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The PAPA System |
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PAPA D-Star |
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About D-Star |
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D-STAR (Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio) is a digital voice and data protocol specification developed for use in amateur radio. D-Star compatible radios are available on VHF and UHF amateur radio bands. In addition to the over-the-air protocol, D-Star also provides specifications for network connectivity, enabling D-Star radios to be connected to the Internet or other networks. D-STAR is the result of research by the Japan Amateur Radio League to investigate digital technologies for amateur radio. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia What D-Star is not is a replacement for the PAPA analog system. Specifically, D-Star is not designed as an open, linked-multi-repeater system. In D-Star only two repeaters can be involved in any D-Star QSO. Everyone on either of those two repeaters can certainly hear and participate in a QSO, but PAPA still needs the analog system for multiple repeater roundtable QSOs or system wide nets. What D-Star does offer is an open protocol, clean digital voice communication, superior range, caller ID, automatic national call routing (via Gateway), call sign squelch, code squelch, caller memory, internet connectivity (via Gateway), GPRS, high speed digital data transmission (1.2 GHz), cross-banding, significantly more efficient use of radio spectrum, a wide variety of radios that work out-of-the-box and opportunity for experimentation, invention and innovation. Numerous web sites, forums, and eGroups exist which provide information on various aspects of D-Star design and operation and digital modes in general, including D-Star. Several that may be of interest are as follows: illinoisdigitalham (Yahoo Group, digital in general) Digital Radio Audio Comparisons (recommended by Cecil Casillas) D-Star Forums (ICOM hosted) icomamerica manuals downloads (ICOM hosted) Texas Interconnect Team Web Site The first of these, the yahoo group, hosts a very spirited discussion of digital modes in general, including D-Star, but other digital modes as well. The subsequent links are oriented more exclusively to D-Star specifically. The last link provides audio comparisons of analog and digital for several different digital systems, including D-Star. For reference, the original documents and presentations which helped to motivate the project are here: D-Star: For the Second Generation of Amateur Radio by ICOM D-Star1 (by Jim McClellan, M5MIJ, September 2005) D-StarSome Basics (by George Tucker, AARC, November 2005) D-Star for PAPA (by Robert Kuberek, K6RCK, June 2006) Six Shooters Presentation (August 2007)
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