Good morning Larry and all …
You mentioned
You mentioned M17. I wonder if anyone / everyone in the club ---for that matter everyone in Kansas is aware of M17..
I can’t talk for everyone in Kansas but I’m in Kansas … barely … and yes, I am aware.
Speaking of audio quality, I agree that Allstar has the best analog audio. Add Hamshack Hotline and it’s even better!
When I call nets, I listen on HH and sometimes talk on another mode. HH is full duplex. That means as NCS I can hear when someone is doubling.
Also, the headset hears what the repeater hears not what the repeater transmits. This came out during a west Texas tornado warning.
I checked into a linked system and heard a mobile report a tornado. The system admin listening on a radio could not “pull him out”.
Now M17 might be flash in the pan. However, audio quality there is as good as Fusion and approaching Allstar quality.
Using Droidstar, M17 and more are achievable. Every Friday, there’s a global all day M17 net. There’s a weekly net on Droidstar.net for users.
From my understanding, M17 has a benefit in that the module plugs into an existing device, ex. Kenwood radio, and does the encryption and decryption. The module is cheaper than a new repeater. I may be wrong about this but I hope not. I remember a demonstration at a Hamfest a year or so ago.
So users can use Droidstar on their cellphone and connect on M17 to whatever module is desired.
THAT is cheap. I already have a cellphone. No additional radio required. One of the hams this week added the app to his phone. He thought it would be hard. I didn’t have to hold his hand. He called on Sunflower yesterday during the Santa Net. He had good audio. THAT is easy.
My cellphone is insured by the ARRL equipment insurance. Because of the apps, it becomes a ham radio.
Hope that helps.
73
--
Lloyd Colston, KC5FM
SunflowerNet.us
Hamshack Hotline 50052
Lloyd Colston