[aprssig] APRS and dstar

[Perry Chamberlain]

Then mention of steep prices, is one of the past. Go to Dutchstar website and look at the line of non icom dstar radio kits and dstar hot spots. You can put together a personal dstar repeater for $120.00 bucks.
The Dutch star boards link an analog radio to the dstar board, and you have a functioning personal dstar repeater. He also sells small form pcs to be servers for $200.00.
The DVAP, and the DV DONGLE, are both less then two hundred and change.
So no longer are the radios being too expensive, an issue.
He has a new non icom, combined server/ dstar radio kit in beta right now.
The modules will be 2m, 440, and 1.2
The concerns about cost are a thing of the past.
The new icom Id-31a, is les then most mobiles and $200.00 less then the  the 
Vx-8dr.
The time to combine these two modes, is already being done.
The icom ID- 31a is only $369.00, and it ports it's Dprs gps location to the APRS findu IS.visit the DUTCHSTAR site for info on their new generation of radios, dv boards, hot spots and repeaters.
This thread is getting fun.