[W8MWA] New ham to the area... and possibly an idea?

Fri Aug 28 12:35:40 EDT 2015

Thanks Bob.... I'm still stuck in the southern redneck of just.... yall.
Yall guys watch this.

Word is there is already a d-star to dmr bridge working on the hytera dmr
network.
"*GB7FC* - DMR <-> DStar bridge installed.  DStar users can link to
reflector*DCS005F* to communicate with DMR+ users"
http://nwdigitalradio.com/dmr-d-star-gateway

There is also a dongle out that will be able to connect into the dmr
network from what I gather.  The dongle does dstar, dmr, and soon to be
c4fm fusion.  I think its supposed to be shipping this week or next here in
the states.  It will allow users to create something like an echolink node
in the house so you can use the dmr network if you aren't around any
repeaters or in a dead spot.  Its also possible that these may be able to
be used on the Pi/Arduinos soon.
http://www.helitron.de/shop/product_info.php?products_id=81

The DMR Marc group has a test system setup where people can design and test
software as well for the dmr system as well.
http://dmr-marc.net/sandbox.html

So yes something new to the community would be a nice change of pace.  I
have always loved tinkering with new stuff and radios.  I'm certainly
willing to dedicate some time and money into a project like this.  If the
current 440 machine is off the air, assuming its not antenna/feedline
related, wouldn't take much to get a dmr repeater on the air.  The chinese
radios are pretty cheap at the moment too so it wouldn't take much to get
into it on the users side.

I'm very aware of the taco days.  I have missed the lunch crowd by an hour
or so about 2 or 3 times now.  I'm usually on an odd schedule when I'm in
Morgantown.  I have been traveling up there from Logan for about seven
years now just about every other weekend.  Its rare that I'm there through
the week but I have attempted to catch up with the group.

Does sound like there is a lot more activity in the area.  I have monitored
the repeaters a few times when I have been there and have heard a lot of
traffic for the most part.  As soon as I dig out my portables I'm going to
try to jump back on the air when I'm up next time.  Really need to get some
mobiles again.  When everyone down here pretty much quit talking to each
other there wasn't much point in keeping the equipment.

On Fri, Aug 28, 2015 at 9:01 AM, Bob West <wa8ycd at arrl.net> wrote:

> All, (or in Texan, "All Y'all"!!)
>
> As I recall, one of the topics brought up at the last meeting was
> the availablity of a DMR-ready repater for a deep-discount price.
>
> One person was telling me at WV State Convention that they had just
> bought one of those for their group. I don't recall who, though.
>
> This might be a good thing to pursue.
>
> we have some folks who tinker with Raspberry Pi and/or Arduino who
> have worked on D-Star nodes. It might be interesting to do the similar
> development for DMR.. and, dare I dream, of a DMR-to-D-Star bridge?
>
> Just something to think about.
>
> Josh,
>
> Welcome to the area!!
>
> There are two active clubs in Monongalia County, one in Marion
> County, and one in Harrison County. There is also a Central WV ARA.
> We also have some folks trying to revive the dormant WVU ARC.
> There are a few "non-club groups" around the area as well.
>
> We just had our WV State Amateur Radio Convention at Jackson's Mill
> with representation from the ARRL Roanoke Division, the state level,
> our new WV ARRL SM, and a keynote speaker from ARRL HQ.
>
> There was a VE session, an ARES meeting, a NTS Nets meeting, and a
> DX Forum. We even had a guy show us how to make a 5 meter dipole from
> a pair of aluminum crutches.
>
> In September here we have a monster Marathon where both clubs will work
> together to provide communications support.
>
> Also, be advised we have two weekly lunch events in
> Morgantown: Taco Tuesday and Taco Thursday. These are informal non-club
> lunch gatherings and everyone is welcome. Just some folks having lunch
> and yakking about whatever.
>
>
>
> Cheers,
> ...Bob West WA8YCD
> ------------------------------
> *Think outside of the box? Dude! I've been outside so long I have
> forgotten what was actually IN the box in the first place!*
> ------------------------------
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Fri, 28 Aug 2015 01:48:59 -0400
> From: wvunderground at gmail.com
> To: w8mwa at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [W8MWA] New ham to the area... and possibly an idea?
>
> I'll be moving to the Bruceton Mills area in the next few weeks and maybe
> look forward to joining this club at the next meeting.  I haven't been to
> active on the radio or the local club where I live now for some time.  You
> would have to blow the dust of the finals on the local repeater where I
> live now as no one uses it anymore.  The club dwindled down to no one due
> to problems within the club so another reason why everyone lost interest.
>
> Is the w8mwa club a good sized club?  Don't really see many stats on
> current memebers on the website. Also looking at the website I did notice a
> small problem.  If you drop the www. off the front of the url and only type
> in w8mwa.com it takes you to a server page and not the club website.
> Should be an easy fix with whomever hosts the site.  Also I seen on a
> previous topic of how hard it was to contact anyone without making email
> addresses public.  There is a plugin out there for wordpress which the site
> runs that may be of help.  Can contact anyone in the group but not give out
> an email address.
> https://wordpress.org/plugins/pta-member-directory/
> If yall need help with the website I'm pretty versed in Wordpress.
>
> Now.... I have been toying with the idea of trying to get a DMR repeater
> on the air after I get moved and settled in.  DMR is a digital mode like
> D-Star.  There aren't many in West Virginia and it would be the first in
> the northern part of the area.  I'm looking at connecting it to the
> dmr-marc network which connects to worldwide talkgroups and local
> talksgroups via an internet connection at the repeater site.  Would also be
> nice to get other local clubs in on this and have a regional talk group for
> West Virginia or just the surrounding counties of the club for an always on
> link sorta like the hamtalk system but all digital.  This would hopefully
> bring more repeater activity to the area and maybe get people talking more.
> You can read more here and see all of the current repeaters.....
> http://www.dmr-marc.net/
> Also Norcal has a stream you can listen to to get an idea of what dmr
> sounds like.
> http://norcaldmr.org/
> Now the big question.... is there enough interest in new tech in the club
> for an idea like this to get off the ground?
>
> Josh
> KC8TAI
>
> ______________________________________________________________ W8MWA
> mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/w8mwa Help:
> http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:W8MWA at mailman.qth.net This
> list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list:
> http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/w8mwa/attachments/20150828/b22532f9/attachment-0001.html>