an unauthorized person transmitting with it. The following is a statement an Industry Canada official on the question:

As per section, 4.1 of the Radiocommunication Act, the possession, installation and operation of Radio Equipment in Canada is restricted to holders of a “Radio Authorization”. In the case of Amateur Radio Equipment, that authorization is in the form of an Amateur Radio Operator's Certificate.
Consequently, it is therefore illegal to possess, install, or to operate Amateur Radio Equipment without the possession of an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate.

Here is his addendum in his words" In practice, any enforcement action pursued by the Department, would likely be in regard to the operation of a "Radio Transmitter" as opposed to the operation of a "Radio Receiver". Enforcement action is prioritized according the perceived impact to the Radio Frequency Spectrum and resources available to the Department. "

So again I still say go nuts, but THOU SHALT NOT TX ..... I guess it's kind of like speeding - which all of us "never" do (grin) Unplug the mic and you're probably good .....

Cheers'
Dave

 

[thundermedic]

Dave,

Thanks for the clarification.

Is should be noted as well that the restriction is both for buying and selling the HAM radios, If someone was to complain to to IC they would investigate.

There are some radios like the Wouxon that has FCC Part 90 compliance that are legal to sell (Part 90 ensures that radios transmit within specs on commercial frequencies) The FCC Part 90 rules are the same reason HAM radios can receive out of band frequencies but are disabled from factory from transmitting our of band.

The section 4.1 of the Radiocommunication Act that requires "Authorized Users" is the same reason retailers will only sell systems to people who have a IC licence for a frequency (or help them obtain them) and (Most) won't program a radio to someone's frequencies without a letter of authorization.

 

[rrmitchell]

Not Illegal

Any ham retailer will sell an amateur radio to a non licensed person, it is illegal to transmit, not illegal to listen. In Toronto Radioworld will do that.Hams will generally only sell to other hams. I myself follow that unwritten rule, but I generally keep all my equipment.