Icom ID-31A Review: 440Mhz D-STAR HT

[Moleculo]

:w00t:

Updated firmware released by ICOM here;

Firmware Updates / Software Downloads | Support | Icom Inc

Note that the USB adapter cable is required - you can't do it via the uSD card.

I haven't applied the update yet as I'm waiting for the cable to arrive.

Best Regards,

Tim VK2AAA

Ouch. $56 for the cloning cable is the cheapest I could find. Now THAT'S a rip-off.

 

[sp5it]

Simple max232 level converter can do the trick.
Even Nokia DLR3 cable
Mike

 

[vk2aaa]

Ouch. $56 for the cloning cable is the cheapest I could find. Now THAT'S a rip-off.

Yes, especially when a USB chip and connector could have been integrated into the radio. The ham radio hardware industry is miles behind the rest of the planet with respect to connectivity - they just don't seem to get it. I'm not normally a cynic but this does seem like a grab for money.

 

[vk2aaa]

Simple max232 level converter can do the trick.
Even Nokia DLR3 cable
Mike

Harder to source one of those ancient Nokia cables in this country than to buy the real thing from Icom. Those would all be about 30ft underground in the landfills by now. Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[vk2aaa]

So I'll be getting my bonus here in a few days and I've really been eyeing this radio. The biggest issue for me is that its a mono-band radio. I am primarily on 2m. I currently own the Yaesu VX-8R and use the APRS functionality all the time, but I am having serious issues finding what D-Star is, what it can do, etc. I've read the wiki page and it told me absolutely nothing. If I got this radio, what can I do with D-Star?

In addition to the other information provided above, try reading this;

mdrc.org.au/News_Events/Newbies_Guide_to_D-Star.VK3ANZ.pdf

Lots of functionality but definitely a learning curve associated with it. Only real negative is that the voice quality can sometimes sound robotic, kind of like a TI speak-n-spell from the olden days. It's no worse really than some of the modulation I hear on our local FM repeaters though, although nothing beats a good analogue FM signal for speech quality. Also large amounts of packet loss in the transmission path will cause garbled speech that sounds like R2D2.

These days I'm just not interested in buying any VHF/UHF equipment that does not have d-star capabilities. I've got a 9100 too and my friends and I have had a lot of fun using d-star on HF in simplex mode - a very weird experience operating HF with zero backgorund noise let me tell ya.

 

[Moleculo]

I have an Motorola programming cable clone that has the correct size stereo plug, so I tried it on the ID-31a. It didn't work. I haven't been able to find any schematic for the connector on the radio's data port, so I'm not sure what it is.

 

[KE5MC]

Moleculo,
GPS info is not needed for callsign routing. The recipient does have to keyup so his/her callsign will be associated with the local repeater stack at their new location. I am told at that point the internet part of DStar knows where you are for callsign routing.
Mike

D-STAR brings several features to the table:

...snip...
One thing is cool is that if you include your GPS info with your transmission, the whole system automatically knows where you're at. This allows another station to automatically find you without having to know what repeater you're on (this is called callsign routing).
...snip...

 

[vk2aaa]

Moleculo,
GPS info is not needed for callsign routing. The recipient does have to keyup so his/her callsign will be associated with the local repeater stack at their new location. I am told at that point the internet part of DStar knows where you are for callsign routing.
Mike

Yes I believe it sends your call to the last known repeater where that station was heard so definitely no GPS involved.

 

[Moleculo]

Yes I believe it sends your call to the last known repeater where that station was heard so definitely no GPS involved.

Good catch guys. You are all correct and I misspoke; GPS has nothing to do with call sign routing.