[aprssig] APRS and dstar (why)

[Randy Allen]

By $350 I assume you mean something like the IC-V80 and the optional 
D-Star module?  Which gives me a mono band HT with no GPS, one 
additional operating mode. By the time you add a GPS we're looking at 
the same price I paid for my TH-D72 and no way to to see any APRS 
activity around me via RF.

ETA: I see you were referring to the ID-31.  Now we've added the GPS but 
have a 440 mon0 band HT with all the disadvantages as far as APRS 
receipt, and not very useful around here for public services events that 
tend to use the 2 Meter infrastructure.

I know that it's possible to port APRS to D-STAR, but the response I got 
from the local D-STAR types was "why would we want to connect a piece of 
old analog crap to our nice new digital repeater.  You need to buy a 
D-STAR!"

When comparing something more like apples to apples (i.e. a true dual 
band mobile with dual display), then the price of an IC-2820 isn't much 
of bargain compared to a D710, and I still don't have access to local 
APRS activity.

I use APRS for public service events.  The cost of replacing all of the 
various trackers and APRS enabled radios with D-STAR is unrealistic, 
especially in light of ICOM's apparent corporate, and the demonstrated 
attitude of some local D-STAR enthusiasts, that "APRS Integration" is 
all one way, and only through the internet, and no apparent interest in 
seeing APRS station on their radios.

When I have the luxury of internet access at as Net Control, it's great 
to integrate the D-STAR users, just as I do the DROID and other smart 
phone users, but I don't depend on the internet, therefore I don't rely 
on the D-STAR and smart phone users.

I would be willing to work with D-STAR community by working to get 
TNC's, radios, etc to integrate with the local D-STAR infrastructure, 
but I am quite frankly not interested enough in it to put up my own 
D-STAR repeater, and they have shown zero interest in working with the 
APRS infrastructure.

D-STAR to me is currently just another part of amateur radio world, like 
EME, satellite, etc., that I might get interested in some day, but have 
no real desire to fuss with right now.  It just does not add enough to 
the equation for what I do to make it worth it to _me_.

I'm glad you enjoy yours.  73

Randy


On 5/27/2012 14:29, Amateur Radio WB8NUT wrote:
> People really consider around $350 bucks for a DStar radio to be such a
> wall to impede their adoption of digital? I am amazed. Icom ID-31s sold
> out by early Saturday at Dayton this year. It has GPS built-in, no
> programming required and every time I transmit, my position goes to the
> APRS network. No more, radio, GPS and tracker module with wires everywhere.
>
> I guess when compared to the Chinese radios it is a lot of money. But
> compared to my D710 at $500, it's a great value.
>
>  From personal observation of the Yaesu booth at Dayton. No crowd around
> their new digital radio. No excitement. If anything, it was such a flop,
> a number of people on the fence with digital started snapping up DStar
> radios. Some models were sold out and others in tight supply there.
>
> Not that I have abandoned APRS, but the ID-31 sure made it easy to have
> FM, Digital, world-wide programming, and APRS (DPRS) all in one package.
>
> I like DStar and like the way it is integrated with APRS. It's been a
> lot of fun with both technologies.
>
> Duffy
> www.wb8nut.com
>