Best Practice User Guide     MidStar UK           Aug 2009

Where  GB7SY is stated this could be any other repeater.

The D-Star system is different than any other Amateur Radio protocol. It is recommended that you spend time programming your radio and then use your radio from the memories and memory banks.

I can send you a file for the memories of the 2820 and the 92D. These will need modifying to your personal preferences and your chosen main Repeater.

Be discrete when speaking, you may be heard all over the world. Other Radio Amateurs have different ways and cultures that we must respect. Remember that you represent UK Radio Amateurs, be proud of our wonderful hobby and set a good example.

Always leave a time gap between over’s, (at least 2 seconds after the repeater bleeps) this allows all the data links to settle down, Repeaters to be linked and unlinked and others to join the QSO.

When you want to link GB7SY announce your call sign & your intentions so that others listening will know what is going on and this also is a good example of correct operation procedure for new comers to the hobby,
       e.g. M0FHM calling through GB7SY, MidStar UK
You only need to give your callsign according to current licence conditions (usually every 15minutes) and not at the end of every over.

By entering a call sign in the “Your Call” the system will find the last repeater that the call sign was heard on.

Remember there are no private conversations. You will be heard not only on the repeaters you are using but on all the repeaters in the world that are also connected to the same reflector module.

When having a one to one, or local group QSO it is best to disconnect from the reflector to leave it free for others to use elsewhere and have your local QSO on your local repeater, or if possible connect direct to the other repeater.
If you are within range of the other station, then consider using one of the simple DV frequencies. 144.6125Mhz's and 438.6125Mhz's are the DV calling Channels.

If you are a Dongle user it is best to connect to a reflector.
If you connect to REF021B you will be connected to the MidStar UK network. This connects GB7BM / GL / SY / WF / ZI together. These repeaters do still have complete functionality. More details on the MidStar UK Network Guide
If you connect direct to a repeater you should ensure that the repeater is unlinked from any Reflectors, otherwise your audio may not be heard on the reflector depending on how that repeater Gateway is configured. Other Reflector listeners will sometimes only hear half of the QSO

There are now more than 22 reflectors each with 3 modules that gives a choice of more than 66 channels.
More information on Reflector use can be found here
http://www.dstarinfo.com/reflectors/reflectors.htm

The policy so far has been for GB7SY to default to MidStar UK (Reflector 21B) this means that the 3 repeaters will be linked giving us a Midland network. More details on the Midstar UK Network Guide

You are welcome and encouraged to link and unlink GB7SY to any Reflector Module you wish.
You can only link and unlink when no transmissions are taking place.
It is best to always work from memories or memory banks, You need to use 3 memory locations when you connect to a repeater or reflector module.
          1 Link.    2 Chat.    3 Unlink.

To link or unlink a repeater to or from a reflector, choose the appropriate link memory, Tx for a few seconds, no speech necessary if you only wish to listen. I have found that sometimes you need to do this twice. If you wish to join or start a QSO then announce that you are connecting to the reflector.
         e.g. M0FHM connecting GB7SY to reflector 7 B

You MUST change to the chat memory location to start or join a QSO. If you do not then every time you press the PTT, a link or unlink command will be sent, this will interfere with any other data or speech.
When you have finished you QSO unlink the repeater.
To unlink from a reflector, listen to ascertain that the reflector you wish to unlink is not being used by others on your repeater. Then choose the “Unlink” memory. Tx for a few seconds and announce that you are Unlinking so other remote stations via the Reflector will know that you are no longer available.

You only need a “U” in the 8th. position of your “Your Call” to unlink any reflector that your repeater is connected to.

Having unlinked change to the chat memory, ask if anyone was using the reflector.

There are 3 messages from the reflectors

When Linking “Link Correctly established”
When already linked “Link correctly established”
When unlinking “Remote system unlinked”
When not linked “Not currently linked”

If you are using your TRx as a Base Station near a computer there are links that will tell you the state of the reflector or repeater.
Look at > www.gb7sy.dyndns.org <and > www.ref021.dstargateway.org <
you can replace the "gb7sy" with any repeater and the "ref021" with any reflector.

Keep looking at www.midstar.org.uk for lots more information, updates and useful links..

Please let me have any additions or corrections to help improve this document.

Don Sunderland    M0FHM     don@m0fhm.net