GB7IC nears 2000 D-STAR callsign registrations! The Icom UK D-STAR repeater, GB7IC, nears the magical figure of 2000 D-STAR callsign registrations. GB7IC's first registration was way back in April 2008, and ten years later nearly 2000 people have registered via our repeater to the gateway. To have this many registrations from one D-STAR repeater is an incredible feat and congratulations to the Icom UK team for registering all those users. D-STAR is the worlds most popular digital amateur radio network with currently 1652 repeaters globally*. In the UK, there are currently, 77 operational D-STAR repeaters with another 12 licensed and more coming on line. Many, many more callsigns are registered on these other repeaters. To find out more about the D-STAR and how to get involved in this exciting form of Amateur radio, visit our dedicated microsite at www.d-staruk.co.uk *As quoted by Icom Inc. http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2018/march/gb7ic-nears-2000-dstar-callsign-registrations.htm
DMR has at least 1000 new users every couple of weeks I humbly disagree with dstar so called popularity
I'm not a fan boy of any particular mode, and not trying to start an argument, but if it weren't for all of the cheap DMR radios flooding the market, DMR wouldn't be seeing nearly the growth it is. Just my opinion.
You can't run any digital signals on those digital modes. (WL2K, FLDIGI) There needs to be a whole new generation of software to catch up to the digital modes. The Nyquist frequency will probably prevent that from happening currently, tho. My current handheld has so many other features; (220MHz, TNC, APRS, wide RCVR) D-STAR was just coming along for the ride.
D-STAR has been started earlier and thus had a giant advantage but seems have lost it due extensive growing of DMR. There were no actual competitors many years in terms of technology and in terms of user equipment. If you wanted a new digital relay you had no choice except D-STAR. If you wanted D-STAR radio to play with on that relay you had no choice except an overpriced Icom. Regardless the fact DMR was never intended to be used by HAMs (who cares?), DMR has three advantages: better audio, TDMA and cheap radios (i.e. not only expensive). People were prepared by D-STAR and are ready for an idea of digital voice so it is not a big surprise to see how fast DMR is growing. Thanks to Kenwood now you can buy nice HT that could do D-STAR too. Hope this would increase occasional D-STAR activity. However there is lot of people who couldn’t try DV until cheap DMR HTs became available. BTW, why don’t we, HAMs, use open source and free Codec2/FreeDV? This is not a question of the price itself; this is the question of ideology. HAM radio is open source, we shouldn’t use anything proprietary as long as we can.
2000 D-STAR callsign registrations! Really? Is this how VHF/UHF guys rate popularity by, subscriptions?
D Star is the only repeater with any real traffic in my neighborhood. Things are changing. Time for me to go Dstar. Not much of any other digital modes around me. Analog repeaters seem to be dead around me. An observation only. Not a comment on which Digital mode is better. D Star is not owned by Icom. So why is there no cheaper radios on the market? Tulsa area. of course I could be wrong........
To make a comment like that you need to understand D-Star, you have no way of making an an accurate assessment of the number of DMR starters, Most people use more than one digital mode these days, GB7IC is ONE repeater that holds registrations, Every Icom G1-G3 D Star repeater can hold registrations. VK3RWN is Melbourne holds hundreds, so if you add up all the D-Star registrations around the world, particularly in Japan and the US, your argument falls flat its face, you need to do your research Not into ideology, because so many respond to this also with agenda driven flawed arguments. So I humbly disagree with your post, you will find that about 100% of DMR registrants are those who experiment in many digital; protocols, that are already registered with their local D-Star repeater / US Trust server and the Fusion system and any other systemic mode. These days is not about one Vs the other, sick and tired of this argument. Its about having fun, learning something and helping other hams get into all digital voice modes and btw The Brandmiester guys are doing an absolutely fantastic job, developing DMR usability and Human interfaces, Just as the D-Star Guys like Robin Cutshaw AA4RC Just as the guys in Australia developing Codec 2 on HF. Its time for a lot of hams to grow up and embrace innovation and work together, Viva La Amateur Radio Digital Voice has saved the hobby !!! Pete VK3TQ
