[Dstar] simplex node

[Tony Langdon]

At 04:29 PM 2/21/2010, you wrote:
>Hi Richard
>
>Thanks for the info.
>
>Please excuse me for asking dumb questions. I am just starting to 
>learn about the subject. I dont actually have a D-star radio and I'm 
>not yet registered on the network. I really want to try D-star but I 
>live in a rural area where radio hams exhibit the most disgusting 
>levels of lethargy I've ever witnessed in people who describe 
>themselves as enthusiasts. So no D-star repeaters here and the only 
>way I'm going to have anyone to talk to (digitally) is if I provide 
>my own internet connection. Hense the desire to build a simplex node.

Good on you, way to go.  Well, if you go down the Hotspot route, then 
Richard's advice will work well.  You would need to register on a 
gateway, probably one of the VK2 ones.  Then you'd need to setup two 
terminals, which would be

VK2CJC <space>  - this one would be for your radio
VK2CJC N - this would be for the Hotspot.

Of course, you'd need a D-STAR capable radio to use it! :)

However, as I said, it's possible to go even further and gain full 
access to D-STAR's facilities, using the same node adapter hardware, 
but a Linux based software package by David Lake G4ULF.

>
>anyhow......
>
> > If I understand correctly what you are referring to is a D-Star 
> HotSpot or D-Star Access Point as described here 
> <http://www.w9arp.com/HotSpot/>http://www.w9arp.com/HotSpot/
>
>Yep, thats what I was thinking of. Or more precisely, one of these 
><http://www.dutch-star.nl/node_adapter/>http://www.dutch-star.nl/node_adapter/

Yep, that's functionally equivalent hardware.

>
>Question, what does it mean by-
>Q: Does callsign or slash routing with with D-STAR Hot Spot?
>N: NO - D-STAR Hot Spot talks to DPlus. Callsign and slash routing 
>are not supported by DPlus.

You need to do a bit of study on D-STAR.  There's some information on 
www.dstar.org.au, but in short, there are two main sets of 
features.  First are those that are native to the Icom implementation 
(current version known as "G2").  These features are the ones 
outlines in Icom radio manuals, which are:

To route to a specific station, you need to configure your radio with 
your callsign, the callsign of the station you wish to reach, and the 
local repeater port and gateway used to enter the D-STAR 
network.  This system is "stateless" (i.e. there's no concept of 
connection or disconnection), and the other end needs to route back 
to you, for 2 way communication to proceed.

The second set of features is created by the DPlus add on, which is 
on all Australian gateways.  This feature set enables IRLP like 
linking between gateways, as well as reflector linking (analagous to 
IRLP reflectors).  Unlike the G2 routing, DPlus links do have connect 
and disconnect commands, and there is no need to route back to the 
other end to reply.  You simply have your radio set to use the local 
repeater and gateway, but with no specific destination (i.e. UR = CQCQCQ).

The DVAR Hotspot enables your node adapter to use the second (DPlus) 
set of services to link to gateways and reflectors.  However, you 
won't be able to accept incoming traffic easily, as far as I know, 
but your local users will be able to link to any DPlus capable system 
around the world.

The G4ULF software, on the other hand, would allow your system to 
have ALL of the above facilities.  In any case, I'd start with a 
hotspot, it's less commitment to setup, and gets you a good level of 
connectivity, and later, as you get to know D-STAR, consider the 
other option.  Both use the same hardware (i.e. the node adapter board).

>
>How does DPlus fit into it all?

Hope the above helps.

73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL
http://vkradio.com