Re: SYnchronet
By: Mrproper to echicken on Tue Nov 22 2016 21:40:23

Old message, but was talking to someone and found the rat reflectors were coded with python, so prettymuch DSTAR radios send messages and they bouce throughe theses reflecters after transferred from tower to internet and either go to DRATS, or another DSTAR radio, whomever it is destined for.

Every time I look for info on D-STAR and related things like D-RATS, what I find seems scattered and incomplete. I think I'd have to acquire some hardware and actually use it to make more sense of what this is all about. So far I dislike it on principle.

Maybe I'll look for some used gear; the prices for new rigs are more than I'd want to sink into trying a new digital mode. Not sure if I can be bothered.

---
echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230
þ Synchronet þ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com

Re: Voting features for the web
By: echicken to All on Wed Nov 23 2016 10:41 am

Every time I look for info on D-STAR and related things like D-RATS, what I find seems scattered and incomplete. I think I'd have to acquire some hardware and actually use it to make more sense of what this is all about. So far I dislike it on principle.

Yeah, any D-STAR radio is just too expensive for me to ever want to buy, just nothing there that would do any good for me.

Maybe I'll look for some used gear; the prices for new rigs are more than I'd want to sink into trying a new digital mode. Not sure if I can be bothered.

They have the DRATS software for windows, etc.. nothing more than and old looking outlook express looking crap..

Either way D-STAR is'nt worth it for me, When Baofeng gets their DMR right I might get one them.
--

Tim Smith (KK4QBN)

---
þ Synchronet þ KK4QBN BBS - (706)422-9538 - kk4qbn.synchro.net, Chatsworth GA US

echicken wrote to All <=-

Every time I look for info on D-STAR and related things like D-RATS,
what I find seems scattered and incomplete. I think I'd have to
acquire some hardware and actually use it to make more sense of what
this is all about. So far I dislike it on principle.

Yes, it is easier with hardware. There are a couple of options there. And what principle would that be? As for more specific questions, I may or may not be able to help. Unfortunately, the digital world is highly fragmented, with a multitude of modes and networks within each mode.

Maybe I'll look for some used gear; the prices for new rigs are more
than I'd want to sink into trying a new digital mode. Not sure if I
can be bothered.

I got into D-STAR when it was the only digital game in town, before the other modes were invented (Fusion) or became popular in the ham world (DMR, P25, etc). Has been a bit of fun.


... Back Up My Hard Drive? I Can't Find The Reverse Switch!
--- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
* Origin: Freeway BBS - freeway.apana.org.au (3:633/410)
þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ telnet://vert.synchro.net

Re: Re: Voting features for the web
By: Tony Langdon to echicken on Thu Nov 24 2016 07:32:00

Yes, it is easier with hardware. There are a couple of options there. And

Yeah - I imagine if I was able to mess around with a radio and whatever software is available, I'd begin to understand what you can do with it and how it's done.

what principle would that be? As for more specific questions, I may or may

More annoyance than principle, I suppose. I can't even think of any questions because I don't know what I don't know. Again, that would probably go away if I was actually trying to use it. I'm not a fan of having to read through a Yahoo! group and 20 different websites just to piece together a vague understanding.

not be able to help. Unfortunately, the digital world is highly fragmented, with a multitude of modes and networks within each mode.

other modes were invented (Fusion) or became popular in the ham world (DMR, P25, etc). Has been a bit of fun.

I bought one of those cheap DMR handhelds back in the spring, on a whim. It's ... fun to play with, but I'm not crazy about the way the system works, or the information that's available.

It's a bit irritating that things are so fragmented right now, but on the other hand this gives us a bunch of different things to learn about and mess around with. I guess it's not all bad.

---
echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230
þ Synchronet þ electronic chicke

echicken wrote to Tony Langdon <=-

Yeah - I imagine if I was able to mess around with a radio and whatever software is available, I'd begin to understand what you can do with it
and how it's done.

That would help. I've had actual D-STAR capability for 8 years, DMR for 2 (but so far, no access to DMR infrastructure :( ).

what principle would that be? As for more specific questions, I may or may

More annoyance than principle, I suppose. I can't even think of any questions because I don't know what I don't know. Again, that would probably go away if I was actually trying to use it. I'm not a fan of having to read through a Yahoo! group and 20 different websites just to piece together a vague understanding.

Yeah, getting on air and talking to a few people does help. Down here, the D-STAR users did come up with a reaosnable website, though the field is fast changing, and while the radios only change with newer models, the infrastructure has undergone rapid changes. Today's D-STAR is nothing like the original specs intended, because of layer upon layer of innovation, mostly by hams. That's part of the documentation problem.

I bought one of those cheap DMR handhelds back in the spring, on a
whim. It's ... fun to play with, but I'm not crazy about the way the system works, or the information that's available.

I have a pair of DMR handhelds that I won in a Facebook competition from the manufacturer. Very nice radios, but getting access to working infrastructure here has been the big challenge. :(

It's a bit irritating that things are so fragmented right now, but on
the other hand this gives us a bunch of different things to learn about and mess around with. I guess it's not all bad.

There is a lot to play with. A lot of the fragmentation is because of different philosophies - open and experimental vs closed and stability, sometimes power plays, etc. I've tried to support as much as I can, though some technologies are out of my price range, such as the Motorola stuff. But I have multiprotocol reflectors available for IRLP, Echolink and D-STAR (DPlus, DExtra and DCS protocols supported). And I've recently become the only IRLP and native DPlus host in Australia, with the other major system closing down after many years of operation.


... Poker: It's darkest just before you've drawn.
--- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
* Origin: Freeway BBS - freeway.apana.org.au (3:633/410)
þ Synchr

Re: Re: Voting features for the web
By: Tony Langdon to echicken on Thu Nov 24 2016 09:50:00

(but so far, no access to DMR infrastructure :( ).

You're not missing too much. Seems to mostly be cranky guys telling other operators to move their conversation to another "talk group".

Simplex and text messaging work well though (of course only handy if you live anywhere near some other people with compatible gear).

Yeah, getting on air and talking to a few people does help. Down here, the D-STAR users did come up with a reaosnable website, though the field is

I'm more interested in the data part of things than digital voice (okay, that's data too), so I guess I'd like to try out the software that's available and see ... what it does.

mostly by hams. That's part of the documentation problem.

Well, few people enjoy writing documentation and I can't blame them. Unfortunately the state of it just leaves me wondering why I would want to use this technology if I can't even tell what I could do with it (beyond having voice conversations with somebody over the internet over the radio).

But I have multiprotocol reflectors available for IRLP, Echolink and

Hmm, I haven't touched either of those systems in years. I did run an Echolink node for a short while just to see what it looked like from the other side. It was certainly fun to mess around with. Those hybrid/multiprotocol systems did seem a bit complex to set up. Does yours get a lot of use?

---

echicken wrote to Tony Langdon <=-

(but so far, no access to DMR infrastructure :( ).

You're not missing too much. Seems to mostly be cranky guys telling
other operators to move their conversation to another "talk group".

Haha, seems to be the same regardless of mode or frequency. :D

Simplex and text messaging work well though (of course only handy if
you live anywhere near some other people with compatible gear).

Well, here there's a handful of people, but timing is everything. I keep hours that are unusual for your normal 5-9 ers. I tend to be unavailable on weekends and evenings.

I'm more interested in the data part of things than digital voice
(okay, that's data too), so I guess I'd like to try out the software that's available and see ... what it does.

I have played with D-RATS, seems to do its job pretty well - chat, other data services. D-RATS adds a layer that is missing from raw D-STAR data service - packetisation and error correction, for starters.

mostly by hams. That's part of the documentation problem.

Well, few people enjoy writing documentation and I can't blame them. Unfortunately the state of it just leaves me wondering why I would want
to use this technology if I can't even tell what I could do with it (beyond having voice conversations with somebody over the internet over the radio).

I'm one of those people for whom documentation writing can be fraught with issues, because I have to translate my non linear thinking into a linear set of instructions. Sometimes it works (when it does, it's usually quite good), other times, it just doesn't happen. :)

But I have multiprotocol reflectors available for IRLP, Echolink and

Hmm, I haven't touched either of those systems in years. I did run an Echolink node for a short while just to see what it looked like from
the other side. It was certainly fun to mess around with. Those hybrid/multiprotocol systems did seem a bit complex to set up. Does
yours get a lot of use?

I'm hamstrung by house moves and regulatory issues conspiring, so my node only comes up on test every now and then. However, the reflectors do get a bit of use, more so now that I'm the only one in the country. Just had a new group start hanging out on 9556.

As for multiprotocol, well I did much of the IRLP/Echolink scripting on the node, and on the reflector sise, it's pretty much all my scripting that enables that functionality - Even Dave Cameron himself has to defer to me on the current generation IRLP/Echolink reflectors. :)

I'm looking at setting up a multiprotocol digital system. Might start with a DV4Mini because it's cheap and later upgrade to a MMDVM. This time, I'll probably put it on simplex to avoid some of the regulatory stuff.

... Democracy: Three wolves and a sheep voting on what's for lunch.
--- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
* Origin: Freeway BBS - freeway.apana.org.au (3:633/410)
þ Synchronet