D-Star Simplex

We had some fun on D-Star Simplex this evening before the 6-Meter Net. Robert, KJ4HAL (in Windsor Forest) and I decided to meet up on 146.520 in Digital Voice mode and Guy, K4GTM joined us later. Both Robert and I were using IC-91AD handhelds; Robert used his with a dual band antenna up in a tree and I used mine with the JTB4 tribander. We had good copy on each other; I was receiving Robert at about S6 to S7 most of the time with perfectly clear digital voice. Guy lives over in Sandfly; he came in on hic IC-800 mobile and both Robert and I had perfect copy on him as well. Robert and I tried using the .5 watt setting on the IC-91s but that just wasn't enough to get through. He "went digital" on me and I could copy none of his traffic, he reported the same on my signal.

During it all, I got a good chuckle out of wondering what folks listening to us on analog FM 2-Meter radios were thinking. I know if I was on that side and knew it was D-Star I would be thinking that I need to buy a D-Star radio (that's one of the reasons I bought the one I have now - I couldnt' hear what was going on with the KJ4GGV D-Star repeaters in Pembroke!).

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net