D-Star Information

IMAGINE a world where you can get a VHF and UHF repeater pair! Or when VHF and UHF DX does not require a band opening! Or even a plug and play repeater system that gives you functionality and capabilities that no other radio service in the world can offer! This dream has become a reality with the introduction of Icom’s ID-RP2000V and ID-RP4000V D-STAR Modules.

Whether you are a repeater owner wanting to experiment in the digital world or a club who who wants more from their repeater network, D-STAR is definitely the future of Amateur Radio.

DPRS© | AUTO I.D. | INTERNET ACCESS | CROSS BANDING TEXT MESSAGING | DIGITAL VOICE AND LOCATION | RESCUE TRACKING | CROSS BANDING

The power of D-STAR offers flexibility and system growth!

RP2C:

With the capability of handling up to four RF modules, the ID-RP2C repeater controller is the cornerstone of the D-STAR repeater system. This includes basic in-band as well as cross-band operation between any of the four digital voice RF modules. In addition to basic control of the RF modules, the RP2C also provides linking capabilities through the internet and future 10GHz backbone products.

RF Modules:

RP2D: (23cm Data)

RP2V:  (23 cm Voice)

RP2000v: (2m Voice)

RP4000v: (70cm Voice)

One of the most powerful functions of DSTAR is the ability to move data. The IDRP2D provides an access point with a data rate of 128kbps. Depending on the system setup, the 128kbps is perfect for setting up an email and/or file server for EmComm support. It’s also perfect for connecting to the internet for web applications or support.

Whether you use the 128kbps for email or file servers, connecting to an internet source via a router will give you the capability of checking out the radar from the National Weather Service or National Hurricane Center.

Digital Voice: No room for another repeater pair? No problem for the Icom DSTAR repeaters! In addition to the 128kbps data, D-STAR incorporates the power of digital voice and 1kbps data mode on 2m, 70cm, and 23cm. The spectral efficiency, crystal clarity, and the ability of repeating data and voice communications on a single 6.25 kHz channel is something yet to be seen in any other radio service! With this capability, we can expand the number of repeaters available in your area.

ICOM’s D-STAR compatible repeaters modules: RP2V: (23cm) RP4000V: (70cm) RP2000V: (2m)

Crossband Operation: Finally, a commercially available legal crossband repeater! With proper callsign programming in any D-STAR compatible mobile or portable, the Icom D-STAR repeaters will automatically route your signal to any other RF module connected to a common RP2. With simple repeater commands, you can direct your communications through any of the RF modules.

Repeater Configuration:

There are three distinct repeater configurations currently available.
Local: This configuration is very similar to most analog repeater systems without any linking or internet requirements or capabilities, and is primarily used for Digital Voice and 1kbps operations.

Local with Internet:

Expand to the local repeater with the addition of the ID-RP2D and a simple DSL connection through a router. While this allows internet connectivity with an ID-1, there is no control over who is able to use the internet connection. (Interconnection with other remote users is not possible.)

Gateway:

This is the ultimate D-STAR configuration providing a controlled internet connection as well as linking to other repeaters installed into a common D-STAR network. All users of the DV (digital voice) gateway of 128kbps internet connection must be registered in one of the D-STAR networked repeaters. ( NOTE: A static IP address is required to set up a gateway D-STAR repeater. A few examples of a gateway network can be seen on www.dstarusers.org website.)

Applications and Uses
 

1kbps: The 1kbps is the transport layer for your data communications using the serial port of your computer. While considered a slow data rate, the 1kbps can move a considerable amount of data and co-exist on the same frequency with DV communications.

PC:

(Applications pending) An exciting new area to experiment, each of the ICOM D-STAR compatible radios utilizes a serial port interface for 1kbps. So, any fi les, messages or data you send through the serial port or USB port on your laptop will move through the D-STAR network.

PDA:

(Applications pending) Communicate with others via text through the serial port on your PDA. Complete forms and send them from in the field, or just a quick text message to say hello. This is a perfect combination for the Amateur on the go!

GPS:

Connect any NMEA compatible GPS to the serial port of the Icom D-STAR compatible radios and send GPS coordinates, either with each press of the PTT button or at preset TX intervals.

Gateway Communications:

Expand your VHF, UHF, and SHF horizons by adding the D-STAR gateway. The Gateway operates like a router, directing your communications either locally or over the internet based on the callsigns used. There are four callsigns used in routing calls over a D-STAR repeater. The most critical is the “My” or “Mycall” as it identifi es the originating communication. There are two repeater callsign locations as well as a destination callsign, “Your” or “Urcall”. The tables below show proper programming of these callsign locations.

Repeater Configuration
Module Band Mode

A 23cm DV
A 23cm DD
B 70cm DV
C 2m DV
 

Local communications (User radio)
Simple 2m repeater operation Simple 2m – 70cm crossband operation Gateway operation to N5MIJ
Setting Callsign Setting Callsign Setting Callsign
Mycall N9JA Mycall N9JA Mycall N9JA
Urcall CQCQCQ Urcall CQCQCQ Urcall N5MIJ
RPT1 N7IH _ _ _ C RPT1 N7IH _ _ _ C RPT1 N7IH _ _ _ C
RPT2 off RPT2 N7IH _ _ _ B RPT2 N7IH _ _ _ G
 

Note: Each callsign location can hold up to eight characters. The 8th character is the “Switch” and is necessary for controlling the repeater. Spaces are required to position the switch character into the 8th character location

What's D-STAR? What can D-STAR do for me?

D-STAR, a standard published in 2001, is the result of three years of research funded by the Japanese government and administered by the JARL to investigate digital technologies for amateur radio. The research involved Japanese radio manufacturers and other observers. Icom provided the equipment used for development and testing. D-STAR radios and repeaters have been tested extensively and are now ready for public use.


D-STAR is an open protocol – although it is published by JARL, it is available to be implemented by anyone. (For definitions and explanations of terms, there is a glossary on page 6.) While Icom is the only company to date that manufactures D-STAR-compatible radios, any equipment or software that supports the D-STAR protocol will work with a D-STAR system. D-STAR systems can be built using both commercial and homebrew equipment and software.

In a D-STAR system, the air link portion of the protocol applies to signals traveling between radios or between a radio and a repeater. D-STAR radios can talk directly to each other without any intermediate equipment or through a repeater using D-STAR voice or data transceivers. The gateway portion of the protocol applies to the digital interface between D-STAR repeaters (see figure 1). D-STAR also specifies how a voice signal is converted to and from streams of digital data, a function called a codec. The D-STAR codec is known as AMBE® (Advanced Multi-Band Excitation) and the voice signal is transmitted in the D-STAR system at 3600 bits/second (3.6 kbps).


The D-STAR system supports two types of digital data streams. The Digital Voice (DV) stream used on 144 and 440 MHz contains both digitized voice (3600 bps including error correction) and digital data (1200 bps). Using a DV radio is like having both a packet link and FM voice operating simultaneously. The Digital Data (DD) stream, used only on 1.2 GHz, is entirely data with a bit rate of 128k bps. The data connection to a radio that uses DV is via an RS-232 interface or USB 1.0. An Ethernet connection is used for high-speed DD D-STAR data. Ordinary terminal emulation software (DV) or a Web browser (DD) will do just fine for exchanging data (see figure 2).

                                        

                                                               D-Star Applications
                                                                                               Handheld and mobile radios


For voice conversations, D-STAR repeaters act just like familiar analog repeaters – everyone listening can hear your transmissions. Because your call sign is incorporated into every transmission, the D-STAR repeater “registers” your call sign and shares it around the D-STAR system. If you travel into a new D-STAR repeater’s coverage area, register with a short transmission and your location will be quickly updated around the D-STAR network. This allows you to call someone registered with any other D-STAR repeater, no matter where that may be. If you call someone registered elsewhere, your voice will be routed to the appropriate repeater in digital form, where it is then heard just as you would expect if you were both using the same repeater!


Many data communications needs don’t require high-speeds, particularly for emergency communications. Status reports, damage assessment, shift changes, resource requests – all they take are a few keystrokes. D-STAR combines voice and low-speed data into a single channel simultaneously. There’s no need for a separate TNC and radio. Just connect your laptop or PDA and go.


A high-speed D-STAR connection looks just like an Ethernet connection to your laptop or other network device. Why run cables for a temporary or portable installation when mobile rigs will do the job? Connect across miles instead of meters! If a D-STAR repeater offers a broadband Internet connection, you have worldwide connectivity through your radio.

Emergency communications managers can put D-STAR’s high-speed data capabilities to work building systems that support their “served agency” with IT tools they understand and expect; email, file transfer, and Web browsing. Spreadsheets, graphics, maps, lists, Web pages – all flow easily through the D-STAR system (see figure 3).

If a picture is worth a thousand words, why not use D-STAR to paint the image? Weather and traffic information from the Internet are available via a D-STAR repeater’s broadband connection. Add a digital camera to a laptop and your D-STAR radio becomes a Web cam. Emergency management is greatly enhanced when images are available. The next time your group helps out on race day, D-STAR can make it possible to send photos at the finish line, on the course – anywhere your operators are.


                                                     

                                            D-Star Repeaters and repeater systems


D-STAR gateway protocols and software support linking repeater systems over a few miles or around the world. A regional group of repeaters create a D-STAR zone, shown in figure 4, working together and addressable in the D-STAR system as a unit. Whether you live in the wide-open spaces or a densely populated area, D-STAR repeaters can be tied together to make up the repeater system you want using either Internet or microwave links.


Repeaters linked with D-STAR can also share information using the same D-STAR link. This information includes repeater operating information and statistics. System designers can add entirely new functions, sharing weather and control information, for example. Another possibility is “smart systems” that track interference or user location.


If you’ve tried to coordinate a repeater channel on 2-meters or 440 MHz in any metropolitan area, you know how crowded the bands are! The D-STAR voice and low-speed data signal offers a significant improvement in spectrum efficiency, requiring only a 6 kHz channel instead of the 20, 25, or even 30 kHz of analog wide-band FM. As shown in figure 5, D-STAR repeaters can be interleaved between existing channels or multiple repeaters deployed in the spectrum of only one analog FM repeater.


As authorized users make their initial transmission to a D-STAR system, the call sign information attached to the digitized voice packets is recorded by the repeater controller. The controller then shares the information with other D-STAR systems through the D-STAR gateway registry. The registry is maintained on gateway servers located around the world as shown in figure 6 -- currently Japan, the United States, and the UK. When an authorized D-STAR user makes a call to a call sign not currently registered on that repeater system, the registry allows the repeater controller to route the call to the repeater on which the targeted user was last registered.

  
                                                       

 

Frequently Held Myths About D-Star

Myth #1

“D-STAR only works on 1.2 GHz.”

Low-speed DV D-STAR voice and data works just fine at 144 and 440 MHz. 1.2 GHz supports the bandwidth needs of high-speed DD data. Choose the technology that satisfies your needs.

Myth #2

“There’s no difference between D-STAR and packet.”

Even D-STAR’s lowest speed is competitive with the highest-performance packet systems available today. (See page 7 for detailed comparisons.) D-STAR’s simultaneous digital voice and data at 4800 bps is beyond the capability of any packet technology. High-speed D-STAR systems are ten times faster than the highest packet speeds.

Myth #3

“D-STAR is no different from IRLP or Echolink®”

VOIP systems like IRLP and Echolink® are only capable of routing voice signals. They don’t support data exchange at any speed. Calls targeted to a specific user are not possible by any amateur technology except for D-STAR. D-Star will "not" interface or connect to IRLP or Echolink.

Myth #4

“D-STAR is just a digital party line!”

The ability of D-STAR repeaters to route data and digitized voice worldwide sets it far apart from a simple party line. Sophisticated D-STAR controllers and gateways implement modern telecommunications functions in an amateur package.

Myth #5

“D-STAR is a replacement for broadband home Internet”

Truly a fantasy! D-STAR can connect a user to the Internet, true, but all of the amateur radio restrictions on commercial activity still remain in place. D-STAR will provide the tools for a lot of great amateur innovation, but it’s not intended to replace Internet providers.

Myth #6

“I’ll be locked into Icom equipment forever.”

While Icom is the first manufacturer to support D-STAR, any manufacturer or amateur can use the JARL standards to create equipment – transceivers, repeaters, and gateways – compatible with the D-STAR system. As the D-STAR system grows, look for other manufacturers to join the fun.