Icom ID-50A - A new entry level D-STAR HT on the way!

Feature update to ID-51A

https://www.icomjapan.com/lineup/products/ID-50A/

 

Maybe they'll announce something in August at the Ham Fair event they have in Japan

 

Maybe the 7100 will get updated this year and that's the reason none are in stock.
The 705 also isn't in stock but I think they may be robbing those parts to put in the 905 is my guess

 

I can't see spending $400 for a monochrome HT and no Bluetooth.
I guess DStar may be popular over in Japan and I wouldn't mind playing with it but I guess I'll see what Kenwood announces and how much their HT will cost

 

Which is more popular, D-STAR or WIRES-X?

 

NO APRS? - No thanks!

 

I've seen digital modes on VHF/UHF come and go in 1-country. First it was D-Star, and many of the GOMOTO types were convinced this was the absolute best, yet it petered out in Massachusetts within a year (we still do have a few repeaters up on it) but it was more of a New Hampshire thing. Then it was APCO-25, especially with the price and availability of Astro Sabers and XTS-series. That was short lived with the big three in Massachusetts around '10, including Westborough 440, Boston 440 and the Waltham 2m being used by (n=10) hammies; now there are a few more (Uxbridge, Marshfield, Norwell, Worm City), and about 4 or 6 on 900 P25. Then along came DMR! DMARC first then Brandmeister... lots of Moto XPR gear reasonably priced; hell, I even think DMARMC DMR got me back on HF... to me, IMO, DMR is the FT8 of repeaters. Now, since covid, up here, the daily commute is not what it used to be, silent keys, retirees, and some hammies moved. We even have multi-"mode" repeaters up here on P25/DMR/NXDN/Analog... a couple two three, in fact.

Sigh.

When I last counted, on NE Repeaters spreadsheet in '12, in Massachusetts alone, we had 328 repeaters 10m - 900 MHz on the air. With seldom being use. But hey, I get it, guys like to build them and put them on the air.

When all else fails, there is analog 2m. Efficient, accessible, and available.

Keep it hammy, lads.

 

Ah, to be able to make DX contacts over the internet... <sacrasm on> coool!! <sarcasm off>. In my book, this has nothing to do with amateur radio. It is no more than the equivalent of a cell phone connection.

 

Oh man, you got me spilling my coffee all over my keyboard and screen.
Now, if only Icom would come up with a replacement main board, preferably under warranty, that fixes the terrible instability of its main VCXO and add either a holder for a lithium battery or use a supercap instead of a rechargeable lithium cell underneath a soldered shield that wears out after two years, predicably by design.... if only.... only then the IC-9700 would be a decent piece of lit got satellite and microwave users.

 

Okay, I'll bite ...
I remember a recent D-STAR QSO with a ham in New Zealand. We had a long conversation about our experiences with electric cars. It was very nice with clear digital audio, no need for repeats. We were using amateur repeaters on both ends of the contact. Does it really matter that the signals traveled through the Internet instead of the ionosphere? If I made the same contact through 2 analog repeaters linked by a landline telephone service (which used to be common), is that not amateur radio?
Define "nothing to do with amateur radio."

 

Translates to "you're doing radio wrong".

Chris

 

...there is something in the hobby for every hammy.

 

This is how I see it. You and I could have called that ham in New Zealand with our cell phones and we wouldn't have needed a license to do that and we wouldn't have called it an amateur radio QSO, would we?
To me, amateur radio is about challenges, experimenting and making contacts with radio, from A to B. DStar from one ham to another, fine. But the moment you add internet to it (or a land line for old times sake) to cover distance, somehow it won't stick in my mind as amateur radio.
Technically speaking, if those systems are set up by radio amateurs, then yes, you can call it amateur radio. But I prefer to lay emphasis on amateur radio And to me, there is no challenge in that. Just as little as local rag chewing, although that ususally covers more distance than those 30 feet from a HT to a hot spot

 

So... no Motorola SmartConnect for you, @PA0MHS ?

 

Well I pre-ordered it. I’ll decide to buy it or back out depending on final price. I like the waterfall, it would be handy for scanning on 2m out at my cabin. Or maybe I’ll just find a good price on a used 52 instead.