FRRL Progress Updates for the D-STAR Repeater System
5/30/2008
The D-Star systems continue to function reliably with the only failure in the past six months being the 12 volt system bulk power supply which was changed out in late April. The FRRL 2 meter D-Star system is still awaiting a new permanent frequency coordination which, when assigned, will change our operating frequency pair. Unfortunately this looks to be a change in the (far) future.
Two significant changes in the operation have occurred recently.
First, the transition to the Generation2 Software that operates
the repeater's gateway (Linux computer) went very smoothly.
The change to the new software allows the registration process
to be initiated by the user accessing our registration site at
https://W9CEQ.ORG/Dstar.do. The user fills out a registration and then,
after approval by the FRRL, accesses the same
site with their new logon and password, activating their
"IP" address for the global D-Star system. This registration
needs to occur only once and is good worldwide.
As of this
writing, the FRRL D-Star list of registered Generation 2
gateway users stands at 49.
The second change is that the D-Star G2 gateway can now interconnect to D-Star reflectors with multiple remote systems. A recent test of the REF001 reflector (physically located here in Aurora) proved that over 40 D-Star repeaters can be linked simultaneously, in a fashion reminiscent of IRLP reflectors. The advantage is that for the user listening to a reflector conversation, the only programming necessary on the user radio is a RPTC1 of the RF repeater (i.e. W9CEQ _ _ B for our UHF system) and a RPTC2 of the associated gateway (i.e. W9CEQ _ _ G) which is what everyone should be running all the time anyway so that Dongle users connected to our system can hear all of the traffic. Please remember to give an extra two seconds between transmissions asthere is no courtesy beep.
Enjoy the system!
12-15-2007
12-20-2006
A letter of coordinated status was received today from the IRA - Illinois Repeater Association. This means that the W9CEQ FRRL D-Star system on 442.10625 MHz is recognized as a fully coordinated repeater by Frequency Coordinators in all neighboring states and becomes the first coordinated D-Star Repeater System in Illinois.
12-15-2006
The 442.10625 repeater has been performing great since the replacement module was installed five days ago. A recent cross country trip by Earl N9FNX demonstrated that the 442.10625 system has reliable coverage from DeKalb to Romeoville. During that trip, Kermit, W9XA was able to access the system from downtown Naperville with a handheld IC-91AD. Although coverage was spotty, the QSO was sucessful.
12-14-2006
Kermit has inquired as to additional discounts for group purchases; the responses from two of the local dealers would indicate that a group purchase would only save $20 from the normally available pricing.
12-10-2006
The replacement 440 D-Star Repeater was received from ICOM and installed. It is performing well. This 440 system will support the majority of our traffic on D-Star. At present, I am asking operators to use this repeater for all of their operating while work continues on the other bands. The 440 system will now be available for continous use....barring any unforeseen failures. Coverage is throughout the Western Chicago Suburban Area with a power out of the duplexer of 12 watts. We will add more power in the near future.
11-28-2006
We have made a further milestone in the establishment of the W9CEQ FRRL as Chicago's FIRST D-STAR System! In a QSO with Tim K6BIV, the trustee of Diablo Mountain's K6MDD (located 4500 feet above San Francisco), on our system, we learned that the first ten of our FRRL members have now been registered onto the D-STAR Gateway System. When Tim's gateway system also registered the call, this indicated that all of the processes necessary are functioning normally.When a registration is made on the FRRL's D-Star Gateway, the registration information is passed to all of the other Gateway systems; this allows the user to access the inter-gateway system from any of the D-Star gateway-equipped repeaters in the US, Canada or Mexico, in Batavia, or away. This registration is necessary for the station to access other gateway systems through the W9CEQ repeater. Each call is associated with its own IP address on the network and remains with that call once registration is complete.
The list of FRRL members who are currently registered are: W9XA, W9PDS, N9CHA, N9FNX, W9DWP, N9FDR, W9QLT, WB9QZB and W9AYJ. If any other FRRL members have D-STAR equipment and would like to access the gateway, please contact Kermit Carlson, W9XA. Also, Kermit is available for any questions on the air, phone or by email about the operational aspects of the gateway.
We will be posting step-by-step instructions to this website to help people who obtain new equipment properly program the radios for the gateway mode. And if you have any suggestions of what you find helpful when setting up your radio, please free to call! We will include your input in the instructions. In the meantime - ENJOY meeting new friends on the exciting mode.
11-27-2006
The D-Star repeater's gateway became fully functional with a half-hour long QSO between Jim N5MIJ from Dallas and Kermit W9XA here in Batavia. The QSO caught the attention of Buzz W9AYJ who was suprised by N5MIJ's reference to his location in Dallas, Texas.The gateway will be open for use by FRRL members. Kermit is working on material that will help explain the details for setting the "callsigns" on the IC91AD and ID-800 required for gateway operation. So far, all FRRL members who are known to have D-Star equipment have been registered for the gateway operation.
Again, thanks to Pat W9PDS for his effort as the gateway administrator.
11-26-2006
The 440 duplexer and antenna are usable - the problem with the 440 D-Star system turned out to be the 440 repeater rx side is DEAF.... like a wood frontend. Without the D-Star repeater rx having any bit-error-rate or rssi indication, this was the absolute last possibility. We even placed an FM repeater on the frequncy and found that the RF system (duplexer, cavities and antenna) are all fine.... so far best dx is 35 miles rpt-to-mobile.Today (Sunday), Greg N9CHA was able to hit the system on 2-meters from Rt90 and Genoa, near Hampshire, with his HT !! At the time the repeater power output was at 1.5 watts.
For the FRRL D-STAR TEAM - Kermit W9XA