D-STAR news

 • D-STAR promotional video - 3/5/08
 • D-STAR for Ballarat - 6/4/08
 • D-Star software upgrade - 31/3/08
 • D-STAR to go into orbit - 31/3/08
 • LIPDs thwarts D-STAR repeater - 6/3/08
 • VK3RWN update - 2/12/07
 • VK3RWN on air - 7/11/07
 • Digital vs analogue - 4/11/07
 • Radio regulations not up with D-STAR - 29/10/07
 • ACMA holds firm against FL D-STAR - 24/10/07
 • Happy 1st D-STAR birthday in Australia - 15/10/07
 • Two proposed D-STAR repeaters get their licences - 11/10/07
 • D-STAR in the UK - 26/9/07
 • Darwin D-STAR experience - 23/9/07
 • Birthing Melbourne's first - 22/9/07
 • Two D-STAR repeaters announced - 21/9/07
 • Band plans revised for digital - 21/9/07
 • First VK3 adopters of D-STAR - 18/9/07
 • Yahoo discussion group - 18/9/07
 • Where to use digital voice - 18/9/07
 • D-STAR takes off - 15/9/07

D-STAR on the Internet
 • Talkin' and tappin' D-STAR - 5/10/07
 • D-STAR YOUTUBE - 24/9/07
 • D-STAR gazing - 23/9/07
 • Home-brewing D-STAR - 22/9/07

D-STAR promotional video
Icom Global and the Japan Amateur Radio League have produced a movie that further helps explains the features and capabilities of D-STAR.

It runs for around 7 minutes with the download a whopping 70MB, but can also be streamed on the internet.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
3/5/08

D-STAR for Ballarat
The Ballarat Amateur Radio Group (BARG) will set up a D-STAR 70cm DV and 23cm DD repeater to serve Ballarat and surrounding areas.

BARG is seeking to finalise the licensing and repeater coordination aspects of the project that will use the Icom D-Star Control system (ID-RP2C) and RF components (ID-RP4000V and ID-RP2D).

BARG's David Tilson VK3UR has also advised that the D-STAR repeater system will have internet enabled gateway facilities to link it with the world-wide D-STAR network.

The Australian D-STAR website site lists the planned Ballarat repeater location as Mt Buninyong and its callsign VK3RBA.

It will be the third D-STAR system in Victoria (VK3). The others on the website are:
• The EMDRC maintained WIA system VK3RWN on Mt Dandenong which is almost fully operational (23cm DD still under test)
• The Amateur Radio Victoria VK3RMM system at Mt Macedon that has 70cm DV under test, 2m DV, 23cm DD and internet gateway planned in the future.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
6/4/08

D-Star software upgrade
The worldwide D-STAR gateway system is undergoing an upgrade on 5 April which will result in a suspension of all user registrations.

Unless delayed by a last minute change, the software upgrade is certain to mean everyone currently registered to use D-STAR will need to re-register.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
31/3/08

D-STAR to go into orbit
A nonsatellite student project proposed by the University of Leige in Belgium is to include D-STAR digital communication.

The first in a series built to is named OUTFTI and due for launch in the second half of 2009. Like many other cubesats put into orbit in the past five years this will provide hands-on experience to students in the design, constructions and control of satellite systems.

It will also serve as a basis of a variety of space experiments. What sets OUTFT1 apart from the others is that it appears to be the first to use the D-STAR amateur-radio digital-communication protocol.

D-STAR is to be deployed for control and telemetry, and be made available to radio amateurs worldwide. More announcements are expected as the project evolves.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
31/3/08

LIPDs thwarts D-STAR repeater
The GB7YD D-STAR repeater has been forced off the air due to interference from licence free low power devices that also share the 70cm band.

The RSGB's Emergency Technology Co-ordination Committee says the repeater went QRT on the band due to its performance being degraded by these devices and an alternative frequency is being sought.

In Europe, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere the band 433.05 MHz to 434.79 MHz is also used by low-powered applications and the radiolocation service.

A host of consumer products including remote control control, keyless entry systems, domestic wireless weather stations and wireless headphones use that band, and one of these hit GB7YD.

In Australia these devices are known as LIPDs (low interference potential devices) and have caused a number of 70cm voice repeaters to QSY higher in the band.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
6/3/08

VK3RWN update
More work has been done on the Melbourne D-STAR repeater VK3RWN with a new 70cm receive antenna and 23cm antenna installed.

Current VK3RWN has about 70% of its ultimate coverage on 70cm. The 23cm voice repeater is awaiting the installation of a diplexer.

Meanwhile the D-STAR gateway is performing well and getting use by those who have registered for access.
Richard VK3JFK
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
2/12/07

VK3RWN on air
The Mt Dandenong D-STAR repeater VK3RWN licensed to the WIA is now on air albeit with temporary antennas which will not give a true indication of its ultimate performance.

For those with D-STAR transceivers, Richard Hoskin VK3JFK Australian National D-Star Coordinatoradvises that now is the time to program the following parameters.
Frequencies:
2m DV 146.91250 MHz offset -0.600Mhz
70cm DV 438.300 MHz offset -5.400MHz
23cm DV 1273.900 MHz offset +20MHz

Callsigns:
UR: CQCQCQ
(Chose one of these depending of the below settings depending on which band you wish to operate on)
[2m] RPT1: VK3RWN C
[70cm] RPT1: VK3RWN B
[23cm] RPT1: VK3RWN A

RPT2: NOT USE*
MY: [my callsign]
For cross-band operations;
UR: CQCQCQ
[2m > 70cm] RPT1: VK3RWN C RPT2: VK3RWN B
[70cm > 2mtr] RPT1: VK3RWN B RPT2: VK3RWN C

Richard VK3JFK recommends reading the radio's manual to ensure these settings are in the correct parameters. Failure to do so will result in the repeater not recognising your transmissions.

If you are running an IC2820 and you enable the GPS use the following settings in DV GPS;
GPS MESSAGE - ( See http://www.aprs-is.net/dprscalc.htm ) for msg calculator
GPS TX - GPS
GPS AUTO TX - 30MIN
Set the following for the GPS-A mode;
UNPROTO - API282,DSTAR*
GPS-A SYMBOL - ( this should normally be set to a Car or Jeep )

Note that DPRS is not yet operational on the VK3RWN repeater.
Please remember to abide by the general repeater Operational Guidelines when operation on D-Star DV.

View the guidelines at www.wia.org.au/repeaters/guidelines.php
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
7/11/07

Digital vs analogue
Often a question asked is whether D-STAR has a better distance range than analogue FM, and that seems to be the case.

A recent test between Richard Hoskin VK3JFK home QTH and Peter Willmott VK3TQ portable covered the 120km distance between Kyneton and Frankston.

Peter VK3TQ was using the IC2820H/UT123 into a home brew 7-element quad at 5m in height and Richard the same gear with a Diamond X7000 at 13m.

In a jointly issued report, they said, "On analogue each time was touch and go on the whole. When signals came up maginally the digital was much better for its clarity and actual signal to noise ratio, compared to the analogue that was in the noise."

The testing involved a number of voice and data contacts which were observed by members of the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula Amateur Radio Club.

Later a check of a topographical map showed that Peter VK3TQ’s signal had to rise to a peak of 660m at Woodend and then go down in altitude 100m in altitude to Kyneton. Richard VK3JFK’s QTH is in the lower part of Kyneton.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
4/11/07

Radio regulations not up with D-STAR
Often the arrival of technology can find the existing regulatory environment lacking in ability to accommodate it.

Japan is an example where there are plenty of D-STAR repeaters providing for domestic communications but not through the internet gateway system, with reports that this is due to the Japanese regulations.

France has its first D-STAR repeater F1SHS on 70cm, and again its operator is faced with needing to get a change to the local radio regulations.

Wonder how many other nations will be behind the eight-ball when it comes to permitting the full capabilities of D-STAR?

Australia is fortunate that its regulations fully allow D-STAR. The latest two repeater licences VK3RWN and VK3RMM show that to be the case.

VK3RWN at Mt Dandenong east of Melbourne is now expected on air at the end of November or early December to followed by VK3RMM Mt Macedon to the north-west of Melbourne.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
29/10/07

ACMA holds firm against FL D-STAR
Despite a reasoned and detailed case put by the WIA, the ACMA has rejected its request that Foundation Licensees be permitted to use the digital voice facility of D-STAR.

The WIA proposed the addition of an appropriate emission mode designator for Foundation licensees to provide for their use of D-STAR’s digital voice and any data (callsign) necessary to establish a voice circuit.

Unfortunately at this time the ACMA has decided that there will not be an amendment to the Licence Condition Determination (regulations) for the Foundation Licence.

The WIA rightly put the case that it was desirable for Foundation Licensees to get a taste of the new and emergency digital technologies.

The AMCA’s response basically was that permitting the use of D-STAR for the relatively easy to obtain entry level licence "would require expansion of the current syllabus and add a level of complexity to the qualification."

Debate on the issue is certain to linger in coming years within increasing digitisation of communications and comparisons between the British entry level licence which permits digital modes.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
24/10/07

Happy 1st D-STAR birthday in Australia
Well, D-STAR Darwin, that is. While there's emerging D-STAR interest in VK3 where two repeaters are planned and elsewhere in Australia, the Northern Territory capital has had its own D-STAR repeater for just on a year with about half a dozen regular users.

John Goda VK8HF reports that there are regular sessions on Darwin's D-STAR repeater VK8RAD, and some would say that it generates more activity than the analogue repeaters even with EcholinkIRLP.

Anyone visiting Darwin who does not have a gateway enabled repeater in their area is invited by John VK8HF to bring their D-STAR radios and join the Darwinites on the VK8RAD gatewayed repeater.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
15/10/07

Two proposed D-STAR repeaters get their licences
The ACMA has now issued the licences for the WIA's VK3RWN repeater for Mt Dandenong and Amateur Radio Victoria's VK3RMM at Mt Macedon.

VK3RWN is a new repeater licence while VK3RMM has had its pre-existing licence varied to now include digital frequencies in addition to its analogue 2m and 70cm repeaters.

The frequencies allocated are in accord with the recently revised WIA band plans, and will be fully promoted when the D-STAR repeaters are commissioned.

Work is continuing on testing and other preparations for putting these repeaters on air, first will be VK3RWN with VK3RMM to follow soon after.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
11/10/07

D-STAR in the UK
Icom (UK) has set up a D-STAR information site that provides technical and operational information plus a user forum.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
26/9/07

Darwin D-STAR experience
In the capital city of Australia's Northern Territory there are four advanced, one standard and one foundation licensee using D-STAR with two more ready to join.

Now with the announcement of two D-STAR repeaters planned for VK3, a number of VK8s are likely to buy D-STAR because they'll be able to talk to many people in addition to their Darwin mates.

John Goda VK8HF reports that there are regular sessions on Darwin's D-STAR repeater VK8RAD, and some would say that generates more activity than the analogue repeaters even with EcholinkIRLP.

John VK8HF said he funded the introduction of D-STAR to Australia while Patrick Goda VK8FAAB made it happen through his knowledge of LINUX enabling the commissioning of the ICOM units.

The established VK8RAD repeater is inter-linked through the D-STAR gateway that uses the internet.

The Darwinites are making contact with the US, Canada, Great Britain. Italy is known to be on-line also, but no contact made yet, and Brazil is expected on the gateway soon.

Currently two VK8's have 23cm D-STAR radios and two more are to do so. Experimentation is occurring and a data download speed of 120kbs has been achieved. More could be done but cavities costing around $US1800 are required.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
23/9/07

Birthing Melbourne's first
A very happy occasion bringing much delight was the 'birth' today of the D-STAR repeater VK3RWN, albeit working into a dummy load, proved to be fully functional.

The guys at Icom (Australia) tested out the repeater on all three bands – 2m, 70cm and 23cm, and via the internet gateway contacted Icom (America) in Texas to test out that aspect of it.

An excited Peter Willmott VK3TQ shouted "she is alive" after testing it out from his car parked nearby, and speaking to Fred Varian WD5ERD in Texas.

There is a considerable amount of work yet to be done before VK3RWN, licensed to the WIA, can leave the Icom nursery and arrive at its home on Mt Dandenong.

News of the test rapidly spread around the US where radio amateurs are eager for their VK3 cousins to link into the D-STAR world.
- Amateur Radio Victoria
22/9/07

Two D-STAR repeaters announced
Icom (Australia) is donating two D-STAR repeaters, one at Olinda (Mt Dandenong) and the other Mt Macedon VK3RMM, which will provide a wide coverage of the new digital mode.

D-STAR (Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio) is a digital voice and data protocol developed by the Japanese Amateur Relay League, and increasingly in use in the United States, Europe and of course Japan.

Its arrival in Australia was through a privately funded Icom repeater VK8RAD Darwin running on 2m, 70cm and 23cm.

In the past a number of eager radio amateurs in the Melbourne area have bought Icom D-STAR transceivers and been operating them simplex.

Now a joint Icom and WIA statement announces that Melbourne's first D-Star repeater will be VK3RWN at Olinda (Mt Dandenong) and a second at the Mt Macedon. Both have been donated by Icom.

The VK3RWN repeater will operate on the 2m, 70cm and 23cm bands, taking advantage of the full capabilities of D-STAR, including the Internet, to link it with the existing extensive D-Star network overseas.

Further announcements are expected on when these D-STAR repeaters will be operating and their frequencies.

The repeaters follow discussions involving Icom, the WIA and Amateur Radio Victoria. The three parties have been working through the many issues that have arisen in relation to D-STAR over the past months.

WIA President Michael Owen VK3KI said, "The WIA has gratefully accepted this generous gift and thanks Icom Australia for its support."

Already recognised is the potential for D-STAR to be very useful for emergency communications, which led to the choice of Mt Macedon for a D-STAR repeater.

Amateur Radio Victoria President, Jim Linton VK3PC said there has been a long standing relationship between the now statewide organisation and Icom Australia.

"The D-STAR repeater for the Mt Macedon site is a most gracious donation from Icom Australia and the latest demonstration of its support for the amateur radio community.

"As is the situation with the VK3RMM 2m and 70cm FM analogue repeaters on Mt Macedon, the D-STAR repeater will be available for general use when not required by WICEN (Vic) for emergencies and training exercises."

He said, "The arrival of D-STAR into VK3 and its likely spread elsewhere in Australia enables VK radio amateurs to experiment with real-world digital technology.

"With D-STAR being an open protocol, there's scope for experimenters to adapt and home-brew aspects of it in the future."

Icom has taken the lead in bringing a comprehensive range of D-STAR products to the market. Kenwood released its first products in July this year and Yaesu and possibly others are expected to follow suit.
- Amateur Radio Victoria
21/9/07

Band plans revised for digital
The WIA's National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) has altered the 2m, 70cm and 23cm bands plans to accommodate narrow band digital technologies, such as D-Star.

Digital repeaters on the 2m band will be assigned frequencies in the 146 to 147MHz segment, inter-leaved between the existing FM repeater channels.

This option will increase spectrum efficiency, making up for the shortage of available channels in some parts of Australia and while allowing uniform arrangements across the country.

To separate digital and FM analogue emissions, NTAC has recommended the 145MHz segment as the best area for simplex digital, with 145.125MHz as the national simplex digital channel.

On 70cms, it has recommended that the first 15 repeater channels, that is, 438.025 to 438.375MHz, be used for D-Star type activity.

NTAC has recommended that digital activity on 70cm be centred on a national channel of 438.900 MHz, with secondary channels 12.5 KHz either side of the national channel.

For the 23cm band, repeater channels be assigned in the high end of the 1293 to 1294MHz repeater segment. On the 23cm band there is already a digital simplex segment between 1298 and 1300MHz.

As D-Star on this band uses a 128kHz emission bandwidth, it is suggested that channels are spaced at 200kHz intervals, beginning at 1298.1MHz.

These arrangements will be reviewed as D-Star and other digital activity develops.
- Amateur Radio Victoria
21/9/07

First VK3 adopters of D-STAR
The number of radio amateurs in Greater Melbourne with D-STAR capability is steadily growing, resulting in plenty of simplex activity.

Known to be on air using D-STAR, in callsign alphabetical order, are Mick VK3CH, Ross VK3MY, Lionel VK3NM, Randall VK3RM, Peter VK3TQ, Jim VK3AMN, Terry VK3BMX, Zik VK3MHZ, Conrad VK3FBCA, Joe VK3FJBC, Graeme VK3FTTG, Dave VK3KDL, Brian VK3NAY, Peter VK3MAP, Damien VK3SOX
- Amateur Radio Victoria
18/9/07

Yahoo discussion group
A group for D-STAR digital amateur radio may be worth a look. It's moderated to keep postings targeted and relevant under various defined keywords.

D-STAR is much more advanced overseas so the discussion group will be an eye-opener for those in VK just starting with D-STAR mode.

groups.yahoo.com/group/dstar_digital Or to subscribe dstar_digital-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
- Amateur Radio Victoria
18/9/07