d-star digital communication for the radioamateur icom europe

D-STAR

Digital Communication for the Radioamateur

Icom Europe.

What is D-STAR?

D-STAR: Digital Smart Technology for Amateur Radio

Open protocol, published by the JARL (Japanese Amateur Radio League).

Available to be implemented by anyone.

Digital voice (DV) and Digital Data (DD) operation.

Basic Request

No limit from the System

Internet connection possibility

The User must be able to set up the System by himself

The Unit must be working with out a System

Expand the Communication Range with Repeater is must

Fast and slow Data Communication

No scrambling is allowed

Basic Request for Mobil an PortableSimplex

Shift Function (Repeater usage )

High Speed Data communication (1,2GHz)

Low Speed Data Communication (2m;70cm;1.2GHz)

FM ( no Pre Demphasis )

What is D-STAR?

Icom D-STAR Digital Voice and Digital Data rates.

144 and 440 MHz data rate – 4800 bps

Digital voice @ 3600 bps (including error correction)

Digital data @ 1200 bps

1.2 GHz Data rate – 128 kbps

High speed data @ 128 kbps (Ethernet connection)

or

Digital voice @ 3600 bps (including error correction)

Digital data @ 1200 bps

Basic System

What’s required?

Repeater Call Sign

First, you need is a unique / club call for the repeater.

* You can not have the same call sign in 2 different “roles” in the D-STAR network. (eg, the repeater call sign can not also be your individual call sign.) You will need a unique / club call sign for your repeater system that is not used anywhere else in the network.

What’s required?

Repeater Components

Next, you need the desired repeater modules. The RP2C is REQUIRED for the D-STAR repeater system.

The current D-STAR repeater modules are:RP2D 1.2GHz, 128K Digital Data (DD)RP2V 1.2GHz Digital Voice (DV)RP4000V 440MHz Digital Voice (DV)RP2000V 144MHz Digital Voice (DV)

What’s required?

Additional hardware

Each physical install is different. What your install requires may vary.

Examples of additional equipment:DuplexersPower SupplyAntennasWindow Filter

D-STAR

How it works Part 1

Understanding how it works

D-STAR utilizes call signs to “route” the radio call.

Every repeater must be assigned a unique call sign (club call recommended).

Every owner / operator programs their radio with their own call sign.

Call sign is transmitted digitally with each transmission.

No need to voice ID with D-STAR since digital ID is part of each TX.


Each radio has 4 call sign fields to be programmed. What you need to know to program a radio is:

Operating frequency Simplex or Duplex frequencyMyCall Your call sign (primary operator)UrCall Call sign of the person / zone being calledRpt1 1st repeaterRpt2 2nd repeater

Understanding how it works (Simplex)To complete a local simplex call, program 2 fields along with the

frequency in the radio.

MyCall My call sign (eg. W7JRL)UrCall Your call sign or “CQCQCQ”

MyCall - N9JA

UrCall – KD7DIQ

MyCall - W7JRL

UrCall – CQCQCQ

MyCall - KD7DIQ

UrCall – CQCQCQ

Understanding how it works (Simplex)In this example, all parties in digital mode hear all the traffic on the

simplex channel.

MyCall - N9JA

UrCall – KD7DIQ

MyCall - W7JRL

UrCall – CQCQCQ

MyCall - KD7DIQ

UrCall – CQCQCQ

D-STAR

Icom D-STAR Radio

Icom Europe.

Icom IC-91E

144 / 440MHz D-STAR amateur radio (dual band)Optional UT 121 is needed

Digital Voice, 1.2k Digital Data and Analog Voice operation.

5 watts TX power.

True dual band / display operation.

With option RS-91 remote control possible

Icom IC-V82 / U82

144 or 440MHz D-STAR capable* amateur radios (mono band)


7 / 5 watts TX power.

*Requires optional UT118 module for D-STAR operation

Icom IC E 2820 with UT123144 / 440MHz D-STAR Dual mode


50 watts TX power

Built in GPS Receiver ( on UT 123 )

Icom ID-1 NOT in EU

1.2GHz D-STAR amateur radio

Digital Voice, Digital Data and Analog Voice operation.

10 watt TX power.

PC control via USB or direct control via RC24 control head. USB Cable, software and RC24 control head all provided.

D-STAR

Repeater Component Controller

Icom Europe.

What’s required?

Programming PC (Windows)

To program the repeater controller and frequencies you need:

Windows based PC with at least 1 Ethernet and 1 USB portUSB A to B cableEthernet cable (not crossover)

RP2C controllerThe controller is able to control 4 RF UnitsProgammed by Ethernet connectorAll basic settings are programmable

RP2C controller

Software

RP2C controller

Input Repeater call sign

RP2C controller

RF Function Settings

RP2C controller

Select “active ports”

RP2C controller

And assign the proper module letter designation.

Recommended designations:

RP2D (1.2 GHZ) ARP4000V (UHF) BRP2000V (VHF) C

RP2C controller

The RP2V and RP2D must be “A”.

RP2C controller

Select “Use Gateway” if connecting to a gateway PC.

RP2C controller

Click “Write” to save the settings to the controller

D-STAR

Repeater RF Component

Icom Europe.

RF Module RP2V 1.2 GHz Speech + Low Speed Data

RF Module RP2V 1.2 Ghz High Speed Data 128kbs

RF Module RP4000V 70cm Speech + Low Speed Data

RF Module RP2000V 2m Speech und Low Speed Data

HF Module

All Settings are done by USB Port TX RX

HF Module

RF Output Power High/Low

Repeater Module Frequency Setting Software

D-STAR

Gateway Software

Gateway Configuration Diagram

What’s required?

D-STAR / Gateway software

Icom’s Gateway software is a licensed vendor product, and can not be copied, shared or re-distributed.

Gateway software configuration

Double click the application to extract.


Make sure to extract the program to the “root” directory.

(A new folder will be created.)

DO NOT create a dstar directory.


Edit the following in the dsipsvd.conf file:

TRUST_SERVER

ZR_CALLSIGN

IPSV_ADDR

DNS_ZONE_FILE_PATH

NAMED_PID_FILE

NOTE: The IP address of the Icom test system is 65.102.167.146

MAC address

Type the command “arp” in a terminal window.

Look for 10.0.0.1 and the MAC address connected to it.

Take note of the MAC address for use in the dsgwd.conf file.


Edit the following in the dsgwd.conf file:

ZR_ADDR

ZR_CALLSIGN

DNS_MAC


Add the lines here in the /etc/syslog.conf file:

# for D-STARlocal0.* /var/log/

dsgwd.loglocal2.* /var/log/

dsipsvd.log

Make sure to type this right. It’s “local” before the number.


Now, let’s add the command line to start the software.

Insert the following in /etc/rc.d/rc.local

/dstar/exec-mgsv

NOTE: Some manuals are WRONG!


Finally, change the default runlevel to “3”

Locate the file: /etc/inittab

Change the runlevel to “3” here.

D-STAR

How it works Part2


D-STAR utilizes call signs to “route” the radio call.

Every repeater must be assigned a unique call sign (club call recommended).

Every owner / operator programs their radio with their own call sign.

Call sign is transmitted digitally with each transmission.

No need to voice ID with D-STAR since digital ID is part of each TX.


Each radio has 4 call sign fields to be programmed. What you need to know to program a radio is:

Operating frequency Simplex or Duplex frequencyMyCall Your call sign (primary operator)UrCall Call sign of the person / zone being calledRpt1 1st repeaterRpt2 2nd repeater

Understanding how it works (Repeater)To complete a local zone repeater call, program 3 fields along with the

frequency in the radio.

MyCall My call sign (eg. W7JRL)UrCall Your call sign or “CQCQCQ”Rpt1 Local repeater call sign

Understanding how it works (Repeater)When you program your radio’s

“RP1” location, and the proper frequency, your radio tells the desired repeater to activate. This is similar to PL tones in analog.

Eg. MyCall W7JRLRPT1 N7IH AUrCall CQCQCQRPT2 nothing

N7IH Repeater

Understanding how it works (Repeater)Eg. MyCall W7JRL

RPT1 N7IH AUrCall CQCQCQRPT2 nothing

In this example, the N7IH repeater would activate on the repeater frequency you were transmitting on (1.2GHz).

(In this example, we are using the ID-1 radio.)

N7IH Repeater

Understanding how it works (Repeater)

All parties on the local repeater channel will hear all the local radio traffic on that frequency.

MyCall - N9JA

UrCall – CQCQCQ

Rpt1 – N7IH A

MyCall – W7JRL

UrCall – CQCQCQ

Rpt1 – N7IH A

Repeater – N7IH

Understanding how it works (Gateway)To complete a gateway repeater call, program all 4 call sign fields within

the radio.

Repeater must be connected to a gateway server PC.

MyCall My call sign (eg. W7JRL)UrCall Your call sign or “/ zone” and module (eg. /K5TIT A)Rpt1 Local repeater call signRpt2 Local repeater + “G” as the 8th letter (eg. N7IH G)


RPT1 N7IH AUrCall /K5TITRPT2 N7IH G

In this example, the N7IH repeater would activate on the repeater frequency you were transmitting (1.2GHz) and then…

(In this example, we are using the ID-1 radio.)

N7IH Repeater



routed to the gateway and directed to the proper remote repeater through the internet.

N7IH Repeater



The gateway is told where to route the call based on what is in the “UrCall” field of the radio.

/K5TIT tells the gateway to route the call to the K5TIT repeater. The “/” means “zone call”.

N7IH Repeater

Understanding how it works (Gateway)

Using “/” in front of the repeater call sign in the “UrCall” field activates that “zone” (module) at the remote repeater.

MyCall – W7JRL

UrCall – /K5TIT

Rpt1 – N7IH

Rpt2 – N7IH G

Repeater – N7IH Repeater – K5TIT

MyCall - N9JA

UrCall – /N7IH

Rpt1 – K5TIT

Rpt2 – K5TIT G

Gateway / Internet


RPT1 N7IH AUrCall /K5TIT ?RPT2 N7IH G

Since we did not designate a “module” in the “UrCall” field, the system automatically routes to the “A” module of the remote repeater (K5TIT).

K5TIT Repeater


RPT1 N7IH AUrCall /K5TIT CRPT2 N7IH G

If we add the “designator” as the 8th letter, we can route to different modules at the remote repeater site.

K5TIT Repeater



Currently, you are not able to activate more than 1 module at the remote repeater site.

K5TIT Repeater


RPT1 N7IH AUrCall N9JARPT2 N7IH G

If you use the call sign of the person you wish to call, the gateway automatically routes the call to the last known location of that call sign within the repeater network.

N7IH Repeater

Understanding how it works (Gateway)Using the call sign of the desired party to be reached in the “UrCall” field

automatically routes to wherever the radio was last heard.

MyCall – W7JRL

UrCall – N9JA

Rpt1 – N7IH A

Rpt2 – N7IH G

Repeater – N7IH Repeater – W1AW

MyCall - N9JA

UrCall – W7JRL

Rpt1 – W1AW A

Rpt2 – W1AW G

Gateway / Internet

Understanding how it works (Gateway)In both examples, all parties on the local repeater and remote repeater

hear all the radio traffic on the frequency.

MyCall – W7JRL

UrCall – /W1AW A

Rpt1 – N7IH A

Rpt2 – N7IH G


MyCall - N9JA

UrCall – /N7IH A

Rpt1 – W1AW A

Rpt2 – W1AW G

Gateway / Internet

Understanding how it works (Gateway)Both radios must be properly programmed to operate via the gateway in

order for transmissions to be heard both directions.

MyCall – W7JRL

UrCall – /W1AW A

Rpt1 – N7IH A

Rpt2 – N7IH G


MyCall - N9JA

UrCall – /N7IH A

Rpt1 – W1AW A

Rpt2 – W1AW G

Gateway / Internet

Understanding how it works (Gateway)

In this example, N9JA would hear W7JRL’s transmission but, W7JRL would not hear N9JA since no gateway is selected.

MyCall – W7JRL

UrCall – /W1AW A

Rpt1 – N7IH A

Rpt2 – N7IH G


MyCall - N9JA

UrCall – /N7IH A

Rpt1 – W1AW A

Rpt2 – none

Gateway / Internet

Understanding how it works (Repeater)To complete a cross-band (cross-module) repeater call, program all 4

call sign fields within the radio. Repeater must have multiple voice modules installed.

MyCall My call sign (eg. W7JRL)UrCall Your call sign or “CQCQCQ”Rpt1 Local repeater input module call sign (eg. N7IH A)Rpt2 Local repeater output module as the 8th letter (eg. N7IH C)

Signal is repeated on both input and output frequencies / modules locally.


RPT1 N7IH AUrCall CQCQCQRPT2 N7IH C

When using the designator of another local module in the “RPT2” field, the call is routed to that module locally.

N7IH Repeater

Understanding how it works (Repeater)In this example, all parties listening on 1.2GHz and 440MHz would hear

all radio traffic.

MyCall - N9JA

UrCall – CQCQCQ

Rpt1 – N7IH C (440 MHz)

Rpt2 – N7IH A

MyCall – W7JRL

UrCall – CQCQCQ

Rpt1 – N7IH A (1.2 GHz)

Rpt2 – N7IH C

Repeater – N7IH

Understanding how it works (Repeater)

In this example, W7JRL would not hear N9JA reply because he is not properly programmed for cross-band operation.

MyCall - N9JA

UrCall – CQCQCQ

Rpt1 – N7IH C (440 MHz)

Rpt2 – none

MyCall – W7JRL

UrCall – CQCQCQ

Rpt1 – N7IH A (1.2 GHz)

Rpt2 – N7IH C

Repeater – N7IH

D-STAR

How it works

Sound

Origin Live Record from the second system in Germany

Repeater – DF0DFT

D-STAR

Thank you for your attention

d-star digital communication for the radioamateur icom europe

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