Feedback for the latest FLEX Insider...

DrTeeth

It is just that not so long ago (approx 2 weeks IIRC), 1.4 was officially on schedule for an end of October release.

@ Jon. I did read that statement about another month, but there was sufficient contradictory woolliness in the rest of the newsletter to make me doubt that.

I have to be an optimist, I live with a confirmed pessimist. To do otherwise would be to drive through life with the handbrake on, hi hi.

G4YDO

does having dv mode mean we will be able to run dstar?

Ken - NM9P

DV, i.e. FreeDV, and D-Star are two different digital formats.  FreeDV runs Codec2 which is open source.  D-Star is Icom's proprietary digital encoding format.  Technically i would think it was possible, but getting the D-Star software license might be expensive.

But the new waveform API will make all manner of different digital modes possible either on-board or out-board.  Time will tell.

AE0MW

No, FreeDV is a different digital system.

Having the Wave API available though does mean that it would be possible to add D-Star to the Flex using just software however the coder would need to be extremely talented to finish the software implementation (there is code out there that almost works) and remain anonymous (to avoid legal issues from DSVI).

Using the Wave API it may be possible to implement a D-Star mode using a DV-Dongle and should be much easier than an all software implementation.

The problem is, will it happen?

A lot of the coders who are capable of this kind of work aren't really enamored with Flex's closed architecture. The ones who would do it for the fun and notoriety would pick a different platform, and the ones who might do it for the money don't really see much to be gained since it would be an insanely small target audience and driving sales to a different product (DV-Dongle).

DrTeeth

Technically, D-Star is not Icom's proprietary format AIUI. Just the codec is proprietary and it is not owned by Icom. The only thing that Icom owns is the trade mark 'D-Star'.

KY6LA_Howard

The issue is that the owners charge a $50 licensing fee for each install of the Codec

Just to add insult to injury... DSTAR was deliberately crippled by the Japanese Ministry of Industry and Technology because they were afraid people would use it to bypass paid Internet Services.. so it's deliberately very slow data rates make for less than optimum usability...

BTW... I made the first documented DSTAR Contact from the base of MontMartre in Paris France to K6BK San Diego way back on April 15, 2008....

So I have lots of experience with incredibly klunky mode.