[d-star] DStar Comms

Mon Feb 18 09:13:04 CST 2008

I guess I'll have a chance to try low speed DV for data this summer. 
There is a fair amount of interest in the low-speed data 2M/440 side of 
D-STAR as well as the high speed side. I don't mind the low speed nature 
of the system, I'm just not sure how well it will work to combine data 
and DV this way. How will the applications break the data? If the 
operator keys up to say "OK", but the data side gets a long data string, 
how long will the data keep the transmitter up? If running a voice net 
or round-table, the added time while the data stops flowing before the 
next user can key up will be annoying. Of course, for people used to 
Nextel or APCO25, it may not be an issue. I have used P25 but don't 
consider myself a long time user. I still tend to get annoyed with the 
BONK when the channel is busy.

73, Doug Reed, N0NAS.

Mark Thompson wrote:
> Doug - 
>
> It seems that the Minneapolis area is unique in that the traditional packet community has exploited the use of 1.2 GHz D-STAR high-speed digital data. In most other areas D-STAR is driven by the use of 2m & 70cm digital voice & internet gateway access with 1.2GHz DD being an afterthought. Consequently, there is more interest in those areas in Digital Voice's low-speed data. 
>
> There is no audio from the speaker of a Digital Voice radio while low-speed data is being received. Since DV data can be sent simultaneously with a voice transmission & since the data only transmissions are short messages there may not be that much channel contention. 
>
> In addition to using DV data for transmitting GPS coordinates for D-PRS/APRS use it can also be useful for sending short text messages. 
>
> The program UK D-STAR Comms is that latest of several text message applications using DV data. There is a German application called D-TERM. The first & most popular application is: d*Chat. A link to the d*Chat web site & video of use of it by a ARES group is below. 
>
> d*Chat 
> D-Star Keyboard to Keyboard Chat Application for Windows by NJ6N 
> http://nj6n.com/dstar/dstar_chat.html 
>
> d*Chat Video 
> Use by ARES Group 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuPy34EPYf0
>  
> You also might find interesting a video about a group using both low-speed & high-speed data for ARES use: 
>
> ARES using D-STAR Video 
> Amateur Radio Emergency Service Group Using D-STAR 
> http://youtube.com/watch?v=q8dUJp0rc0g 
>  
> 73, Mark, WB9QZB
> Chicago, IL
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/illinoisdigitalham/
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Doug Reed <n0nas at amsat.org>
> To: List for people interested in the D Star repeaters <d-star at lists.twinslan.org>
> Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 6:36:24 PM
> Subject: Re: [d-star] DStar Comms
>
> Just from reading the description, it sounds like the program was 
> intended to work with low-speed D-STAR radios over the data port. It 
> just doesn't seem that useful to me, at least not if you are trying to 
> monitor a DV repeater or listen to some high-traffic event like a 
> swap-net. Essentially it is using D-STAR data as if it were a packet 
> channel. The only saving grace is that the data passes without hearing 
> the BRAAAP of packet. But if you listen closely, you should still be 
> hearing the audio path open and close on a quiet carrier as the data 
> blocks are sent and received. Or maybe the D-STAR radio is smart enough 
> not to open the audio path if the data is present without the voice PTT 
> being keyed.... But you can't send data without sending a carrier which 
> means you are taking time away from any other use of the channel. You 
> wouldn't want to use this on a busy channel during a net. The data would 
> forever be trying to flow and either disrupting communications or 
> extending a voice message block. i.e. sending a block of data may take 
> longer than saying "yes" into the mike. But if you want to leave your DV 
> radio sitting on a quiet simplex channel, it could be used as both a 
> data and calling channel.....
>
> >From  my viewpoint, the only low-speed DD application I've found useful 
> is the GPS/APRS location burst. That should be short enough not to cause 
> any problems.... This is one of the main reasons we ordered the Icom 
> 2820H with D-STAR and GPS. We will automatically have D-STAR GPS 
> capability and the GPS will also feed other systems in the comm van..... 
> But it could be that in the future we'll be seeing applications for 
> D-STAR low-speed DD that just haven't been thought of yet.... Even this 
> D-STAR Comms program would be considerably more useful if the ability to 
> "scan" a DV channel and jump to a DD channel for data was inherent in 
> the software. Although then it would be best if the DV channel was 
> pretty quiet rather than running an active net....
>
> 73, Doug Reed, N0NAS.
>
> Mark Thompson wrote:
>   
>> DStar Comms is an application used with D-Dstar enabled radios through the data port on the radio. There are many features and functions that would support many groups and users requirements. 
>>
>> Main Features: 
>>
>> 1) Text Chat (Send and Receive text messages between DStar Comms Users) 
>> 2) Beacon Mode (Periodically send Text Based Beacons) 
>> 3) Email Gateway (Will allow RF users to relay emails to the internet) 
>> 4) Email Composer (Allows user to send an email to a DStar Comms user who has configured the Email Gateway) 
>> 5) Address Book for keeping users email address. 
>> 6) Heard List (Automatically records heard users callsigns) 
>>
>> www.m0dqw.co.uk
>>
>> ----- Forwarded Message ----
>> From: Gavin Nesbitt gnesbitt at tiscali.cz
>> Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 2:44:46 PM
>> Subject: DStar Comms
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Sent of behalf of Matt M0DQW
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------
>>
>> If you've heard of DStar Comms before then please forgive me.
>>
>> Just thought I would send an email to the group to let you know about 
>> the latest version of DStar Comms.
>>
>> Here's the current feature list:
>>
>> 1) Text Chat (Send and Receive text messages between DStar Comms 
>> Users)
>> 2) Beacon Mode (Periodically send Text Based Beacons) 
>> 3) Email Gateway (Will allow RF users to relay emails to the 
>> internet via fixed users) 
>> 4) Email Composer (Allows user to send an email to a DStar Comms user 
>> who has configured the Email Gateway) 
>> 5) Address Book for keeping users email address. 
>> 6) Heard List (Automatically records heard users callsigns)
>> 7) Font style and colour selcation for main window.
>>
>> If you would like to try the software please visit my website:  
>> www.m0dqw.co.uk for the D-Star Comm download and forum.
>>
>> Thanks and 73's
>>
>> Matt - M0DQW
>> www.m0dqw.co.uk
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>>
>> Gavin Nesbitt,
>> M1BXF.
>>
>> CRG Technical Coordinator.
>> www.cambridgerepeaters.net 
>> www.camb-hams.com
>>
>>
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>>
>>  
>>     
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