D-STARD-STARDigital Smart Technology for Digital Smart Technology for

Amateur RadioAmateur RadioJohn Davis - WB4QDXJohn Davis - WB4QDX

GA ARES District Emergency Coordinator – Georgia Public BroadcastingGA ARES District Emergency Coordinator – Georgia Public Broadcasting

ARES Emergency Coordinator – Gwinnett County, GeorgiaARES Emergency Coordinator – Gwinnett County, Georgia

WB4QDX@arrl.netWB4QDX@arrl.net

What is D-STAR?What is D-STAR?

D-STAR is an open worldwide D-STAR is an open worldwide standard for digital standard for digital communications over Amateur communications over Amateur RadioRadio

The D-STAR standard was The D-STAR standard was developed by the Japan Amateur developed by the Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL)Radio League (JARL)

D-STAR uses the AMBE vocoder D-STAR uses the AMBE vocoder chip under license from DVSIchip under license from DVSI

Icom is initial Amateur Radio Icom is initial Amateur Radio manufacturer of mobiles, HTs, manufacturer of mobiles, HTs, repeaters and controllersrepeaters and controllers

Non-Icom repeater in operation in Non-Icom repeater in operation in UKUK

How D-STAR WorksHow D-STAR Works

D-STAR is digital modulationD-STAR is digital modulation

Voice is converted from analog to Voice is converted from analog to digital for transmissiondigital for transmission

Data is combined with digitized Data is combined with digitized voice for transmission at 4800 bpsvoice for transmission at 4800 bps• 2400 bits for Voice2400 bits for Voice• 1200 bits for Forward Error Correction1200 bits for Forward Error Correction• 1200 bits for Data1200 bits for Data

Callsign is sent with each Callsign is sent with each transmissiontransmission

Calls are routed by callsignCalls are routed by callsign

What can D-STAR Do?What can D-STAR Do?

Transmit and receive voice and 1200 baud data Transmit and receive voice and 1200 baud data simultaneouslysimultaneously on 2m, 440 and 1.2 GHz on 2m, 440 and 1.2 GHz

128 Kb data transmission on 1.2 GHz with Internet 128 Kb data transmission on 1.2 GHz with Internet connectivity (Ethernet bridge to Internet with IP address)connectivity (Ethernet bridge to Internet with IP address)

DPRS (digital APRS) automatic position reporting DPRS (digital APRS) automatic position reporting simultaneoussimultaneous with voice with GPS with voice with GPS

Flexible repeater linking with Gateway and Internet Flexible repeater linking with Gateway and Internet connectionconnection

Reflectors act as conference bridge for linking multiple Reflectors act as conference bridge for linking multiple repeaters (30 in operation worldwide)repeaters (30 in operation worldwide)

Connect to other station regardless of location (callsign Connect to other station regardless of location (callsign routing)routing)

D-STAR Linked QSOD-STAR Linked QSO

User on Repeater 1 LINKS to USER on Repeater 2

I'm near Lawrenceville, GA. I'm talking on

WD4STR (port B) as well as the K4WAK repeater (port B) and my radio is

set to 440.55000

+5.000 Mhz

I'm near Tallahassee FL and I'm listening to the K4WAK repeater and

my radio is set to

443.95000 +5.000 Mhz

D-STAR GrowthD-STAR Growth

Open DevelopmentOpen Development DV Dongle DV Dongle (www.dvdongle.com(www.dvdongle.com)) Access to D-STAR repeaters via PC without radioAccess to D-STAR repeaters via PC without radio Small module connects to PC via USBSmall module connects to PC via USB Uses PC sound card for mic/speaker audioUses PC sound card for mic/speaker audio

Hotspot Hotspot (www.w9arp.com/hotspot/)(www.w9arp.com/hotspot/)

Uses GMSK node adapter from Satoshi YasudaUses GMSK node adapter from Satoshi Yasuda(d-star.dyndns.org/rig.html.en)(d-star.dyndns.org/rig.html.en)

Connects to 9600 baud packet data port or Connects to 9600 baud packet data port or discriminator of FM radiodiscriminator of FM radio

GB7MH Repeater GB7MH Repeater (g4ulf.blogspot.com)(g4ulf.blogspot.com) Uses GMSK node adapter on Tait T800 repeaterUses GMSK node adapter on Tait T800 repeater Fully tested with US Trust ServersFully tested with US Trust Servers Compatible with all Dplus, DSTARMON, other Compatible with all Dplus, DSTARMON, other

repeater utilitiesrepeater utilities New Products Coming New Products Coming (stay tuned today!)(stay tuned today!)

D-STAR Across AmericaD-STAR Across America

For latest worldwide repeater listings – www.dstarinfo.com/repeaters

D-STAR for EmCommD-STAR for EmComm

Stations can transmit voice and Stations can transmit voice and location info simultaneouslylocation info simultaneously

Low and high speed data transfer Low and high speed data transfer capabilitycapability

Internet access through Gateway-Internet access through Gateway-equipped repeatersequipped repeaters

Communicate with stations Communicate with stations regardless of location (routing by regardless of location (routing by callsign)callsign)

Versatile repeater linking on the Versatile repeater linking on the flyfly

Repeaters can be connected to Repeaters can be connected to reflectorsreflectors

Link across states, across the Link across states, across the nation, around the worldnation, around the world

Typical D-STAR Repeater Stack

A Regional Approach to A Regional Approach to Communications Communications Severe weather approaches Southeast from west,

Statewide D-STAR network in operation in Alabama, 33 county EMA offices added D-STAR radios

Rapid growth of D-STAR repeaters across North and

Central Florida

South Carolina planning D-STAR overlay of FM linked

repeater network

south (Gulf of Mexico), and southeast (Atlantic coast)

Georgia building statewide D-STAR network using

Public Television towers

North Carolina D-STAR repeater network growing

rapidly

Georgia ARES D-STAR Georgia ARES D-STAR NetworkNetwork

Statewide D-STAR network coverage Statewide D-STAR network coverage planned using GPB television towersplanned using GPB television towers

Antennas, transmission lines, Antennas, transmission lines, building space, protected power and building space, protected power and network connectivity provided by network connectivity provided by GPBGPB

Antennas at >500’ AGL provides Antennas at >500’ AGL provides statewide coveragestatewide coverage

12 repeaters currently operational 12 repeaters currently operational growing to 19+ with GPB networkgrowing to 19+ with GPB network

Georgia ARES received Georgia ARES received $165,000 $165,000 in in Federal funding to complete Georgia Federal funding to complete Georgia statewide network, equip 20 EMA statewide network, equip 20 EMA officesoffices

Georgia ARES D-STAR Georgia ARES D-STAR NetworkNetwork

Statewide D-STAR network coverage Statewide D-STAR network coverage planned using GPB television towersplanned using GPB television towers

Antennas, transmission lines, Antennas, transmission lines, building space, protected power and building space, protected power and network connectivity provided by network connectivity provided by GPBGPB

Antennas at >500’ AGL provides Antennas at >500’ AGL provides statewide coveragestatewide coverage

12 repeaters currently operational 12 repeaters currently operational growing to 19+ with GPB networkgrowing to 19+ with GPB network

Georgia ARES received Georgia ARES received $165,000 $165,000 in in Federal funding to complete Georgia Federal funding to complete Georgia statewide network, equip 20 EMA statewide network, equip 20 EMA officesoffices

D-STAR Reflectors D-STAR Reflectors and Netsand Nets

30 reflectors available worldwide to act as “conference 30 reflectors available worldwide to act as “conference bridges” linking multiple repeaters, Dongle usersbridges” linking multiple repeaters, Dongle users

Regional, national and international nets possible with Regional, national and international nets possible with reflectors (over 37 listed on www.dstarinfo.com)reflectors (over 37 listed on www.dstarinfo.com)

Linking repeaters to reflectors allows local users to Linking repeaters to reflectors allows local users to participate with no special programmingparticipate with no special programming

View repeaters/Dongle users connected to reflectors View repeaters/Dongle users connected to reflectors (http://(http://refnumberrefnumber.dstargateway.org/status.html).dstargateway.org/status.html)

Southeast D-STAR Weather Net on Sunday nights, 9:00pm Southeast D-STAR Weather Net on Sunday nights, 9:00pm ET on Reflector 2A (REF002A)ET on Reflector 2A (REF002A)

Complete Net listing on Complete Net listing on www.DSTARinfo.com/reflectors

D-STAR ResourcesD-STAR Resources View local repeater linked connections, Dongle users, local View local repeater linked connections, Dongle users, local

last heard list at last heard list at https://callsign.dstargateway.org/status.htmlhttps://callsign.dstargateway.org/status.html

D-STAR Info Newsletter – published quarterly, available in D-STAR Info Newsletter – published quarterly, available in print or download on Web print or download on Web (Latest issue available here!)(Latest issue available here!)

Great D-STAR website, last heard list - Great D-STAR website, last heard list - www.dstarusers.orgwww.dstarusers.org

D-STAR info and calculator – D-STAR info and calculator – www.dstarinfo.comwww.dstarinfo.com

Icom Support ForumsIcom Support Forums

wwwwww.icomamerica.com/en/support/forums.icomamerica.com/en/support/forums

DV Dongle Info –DV Dongle Info – www.dvdongle.com www.dvdongle.com

Hotspot–Hotspot– www.w9arp.com/hotspot www.w9arp.com/hotspot

Southeast D-STAR Southeast D-STAR ResourcesResources

Florida D-STAR website – www.Florida-DStar.infoFlorida D-STAR website – www.Florida-DStar.info

North Florida D-STAR Yahoo Group North Florida D-STAR Yahoo Group groups.yahoo.com/NorthFloridaD-Stargroups.yahoo.com/NorthFloridaD-Star

Alabama D-STAR Yahoo Group - Alabama D-STAR Yahoo Group - groups.yahoo.com/al-dstargroups.yahoo.com/al-dstar

Georgia D-STAR Yahoo Group - Georgia D-STAR Yahoo Group - groups.yahoo.com/ga_dstargroups.yahoo.com/ga_dstar

South Carolina D-STAR website South Carolina D-STAR website – www.scdstar.com– www.scdstar.com

General D-STAR Yahoo Group - General D-STAR Yahoo Group - groups.yahoo.com/dstar_digitalgroups.yahoo.com/dstar_digital

Questions?Questions?