D-STAR Systems

[BromleyRepeater]

You can always listen to D Star in London via our live audio stream of GB7OK.

Either look it up here on Radio Reference or via our website GB3OK and GB7OK Live Audio Feed

 

[n8nnx]

D-star cost

D-star radios are not ham radio friendly unlesss you want to spend a small fortune or take a mortage out on your home or pawn your car title to buy one




I got an Icom ic-91ad on eBay in like new condition for $180. That is the same costs a low end analog ht new. The Icom black Friday deals were great last year. $399 for a new ic80ad and $499 for the ic-92ad. I hope the do that again this year.

 

[canav844]

D-star radios are not ham radio friendly unlesss you want to spend a small fortune or take a mortage out on your home or pawn your car title to buy one




I got an Icom ic-91ad on eBay in like new condition for $180. That is the same costs a low end analog ht new. The Icom black Friday deals were great last year. $399 for a new ic80ad and $499 for the ic-92ad. I hope the do that again this year.

Cheaper than P25 and HF; comparable cost to APRS. The repeaters run about the same as FM only counterparts but come prepared for no internet required linking between themselves. Put them to the internet and they're doing far more than FM. I chose to jump into STAR because of its value.

 

[n8nnx]

d-star

Cheaper than P25 and HF; comparable cost to APRS. The repeaters run about the same as FM only counterparts but come prepared for no internet required linking between themselves. Put them to the internet and they're doing far more than FM. I chose to jump into STAR because of its value.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[kb9gig]

Dstar with a yaesu

I use my Yaesu ft 847 for dstar and it works very well.
I use the DV adaptor which interfaces to just about any radio and is very easy to program and use.
since my 847 is an all band rig i have the capability of dstar on 10 , 6, and 220, as well as HF.
And yes i know Dv hasnt been aproved on HF yet but there has been a lot of testing with DSTAR on hf by many hams there is even an experimental dstar HOTSPOT on 40 meters.
i have had many people tell me the audio on my Yaesu when using DSTAR is as good as analog FM.
i also own an ICOM DSTAR radio and the Yaesu setup works much better.
all you have to do is google DV ADAPTOR and you will find an outfit in North Carolina that sells them and will answer any Questions you have.
And the price is cheaper than buying an icom 2880 and will let you do much more.

John KB9GIG

 

[hcpholder]

all you have to do is google DV ADAPTOR and you will find an outfit in North Carolina that sells them and will answer any Questions you have.
And the price is cheaper than buying an icom 2880 and will let you do much more.

John KB9GIG

I tried that and got a dozen pages of various DV stuff not related. Can you be more specific on the supplier (even PM if you don't want to show as advertiser)? Thanks.

 

[kb9gig]

DV adaptor

sorry i didnt think i was allowed to post a url on the board but the website is

Dstar DV Adapter in USA


John:

 

[Hooligan]

I'd heard recently that the DSTAR format was being "revised" or "enhanced" in a way that will make it compatible with the P-25 format (unsure if they were referring to P-25 Phase 1, or Phase-2).

I find this rather doubtful, despite me wishing it were true.

Can anyone confirm it's a totally unsubstantiated rumor, or is there some truth to it?

 

[newsphotog]

I'd heard recently that the DSTAR format was being "revised" or "enhanced" in a way that will make it compatible with the P-25 format (unsure if they were referring to P-25 Phase 1, or Phase-2).

I find this rather doubtful, despite me wishing it were true.

Can anyone confirm it's a totally unsubstantiated rumor, or is there some truth to it?

Highly doubtful, this is the first time I've heard of it. No one on the D-STAR or P-25 forums and mailing lists have mentioned it.

 

[kb9gig]

dstar adpter website

here is the new link to the Dstar adapter i use with my yaesu ft 847 its very easy to program and use and they come in either kit or completed
peter AI4UE is very friendly and will answer any questions
i have had mine for about three years now and i love it....

D-Star Radio Club International - Home

 

[N5TWB]

here is the new link to the Dstar adapter i use with my yaesu ft 847 its very easy to program and use and they come in either kit or completed
peter AI4UE is very friendly and will answer any questions
i have had mine for about three years now and i love it....

D-Star Radio Club International - Home

As the owner of an FT847, you grabbed my interest but after reading that underwhelming site and instruction manual, I just gotta ask: $6-700 and you still have to buy a small speaker, another mini-mike, and a wall wart PS? Programming by PIC plus you may have to open it up to adjust components in addition to toggling for reverse data inputs?

It seems the only thing I gain is the yet-unapproved use of D* on HF since I could buy an ID880 with accessories for around the same money.

Color me...highly skeptical.

 

[LtDoc]

Give me one good reason why D-star would be beneficial for the average ham. Factor in that the average ham probably doesn't have Icom equipment and probably wouldn't swap their radio(s) for Icom.
The problem is that 'D-star' is proprietary, it is NOT cheap, and has no really out-standing abilities to recommend it.
Cut the cost to something like 10% of it's present average and I might consider it. Until then, I have better use for the money (beer!).
- 'Doc

 

[N5TWB]

Give me one good reason why D-star would be beneficial for the average ham. Factor in that the average ham probably doesn't have Icom equipment and probably wouldn't swap their radio(s) for Icom.
The problem is that 'D-star' is proprietary, it is NOT cheap, and has no really out-standing abilities to recommend it.
Cut the cost to something like 10% of it's present average and I might consider it. Until then, I have better use for the money (beer!).
- 'Doc

I fully endorse your alternative use of the funds you might otherwise apply to D* equipment. Additionally, while I own and use two pieces of D* equipment, I agree with your contention that the average ham probably would not find a regular beneficial use. Speaking strictly for me, I enjoy learning new things (to a point - see my earlier post to kb9gig - learning PIC doesn't interest me right now) and other states are implementing it for EM uses. This speaks to my ARES involvement and potential learning there.

I generally subscribe to the theory that if the only tool you have is a hammer then every problem appears to be a nail. A varied toolbox generally leads to finding the right tool to apply to a problem if your mind is open to the possibilities. Ham Radio's basic nature and history has included experimentation to see if a particular technology improves communication. D* is just a recent example and it is receiving the same criticisms that other radio experiments have over the years.

 

[newsphotog]

Give me one good reason why D-star would be beneficial for the average ham. Factor in that the average ham probably doesn't have Icom equipment and probably wouldn't swap their radio(s) for Icom.
The problem is that 'D-star' is proprietary, it is NOT cheap, and has no really out-standing abilities to recommend it.
Cut the cost to something like 10% of it's present average and I might consider it. Until then, I have better use for the money (beer!).
- 'Doc

Read this entire thread, your thoughts have been rehashed here several times.

Just guessing by your post, you are not the target audience for D-STAR. If they cut the cost to "10%", they would be cheaper than those little Baofeng radios... not gonna happen. All of my D-STAR radios were purchased for $350 or less, comparable to a dual-band analog rig.

Keep spending your money on beer, I suppose.

 

[LtDoc]

... and butter pecan ice cream! Makes a great beer float. Ah, might as well throw in an order of fries while I'm at it...

 

[N8OHU]

Give me one good reason why D-star would be beneficial for the average ham. Factor in that the average ham probably doesn't have Icom equipment and probably wouldn't swap their radio(s) for Icom.
The problem is that 'D-star' is proprietary, it is NOT cheap, and has no really out-standing abilities to recommend it.
Cut the cost to something like 10% of it's present average and I might consider it. Until then, I have better use for the money (beer!).
- 'Doc

Just because none of the other "commercial" Amateur Radio vendors have picked up on it does not mean it is proprietary. I find DMR to be far more proprietary than D-Star simply because of the level of interoperability of the various manufacturers implementations; for complete interoperability, a system has to be built around the hardware from ONE manufacturer. D-Star, on the other hand, is truly open and interoperable, despite the existence of black box technology like the Icom G2 gateway software; those adapters you saw linked to earlier work almost exactly like the Icom radios do, and over 50% of the known D-Star gateways run open source gateway software. I do won two D-Star radios, but I also have the parts needed to build a full D-Star Repeater using nothing from Icom, except for an old IC-2000 that will be linking the digital system to an analog repeater just because I can. Here is a link to my Blog, with several entries devoted to the software I will be running; I will also be doing some YouTube videos of how to set up the software side and program the Kenwood TKR-820 repeater that I will be using for the main transmitter site (I plan several remote sites and a series of simplex inputs/outputs as well). My blog can be found at N8OHU's Digital Musings

Matthew Pitts
N8OHU

 

[LtDoc]

Okay, but you still haven't given a good reason for someone to switch their operating abilities/'style'/costs to use it. What's the benefit(s)? Just because it's 'new', or a 'change' doesn't provide any benefits.
- 'Doc

... I'll have another beer while you answer that. Some butterpecan too...

 

[N8OHU]

Okay, but you still haven't given a good reason for someone to switch their operating abilities/'style'/costs to use it. What's the benefit(s)? Just because it's 'new', or a 'change' doesn't provide any benefits.
- 'Doc

... I'll have another beer while you answer that. Some butterpecan too...

A lot depends on how you use FM voice to begin with. For me, D-Star has the advantage that I can talk to any ham anywhere in the world simply by knowing his callsign; if the other ham also has a D-Star radio and has been on a D-Star repeater somewhere, the system will be able to route my call to that system. D-Star also allows people to use a single radio for voice and APRS (D-Star's version is called DPRS) or voice and file transfers/text chat (using a computer program called D-Rats) at the same time. D-Star also supports high speed Digital Data using a special transceiver (the Icom ID-1 supports both Digital Voice/Slow Speed Data and High-speed Digital Data in the same unit). There are projects out there that enable people with non-Icom (or non-D-Star Icom) transceivers to participate in the system, and I know of at least one full D-Star compatible transceiver that should be on the market within the next few months that does not come from Icom.

Matthew Pitts
N8OHU

 

[N1KK]

Dstar

I played with Dstar about a year or so ago using my IC-706, FT-857 and FT-817.
I used a USB sound along with the Dstar dongle and a laptop. It sort of work but
was a lot cheaper then the $600 dollar device.
I met several friendly Hams on it. It bothers me only one company Icom is the supplier.

I loss interest in it. Maybe if those Chinese Radios come out some day with Dstar
in them for less than $200 I might buy one to play again.

I don't understand why APCO 25 isn't more popular. I would think it would be cheaper
than Dstar.

Ken
N1KK

 

[N9NRA]

I played with Dstar about a year or so ago using my IC-706, FT-857 and FT-817.
I used a USB sound along with the Dstar dongle and a laptop. It sort of work but
was a lot cheaper then the $600 dollar device.
I met several friendly Hams on it. It bothers me only one company Icom is the supplier.

I loss interest in it. Maybe if those Chinese Radios come out some day with Dstar
in them for less than $200 I might buy one to play again.

I don't understand why APCO 25 isn't more popular. I would think it would be cheaper
than Dstar.

Ken
N1KK

(strictly my openion here ). I think P25 isn`t more popular for at least two reasons that i can see, one, P25 can`t link "out of the box" as can DSTAR, if ya want to have a linked setup, the link(s) already have to be there already. Two, while there`s lots of comercial gear out there that can do P25, it`s not cheap, and needs to be programmed ahead of use and, from what i`ve been told by friends that use...and program...this gear, it`s also not easy to do for the avarage ham, the software isn`t very user-friendly, and the cables are (sometimes) expensive and hard to come by. That`s my two guesses why P25 really hasn`t caught up with DSTAR, although at some point in the feuture it just might . N9NRA