Thanks all,

I've managed to connect to a couple of the ratflectors, and downloaded the list of D-Star and Rats nets, although some of them are well into the early hours of the morning over here.

KA5MYE sent me an email through D-Rats and I've pinged one station as well. I saw the chat message from Jack (KD4IZ) as well.

Cheers - Dave (G0DJA)
--
Dave (G0DJA)
Bolsover, UK

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David,

Someone said hello as well. :-)
--
Dave (G0DJA)
Bolsover, UK

I've actually seen a message on one of the ratflectors.? CT1EBQ changed status to 'unatended', so at least I know it's working.
--
Dave (G0DJA)
Bolsover, UK

On Sun, Aug 28, 2022 at 04:46 PM, John WB4QDX wrote:

You may be trying to connect to the default ref.d-rats.com rsatflector which is no longer in use

I've managed to connect to a few of the listed ratflectors, including the Alabama and Washington ones. The ones that fail, so far, are Netherlands, Worldwide (which I think was the default), Sweden and VE6DV.

I tried a few chat messages asking if anyone could confirm that I was connected, but no replies so far, but maybe nobody is watching at the moment?

On Sun, Aug 28, 2022 at 04:46 PM, John WB4QDX wrote:

You may be trying to connect to the default ref.d-rats.com rsatflector which is no longer in use.

Hi John, thanks for the reply. I hadn't set up the connection. I was confused by the section "Radio" and I didn't realise it was for connecting to a ratflector as well...

I'll try a couple of the listed ratflectors in 'add a port' and see if I can find one that I can connect to.? Appologies if I barge in on a network, I'll try to only see if I can connect.

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On Fri, Nov 20, 2020 at 01:13 AM, Marius, YO2LOJ wrote:

Fro the usb cable to work as data input on the IC9700 you need to set it up correctly:

Hi, I'm new to D-Star and D-Rats and not sure if it will be of use to me here in the UK.

I can't get D-Rats to work, I've changed the settings to the ones that Marius suggests to use the USB connector.? I don't have the optional OPC cable for my 9700. When I start the D-Rats program I get an error message "RAT: Unable to connect (Unable to connect ([Errno 10061] No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it)).? The COM: seems to be connecting though, see attached screenshot.

Any advice as to how to cure this error please?

Thanks - Dave (G0DJA)

There is no argument here. This started as a discussion on connecting D-Rats to a radio. I stated you can do it (very easily and effectively) via USB and save your data 3.5mm connection for something else, like GPS. The USB connection can be configured (very easily) to do D-Rats serial data, program the radio with RT Systems, CAT commands by CI V....all at the same time, all on the same cable. It just requires going into the menu a little and making the changes required. I am not sure on the 9700, but on the 7100 when you enable data on USB it disables data on the pin jack. You have to make a choice.?

On Tue, Nov 24, 2020 at 10:46 AM, Michael Mandell wrote:

What else would a serial data connection do?? USB does about the same thing in the radio, although the spec allows power too.?

Clearly you can see that the USB connection is not the same as that of DATA, they have some equal functions, of course the USB surpasses it in functionality, but they are not the same in one as in the other.

Power ? ... ??Power consumption:

Yes. What else would a serial data connection do?? USB does about the same thing in the radio, although the spec allows power too.?

About the DATA connector, I doubt that you can do more than what the manual and experience says, basically it is a CIV - RS232 converter

Oh yeah ... hi hi?https://www.cacharreo.es/?q=blog/12

Icom provides more than one way to do data on many of their radios. I disagree with "do not complicate your life", however :-) . More cables (USB and RT Systems) is a little more complicated. More importantly, learning how the ports work is time well spent. It can avoid frustration using a radio for other digital modes. It allows a GPS unit PLUS D-Rats (or FT8, or whatever). I am acutely aware of the aversion hams have to the manual. Even if you read it, sometimes there appears a disconnect between the people who wrote the instructions and the people who designed the feature...it is not really explained how to actually use it as the designer intended (I wrote Ray Novak about this awhile ago). Usually, through trial and error, hams figure it out, post it on forums (like this) or YouTube. You know who else does stuff like this? (creates a product with TONS of features then expects the user community to create instruction guides)?? Microsoft. Perhaps the Seattle area is at fault.

No te compliques la vida, usa el puerto DATA Yack tanto si le conectas un GPS o para el D-Rats, prácticamente es para ello solamente sus utilidades y "guarda" el USB para cualquier otra utilidad de programas de CAT, de comunicaciones digitales, etc. Cuantas menos complicaciones mejor e incluso podrás hacer algunas cosas a la par, cada una por su sitio y su propia configuración.?

Do not complicate your life, use the DATA Yack port whether you connect a GPS or for the D-Rats, practically it is only its utilities and "saves" the USB for any other utility of CAT programs, of digital communications, etc. The fewer complications the better and you can even do some things at the same time, each one for its place and its own configuration.

As I suspected, the menu settings are very similar to most of the newer Icom radios. I have a 51HT, a 5100 and a 7100 and all are pretty similar. The 7100 has the USB plus data jack, which is one of the things that throws people. I use mine with USB and it works fine. In that radio (and I suspect the 9700) if you enable data via USB it disables via the data jack and vice versa. If the RT systems cable is used, it uses the data jack only, so data over USB is off. This is a simple menu setting. Also, I doubt you need an RT systems cable to use RT Systems software with the USB radios. I don't. I have two orange cables, but use only USB on my 7100 to program. RT Systems figures this out.??
I prefer less connections to the radio for a lot of reasons. Like all Icom stuff, once you figure out what they are doing in the menu it kind of makes sends. The Icom use of "MOD" for both the word "MODE" and "MODULATION" is confusing. Somebody should tell them.
I also regularly run D-Rats on an 880H, but with that one I use the RT Systems cable. That's a whole different menu structure before Icom started to kind of standardize things.

Okidoki sounds fair! So Data Jack it is!