[Dstar] D-Star News - routing & linking options (and other bits)

[Richard Hoskin]

G'day,

 

As Peter VK3TQ mentioned in an earlier posting the Gold Coast D-Star launch
was a great success.

 

Now that we have another WIA D-Star repeater up and running I though it
would be a good time to remind you of a few D-Star operational items.

 

D-Star is a new system that allows you to talk to people around the world in
a verity of different ways (called routing & linking options). Each way has
it's advantages and disadvantages that you are all going to need to learn if
you wish to make full use of D-Star. Some of routing & linking options are
user controlled and some are currently administrator controlled.

 

To understand the routing & linking options be aware that local refers to
your local repeater or operator and remote refers to the repeater or
operator that is using a different D-Star repeater or Gateway to you.

 

With some routing & linking options you must 'Hang Up' after the call. This
means you Must place "CQCQCQ" in the URCALL of your D-Star radio after you
have completed your conversation with the other station.

 

Here is a brief description of the routing & linking options:

 

*	Callsign Routing:

-         Dial up your friend using his/her callsign in URCALL.

-         Similar to calling him/her on a mobile phone.

-         Your friend can be local or remote.

-         Your friend must enable Callsign Routing on his/her radio to talk
back to you.

-         You MUST both remember to 'Hang Up' after the call.

-         Can be used in conjunction with Gateway or Reflector Linking (with
some limitations).

-         Can not be used by DV Dongles operators.

-         Operator controlled.

 

*	Node Linking:

-         Node linking allows an operator, or group of operators, on the
local D-Star Repeater Node to talk to another operator, or group of
operators, on a remote D-Star Repeater Node using URCALL.

-         Similar to a party line / conference call on a phone.

-         This is where you place a " / " in the front of the remote
repeaters callsign to talk through that remote repeater.

-         The remote operator(s) must use Node Linking on his/her radio to
talk back to you.

-         You MUST remember to 'Hang Up' after the call.

-         Can be used in conjunction with Gateway or Reflector Linking (with
some limitations).

-         Can not be used by DV Dongles operators.

-         Operator controlled.

 

*	Gateway Linking:

-         Gateway linking allows an operator (administrator) on the local
D-Star repeater to link all voice & data from the local repeater to one or
more remote D-Star Repeaters without operators needing to program anything
special into their URCALL field.

-         You can leave the URCALL as "CQCQCQ"

-         Can be used in conjunction with Callsign Routing & Node Linking
(with some limitations).

-         DV Dongles operators can be heard by all operators.

-         Administrator controlled.

 

*	Reflector Linking:

-         A D-Star Reflector acts as a central conference hub where multiple
D-Star Nodes (repeaters) / DV Dongle operators can gather and all talk to
each other.

-         This in effect turns your local repeater (port) into one large
national or international repeater.

-         You can leave the URCALL as "CQCQCQ"

-         Can be used in conjunction with Callsign Routing & Node Linking
(with some limitations).

-         DV Dongles operators can be heard by all operators.

-         Administrator controlled.

 

*	Multicasting:

-         Dial up a pre-defined group of repeaters using the URCALL

-         The pre-defined group of repeaters is defined on each Repeater
Gateway by the administrator.

-         Communications to the pre-defined group of repeaters is achieved
by place a " / " in the front of the Multicast callsign. This enables
talking through to multiple remote repeaters.

-         All repeaters in the Multicast group must be configured in the
same way.

-         Administrator configured, Operator controlled

 

*	Cross-Band Routing:

-         Talk in on one local D-Star repeater port and out on a alternate
local D-Star repeater port.

-         Uses RPT2 to access the alternate repeater port.

-         The local operator on the alternate repeater port must place your
local repeater entry port into his/her RPT2.

-         You can leave the URCALL as "CQCQCQ"

-         You MUST remember to Reset RPT2 to your local Gateway callsign
after the call

-         Can be use in conjunction with Gateway or Reflector Linking (with
some limitations).

-         Can not be used by DV Dongles operators.

-         Operator controlled.

 

For full details of routing & linking options read
http://www.dstar.org.au/Australian_D-Star_Repeater_Linking_User_Guide_V1.pdf

 

Current Routing & Linking Status of Australian D-Star repeaters:

 

VK3RWN C and VK4RGC C are currently reflector linked on a permanent basis to
REF003 C

 

If you wish to have a local D-Star conversation or experiment with routing
it is recommended that you use Ports A and / or B on any of the D-Star
repeaters.

 

If you would like to participate on the National D-Star repeater network use
Port C.

 

Multicasting is currently set to respond to the URCALL of /VK

This will allow you to talk to all WIA VK D-Star repeaters simultaneously
using Port B.

Eg place /VK in URCALL

 

Note: These current setting do not apply to VK8RAD.

 

DPRS Settings

 

D-Star Position Reporting System's currently recommended settings are as
follows:

 

-         Only use automatic beaconing on port C

-         Set your automatic beacon for;

*         10 minutes for mobile stations.

*         30 minutes for base stations

*         Off when station is not attended.

-         Use an Icon that reflects the true operation of your station.

 

IC 2820 Radio setting for DPRS;

 

-         CALL SIGN Menu:

-         YOUR to CQCQCQ

-         RPT1 to [your local import repeater port]

-         RPT2 to [your local gateway]

 

-         DV GPS Menu:

-         GPS SENTENCE / RMC - ON & GGA - ON

-         GPS TX / GPS-A

-         GPS AUTO TX / 30MIN

 

-         GPS-A Menu:

-         UNPROTO / API282,DSTAR*

-         GPS-A SYMBOL / ( this should normally be set to a Car or Jeep )

-         To set your symbol to a House in GPS-A SYMBOL select Other: an
place "/-" (without the quotes) in the two character places provided.

 

 

You can view DPRS & APRS station positions on www.findu.com
<http://www.findu.com/>  www.db0anf.de <http://www.db0anf.de/>
http://aprs.fi <http://aprs.fi/>  or any APRS application.

 

 

Reminders;

 

*	You MUST leave a minimum of 4 sec break between overs!
*	You must 'Hang Up' after each Gateway conversation.
*	Remote visitors to the repeater may not hear local all local
stations.

-         This is totally dependent on the settings and access each local
station has.

-         General a remote station or DV Dongle operator will not hear you
if your RPT2 is not set to your local Gateway.

*	Be very aware not to double up with other users of the repeater.

-         The repeater may lock all users out for several minutes.

*	When using Callsign Routing, Node Linking, Multicasting or
Cross-Band Routing it is a good idea to announce how you are accessing the
D-Star system as the operator at the other end will have no idea of which
mode to use to communicate back to you.

 

I hope this information is helpful to you.

 

Enjoy D-Star.

 

Cheers

Richard

VK3JFK

National D-Star Coordinator

 

 

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