On 01/20/2010 06:52 AM, Neil wrote:
Hmmmm...
If Icom themselves aren't interested in showing off their kit, then
open source/homebrew it must be.
Would't it be good if there was an Icom stand next to a homebrew
D-Star repeater group, one side costs thousands, the other, less than
$100. I think the message is clear, I know what I'd rather have, a
sub $100 box that out performs well an expensive piece of junk that
doesn't work 1/2 as well.
I talk from experiance too, if I could actually say there was an Icom
VHF box over here that works as well as any of the homebrew ones over
here, then I would not have to make this statement.
GB3WE is proof of this, just worked it today almost 100 miles away,
show me an Icom box that will do the same...
I work VK4RWN (Icom stack) from 100 mile here and VK3RMM (Icom stack)
has been worked from 200 mile.
From what I hear Icom have improved the jumpers etc in the modules on
the current market.
Location location Location, the success of a repeater is the same as for
real estate hihi.
Its good to see new development at an economic levels, as long as it
complies with Trust server
and dstar standards.
vk4tux