At 02:56 AM 7/15/2010, you wrote: >There are some folks who are using the DVDONGLE in combination with >an FM radio to get on D-STAR and I guess you could build such a >beast (as long as you handled the ID requirements - every radio must >ID on its transmission frequency). Play with native D-STAR for >awhile and you may find your opinion changing. :)
A lot of people seem to make a big deal of the ID issue, but to me, it's no different than setting up a standalone Echolink node. The ID requirements are exactly the same, and the methods for dealing with it have been well known for decades, though more options have come in recent years. I feel the ID issue, while necessary for legal operation, is a red herring in the context in which it gets raised as a barrier between D-STAR and analog. It is not. Just put in a Morse or voice ID module, and configure it to ID at least once every 10 minutes, while the link is active. There will be some _inconvenience_ in the FM -> D-STAR direction, because the originating user's callsign won't appear on the D-STAR users' radios, but each transmitter in the chain is still legally identifying ITSELF. >Oh, and you can make your own D-STAR radio -- AE4JY built and >demonstrated a 2-meter radio over 3 years ago. Yes you have to use >the AMBE chip ($20+) as a part in it, just like transistors, >integrated circuits, filters, etc. -- other hams are working similar >projects (see: ><http://dutch-star.eu/products/ds-1/)>http://dutch-star.eu/products/ds-1/) >-- you probably won't convince anyone stuck in spark gap land, but >their argument(s) are invalid. And as I have previously mentioned, there are computer based solutions as well, if you have a DV Dongle for the AMBE part. The "lack of homebrew" is another red herring. :) 73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL http://vkradio.com
