D-STAR news and information
By Alan, KB2WF
Weekly net
A new weekly Texas Dstar net is on Reflector 4B on Tuesdays at 8pm. Everyone is welcome and can join by checking in to their local DStar repeater if it is linked to the same reflector (reflector 4B). Currently, the Houston Dstar repeaters permanently connected to 4B are:
- W5HDR port B on 440.600 (+5MHz) in the Texas Med Center
- N5HDS port C on 146.460 (+1 MHz) downtown
- N5MDS port C on 146.450 (+1 MHz) in Magnolia
- W5HDT port A on 1273.2 (-20 MHz) in NW Houston
The aim of the net is to establish links across Texas by encouraging and helping users to participate in DStar Please join in if you can!
Reflectors
Our Houston area gateways are normally connected to the following reflectors:
- Reflector 4B (often used in Texas, Gulf Coast stations)
- W5HDR port B on 440.600 (+5MHz) in the Texas Med Center
- N5HDS port C on 146.460 (+1 MHz) downtown
- N5MDS port C on 146.450 (+1 MHz) in Magnolia
- W5HDT port A on 1293.200 (-20 MHz) in NW Houston
- Reflector 12A (often used by San Diego stations)
- W5HDR port C on 146.470 (+1MHz) in the Texas Med Center
- N5MDS port B on 440.7125 (+5 MHz) in Magnolia
- Reflector 5A (often used by UK stations)
- W5HDR port A on 1293.000 (-20 MHz) in the Texas Med Center
It is very easy to use reflectors............just follow this example in your program: URCALL CQCQCQ, RPT1 W5HDR^^C (where ^ is a space) RPT2 W5HDR^^G (where ^ is a space) You must have this gateway call correct
There are other reflectors that I will sometimes connect to, so you may hear UK, European or Australian calls also..
It is very easy to reply to them............just use the following in your program URCALL CQCQCQ, RPT1 W5HDR^^C (where ^ is a space) RPT2 W5HDR^^G (where ^ is a space) You must have this gateway call correct
But you must have registered on a gateway somewhere for you to use the gateway to reach the reflector(see below for registering) Set your receive frequency to 146.470 and tx to 147.470
Need more help?
91AD:
Mark WB5ANN at arrl.net
Mike w5oft at earthlink.net
Aaron n5ams at yahoo.com
92AD:
Richard KD5URB lloscirdjr@ at bcglobal.net
2820:
Richard KD5URB lloscirdjr at sbcglobal.net
Alan KB2WF at yahoo.com
800H:
Alan KB2WF at yahoo.com
Activity: DStar is booming!
The new gateway software has made it possible for many, many gateways to join in! 4 weeks ago, we had about 140 gateways worldwide, now there are 180!
Dayton
Prototyped at Dayton was a Yaesu dual bander with an AMBE chip attached that successfully made D-Star contacts!! Who said that D-Star was Icom only??!! (Kenwood also have a D-Star model on the market in Japan)
D-Star extra info and links
Register on W5HDR:
To register, go to this website: https://129.106.246.90/Dstar.do Then follow the directions described in the attachment, or......... go to http://www.dstargateway.org/D-Star_Registration.html (you will, of course, have to insert W5HDR instead of W4DOC) Follow the instructions closely, as the registration is very sensitive to Upper/lower case
- W5HDR Last heard on W5HDR repeater
- W5HDR Last heard using, or available on, the W5HDR gateway
- All Last heard for all gateways (thousands of them!)
- D-Star repeater directory
Also, another D-Star system for 1200MHz voice and data has been purchased which will also be located in the city limits with the exact spot still to be determined. If you know of a location that is high and offers internet access, let Alan know at kb2wf(at)yahoo(dot)com.
There will also be 2 other D-Star systems in the Houston area provided by Jeff W5JSC. One will be at Tomball, the other in a central location still to be determined.
Thinking of buying an ID-800H or ID1?? Check with us for programming and commissioning details which will make it easy for you.
Repeaters
AE7Q At the bottom right of page to the query �By repeater frequency�. By checking the State and �Show entire band�, you can find all repeaters
- Find U
- ICOM
- D Star Users The Last Heard report for D-Star recently for US stations