Utilities

D-STAR Utilities

Third Party Utilities

There are a number of different add-on utilities being developed for use with D-STAR equipment. Here are some links to them.

D-StarLet

Available from http://www.dstarlet.com/, D-StarLet is a point-to-point text messaging system for local EOCs using D-Star transceivers.

It is designed to replace FNPack (a Visual Basic application using AX.25 packet radio).

D-PRSInterface

D-PRS Interface is an APRS<->D-STAR bridge allowing one or more APRS clients to see all of the D-STAR radios running in GPS or GPS-A mode (new mode) on RF and other APRS clients running on D-PRS Interface as well.

D-PRS Interface also has full IGate capabilities to extend your bridge into the APRS-IS world-wide network.

D-PRS Interface is a Windows .NET 2.0 GUI application compatible with javAPRSSrvr/javAPRSIGate and can reside on the same RF network. D-PRS Interface makes use of CRC and checksum error detection to prevent false signals from being gated to APRS-IS or displayed on your maps.

Go to http://www.aprs-is.net/DPRSInterface.aspx for details and downloads.

The Icom IC-2820 introduced a new mode called GPS-A. This mode uses a CRC to wrap a TNC2 format APRS string for transmission. D-PRS Interface and javAPRSSrvr recognize that format and use that format for gating APRS packets to the D-STAR DV data stream.

IC-2820 users should set their radios to GPS-A mode and set their UNPROTO to API282,DSTAR*

IC-92AD users should also use GPS-A mode and set their UNPROTO to API92A,DSTAR*

If you are just using GPS mode, you will need to build a string to put into your radio with a proper checksum. See the calculator for details.

DStarMonitor

DStarMonitor is a Java application written to monitor the gateway/repeater controller communications. Station activity is logged to a database using JDBC (allows connection to most databases). The software is currently used to populate local databases and to populate the database at http://www.dstarusers.org.

A new feature has been added to allow simple generation of APRS objects representing each repeater at the site. These objects are then available via APRS on the Internet to be gated to APRS and D-PRS frequencies. They are also used by http://www.jfindu.net/DSTARPages.aspx to display a map and table of the reporting repeaters.

If you are a repeater sysop (sysops only, please) contact Gerry, W5MAY, for a copy of the current software and configuration guidance.

d*Chat

D-STAR Chat or d*Chat is a simple application that enables you to type in a line of text that is sent through the attached D-STAR radio when you click the SEND button or hit the RETURN key. The application does not currently support any form of error correction or flow-control. If a transmission is missed by the receiving party, it may be recalled and re-sent by the sender. Only the last-line sent can be recalled.

See http://nj6n.com/dstar/dstar_chat.html for further details and downloads.

D-StarCom

D-StarCom is a program for assisting in the mass loading of "frequency memories" ("channels") between the following Icom D-Star radios and software:

• IC-91A and IC-91AD radios and RS-91 software
• IC-2820H radio and CS-2820 software
• ID-800H radio and CS-D800 software (at least version 2.0 firmware and software)
• ID-1 radio and accompanying software

It is a command line utility that will convert the ICOM format file (.icf) to a .csv text file, and back again so you can load it into another radio.

It works in conjunction with, and is not a replacement for the ICOM software.

See http://www.d-starcom.com/ for more information.