Having always being interested in computers and all things digital is probably the reason that I started to look at the D-Star a couple of years ago , but the reports of bad audio and basically no repeaters in Montreal in English pretty much kept me away from purchasing a digital rig.
But last May, while in Dayton, I finally succumbed and purchased a Icom ID-880H as I had heard that VE2RM and VE2REX would be putting up repeaters (Thanks Cliff). So I brought it and due to family and work it pretty much stayed in its box on the shelf till late September, early October.
That just happened to be the time that ICOM was seeding the Canadian Market with free repeater offers to clubs.
VE2RM got one and finally got it installed, previous to this they had a mini style repeater but no gateway (internet access) so it was pretty limited.
As most of the comments that I had heard and Youtube videos that I looked at talked about the radios being pig’s to program, I thought that I would get a cable and download the software.
Well the ICOM software is OK but I am sure glad that I didn’t pay for it. Besides the fact that there is no manual, let’s just say that it’s not that intuitive (and that’s being nice). I finally got to grips with it and got the essentials programmed into the rig the standard URCALL ,MYCALL, Rpt1 and Rpt2 and yes don’t forget the 8th character it’s got to be the 8th on the call sign for the repeater or the thing will not work.
Well all sorted and I hit the PTT and I was on the air my first QSO on D-Star was Nick VE2HOT it’s fun it’s digital and it’s the future.
Having said that I have heard all the grumbling from other members of the Ham fraternity that the codec is no good and it sounds horrible and why is the band width so small and the why is the codec closed and not open source...
I could go on but really what matters is it`s Amateur radio, it`s not funded by a well know or huge corporation, it`s mostly a open standard and that`s the spirit of Amateur radio
Get out and try it have fun with it experiment that`s what amateur radio is about, if anybody wants help I am very happy to help.
Digitally yours,
Bruce VE2GZI
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