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Re: DV Dongle Help
开云体育I’m only a casual MacOS user, so I may not be able to help.? I would guess the issue is the FTDI driver.? There is an old FAQ at that might be a starting point.? Big Sur is v 11 and the DV Dongle software should work on MacOS 10.4 and above. In particular, check -- under “Installing on MacOS X” there is a link to the correct FTDI driver. The other way, if you have the disk space, would be to use Boot Camp to install Windows 10 and boot to that when running the net, but I would hope you don’t need to do that.? Sorry I can’t be of more help. ???? Jim – K6JM From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Rich - KH7RC
Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2021 3:31 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [w6cx-dstar] DV Dongle Help Hey Folks...I use a DV Dongle as an easy way of recording users while running our local D-Star net here in Va. ?Recently upgraded to macOS to Big Sur and Dongle will not open. |
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DV Dongle Help
Hey Folks...I use a DV Dongle as an easy way of recording users while running our local D-Star net here in Va. ?Recently upgraded to macOS to Big Sur and Dongle will not open.
Everything seems to work fine but it shuts the port off within a couple of seconds. ?Anyone have any idea's? ?I could put it back on a Windows10 machine I only use that one for field days or EMCOMM. Thanks and 73, Rich KH7RC |
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Club Groups.io Guidelines Posted
开云体育
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D-Star Picture Net
开云体育Interesting attached article originally published in RadCom (British Ham magazine).? Also, the note below about the net for trading photos over D-STAR is interesting. ? For those of you with radios that can do D-STAR on HF bands, you might also want to join in on the HF D-STAR nets and/or join the HFDstar net on groups.io. ? ???? Jim – K6JM ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Lewis Maxwell via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, December 27, 2020 4:51 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [HFDstar] D-Star Picture Net Sending Pictures with the D-Star Radio For complete details on the D-Star Picture Net visit?. Read the instruction manual for the??and the iOS devices. The same manual is used for both. Be sure to check out the “Compatible Transceiver” tab to see what features your radio will support. The Kenwood D74 radio is not listed in the compatible list but the RS-MS1A Android App will work with this radio. Use the Bluetooth to connect the two together. Keep in mind that when using the App’s, the App controls the radio. So, making changes in the radio should not have to be done. The IC-9700, IC-705 and ID-52A will work out of the box without the Android or iOS devices attached. Consult the User’s Manual.?You also may?take, edit, and transfer the pictures from the iPhone, or android device using the ST4001W(A) ICOM free app. A picture can be taken with a phone, edited, and then transferred to the radio using the WiFi. For the other radios you need to use the serial cable. The D-Star Picture Mode article Mark, M5BOP wrote and was published in the November issue of RSGB RadCom magazine has been released for us to read. Thank you, Mark for sharing. I have attached the .pdf copy. Hotspots Not all hotspots will support the Fast Data mode however, pretty much all will support the Slow Data mode. We are seeing that the older hotspots have issues with coding being outdated. Many are no longer supported be their creator. The newer hotspots such as the openSPOT2 and 3 work really well with the latest version of firmware. The DVMEGA with the BlueDV firmware is another excellent choice. The developers of these two devices have been willing to work with us and ensure that the features are supported. Doozy Last week on the D-Star Picture net we had a number of Doozy users. David, PA7LIM has developed a new software which supports ICOM radios in the terminal mode, no hotspot is required. See here:??to download the software and for?further details. At the present time it is available only for Win 10. Hopefully, the Android version will be out soon. After downloading the software, test it out on REF072D or E. Testing Testing the hotspot can be done using REF072E. Select Send Picture. Select a picture. Try to select a picture with little color. The transmission takes longer to send if there is a lot of color. On the picture quality and size select Low (25%) and 160 x 120. If the radio supports Fast Data, select it. Start Transmitting. Now select Receive Picture. When the transmission has finished or REF072E has timed out the picture will be echoed back. The “E” module has a short timeout timer. You will be able to tell how the hotspot will react during the net, and if the App is setup correct. 73, Lew, KB5HPT |
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IC-705 Pi-Star Configuration trick when using Terminal Mode
I recently got a question from Jim - VK1WJ: "I’ve tried the instructions on a pi zero with a IC-705 and cannot select a Terminal Mode DSTAR Repeater in the modem type. All I get is the ICOM Repeater choice. It works perfectly with my ID 51plus2. Have tried full reset of the 705 to no avail."
There are two parts to configuration.? ? First the radio -- I’m looking at the IC-705 ENG Advanced manual, in Ch 15 “About the DV Gateway Function.”? ?You want to choose External Gateway Function. ?And you need to connect the radio to a computer like the Pi Zero W using a USB cable – plug one end into the micro USB port on the radio and the other end into the Pi Zero W. ? Then with Pi-Star loaded on the Pi Zero, it is pretty much the same as for the ID 51 Plus2.? The trick there, and this may have been your problem, is that the configuration on Pi-Star won’t work unless 1)the radio and the Pi are connected via USB, and 2)the radio is turned on and ?in External Gateway mode.? Then boot up Pi-Star on the Pi Zero and go through the configuration covered in my web pages.? If Pi-Star boots up with the radio connected and in External Gateway mode, then when you get to ?General Configuration, the Radio/Modem Type will have the option “ICOM Radio in Terminal Mode” option.? That won’t be there if the radio isn’t connected and in External Gateway mode when Pi-Star starts. ? ????? Jim - K6JM |
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Re: Cheap terminal mode hotspot
开云体育Jim, ? As you know, there are two parts to configuration.? ? First the radio -- I’m looking at the IC-705 ENG Advanced manual, in Ch 15 “About the DV Gateway Function.”? ?You want to choose External Gateway Function. ?And you need to connect the radio to a computer like the Pi Zero W using a USB cable – plug one end into the micro USB port on the radio and the other end into the Pi Zero W. ? Then with Pi-Star loaded on the Pi Zero, it is pretty much the same as for the ID 51 Plus2.? The trick there, and this may have been your problem, is that the configuration on Pi-Star won’t work unless 1)the radio and the Pi are connected via USB, and 2)the radio is turned on and ?in External Gateway mode.? Then boot up Pi-Star on the Pi Zero and go through the configuration covered in my web pages.? If Pi-Star boots up with the radio connected and in External Gateway mode, then when you get to ?General Configuration, the Radio/Modem Type will have the option “ICOM Radio in Terminal Mode” option.? That won’t be there if the radio isn’t connected and in External Gateway mode when Pi-Star starts. ? ????? Jim ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Jim - VK1WJ
Sent: Saturday, October 3, 2020 8:07 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [w6cx-dstar] Cheap terminal mode hotspot ? Hi Jim, |
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Re: Cheap terminal mode hotspot
Jim - VK1WJ
Hi Jim,
Many thanks for your post, I’ve tried the instructions on a pi zero with a IC-705 and cannot select a Terminal Mode DSTAR Repeater in the modem type. All I get is the ICOM Repeater choice. It works perfectly with my ID 51plus2. Have tried full reset of the 705 to no avail.? -- Jim ?VK1WJ |
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Re: Cheap terminal mode hotspot
Hi Jim,
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You may want to contact Tim Barrett, K6BIV as he is also running Terminal Mode per his QRZ.com page: Hello: The Newly upgraded K6BIV Station is on the Air. Rigs are: Icom IC-7700, Icom IC-900 both with a Icom PW-1 @ home location and Icom IC-7100 using RemoteRig to the top of Mt. Diablo @ 3800'. Thanks & 73' K6BIV Tim Stay Well 73 Mike W6MEW -----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Jim - K6JM via groups.io Sent: Friday, September 25, 2020 4:30 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [w6cx-dstar] Cheap terminal mode hotspot Have a DStar radio that supports Terminal Mode and want to have a way to access the DStar network without RF to a DStar repeater? Newer ICOM DStar radios have a new feature called Terminal Mode. You connect the radio to a computer that has internet access and you run an appropriate app. Problem was - ICOM's app does not allow connection to reflectors. To the rescue came Jonathan Naylor G4KLX (who attended Pacificon two years ago and gave a presentation on digital voice). He updated his free app to support Terminal Mode radios. If you have a radio that can do Terminal Mode (51A Plus2, 31A Plus, 4100, 5100, 9700, 705), a Terminal Mode hotspot may be the answer. And if your radio comes with the needed cable, rather than buying an expensive hotspot, for about $20-$30 you can set up a Terminal Mode hotspot using a Raspberry Pi Zero loaded with Pi-Star. I have posted a short guide about how to do this at That page has an overview, with links to a How-To page. Of course RF access to the W6CX D-STAR repeater is still the best way to use D-STAR, but if you are travelling or you want to switch reflectors a lot without disturbing others, a cheap hotspot may be the solution for you. Jim - K6JM -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. |
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Cheap terminal mode hotspot
Have a DStar radio that supports Terminal Mode and want to have a way to
access the DStar network without RF to a DStar repeater? Newer ICOM DStar radios have a new feature called Terminal Mode. You connect the radio to a computer that has internet access and you run an appropriate app. Problem was - ICOM's app does not allow connection to reflectors. To the rescue came Jonathan Naylor G4KLX (who attended Pacificon two years ago and gave a presentation on digital voice). He updated his free app to support Terminal Mode radios. If you have a radio that can do Terminal Mode (51A Plus2, 31A Plus, 4100, 5100, 9700, 705), a Terminal Mode hotspot may be the answer. And if your radio comes with the needed cable, rather than buying an expensive hotspot, for about $20-$30 you can set up a Terminal Mode hotspot using a Raspberry Pi Zero loaded with Pi-Star. I have posted a short guide about how to do this at That page has an overview, with links to a How-To page. Of course RF access to the W6CX D-STAR repeater is still the best way to use D-STAR, but if you are travelling or you want to switch reflectors a lot without disturbing others, a cheap hotspot may be the solution for you. Jim - K6JM -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. |
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Re: Validate my D-Star gateway settings?
开云体育Matt, This note got buried so I did not answer, sorry.? I see you registered your callsign (space and Z), so I am betting you got things working 3 months ago. Your point about terminals – most people get one terminal (with a space in the “initial” box) and use that for all their devices, radios, hotspots, etc.? Attached are more details, but that’s the most common way to register for DStar. ????? Jim – K6JM PS There are 2 situations where having more than one terminal is of value – one is if you have multiple radios in use simultaneously and you and your friends are fans of callsign routing – the DStar network keeps track of where the terminal callsign was last heard.? If one radio were talking to W6CX (MyCall set to KJ6AKF with no module letter) in Concord and someone far away routed to KJ6AKF, the system would route their transmission to the W6CX gateway and be heard on W6CX DStar repeater. If at the same time, a friend were using another of your radios and its MyCall had KJ6AKF B (assuming you had also registered a B terminal) and this radio were talking to a hotspot like your openSPOT, then the system would also keep track of? the IP address of where KJ6AKF B were last heard (your openSPOT).? So if another person callsign routed to KJ6AKF B, it would come out on your openSPOT.? In this case, you get value from having more than one terminal. Most people in the US don’t use callsign routing – they prefer using reflectors that don’t require callsign capturing.? Also, the probability of the above happening is really close to zero, meaning most people don’t need more than one terminal – just use the space terminal in MyCall on all radios.? A valid reason for a second terminal is if you own a radio that supports Terminal mode and you also own an ICOM data cable OPC-2350LU that you use with a computer running either ICOM RS-MS3 or G4KLX DStarRepeater.? This setup becomes an inexpensive hotspot, but you need MyCall to have a terminal where on the registration page, you checked the AccessPoint box.?? People with the above radio and data cable do set up a second terminal, usually with a Z module letter.? If you don’t have a need for this kind of hotspot, though, you do not need this 2nd terminal.?? (NOTE:? ICOM’s RS-MS3 software only supports callsign routing, which disappoints people when they find that out.? So TerminalMode users end up using G4KLX’s software, since it supports linking to reflectors.) From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Matt KJ6AKF
Sent: Sunday, April 12, 2020 7:20 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [w6cx-dstar] Validate my D-Star gateway settings? Hi all, I’m new to D-Star.? I use a hotspot at the moment, because the D-Star repeater here in SF appears to be off.? So, I connect my ID-31A to an openSPOT3. Attached is a screenshot of my settings.? Do they look correct? I ask because I’m watching these Youtube videos on D-Star, and the presenter says adding a terminal for a hotspot is not necessary:
Those videos are from 2012 though, and before hotspots became so common. So what’s the verdict on adding a terminal? Thanks, Matt KJ6AKF
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Validate my D-Star gateway settings?
Matt KJ6AKF
开云体育? Hi all, ? I’m new to D-Star.? I use a hotspot at the moment, because the D-Star repeater here in SF appears to be off.? So, I connect my ID-31A to an openSPOT3. ? Attached is a screenshot of my settings.? Do they look correct? ? I ask because I’m watching these Youtube videos on D-Star, and the presenter says adding a terminal for a hotspot is not necessary: ? ? Those videos are from 2012 though, and before hotspots became so common. ? So what’s the verdict on adding a terminal? ? Thanks, Matt KJ6AKF ? |
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Re: Use of DVAP with ID-51A
Jim Been on trip so havent?played with DSTAR of late. Appreciate the info and will get back to u when I can focus on DSTAR. If u talk to someone with Icom 9700 on DSTAR and they are amenable, send me their email. 73? Roger N3RC Sebastopol On Tue, Mar 3, 2020 at 9:18 AM Jim - K6JM <jmm@...> wrote: Roger, |
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Re: RPT? getting through?
Thank you very much for the clarification and a bit of the background Jim.
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Regards, Richard KG6DOH On Mar 3, 2020, at 1:14 AM, Jim - K6JM <jmm@...> wrote: |
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Re: Use of DVAP with ID-51A
Roger,
I hope you don't mind my sharing your note and reply with the [email protected] group, so others can get ideas about these issues. (I am trying to get caught up and just noticed several DStar questions in this group. Sorry for the delay in answering.) While I am a big fan of 3rd party DStar tools like the DVAP, since you are in Sebastopol, I wonder if your 51A HT can be heard by K6ACS? If yes, the following gives a general approach to have QSOs using it. But if you can't hit any nearby repeaters via RF, then you will need to program the DVAP software and your radio to have QSOs using the internet to make the connection. Note that while hotspots like the DVAP can link to DStar repeaters, there is no requirement that you do so. Instead, most people using hotspots link directly to the reflectors that they find interesting. But the following assumes you use RF and can hear and be heard by the repeater you mentioned. Let us know if you can't do that and we can cover using the DVAP for all QSOs. The DStar repeater on 145.040 is K6ACS in Santa Rosa. (I looked that up by going to and sorting by state, then looking at the California entries for that frequency.) This is a club callsign for the “Sonoma County Aux Comm Serv.” Its C module is 145.040 offset -0.400. (It also has a B module on 442.1125 offset +5.000.) Before doing anything else, make sure your radio’s MyCall is set to your registered callsign. In terms of configuring your DStar radio to hit that repeater, you have 2 choices – one is to use the built-in repeater tables by placing your radio into DR mode. The other is to use programming software to set up memories. In both cases, your goal is to populate the 4 key fields in every DStar radio: MyCall = your callsign plus terminal initial or space, as registered UR = command telling repeater to take action, like link, or CQCQCQ to talk to people RPT1 = repeater callsign and module letter in 8th position RPT2 = repeater callsign and G in 8th position To have QSO’s through K6ACS’s 2 meter DStar module, those fields should be: MyCall = N3RC (since you were smart and registered a terminal with a space in “initial”) UR = CQCQCQ RPT1 = K6ACS..C (dots are spaces, so C falls in 8th position) RPT2 = K6ACS..G So your next step is deciding whether to use DR Mode or programmed memories. When starting out, I recommend people first learn to use DR Mode. Read up on it in your radio’s manual. One trick I use all the time when configuring to hit a new-to-me repeater or hotspot – when I think I have configured things using DR mode, or using memories, I use the radio’s menu system to display the contents of the Callsign fields. The manual shows how to display those 4 fields (MyCall, UR, RPT1, RPT2). You can quickly tell if your configuration worked or is just wrong. Let us know what you’ve tried and how things are going. Jim – K6JM From: Roger Cooper <rogern3rc@...> Sent: Sunday, February 9, 2020 7:01 PM To: jmm@... Subject: Use of DVAP with ID-51A Jim Just got a new 9700 and a pi-star hot spot and joined the w6cx-dstar group from which I read your email. Have no digital HT yet. I am totally new to D-star and looking for someone to ask questions about getting on Dstar. Registered online and the D-Star Registration Validation shows I am registered as N3RC Z Access Point Terminal N3RC Space/Primary Terminal I can hear folks on 145.040 30C 73 Roger N3RC Sebastopol -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. |
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Re: RPT? getting through?
Richard,
That RPT? is a standard response to a normal transmission. In the early days of DStar, ICOM assumed everyone would use what’s called Callsign Routing at all times. But currently, outside of Japan, most users do not use callsign routing. Instead, they typically put CQCQCQ in their radio’s UR field. The repeater responds with the RPT? as a way of saying, “that’s not a valid callsign routing command.” That is true, and since instead of Callsign Routing, many of us talk to others using reflectors, we just ignore the question mark. In fact, most of us choose to interpret that as confirmation that the repeater heard us, similar to analog FM repeater beep responses…. Jim – K6JM From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of richard_schwaninger Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2020 4:30 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [w6cx-dstar] RPT? getting through? Good morning, I’ve been absent for a few years and now getting back in. I just set up an ID-9700 and am receiving well. I can link and un-link the repeater from reflectors. However when I send a query for information (.......I) I always get a response RPT? i also get this when I connect to other repeaters through the gateway. My registration is in order, I’ve checked my call sign in the radio and it seems ok. is the RPT? response a failure or normal? thanks Richard KG6DOH -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. |
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Re: RPT1 ?
Roger,
You should be able to find both articles and videos searching the internet. I recommend search terms: icom 9700 dstar setup An example is the video at The key decision for you is whether to put your radio into DR mode to configure for DStar, or whether to program traditional memories. I personally recommend when starting out with DStar, to use DR Mode. One caution: Icom ships radios with pre-loaded repeater tables, and unfortunately, even new radios have a frequency error for our W6CX DStar repeater. W6CX is on 2 meters at 145.000 offset +2.500. While you can use buttons on the radio to fix the error manually, I recommend you just download the latest info and load that into your radio. Go to . Each radio has a different method to load that file into the radio, but I guarantee your manual will explain how. Most of the recent ICOM DStar radios allow you to copy the update files to a USB stick, then plug that into your radio and upload from there. Jim – K6JM From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of n3rcn3rc Sent: Sunday, February 23, 2020 10:17 AM To: [email protected] Group Moderators <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [w6cx-dstar] RPT1 ? I am a D-Star newbie trying to access W6CX with Icom 9700 Can hear everything and have read adv manual , watched videos, and 2 9700 books.In Sebastopol. Anyone have some info/contacts on getting a 9700 running on D-Star? 73 Roger N3RC 4062233482 On Sun, Feb 23, 2020 at 6:35 AM Fred C. (W6BSD) <mailto:w6bsd@...> wrote: Oops, yes it’s C sorry for the typo. -fred- On Feb 22, 2020, at 5:24 PM, Neil K6NCX <mailto:neil.fullagar@...> wrote: Thanks, Fred. I have read a bunch of stuff, and not all sources have said the same thing. By the way, though, shouldn't that be W6CX C on 2 meters? Neil K6NCX -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. |
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Re: RPT1 ?
I think others have answered this, but RPT1 should always be the module of the repeater you are using. For W6CX, which has 2 meter radios for DStar on 145.000 offset +2.500, that module letter is C. So you want RPT1 to be W6CX…C (dots are spaces, so the C falls in the 8th position).
RPT2 should always be the terminal identifier of the gateway than connects to the internet. For W6CX, RPT2 should always be W6CX…G Per my other notes, the most likely problem in using a new-to-you repeater is configuring the 4 callsign fields. Looks like you are on the right track. When you are done, use your radio’s menu system to display Callsign fields. What you should see (in your case): MyCall = K6NCX UR = CQCQCQ RPT1 = W6CX…C (again, dots are spaces) RPT2 = W6CX…G Jim – K6JM From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Neil K6NCX Sent: Saturday, February 22, 2020 1:55 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [w6cx-dstar] RPT1 ? OK, In the past I've tried to paint a whole picture and I've gotten responses to one or two aspects, so I'll try asking tiny questions, one at a time. Making a local call via RF through W6CX on 2m, I understand that URcall should be CQCQCQ. But should RPT1 be: W6CX (and no more) or W6CX C or W6CX C or W6CX C? I ask because I'm not haviing any success getting into local repeater (W6CX.) -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. |
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Re: Mycall ?
开云体育MyCall should contain the name of a terminal you’ve registered for your callsign.? In your case, when checking , I see you have set up 3 terminals for your callsign: a space in “initial”, an A and a C.? ? I recommend you program your radio’s MyCall with your space terminal, that is, just put your callsign with nothing after it in MyCall. ? ??? Jim – K6JM ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Neil K6NCX ? OK, In the past I've tried to paint a whole picture and I've gotten responses to one or two aspects, so I'll try asking tiny questions, one at a time.
Should Mycall when calling via W6CX? ? C repeater on 2m be: |
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Re: D-STAR registration... is this a problem?
I ignore the AreaRPT field. It was important to users at one point in the early days of DStar, but it is hard to find an article on the internet about it these days.
As I understand it, the real problem is not being able to hit W6CX or being able to talk to people there. Fast way to find the problem: use your radio’s menu system to display the Callsign info (MyCall, UR, RPT1, RPT2). Let us know what’s there. Jim – K6JM From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Neil K6NCX Sent: Saturday, February 22, 2020 1:14 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [w6cx-dstar] D-STAR registration... is this a problem? OK, In the past I've tried to paint a whole picture and I've gotten responses to one or two aspects, so I'll try asking tiny questions, one at a time. I see that the registrationfor KF6AFY is: Target CS AreaRPT CS ZoneRPT CS Receive Time (UTC) Name KF6AFY WW6BAY B WW6BAY KF6AFY A W6CX A W6CX KF6AFY C W6CX A W6CX Does it matter that the AreaRPT CS is different? I ask because I'm not haviing any success getting into local repeater (W6CX.) -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. |
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RPT? getting through?
Good morning, However when I send a query for information (.......I) I always get a response RPT? ? i also get this when I connect to other repeaters through the gateway.? My registration is in order, I’ve checked my call sign in the radio and it seems ok.?
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Mike, W6MEW
