GB7CD was the fat repeater connected to the new reflector, soon followed by the HotSpot based GB3WE.

Having GB3WE connected it seems quite clear that to a user connected via RF to GB7CD that users on GB2WE appear as though they were using any Icom repeater. Their call sign, and user message all get routed through, even in the Dplus log of GB7CD there is no noticeable difference.

I don’t see how any objection could be based on little more than Myth that has prevented GB3WE and other node adapters being connected to the other UK Reflectors.

The MidStar D-Star repeaters are to start using port B on Ref21, where they also intend to make use of node adapter based repeaters, to complement their current Icom based one.   Â

I understand there has been a lot of interest in exactly where Reflector 21 is located and the kind of hardware and network connections used. Here is the low down, its located in London at a Blueconnex Data centre
The hardware is a Quad Core Xeon, 4GB of Ram, Mirrored disks The network connectivity is provided currently by a Duplex 100Mbps port, which has the capacity to be a 1Gbps port, but I’ve turned it down on the switch, as I doubt we need 1Gbps.

Internet Connectivity to most of the UK is via LINX which should provide a decent low hop count to ADSL lines which so many reflectors use. From other systems connected in different Datacentres around London, the average lag seems to be about 3ms, with about 10ms from Cardiff’s GB7CD over ja.net   Â

By all means feel free to connect your node adapters to the reflector. If it doesn’t work disconnect it. We wont ban you!

D-Star compatible radios are available on VHF and UHF and microwave 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 and provisions for routing data streams of voice or packet data via amateur radio callsigns.

The first manufacturer to offer D-Star compatible radios is Icom. As of December 30, 2008, no other amateur radio equipment manufacturer has chosen to include D-Star technology in their radios. Kenwood re-brands an Icom radio and distributes it in Japan only.

 

D-Star Equipment 20th June 2009