Why not do APCO-25?

Why not do APCO-25? That way we can continue in the fine tradition of using used commercial gear.

Commercial gear is not field programmable from the radio itself. It requires extra computer software and hardware that the average ham does not have. You will never find ham radio equipment that comes with the APCO P-25 standard built in. Some day, every ham radio manufacturer will be offering a D-STAR compliant / dual mode radio, because it is an open standard owned by the JARL (Japan Amateur Radio League).

<span style='color:red'>D-STAR was designed by Amateur Radio Operators for Amateur Radio Operators.</span>

That so called fine tradition of using used commercial gear limits the skill that can be learned by the user, because he is prevented from changing anything. Commercial gear has no VFO. You can’t add or delete a channel in the field. If another ham asks you to QSY to a simplex frequency that you haven’t got programmed in, you’re out of luck. If you go on holidays, and want to search the band for repeaters in the area that you are visiting, again you are out of luck. Commercial equipment leaves the end user totally out of the loop as far as control is concerned.

<span style='color:blue'>A D-Star dual mode ham radio has been designed with the needs of hams in mind.</span> The ham radio operator is in full control of the radio. He is free to set it up any way he wishes. The D-STAR 2-meter repeater is not yet a reality. It is just a mater of time before we will see them. They will link together like any other repeater or a D-STAR Internet Gateway can also link them.

Quote: (Can you spell "CELL PHONE"...........KB7UXE)

How to tell the difference? Simple – no monthly cell phone bill and no private line. Like any other ham radio, the world can listen in if they own a D-STAR dual mode ham radio. Only the hams that chose not to participate in this new ham radio technology will be unable to listen in. The person who owns a D-STAR dual mode ham radio will be able to talk to any ham that chooses not to participate in this new ham radio technology. He is the one who owns a real ham radio and chooses to be on the leading edge of technology.

 

commercial radios are not field programmable for a reason. the reason is they are work radios. like the bat lab stuff it's a rock. made for working not for the hobby guy.
get it.
w9jab
JOE

 

"Real ham radio?"

Wow, I sure feel left out with my Drakes. Been fooling myself for years.

 

Just a short reminder. I am not knocking any other mode, VHF, UHF, SHF or HF. I also use a lot of older and commercial equipment. I am only trying to point out some of the differences between commercial equipment and equipment designed by hams, for hams.

D-STAR cannot be applied to HF radios, so let’s not discuss them in this thread. My sole interest is the use of D-STAR in the 2-meter and 70 cm bands. Currently the only Dual Band / Dual Mode radio available is the ICOM ID800H. More choices will become available as other manufactures play “catch up” with the open protocol from the JARL (Japan Amateur Radio League).

If you want to learn more about D-STAR look at : http://www.icomamerica.com/amateur/dstar/DStarHistory.asp and learn about it’s history.

 

How much did Icom pay for this commercial?

 

I think it sounds Good, But till it really takes off, Nobody is going to jump with both feet. The Concept is good, and I can see Right off the possable uses, But you have "Icom's (only at this point) D-Star, Yaesu's Wires (Again Yaesu Only)"... Till someone makes it a solid choise, and it gets accepted, I'll hold off..

 

Your NOT disfunctional, Just Mis-interpreted...
"Just because your Paranoid, Doesn't mean there NOT out to get you!"

 

Well Shucks, I guess that ol' boy really likes that there D-Star.

Thank you kindly there Jan, reckon we heard you the first time.
Have a nice day from the deep south of the UK.

John

 

But what about Motorola Syntor and the GE Delta radios?
For the appliance operators, there are assembled Control heads that provide the ricebox scan and offer full programmability. Some of the APCO standard radios are that flexible, but being newer no one offers a "kit" to modify them. But you can't get neighboring counties to buy radio systems that interoperate! So why you expect hams to be any different! Just my opinion but I love the low band syntor and the UHF delta that I run in my vehicle. You can't beat 100W for simplex range. Maybe they didn't sell those up the cold north land.

Have fun, it is only a hobby and not a profession. 73 Ed KE3D

 

Hey didn't this ad run a week ago. We know you love it but pleeeeez give us a break. Almost makes code/no code look good.

 

I have a few questions:
how reliable is this if the power goes out?
or maybe how reliant are they on telco/hard wire links?
will it be like a cell site ? a cell site that can;t talk to other cells is useless.
or will they operate just like a ham repeater does now ( if batt backup avail)
When we had an earthquake here in washington,
NO cell /land line phones worked, only ham repeaters ( god bless the hams)
Even the Seattle coast guard resorted to useing their ham radio ops to get help. (go figure.....)

Dan. kb7uxe.

p.s. just how will my key work on this thing??? ...-.-

 

It is just as reliable as any other ham radio or commercial radio product. The only question is how well prepared are you for an emergency. It works radio to radio, and does not need telco/hard wire links. It is 100% radio with the versatility of connecting a laptop for data. This data can be 100% sent via the air waves, but you are free to use the telco/hard wire links, should they be available.

<span style='color:red'>When the 2-meter / 70 cm D-Star repeaters become a reality, you will be able to link them together just like any other repeater. You can chose the more expensive method of linking via the air waves or you can also chose to use the telco/hard wire links.</span>

If your D-STAR ham radio repeater is not touched by the disaster, It too will be working. (God bless the ham who builds one.)

P.S. - Sorry, your key won’t work with this thing unless you decide to build a digital interface for it. It is possible, but why would you want to?

 

O – zip – zilch!
I am living on a disability pension and enjoy sharing my enthusiasm with my fellow hams.

 

Can you say Déjà Vu?

 

Guess he likes Icom A LOT

Well, hey, so do I...my first rig was an Icom IC-2GAT.

This D-STAR stuff sounds interesting, but, like most other operators, I'm going to take this with a grain of salt and look at it from every possible angle before I sink my hard-earned bucks into just such a system. Heck, I'm having a tough time just getting my analog, rock-bound 220 repeater operational. Now, if D-STAR were available on 220...

Doug, KB7RKY

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