D-RATS RF Link Test

I am testing the Internet/RF link built in to D-RATS.  basically this is a software repeater that will connect a D-RATS user on the internet with other users on the WC7SO repeater.  Because this is an RF transmission, you must be licensed (Technician or higher) to participate.  You do NOT have to own a radio, however.  All you need is a Linux/Apple/Windows PC with D-RATS software.  Because this is a live RF link I am requiring you to use a password to access.  Send me an email with your callsign and I will return a password for you to use, and the server address/port.   Access is subject to change as I use this computer for other tasks as well.

The D-RATS software link (scroll down and get the latest BETA)

The “How to access a RATflector” link

Be sure and read all of the FAQ and manual info on the root page if you are new to D-RATS.

D-STAR Radio Sans iCOM

This looks like an interesting development.  I expect someone will loan me a Dongle so I can try this out or maybe they will take the plunge themselves.  Here is a snippet from the readme file from the FILES section of the Open Source D STAR Software group on Yahoo.  In short: If you have a computer / soundcard interface on a VHF/UHF radio all you add is a dongle (for the CODEC) and this software to create a D-STAR radio.  Not only that, but your station can act as a gateway node to the D-STAR world.  No iCOM gear in sight.  Neat stuff in-deed.

DESCRIPTION
===========
dstar HOT POINT software converts your radio station to a dstar RF gateway.
It uses your d-star dongle, an analog base radio and a radio interface like a rigblaster,
VA3TO, or ULI, signalLink or WB2REM or any USB interface board or RASCAL,...

The software will use  RTS or DTR to key up the BASE radio.
For COS, the software will try to detect CTS or DSR or CD.
(Instead of COS, you can use VOX with the VOX threshold).

The basic setup is, you will have a analog base radio at your QTH
attached to your computer(Linux or Windows) thru the
radio interface(rigblaster,ULI board, signalLink,WB2REM,VA3TO,USB-based adapter).
Any local RF user tuned to your base radio's frequency will access
the dstar network, because the dstar_hot_point software will
open a connection to a remote dstar node.
You will be able to control the dstar_hot_point software
and command it to disconnect or connect to any remote
dstar node you want, by using DTMF tones on your HT.

Also, the dstar_hot_point software allows you to use
the computer MIC and speakers if you do not want to use a radio.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED
==================
--- a dongle.
    We use the dongle, because other devices, adapters are not ready for prime time
    and suffer from a lot of problems.

--- An analog radio as your base radio attached to the computer
    thru a radio interface(VA3TO, or ULI, signalLink or WB2REM or rigblaster or
    any USB radio interface or RASCAL, or...) using the Mic input and speaker output of the radio.

--- This software(dstar_hot_point)

--- A Linux or Windows machine.

Open Source D-STAR Gateway

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/D_STAR_Open_Source

The “D-STAR Open Source Group” has announced the release of a complete Gateway control software package for iCOM D-STAR repeaters.  The application is reported to be a complete replacement for the iCOM product and is supposed to work with existing Trust servers and iCOM G2 Gateway installations.  Cross-band linking and high-speed data have yet to be implemented but are planned for a future release.

D-Rats Update

Dan has revamped the D-Rats web site.  The Address remains http://www.d-rats.com/ however.

Some quick-links to pages of interest on the D-RATS site are:

The RELEASES page.  Where you can find the latest stable release for Linux/Win/Apple OS.

The BETA page where the latest (and older) test versions are available for download.

The MANUAL page is a “web only” reference at this point, and is in a near constant state of revision.  The important points of how to install, configure, and operate D-Rats are here.

I will be giving a training session on D-Rats with a live RF demo at the Blaine ACS meeting Wednesday Sept 16 at 7pm at the Blaine city hall.  Bring your notebook PC and if you have one, a D-STAR HT with cable and we will get you running on RATS. NO RADIO IS REQUIRED to run and learn the program.

WC7SO/R Relocated

Wednesday July 8th the WC7SO  repeater was relocated to its new home on the roof of the Bellingham Tower Building.  There will be no Gateway services on the repeater until Internet access is installed at the site in the future.

D-STAR Adapter

http://www.dutch-star.nl/ “D-Star for the rest of us”  The MicroWalt Corporation in the Netherlands has announced the acquisition of a large supply of AMBE vocoder chips for implementation in their D-STAR devices.  The chips are also being sold direct to experimenters for 25 Euros each.  The vocoder chip will be implemented into their DM-1 GMSK Smart Modem which will allow any FM transceiver that has a 9600 baud data I/O jack to be used as a D-STAR radio.  Other products, including a stand-alone transceiver are in the works as well.

D-star info newsletter

A new quarterly newsletter devoted to D-STAR has been launched and can be downloaded free.

You can download the PDF from
http://www.dstarinfo.com/newsletter/

WC7SO Ratflector QRV

One of the aspects of the D-RATS communications program that makes it so versatile is the ability to use it over any form of TCP/IP (computer) connection as well as DSTAR radio. Tonight I installed the D-RATS package on the WC7SO Gateway machine and will be leaving it running to allow anyone who wants to try D-RATS “off air” to do so.  D-RATS DOES NOT REQUIRE A RADIO. Not a D-Star radio, or ANY radio.  The software is free, and will run on about any PC, Apple, or Linux box.

Step 1: Go to http://d-rats.com/download/beta/ and install the NEWEST version of the software. The EXE file is easiest to install on Windows.

Step 2: Run the D-Rats program that will be in the /program files/d-rats directory and select FILE / PREFERENCES.

Step 3: Go ahead and fill your name, call, QTH info on the open screen, then click RADIO in the left sidebar. This is where you set up D-RATS connections to the outside world via serial port to a radio, or Internet connection

Step 4: If you have a DSTAR radio and cable you can enter the serial port info here by pressing ADD.  The Internet connection is special.  Click ADD and a small window will open with COM1 highlighted. TYPE RIGHT OVER THIS THE FOLLOWING-

net:wc7so.ham-radio-op.net:9000

(You can even copy and paste from here if you like)  Leave the baud at 9600 and give it a name of your choice “WC7SO-Wire” or similar

Step 5: Be sure the ENABLED box is checked, and SAVE the window.

That is it.  You are connected to the WC7SO “Rat-flector” (D-RATS reflector).  The WC7SO computer will act exactly like a DSTAR RF repeater, but it is not going out over the air.  I might in the future activate an RF connection allowing Internet users to link to radio users; kind of like a “DV-Dongle for data”.

It’s going to be kind of lonely on the Ratflector unless someone else is connected at the same time, so have some one else install D-RATS and communicate with you.  Set up a sked.  The address will work from anywhere in the world that there is Internet. Please limit access to licensed Amateurs in case we link this to RF in the future when a license will be required (Technician or above).

http://www.d-rats.com/wiki/is the main page for D-RATS info.  Dan (the programmer) prefers writing code to writing manuals, so look at exploring the software as an adventure

More NWW D-STAR Repeaters Coming

I attended a region one FEMA meeting in Burlington last week where N7SS, W7CDC and I put on a brief demonstration of the D-RATS digital communication software to a very interested audience.  I was pleased to learn that Snohomish County expects to have two UHF D-STAR repeaters on the air in the next few months.  One repeater and several transceivers are being provided to the Tulalip ARC by the Tribe.  Outstanding!  W7COM told us that the gear is on hand and waiting for installation along with public safety communications gear once the ground conditions allow construction to begin.

D-Star Gateway Links

I posted a couple of links for D-Star Gateway registration that had some old information based on the previous callsign that broke them.  Those links have now been repaired in the posts.  The current working links for the Bellingham D-Star repeater are as follows:

https://wc7so.ham-radio-op.net/ System status

http://drop.io/hamradiohelper/asset/wc7so-registration-pdf WC7SO Gateway registration PDF file.  Save the file and read through the instructions.

Note that these are encrypted access sites (httpS).  Because SSL certificates are very expensive ($100’s per year) and hams are very cheap, you will get a certificate warning when you try to read the page(s).  If you were being asked for your credit card or Social Security number you should run away, but since you are only registering for Gateway access and giving your name, email address and callsign, why not live life on the edge and go for it.  Accept the suspicious security certificate.