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The Real Thing - Building an Inexpensive D-Star Compatible Repeater

D-STAR. The Real Thing - Building an Inexpensive D-Star Compatible Repeater. Upgrades and lessons learned Rich Timpa – KC6OBJ. D-Star. G4ULF/NI-Star Update D-Star Solves a Problem Building a new D-Star repeater Lessons learned and upgrades. G4ULF/NI-Star.

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The Real Thing - Building an Inexpensive D-Star Compatible Repeater

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  1. D-STAR The Real Thing - Building an Inexpensive D-Star Compatible Repeater Upgrades and lessons learned Rich Timpa – KC6OBJ

  2. D-Star • G4ULF/NI-Star Update • D-Star Solves a Problem • Building a new D-Star repeater • Lessons learned and upgrades

  3. G4ULF/NI-Star • Over 45 of Dave Lake’s G4ULF/NI-Star Systems on US Trust operating today • These systems have full functionality of ICOM • However • No simple install scripts for general use • David was the sole support for the system • Each system needed to be manually configured to work • Each directory layout is different from GW to GW • David had to personally perform all upgrades or diagnostics

  4. G4ULF/NI-Star • Jim McClellan, head of US Trust Team established team to learn code • New team now has the code and is learning the software. • install scripts and testing allowing easy install need to be generated • US Trust will again begin accepting G4ULF/NI-Star systems into the production D-Star US Trust system…

  5. D-Star problem solving Problem… • Geography did not allow any Radio communications while on the lake. • No Cell Phone service on 80% of the lake • Typical analog Linked repeater system not effective or possible • (too close to PAVE PAWS) • 165mi of shoreline = where are you?

  6. D-Star to the Rescue • Local Low level D-Star G4ULF Repeater • (Power output ~ 15-20w) • G4ULF System covers ~85 % of the lake and ~50mi west • Repeater allows full access Worldwide to the D-Star Community via Internet linking • Birth of Lake Oroville Amateur Net • KJ6LVV Repeater • www.loarn.org

  7. D-Star to the Rescue • “Callsign Routing” allows quiet “Lake Time” with Cell Phone efficiency. • DPRS means “Never having to ask “Where is are you?” • Birth of Lake Oroville Amateur Net • KJ6LVV Repeater • www.loarn.org • (Thanks to Bidwell Canyon Marina!!)

  8. eBay Generic Duplexer L.O.A.R.N.KJ6LVV Block Diagram MaxtracTx Units must be true FM not PM Maxtrac Rx Satoshi modem board DSL Modem USB Centos 5 with G4ULF/NI-Star Software. Internet

  9. Enhancements to LOARN KJ6LVV • dstargateway.org • ircDDB • Monlink • STARnet Digital • Sendmail

  10. dstargateway.org certificate • Available thru D-Plus Robin Cutshaw • Enables status on Dynamic IP address (Like DYNDNS.org • Easy to enable and allows anyone to see status on Gateway repeater

  11. ircDDB What? • Designed, built, and managed by German team • DG8NGN – Jann • DL5DI – Hans-Jürgen • DL1BFF – Michael • Team regularly available by email, chat, and VOIP telephony • Redundant server clusters • Europe • North America

  12. Benefits of ircDDB • Built upon the Internet Relay Chat (irc) protocol • Provides near real time updates of callsigns and IP addresses to participating gateways • Allows almost instantaneous re-route for callsign routing • Another good check for D-Star heartbeat on remote systems • Allows connection to Non Trust systems • Works with ICOM G2 and G4ULF/NI-Star Systems

  13. ircDDB

  14. ircDDB for users • Only requirement is “VIS ON” for users • No other user action required • Users are automatically added to ircDDB on key-up • Almost instantaneous tracking for any ircDDB systems. (Faster Callsign Routing) • Allows user to see signal strength and conditions

  15. ircDDB for users • Allows user to see signal strength and conditions • Fms = number of Data Frames • t = time is Seconds • S% = Silence frames as a percentage • Err% = Bit error rate as a percentage

  16. ircDDB • Allows Admin to verify dplus heartbeat is active without logging in to system • No delay when roaming from Gateway to Gateway for Callsign Routing. • Alternate for Non-Trust server use…..

  17. Benefits of MONLINK • Monlink runs as a service on the D‐STAR gateway. • It reads the ‘dplus.log’ file as input and actively monitors • Status • Preferred Conditions • Activity

  18. Benefits of MONLINK • Reconnects Gateway if not left in desirable state (Admin Control) • Ability to configure “general announcements” to be played on specified days, times, and modules. • Ability to stay linked to a particular reflector (e.g. REF001‐C) during portions of the day in order to have activity and generate local interest. • Easily installable and configurable scripts for admin changes.

  19. G2 status, Heartbeats, status page. “Say what?” • Analog system admins only know when things are wrong when users tell them • D-Star admins can check to ensure basic system health remotely • Repeater status page allows all to check current activity • G2 gateway status page allows users and admins to check status on the trust server • ircDDB actively monitors dplus heartbeat with one easy glance.

  20. LOARN KJ6LVVWeekly checkout.

  21. System monitoring and checks

  22. Dsync Status page

  23. D-Star and EmcomPossible uses?? Did you know? Channel 14B was selected for ARRL Pacific Division Emcom nets and recovery operations. So with that in mind………

  24. George KJ6VU – helping us set up Maxtracs and sharing his vast Repeater knowledge. David Lake- For building the G4ULF/NI-Star software. Ken Adkisson – WB4FAY - Monlink Scripts http://k4dso.com/util/ Robin Cutshaw AA4RC – Dplus / Openstar and so much more! Thank You …

  25. Jump on in…the water’s fine LOARN KJ6LVV

  26. Reference Links • D-Star Repeaters and Reflectors http://www.dstarusers.org/ • D-Star Setting Calculator • http://www.dstarinfo.com/Calculator/DSTAR%20Web%20Calculator.aspx • Openstar Tools http://opendstar.org/tools/ • MONlink http://wb4fay.com/util/ • D-Star Dsync status page http://dsyncg2.dstarusers.org/index.php • ircDDB http://www.ircddb.net/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ircDDBGateway/ • D-star Query Tool to verify gateway registration http://query.ki4swy.org/index.php • www.loarn.org – KJ6LVV Repeater

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