A Guide to the Reflector System. by Mike G1ZRN
V1.01

A brief introduction to DStar Reflectors. Reflectors are similar to the Conference Rooms used on analogue systems and at any time any number of DStar Repeaters in the UK and also from around the world can be linked to a Reflector. This means that when you transmit through your local DStar Repeater when it is linked to a Reflector your transmission can be heard on all the other Linked Repeaters.

For DStar users to have access to a Reflector a program called dplus needs to be running on their local Repeater Gateway. dplus enables DStar Repeaters that are connected to the DStar network to link to Reflectors & other Repeaters directly.

Currently all MIDSTAR (UK) repeaters have dplus installed for use by registered users.
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How to Link to a Reflector. (Substitute xx for your local repeater )
To Link your local DStar Repeater to a Reflector, firstly decide which Reflector & Module you want to connect to, (a list is available at www.midstar.org.uk ). For example, if you want to call through the main UK Reflector 5 Module A then you need to transmit the following command, substitute the call GB7xx and port letter B to match your local repeater,

YOUR:REF005AL (The L in the 8th position commands GB7WF to link to REFlector zero zero five A)
RPT1:GB7xx B (Port letter B 70cm, must be in the 8th position)
RPT2:GB7xx G (the G for Gateway must be in the 8th position)
MYCALL:<your callsign>

If you are successful an automated voice will reply with an announcement“Remote System Linked” and the text message “System Linked” will be displayed on your transceivers display.
Now that you have linked to 5A, you now need to return your transceivers YOUR: information to CQCQCQ, otherwise the repeater will attempt to Link every time you transmit and will constantly announce “One Remote System is Already Linked”
To Unlink from a Reflector, transmit the following information,

YOUR: U (seven spaces and then U to Unlink which must be in the 8th position)
RPT1:GB7xx B (Port letter B 70cm, must be in the 8th position)
RPT2:GB7xx G (the G for Gateway must be in the 8th position)
MYCALL:<your callsign>

It is a good idea to save each setting into different memories in your transceiver.
The following are only examples. You may wish to choose other Names for your
memories and save them under different memory numbers etc.
Memory 1
Name :GB7xx (optional)
YOUR:CQCQCQ
RPT1:GB7xx B (Port letter B 70cm, must be in the 8th position)
RPT2:GB7xx G (the G for Gateway must be in the 8th position)
MYCALL:<your callsign>
Memory 2
Name :REF 5A L (optional)
YOUR:REF005AL (The L in the 8th position commands GB7WF to link to REFlector
zero zero five Module A)
RPT1:GB7xx B (Port letter B 70cm, must be in the 8th position)
RPT2:GB7xx G (the G for Gateway must be in the 8th position)
MYCALL:<your callsign>
Memory 3
Name Unlink (optional)
YOUR: U (seven spaces then the U in the 8th position)
RPT1:GB7xx B (Port letter B 70cm, must be in the 8th position)
RPT2:GB7xx G (the G for Gateway must be in the 8th position)
MYCALL:<your callsign>
So to link to Reflector 36A, after checking that your local repeater is not in use, switch from example Memory 1 to example Memory 2, press your PTT and announce your callsign and your intention to link. After the link is established switch back to example Memory 1 and wait for a few seconds to check that the Reflector isn't already in use then make your call.
When you have finished on the Reflector, to Unlink, switch to example Memory 3, announce that you are unlinking so others on the Reflector know that you will not be able to answer any further calls. Then switch back to example Memory 1 for normal use.
To Link to another Reflector change 036A to other Reflector & Module characters. i.e the main USA Reflector is 001 Module C, so the Link command would be YOUR:REF001CL
To directly Link to another Repeater
If you find that you are involved in a prolonged QSO with another remote user via a Reflector then it would be worth considering connecting direct to their local repeater and leaving the Reflector clear for others to call through. To do this, your local repeater and the remote repeater must be Unlinked from the Reflector first, as only one System can be linked at any one time. If you wanted to continue a QSO with another station that is using GB7SY, ask the other user to Unlink GB7SY from the Reflector, then after Unlinking send the following command,
YOUR:GB7SY BL (the B is the 70cm port designator that GB7SY uses, the L must be in the 8th position to Link your GB7WF to GB7SY port B.
RPT1:GB7xx B (Port letter B 70cm, must be in the 8th position)
RPT2:GB7xx G (the G for Gateway must be in the 8th position)
The direct Linking only has to be done on one repeater not both. When you have successfully Linked to the remote repeater, you will hear the announcement “Remote System Linked”. If you get the announcement “Remote System
Busy” then the other Repeater has not yet been Unlinked from the Reflector or has already been linked to your local repeater. To continue your QSO return to the CQCQCQ setting in YOUR: as per the example Memory 1 above. When you have finished your QSO, the Unlink command in the example Memory 3 above can be used to Unlink from the Remote Repeater.
Unlike analogue repeaters, DStar Repeaters use the same callsign on different bands and it is the Port letter that refers to the band(s) that the repeater is operating on. A = 23cm, B = 70cm & C = 2M.
So to connect to a Repeater with a Port on 2M you would use the following example,
YOUR:GB7SF CL to connect to the 2M port on GB7SF Sheffield.
Using the above examples you can Link your local repeater directly to any Gateway
Repeater around the World as long as the Remote Repeater is not already Linked to any other System.
Remember to leave at least three seconds after the beep before transmitting through the Reflectors /Remote Repeaters, this will enable others to call in, all the Gateways on the Reflectors to reset their Timers & others to Unlink their local Gateway from a Reflector if they so wish.
MidStar UK announcements and their meanings
xx = BM, GL, SY or WF
“Remote System Linked” A successful Link has been achieved.
“GB7xx is now Unlinked” A successful Unlink has been achieved.
“Remote System Busy” The remote Repeater/Reflector that you are trying to Link to is already Linked to another System, or Network may be busy so try later.
“One remote System is already Linked” A duplicate Link command has been transmitted, only one System can be linked at any one time.
“System Already Unlinked” An Unlink command has been transmitted when the repeater is already Unlinked.
“GB7xx is not currently Linked” An Information (Status) command has been sent to the repeater when it is Unlinked
Please note that the reflector module letters do not refer to the Port letters used on DStar Repeaters.

© MidStar UK 2009 Mike G1ZRN      www.midstar.co.uk