D-STAR ’06Amateur Digital Mode

for the 21st Century

Agenda

• Introduction to D-STAR• Question/Answer• Break• Extracts from D-STAR 101 Class• Question/Answer

Objectives

• Provide General Understanding of:– Overview of D-STAR Technology– D-STAR Systems Components– D-STAR System Installation– D-STAR Operations– D-STAR Applications– Opportunities for Amateurs from D-STAR

D-STAR is not necessarily what we expect– Forget everything you think you know about repeaters.– Forget everything you think you know about networking.

Existing knowledge will help, IF you can ignore assumptions!

• What is D-STAR?• Why is D-STAR interesting?• Who is interested?• How will it be used?• How do we get started?

• Open Discussion

• What is D-STAR?– Digital Smart Technology for Amateur Radio– JARL

• Japanese Amateur Radio League• NOT Manufacturers!

– Goal• Advancement of the hobby• Spectrum Efficiency• Experiment with Simultaneous Voice and

Data

– D-STAR Gateway owned by Icom• Not Public Domain or Open Source• May not be copied, shared or redistributed

• Why is D-STAR interesting?– Spectral Efficiency– Simultaneous Voice and Data capability

• 2m/70cm/23cm

– High-Speed Data capability• 23cm

– Internet Linking capability– Microwave Linking capability

• Why is D-STAR interesting?– Spectral Efficiency

• 6.25 kHz emission

• 10 kHz channel spacing (reasonable)

• More efficient use of available bandwidth

• Allows more channels in crowded spectrum

• Better performance compared to analog FM– Same power in less bandwidth (SSB vs. AM)

• Why is D-STAR interesting?– Simultaneous Voice and Data capability

• 2m, 70cm, 23cm Digital Voice Mode

• 4800bd Data Stream– 2400bd Digital Voice– 1200bd FEC on Digital voice– 1200bd Serial Data

• Why is D-STAR interesting?– High-Speed Data capability

• 23cm– 128kb Ethernet– Transparent Bridge

» Allows Network-Agnostic Applications!– Half-Duplex

» Duplex-sensitive apps don’t work well (VOIP, etc.)

• Why is D-STAR interesting?– Internet Linking capability

• User linking vs. Site linking

• Can cause confusion for uninformed (example later)

• Allows “roaming”

• Who is interested? (US)– Individuals– Clubs– Served Agencies

• Examples– Races/Runs/Rides, Parades, Special Events– Emergency Communications– FEMA Demo

LegendFullFull/Portable70cm23cmUnknown

LegendFullFull/Portable70cm23cmUnknown

International Systems

• Buenos Aires, Argentina

• Sao Paulo, Brazil

• Mexico City, Mexico

• How will it be used?– Regular use, like FM (Enhanced)

• Data/Voice Simultaneously

– Internet Linking

– Emergency Communications

– New Applications• Applications are the BIG DEAL

– Packet» DX Clusters» APRS

EmComm Applications

• Ends needless chatter– Data rather than voice– Immediate identification

• Callsign• GPS Coordinates

– Dispatch assets accurately

• New Applications– Hardware

• μSmartDigi™ D-Gate

– Software• D-STAR Monitor• D-STAR TNC• D-STARLet

• Fits inside a TNC-X box• Converts D-STAR NMEA GPS

data to Base-91 compressed APRS® Position Reports

• Converts Symbol and Text Data

• Filters messages according to a

• rich set of user-configurable rules

• Operates without a dedicated laptop or PC

μSmartDigi™ D-Gate

• Black box translator– D-PRS ® to APRS– APRS to D-PRS®

• Smooth RF integration of both systems

D-STAR Monitor

• Server based software package– Drives www.dstarusers.org website– K5TIT Creators

• Pete Loveall AE5PL• Gerry Dalton W5MAY

• Additional Stats for SYSOP

WWW.D-STARUSERS.ORG

D-STAR TNC

• An APRS and D-STAR software bridge– Java Based package

• www.aprs-is.net/dstartnc2.htm

• DStarTNC2 is free for use by Amateur Radio operators for Amateur Radio. 

D-STARLet

• A Web-based text messaging application– Uses D-STAR Digital technology

• Dean Gibson, AE7Q

• www.dstarlet.com

• How do we get started?– Lots of interest beginning around the US and Canada– VHF, UHF & SHF radios currently available

• Mobiles• Handhelds (On VHF & UHF Only)

– Repeaters components available• ID-RP2000V for 2m voice and low-speed data • ID-RP4000V for 70cm voice and low-speed data • ID-RP2V for 23 cm voice and low-speed data • ID-RP2D for 23 cm high-speed data• ID-RP2C Controller (Required)

Online Discussion Forums

www.icomamerica.com/support/forums

www.K5TIT.Org/Forum

Other D-STAR Web Siteswww.D-STARUsers.Org

www.D-STARlet.Com

www.aprs-is.net/dstartnc2.htm

End of Segment #1

Questions & Answers

Riley Hollingsworth, FCC

• “If there are three hams in a town, there will be two clubs.”

• Our existing atmosphere and the perceptions of us don’t always do everything to attract new amateurs

Perceptions of Amateur Radio, in General

• “My grandfather used to do that”• “I can do better than that on the Internet”• “It’s not much fun”

• Too many times, our hobby isn’t presented in the most flattering light

Perceptions of D-STAR

• D-STAR new to everyone• Everyone still learning• Lots of information sharing

• D-STAR operation is unusually friendly, so far

Opportunities with D-STAR

• Rediscover the fun in amateur radio• Help advance the state of the hobby• Learn some new techniques• Help someone else learn what’s going on

• Welcome the new folks!

D-STAR Interesting Results

• Inactive club members getting active• New hams joining• New applications being built• New opportunities with Served Agencies

• Lots of Attention being generated!

D-STAR gives us a chance to change some opinions about

Amateur Radio.

What do you want those opinions to be?

D-STAR Site Equipment

Site Equipment ProgrammingRP2C Controller (MANDATORY!)

Programmed via Ethernet. You MUST know its address!Default 172.16.0.1

Recommend 172.16.0.10

Recommend labeling RP2C with 172.16.0.x address

Whatever you use, write it down!

Parameters for Repeaters (suggestion)23 cm on Port ‘A’

70 cm on Port ‘B’

2 m on Port ‘C’

Site Equipment ProgrammingRP2V, RP2000V, RP4000V

Programmed individually via USB. Multiple COM ports, unless

over-ridden manually on PCTx Freq

Rx Freq

Site Equipment ProgrammingRP2D

Programmed via USB. Multiple COM ports, unless over-riddenFreq

Offset

Other Site EquipmentPA’s

Duplexers

Filters

Feedline

Antenna

Impact of Window Filters on System Performance

• Congratulations, your repeater is on the air!

• Now What?

D-Star vs. FM OperationFM

Frequency, Offset, PL

Control codes, if available, for linking

D-STARFrequency, Offset, Mode, Call Signs (up to 4!)

Gateway OperationUser Linking, not site linking

No person-to-person private conversations. Everyone on both ends hears both sides of the conversation.

Probable confusion from D-STAR linking vs. normal experience

(example in a moment)

D-STAR Local Operation

• No private conversations

• Open system

• Auto Rpt Set Feature

• Both Voice and Data

• Announcing presence (local & gateway)

Gateway Overview

Gateway FunctionsAuthorization

– Nothing crosses gateway if not authorized– Local usage unaffected

Routing

– Allows very cellular-like roaming• Timing constraints, to be discussed a bit later. Not immediate

D-Star GatewaysIdentical Implementations

Call sign, Internet Address, & MAC address change

Benefits

Specific Network segments & recommendations172.16.0.x (172.16.0.1 -> 172.16.0.10)

10.0.0.x

(NO CHANGES* No additions!)

Gateway Overview

Gateway RequirementsFixed, Routable Internet IP Address

Router must support Class ‘A’ Network on LAN Port

Router must support Port Forwarding

PC, with two NIC’s, Linux, as specified

Unique call required, probably club call (NOT Trustee!)

Gateway PC and RP2C must be co-locatedVPN testing

NY & CA examples

Users all have Fixed IP AddressesIP Address only used on device on other side of ID-1

Radios are transparent bridges

IP address not used for voice or low-speed data

Use of multiple ID’sUse when multiple radios in use at same time

(ie: ID-800 for voice, ID-1 for data)

Routing all done by Call Sign, must differentiate

Gateway Call RoutingAll calls are source-routed

Originating gateway determines complete route to output port/band

No modification/rerouting by target Gateway

Creates potential problems – discuss in later segment

SummaryAll Gateways configured identically

Allows “roaming”

Gateways require Fixed Internet address

Gateway routers have MUST support Class ‘A’ LAN

Gateway PC must be at site with RP2C

Users all have fixed IP address assigned

Radios are transparent bridges

Gateway calls are Source-Routed

• Gateway Operations

RegistrationNo registration required for local use

No call sign required for local use !!!!

No private conversations both ends hear all

User linking, not site linkingNot all users on site can participate

Opportunity for confusion!!!

Four call signs used

MYCALL – Call sign of the originating station

URCALL – Call sign of the desired target station‘CQCQCQ’ or desired remote station

RPT1 – Call sign (& port) of the originating repeater

RPT2 – Call sign & designator of the gatewayCan also be used for designated local cross-band use

User radio programming

• LOTS of memory channels• Many different user setups

• Many radio features appear only in ‘SET’ mode or in software

• Programming software strongly recommended, especially for groups setting up many identical radios

Multiple ways to traverse GatewayUser-Specific call

“Follow-me Roaming”

Sync Timing IssuesSource Routing & gateway sync timing create inability to hear a

user- specific call

Zone callExample - URCALL = ‘/K5TIT’

Specific routing of zone call – defaults to Port ‘A’

Port-specific zone callExample – URCALL = ‘/K5TIT C’

Source Routing vs. Sync TimingCreates inability to receive User-specific call

Discuss example

User ConcernsUser “error codes”

‘UR *’

‘RPT ?’

‘Did I make the repeater?’Courtesy tone discussion

Problems with full-duplex operation

‘Kerchunking a D-STAR systemNo squelch tail

Watch for repeater response – visual indication

Interfacing Digital and Analog SystemsTechnically possible – of course!

But maybe not a good idea…

LimitationsAnalog users can’t vary call signs like URCALL & RPT2

Analog users can’t participate in all conversations

Creates impression of “D-STAR doesn’t work”

Analog users can’t see any included dataD-STAR repeaters pass all D-STAR encoded voice and data.

Good use of analog/digital interfaceEmergency situation, no gateway, local-only

MUST limit confusion

Summary

• Lots of potential for use of simultaneous voice & data• Spectral efficiency offers opportunity for better utilization• Better performance from narrow spectrum & FEC• Distinct operational differences from familiar FM• New applications will drive acceptance• EmComm demand for tactical voice and data

communications by served agencies

End of Segment #2

Questions & Answers

http://WWW.K5TIT.Org

Welcome to the FUN!