D-Star Users in Iowa

[Radioman96p71]

I know there have been threads in the past about this but i wanted to start a new one to see if anything has changed.

So I'm looking to get a new radio for the car, and the battle is between the Icom 2820H and the new Yaesu 350R. One of the deciding factors for me is going to be the use of D-Star and my question is: How many D-Star users are there in the Des Moines area?

I know there are a lot of variables in choosing a new radio and one of the questions im sureI'll get is "how often do you use repeaters" and "how often would you use D-Star" The answer is not that much. My repeater usage is mainly for Skywarn / storm spotter activites and not so much ragchewing. But the idea of D-Star and the digital voice/low-speed data is very intriguing. I understand that there is only 2 repeaters in the metro? a 144 and a 440?

Any information / opinions / ideas would be greatly appreciated!

On a side note, does any one own either one of the radios above? I want to use it as a wide-band receiver and curious about its performance. Thanks in advance!!

 

[daren77]

Hi Adam,

I have both the 2820H as well as the 92AD. I live in NW Iowa where there is as of yet no D-Star repeater, however we are slowly working to change that... that is if the $$ Gods shine down favorably on us.

Anyway... I use the 2820 as a wide band receiver and find it performs just fine. I use the air band as well as public safety and hav no issues. Overall it's a great radio in my opinion. The only down side is the need to buy the optional D-Star board at a price that is almost as much as a completely separate radio. But I hope one day... the prices of D-Star equip will come down.

I've heard rumor (as you probably have) that Kenwood is selling D-Star capable radios overseas and that they may be coming down the pike here in the US, but no telling when that may happen. Then again, that may be just a rumor.

When I bought my last two VHF radios I bought them with the idea that D-Star was on the horizon and just wanted to be ready for when it makes its way to NW Iowa. I will be interested in the responses you receive with this thread.

Daren
N0WOK
Milford, IA

 

[Radioman96p71]

Thats for the response! I have been leaning toward the 2820h because i have always been a big Icom fan, but the price of the D-Star module and the receive sensitivity in the 800 band was starting to shy me away. (800 mhz sens. is 1.2uv compared to my portable radio @ .28uv)

I really like the diversity receive on it too, but i cant find anywhere in the manual where it says if you get to use both bands while running it or not. Has anyone tried this? Does it actually help at all?

Thanks again!

 

[newsphotog]

The KD0IAN D-STAR system in Des Moines is my main system, primarily the UHF module. I have the IC-91AD and the ID-800H. I have heard lots of complaints from people that own 2820's that the intermod is pretty bad. I haven't had many problems with my radios but of couse the front end won't be as great as Moto.

FWIW, you could probably buy two ID-880's for the price of one IC-2820, maybe cheaper, including the D-STAR board.

You should be able to easily hit the tower from Bondu... it has impressive coverage... I've been able to hit it as far away as Greenfield, Martensdale, and Prairie City-Monroe while mobile. On good days, I can hit it from inside my apartment with my handheld at half a watt... but consistently at 5 watts.

For Daren or those with D-STAR radios but no repeater in their area... the main DV simplex freq is 145.67. Just leave RPTR1 and RPTR2 blank and the URCALL as CQCQCQ. I also keep this freq in my scan list. Daren... I will be sure to put out my call on this freq when I am passing through your area to see family in Spirit Lake next time.

 

[Radioman96p71]

Thanks for the reply, I think I have made my decision.

I have heard lots of complaints from people that own 2820's that the intermod is pretty bad.

I have too after doing a lot of reading in other forums from users, I guess with that wide of a frontend, you are bound to get some intermod.

I think what I have narrowed it down to is the new Yaesu 350R or the Kenwood 710a. Im really leaning toward the Kenwood for its APRS and other features, but I have to admit, that Yaesu is looking pretty impressive. I think i will go with the Kenwood and with the money I saved, pick up a D-Star ready radio like the ID-880 down the road.

Nothing is purchased yet so im sure I will waffle a bit more on it haha. I have even thought about going with commerical radios like m7100's or Orions but Id like to have one radio in the car that is frequency agile. Problem i have is the car this is all going in doesnt leave much room for control heads, so I'm tyin to kill all birds with one stone, so to speak. I already have the remote control head for my EDACS portable mounted (that was a challenge in itself) so now im trying to find a feature-filled radio that takes up minimal real estate. The search continues! Thanks again for the informative replies!

 

[WB0VHB]

Stumbled across this old thread and thought an update was in store.

I have a new UHF non-ICOM homebrew dstar repeater on the air in Mt. Pleasant. It has all the functions of a big $$$ ICOM repeater but at a fraction of the cost. It is constructed from two Motorola GM300 mobile radios and computer running Linux software that was free. My biggest expense was a GMSK modem to connect the radios to the computer. It was $ 100.00. An ICOM dstar mobile or HT is still required to access the repeater however.

There is a very large number of people now building their own dstar repeaters and simplex hot spots. If you already own a dstar compatible radio but are too far from a dstar repeater, you can build your own. And not spend much more than I did for mine. Most of the hot spot computer programs run from Windows so don't let Linux scare you away.

I am 12 air miles from the Mt. Pleasant repeater and my shack is in my basement. While I can work the UHF repeater fairly well in the shack, hitting it reliably requires me to go upstairs or tether my HT to an outside antenna.

Instead I built a 2 meter simplex hot spot using a single Motorola GM300 moble, GMSK modem and a computer running free Windows software. Now I can connect my 2 meter simplex hot spot to the UHF dstar repeater, move freely around the house and have the coverage of a UHF repeater at 350'.

That's the dstar update from SE Iowa.

Randy
WB0VHB

I know there have been threads in the past about this but i wanted to start a new one to see if anything has changed.

 

[timkilbride]

They need to make a radio that does P25, D-Star, and MotoTRBO! To many digital formats and a repeater in Iowa is on all three of those digital formats.

Tim