[d-star] 2008 ARRL/TAPR DCC (Digital Communications Conference), September 26 - 28

[Mark Thompson]

ARRL/TAPR DCC (Digital Communications Conference), 
September 26 - 28, 2008, Chicago, IL 
 
More Information about the DCC at: http://www.tapr.org/dcc.html
Mark your calendar and start making plans to attend the premier technical conference of the year, the 27th Annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference to be held September 26-28, 2008, in Chicago, Illinois. The conference location is the Holiday Inn Hotel, Elk Grove Village IL 
The ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference is an international forum for radio amateurs to meet, publish their work, and present new ideas and techniques. Presenters and attendees will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about recent hardware and software advances, theories, experimental results, and practical applications. 
Topics include, but are not limited to:
Software defined radio (SDR), digital voice (D-Star, P25, WinDRM, FDMDV, G4GUO), digital satellite communications, Global Position System (GPS), precision timing, Automatic Position Reporting System® (APRS), short messaging (a mode of APRS), Digital Signal Processing (DSP), HF digital modes, Internet interoperability with amateur radio networks, spread spectrum, IEEE 802.11 and other Part 15 license-exempt systems adaptable for Amateur Radio, using TCP/IP networking over amateur radio, mesh and peer to peer wireless networking, emergency and Homeland Defense backup digital communications, using Linux in amateur radio, updates on AX.25 and other wireless networking protocols. 
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Three-Day Conference
(Friday, Saturday, Sunday) 
Technical and introductory sessions will be presented all day Friday and Saturday. 
Friday Evening Social. Join others at the conference for a Friday evening social get together. 
 
Saturday Evening Banquet with an invited speaker that concludes with award presentations and prize drawing. 
 
The ever-popular Sunday Seminar that focuses on a topic and provides an in-depth four-hour presentation by an expert in the field. 
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Technical Sessions
 
This is a must attend conference for technically inclined amateurs. Now, more than ever, amateur radio needs this great meeting of the minds to demonstrate a continued need for our current frequency allocations by pushing forward and documenting our achievements. The ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference is the best way to record our accomplishments and challenge each other to do more. 
Just review past DCC proceedings to the see the depth of topics presented since 1981. 
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Introductory Sessions
 
The ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference is for all levels of technical experience, not just for the expert. Not only is the conference technically stimulating, it is a weekend of fun for all who have more than a casual interest in any aspect of amateur digital electronics and communications. 
Introductory sessions are scheduled throughout the conference to introduce new technical topics for beginners and experts alike. Here are some of the introductory seminars scheduled: 

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Banquet Speaker
 
Each year the conferences invites top amateurs in the field to speak. Past speakers have included Geoff Baehr, N6LXA, Chief Network Officer of Sun Microsystems, Dale Hatfield, W0IFO, Chief of the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology, Yutaka Sakurai, JF1LZQ, Vice President of Japan's Packet Radio User's Group, and Ken Kaplan, N0GZ, who wrote the OS/9 operating system. 

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Sunday Seminar
  Software Radio Through the Looking-Glass
Phil Harman, VK6APH
One of the most exciting, and rapidly evolving, aspects of Ham Radio is that of Software Defined Radios. What was initially left to technical minded experimenters is now starting to move into the main stream. The latest SDRs offer performance equal to the best analogue radios on the market. 
For those brought up on analogue radios there is quite a learning curve to understand exactly how these new radios work, what they do well and what shortcomings they have. 
Phil will guide us through the basics of SDRs right up to the very latest techniques that digitise signals directly at the antenna socket. Using diagrams and a minimum of math he will cover such subjects as front end design, mixers, why we need I and Q signals, digital up and down conversion, AGC techniques, noise blanking and high efficiency Power Amplifiers. 

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Demonstration Room
Each year at the DCC a separate (and lockable) room is provided for people to bring and show off their latest projects. Tables and power will be provided. Bring your equipment and display for all to see, learn, and ask questions about. Be sure to bring a small sign and/or flyer naming and describing your project. 
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Hotel
Conference presentations, meetings, and seminars will be held at the Holiday Inn Hotel Elk Grove Village, IL. 
It is highly recommendedthat you book your room prior to arriving. 
A block of rooms at the special DCC room rate of $89.00 single/double. 
This special rate is good until September 7, 2008or until the block of rooms are all sold out. 
To book your room, call the hotel directly (phone numbers below) and mention the group code TAPR DCC when making reservations. 
Be sure to book your rooms early!
Holiday Inn Hotel Elk Grove Village
1000 Busse Road
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
Phone: (847) 437-6010
Fax: (847) 806-9369
Internet: http://www.hielkgrove.com 

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Transportation
The nearest airport is the Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD). The Holiday Inn Hotel Elk Grove Village provides a complimentary airport shuttle service. Contact the hotel front desk for availability and scheduling. 
 
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Call for Papers
Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the 27th Annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference to be held September 26-28, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois and publication in the Conference Proceedings. Annual conference proceedings are published by the ARRL. Presentation at the conference is not required for publication. 
Submission of papers are due by July 31st, 2008 and should be submitted to:  
Maty Weinberg, ARRL
225 Main Street
Newington, CT 06111
or via the Internet to maty at arrl.org 

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Details on Call for Papers 
 
Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference for publication in the Conference Proceedings. 
Annual conference proceedings are published by the ARRL. Presentation at the conference is not required for publication. 
The ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference is an international forum for radio amateurs to meet, publish their work, and present new ideas and techniques. Presenters and attendees will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about recent hardware and software advances, theories, experimental results, and practical applications. Topics include, but are not limited to: 
	* Software defined radio (SDR) 
	* Digital voice (D-Star, P25, WinDRM, FDMDV, DRMDV, G4GUO) 
	* Digital satellite communications 
	* Global position system 
	* Precise Timing 
	* Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS) 
	* Short messaging (a mode of APRS) 
	* Digital Signal Processing (DSP) 
	* HF digital modes 
	* Internet interoperability with Amateur Radio networks 
	* Spread spectrum 
	* IEEE 802.11 and other Part 15 license-exempt systems adaptable for Amateur Radio 
	* Using TCP/IP networking over Amateur Radio 
	* Mesh and peer to peer wireless networking 
	* Emergency and Homeland Defense backup digital communications in Amateur Radio 
	* Updates on AX.25 and other wireless networking protocols 
	* Topics that advanced the amateur radio art