[aprssig] OT: Yaesu to release digital amateur radio gear

[duffy at wb8nut.com]

Icom gave away repeaters to help continue D-Star's growth. So what is the
big deal with seeding equipment? Companies do it all the time.

The Codec is proprietary yes. The Codec is available to anyone on a chip
for around $25 in quantity one. Buy more and I assume there is a discount.
 Our radios use proprietary chips all the time with proprietary DSP
firmware. P25 manufacturers use proprietary technology in their radios.
>From what I have seen so far, D-Star radios are much less expensive than
P25 radios.

What do we need cross-compatibility for with Public Service? You think
Police/Fire/Government are going to allow their systems to link to amateur
systems? Hardly. And just like the differing P25 systems, the
manufacturers have allowed for interoperability, but I hardly think
government systems will tie into amateur systems.

Icom trademarked it to protect it. Just like WB4APR trademarked APRS. No
one is charging anyone else to use those names.

D-Star is not an Icom protocol. It was developed by the JARL and it is an
open technology available to anyone. Only the Codec is proprietary as
discussed before.

Duffy
www.wb8nut.com


> If D-Star is such a raging success in the amateur market, why was Icom
> giving away repeaters?  The codec is proprietary. It is not used by any
> other radio service so there is no availability of equipment with cross
> compatibility (for those amateurs who are authorized to use public
> safety frequencies, or have access to used PS equipment).  Icom
> trademarked the D-Star name, so how much are they going to charge other
> manufacturers to use it?  I suspect D-Star will remain an Icom only
> protocol.
>
> Brian Clark, AG4BC
>
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