Australian D-Star News

Things are hotting up in the Australian D-Star world. NTAC have allocated a segment in the band plan for D-Star and there is a lot of simplex activity in the greater Melbourne area on 145.125Mhz

D-Star simplex contacts have been reported from Box Hill to Murchison, a distance if approximately 150Kms. Both stations where using base station antennas however one station was using an ICOM IC-91AD hand held. Melbourne Amateurs are embracing the D-STAR technology in a very encouraging way, in fact, one local ham outlet in Melbourne has been so busy, he is talking about taking holidays!!!

The Melbourne D-Star team are working hard to have the first Melbourne D-Star repeater VK3RWN online ASAP. The second D-Star repeater, VK3RMM will be operational before the end of the year. The VK3RMM analogue voice repeater will operate in parallel with the VK3RMM digital D-Star repeater.

On Friday night an informal talk was given to the Maryborough(Vic) Amateur Radio Club by Peter VK2TQ and Richard VK3JFK on D-Star. At the same time in the Blue Mountains Henry, VK2OM was giving a D-Star talk to the member of the Blue Mountains Amateur Radio Club.

There are a number of new concepts to learn about DStar operations. It’s not the same as using an analogue repeater, yet it opens up a new range of options for operators such as DPRS, D-Star SMS and noise free international digital voice intercommunications through D-Star Gateways and the internet. To assist operators to gain and share their knowledge, experience and local information on D-Star the WIA has set up a National D-Star email list. You can joint the National D-Star list by going to the following Link and fill out the details to subscribe. A temporary web site has been developed and can be accessed via the following Link The web site contains some basic information on D-Star and the Australian D-Star scene. The National D-Star web site is currently being built and will be on line soon.

Updates on the progress of the National D-Star project will be broadcast when available.

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