AL D-STAR History of activities:

http://www.hamvention.org/hv2008/forums/forumlist.htm#dstar

The Alabama D-STAR group has standardized presentations for use to help grow and promote D-STAR.

D-STAR Introduction: Introduction

Call Sign use in D-STAR:  D-STAR Call Signs

D-STAR Advanced:  D-STAR Advanced

The Montgomery Amateur Radio Club host a "nuts to bolts" seminar on D-Star in conjunction with their Hamfest on November 10th, 2007 which was also the Alabama ARRL Section Convention.

This will be a three part D-STAR seminar (beginning at noon). D-STAR radios, hardware and communications examples will be shown. ARES, EMCOMM, Southern Baptist Disaster relief amateurs are encouraged to attend.

The seminar will consist of, three sessions
D-STAR Introduction:  Rick Seeders, KG4PNL

Call Sign use in D-STAR:  D-STAR Call Signs:  Greg Sarratt, W4OZK
Advanced D-STAR:  D-STAR Advanced: Greg Sarratt, W4OZK

If you are new to D-STAR, or just want to dig a little deeper, this seminar is for you.

Please RSVP by sending an email to kg4pnl@arrl.net

D-STAR high speed data / repeater access

The ID-1 can be configured to connect to the WAN and it works well.  Here is a working example for the Huntsville KI4PPF repeater.

1253.000 DD

YOUR = KI4PPF

RPT1 = KI4PPF G

RPT2 = none

RPS

Computer network TCP/IP = automatic   

New D-STAR Repeater Map!

Southeast D-STAR Repeater Map

Alabama D-STAR group makes D-STAR the "Star of the Show" at Hamcation!

The Alabama D-STAR booth at Hamcation, Orlando Florida was a big hit and a blast!  Our booth had several hundred visitors from local, regional, many other states and even one amateur from Hawaii.  We demonstrated a full D-STAR repeater, using 70cm for the Hamfest repeater.  A laptop computer connected to a 1.2g ID-1 radio surfing the internet on the high speed data port.  We also conducted a D-STAR presentation and the Orlando ARC meeting.  The local amateurs showed us much hospitality.

Three forums were conducted during the Hamfest:

1:30 - 2:30 Basic introduction to D-STAR

Ron Shaffer, W4VM

2:30 - 3:30 Alabama and National D-STAR status

Greg Sarratt, W4OZK

3:30 - 4:30 Advanced D-STAR topics

Fred Varian, WD5ERD

presentation coming soon

1.2g antenna direct feed yagi design

Tuscaloosa D-STAR repeater, W4KQC moved to the DCH medical tower in Tuscaloosa and has Internet access !

Alabama and Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief teams join together to install the second GA D-STAR repeater system. The gateway is coming soon.

Alpharetta/Cumming GA,  On the Air  *Gateway Connected*

Repeater Call sign: KI4SBA

145.190 - C

444.350 + B

1284.4/1272.4 A

Data frequency: 1250.00  A

http://www.southbears.net/d-star.htm

Alabama D-STAR

Join the Alabama e-mail group:  Alabama D-STAR yahoo group

Successful 2006 D-STAR Training Seminar held in Alabama!

Pictures 1

Pictures 2

Seminar Presentations

Huntsville Alabama was proud to host an exceptionally successful, informative and fun D-STAR seminar!

Most of our nation’s serious D-STAR experimenters and users were in town for this event. Over 100 amateurs from all over the USA and Canada were in attendance and 16 states and 2 providences were well represented.  Everyone together made this a successful event!

There was plenty of D-STAR repeater equipment, radios and servers to see and use.  ICOM had great representation.  GigaParts also have several representatives in attendance and provided seminar specials.

The Friday night social time and club meeting was a hit.  85 amateurs attended the meeting and there was plenty of pizza and drinks for everyone.  Many D-STAR seminar attendees, local club members and there were 10 non-ham local college students that came to learn about the new digital technology were in attendance.  It was fitting for one of the students to win the IC-91AD door prize.  The students plan to have a license class and get their amateur radio licenses soon.

The Saturday seminar had every session full of eager amateurs learning more about D-STAR.  Dynamic Q&A sessions and great audience interaction was the norm.

The door prize lot turned out to be an impressive collection.  Several repeater directories, D-STAR tee shirts and D-STAR radios we given away.  The major door prize winners were:

IC-91AD, HARC club meeting door prize, Matthew Davis, senior student at Drake State Technical College.

ID-800, GigaParts pre-registration door prize, Bryson Lewis W4JYV

IC-91AD, HARC door prize, David Drummond, W4MD

ID-800, HARC door prize, John Trickly, KB0IW

I want to thank all the attendees and instructors that attended the Huntsville D-STAR training seminar!  The knowledge gained, meeting other users and information exchange was beneficial for all who attended. Added thanks to the instructors for talking much of their time preparing and presenting the material.

I appreciate the effort from ICOM, GigaParts and the amateurs to come together to continue the innovation and exciting technology in digital amateur radio!

Lets here form other seminar attendees.  Write your comments, observations and what you learned and submit it here so many others can benefit from your experience.

73,
Greg Sarratt, W4OZK

Nets

The East Alabama D-STAR Repeater Net meets on Thursdays at 7:30 pm, on the Cheaha Mtn D-STAR VHF, 145.300- WB4GNA-C. The (CCARA) Calhoun County Amateur Radio Association and the (CVHRA) Coosa Valley Ham Radio Association host the net.  NCS and NM is KG4EUD. 

Club News

Two more Alabama amateur radio clubs voted to purchase and install a D-STAR repeater systems.  Congratulations to Montgomery and Birmingham amateur radio clubs!  They will find many hours of experimentation, innovation, and fun with the new digital communications technology as several other Alabama groups have.

Huntsville Hamfest D-STAR Forum

There was a Alabama Digital Repeater Project, D-STAR forum at the Huntsville Hamfest on August 19th.  This was one of the most popular forums at the Hamfest.

The forum reviewed the status, configuration and future of the Alabama Digital Repeater Project using D-STAR.  Was a D-STAR user group meeting and we heard a review from each Alabama repeater local area user about their system.  D-STAR status, hints, kinks, coverage area, Gateway (GW) and operation was discussed.  Certified GW operators will be available for questions. Special guest was Ray Novak, N9JA.

D-STAR radios and repeater equipment was on display.  This was a great forum meeting of D-STAR users, repeater owners and interested amateurs. 

D-STAR Training Class at Huntsville Hamfest

ICOM hosting a D-STAR Gateway Training and Certification class on Friday
before the Huntsville Hamfest.  Over 50 amateurs traveled from over 6 states to attend the class and learn more about D-STAR. 

The class covered how to setup, configure, test and "go live" with a D-STAR gateway server.  The certifications test was given.

 

The first D-STAR 101 course is now in the history book. 

D-STAR (Digital Smart Technology for Amateur Radio) repeater systems are becoming a reality across America. Approximately 30 amateurs traveled from around the USA to attend a day-long session held on Saturday, July 22, at the University of Texas at Arlington, in Arlington, Texas. The D-STAR 101 training class was graciously hosted by members of the Texas Interconnect Team,. K5TTT, put on a very informative class covering the software and operations of D-STAR. Attendees learned that this is not your conventional repeater or computer network, and that many traditional practices and conventions do not apply.

Training and certification is required on the Gateway software, which connects the repeater to the internet. After taking the class and submitting to the certification process I understand why! This is a challenging network convention that has to be performed absolutely correctly because information is mirrored across the entire network that spans the USA. Many of the class participants took the certification exam and are now certified to install and manage the Gateway software.

Four Alabama amateurs traveled to Arlington to take the training and are now certified to install the Gateway software.  Jay Isbell KA4KUN, Ron Shaffer W4VM, Clay Williams KG4UYP and Greg Sarratt W4OZK are certified and will assist with your system installation.

It was interesting talking with the Texas Interconnect Team and D-STAR owners and users from across America while learning more about this new technology.

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