iii
D
About the D-STAR system
In the original D-STAR (Digital Smart Technologies for
Amateur Radio) plan, JARL envisioned a system of
repeaters grouped together into Zones. A zone would
be a group of up to 4 repeaters, linked by 10 GHz
“backbone” microwave Link repeaters. Each individual
repeater would be call an Area repeater, and would
be the Access repeater to begin communications.
Calls could be made to other Area repeaters within
the Zone, using the backbone Link repeater system.
One of the repeaters in the Zone would have an In-
ternet connection, and so in addition to being an Area
repeater, it also became the Zone Gateway repeater.
The Internet gateway provided a way to communicate
to other Zones, giving access to the Area repeaters
within them, and eventually to the entire world.
Call signs are the heart of D-STAR operation. Four call
signs are used:
• MY : This is your own call sign. You enter it once and
then basically leave it set, with only a few ex-
ceptions.
• UR : This is your Destination call sign; that of the ac
-
tual ham or repeater you wish to contact. CQC-
QCQ can also be used to make a general call.
• R1 : This is the Area/Access repeater call sign; the
one you enter to begin your D-STAR repeater
communication.
• R2 : This is the Link/Gateway repeater call sign;
the repeater and Internet connection you go
through when you want contact a ham, or an-
other repeater, anywhere else in the world.
Call sign routing, one of the main features of D-STAR,
allows hams to contact other hams, or other repeat-
ers using just the ham’s or repeater’s call sign. The
D-STAR system will automatically route your signal to
the desired ham or repeater. Call sign capture allows
hams using an Icom radio to “capture” a call sign and
automatically program their radio for a reply.
Like other communication modes, you can operate
simplex D-STAR with other hams, for direct commu-
nication.
See pages 85 to 120 for the D-STAR operation de-
tails.
NOTE:
The optional UT-121 is required for the D-
STAR operation with the IC-9100.
• D-STAR system outline
Station A
Station C
Station D
Repeater A
Repeater D
440 MHz
440 MHz
Repeater C
10 GHz
Zone
Zone
Area
Station B
Repeater B
10 GHz
440 MHz
440 MHz
Internet
Internet
D-STAR INTRODUCTION
