Digital Voice Possibilities

dlwarnberg

Many HAMS in my area are experimenting with a DV4mini which gave me an idea, why couldn't FLEX come up with a similar device (or use the DV4mini) to be able to operate in all digital voice modes?  DSTAR is one and can now, but what about DMR or C4FM could those also not be attainable with the FLEX 6XXX series radio?

I have not looked into it other then playing with the FLEX radio but what OS does the flex run?  I would assume it's a linux based kernel.  Again thinking outloud, my understanding is the DV4mini will operate on the Raspberry PI, seems to me as it would be a small step to get it to work...

Thoughts..

David

DH2ID

The DV4mini is strictly a gateway only, you can't use it on a Flex therefore. And there is no similar device.

Walt - KZ1F

Dave, would you do a quick compare / contrast DV4mini vs DSTAR, aside from the somewhat proprietary nature of DSTAR?

DH2ID

As you can read here, the DV4mini can be used as a hotspot for a lot of DV modes: http://www.helitron.de/shop/product_i...

dlwarnberg

ok... however DSTAR is a chip based digital voice decoder no?  so is C4FM as well as DMR to am I all wet?  Guess my question is why couldn't a USB multi chip based decoder be created for the FLEX??

DH2ID

David, you're right there, but I doubt whether DMR or C4FM could be useful for a Flex radio, as there are dedicated FM handheld radios for these modes out there. I have been using D-Star for quite a long time now, and - although I find FreeDV quite useful on HF - D-Star is so prone to glitches, that it is even doubtful whether it is a usable mobile mode.

dlwarnberg

Walt, I do not have a DV4mini....  I've just been listening to others talk about it..  I had a ICOM 9100, sold it, got a ThumbDV for the FLEX. I also have sitting in my shack a FTM-400 (C4FM), I also use FreeDV with the FLEX...  just trying to think outoud as to really what ARE the differances other then the chip base??  

I can also tell you right now, I can take my SDRplay, set it up to listen to and decode them (FreeDV, DSTAR and C4FM all done successfully to date, no DMR repeater in my area to test with).. all software driven.. granted I'm not transmitting but I can intercept the signal and decode it.

dlwarnberg

True.....and there is now C4FM HF nets out there as we speek, just like DSTAR HF... the new FT-991 does HF C4FM..  no idea as to the DMR situation

dlwarnberg

I just forsee a market for this coming as more and more HAMS get into digital voice.. and I'd lay money it would draw lots more customers to FLEX...one radio truly FLEXIBLE enough to do it all..

Kent Hufford

As was said already, the DV4mini is a hot spot. It does NOT encode or decode any of the 4 modes it supports. So, it cannot "act" like any of the 4 mode radios; DSTAR, FUSION, DMR, or P25. It just passes the signals from one of those radios to the internet.

DSTAR is not proprietary, that is why there is a non-ICOM DV3000 dongle that can be plugged into the FLEX 6xxx series. The FLEX 6xxx series radio works very fine with the DV3000. On DSTAR HF I have worked over 40 states. Also to Canada, Australia, England, Costa Rica. It will never replace CW or SSB, but another fun mode in the quiver of HAM radio.  

Gary L. Robinson

DMR (assuming it could be implemented in the Flex 6000 series) would be VERY useful in my 6300 - and any other hams with uhf-uhf transverters. I have a 2mtr transverter in line with my 6300 and we have a couple 2mtr DMR repeaters within range. I already have a DMR 440mhz mobile and HT but would still like to have it in my 6300. I don't really want yet another rig just to cover another band taking up desk space. And the same applies to Fusion too! ---Gary WB8ROL

Doug Hall

"DSTAR is not proprietary, that is why there is a non-ICOM DV3000 dongle that can be plugged into the FLEX 6xxx series."

DSTAR may not technically be proprietary, and anyone may be free to produce a DSTAR product. But you'll have to pay Digital Voice Systems, Inc for the privilege of using their very-much-proprietary AMBE vocoder which is central to the operation of DSTAR. (And DMR and P25 and Fusion, as far as I know.) Isn't that the biggest reason that DSTAR (on the Flex) is implemented using a hardware dongle and not as a software-only waveform like FreeDV?
73,
Doug K4DSP
 

dlwarnberg

FYI... Yeasu's digital voice (Fusion) is a P25 encrypted digital voice signal with C4FM modulation that can be decoded via software. 

There is a software called "Digital Speech Decoder" or DVD that can be used to accomplish this decoding... I'm doing it now with a SDRPlay and that software.

Here is a link with more information about the software and the supported platforms.
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Digital_Speech_Decoder_(software_package)

Bob-N4HY

I am looking for a project such as this one.  If ANYONE knows of open source software for C4FM,  DV4Mini or if there is just some place there is a nearly complete write up,  please send it along.