Ham Radio Digital Modes: Which Will Survive The Test of Time?

[KC3ECJ]

I spent a little bit of time recently scanning the D-Star repeaters near me. While I don't have an traditional D-Star transceivers, I am scanning the repeater frequencies in the analog mode to see the level of activity on them. As a point of reference, I live in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul (Twin Cities) Metropolitan area. I monitored 21 different repeater frequencies. Over the course of several days I heard zero activity. The receiver was connected to a PC for logging purposes. I also checked the website that shows Icom D-Star activity and none of my local repeaters listed any activity, recently.

Conversely, I have listened to XLX Multiprotocol Gateway Reflector XLX632 and there is activity there. I have looked at the run down of who is connecting via RF vs hotspots. There certainly are people connecting using repeaters. I am just saying that the D-Star repeaters near me are very quiet.

Of course, that is also true of other digital modes, as well. Probably some with repeaters and some with hotspots.

I like icom radios, but there's just about no D Star repeaters around here.
Some operators I know would like for me to get a Fusion radio, but the thing is I got into amateur radio already being a scanner enthusiast.
So I've opted to get a DMR radio so I could listen to some business and government stuff in addition to amateur DMR.
Then I just got a good deal on another DMR radio. Plus I like how these two radios allow for large channel capacity and zones/banks even for the analog stuff.