D-STAR Calculator Help

When you look at the D-STAR Calculator page, there are two areas in the middle that are enclosed in boxes. The top box is for the Source Repeater and the bottom box is for the Destination Repeater. The Source Repeater is the repeater near you that your radio is going to talk to. Many repeater systems have multiple modules, so you can select the repeater, as well as the module to talk to. The Source Repeater and Module fields control the RPT1 and Radio Programming fields at the bottom of the page.

The Destination Repeater box is where you specify where the other station that you want to talk to is. By default, the same repeater that you select for the Source Repeater is chosen for the Destination Repeater. This configuration allows you to talk to people local to your repeater. By choosing a different Destination Module, you can choose to cross-band to another frequency.

When the Source Repeater is the same as the Destination Repeater, the selection of Use Gateway? is an option. Since DVDongle users can't hear you unless you are talking through the gateway, for repeaters that have gateways, it is recommended that you always select the Use Gateway? feature. This impacts the programming by setting the RPT2 field to the gateway and adding  /call-sign to the UR field.

Echo Test is a feature that is available on many repeaters with gateways, but not all. Check with your system administrator to see if it is available. When you select and program Echo Test, whatever you transmit gets repeated back to you. This is a good way to hear what your own signal sounds like.

The middle section of the page represents what you need to program in your radio. Note, that if you select a Destination Repeater that does not have a gateway, a notice appears in red that there is not a route available to that repeater. Otherwise, all you need to do is set the frequency and offset, add the UR, RPT1, and RPT2 to your radio and then you are ready to transmit!

The D-STAR Calculator page is setup to update whenever you make a change. This can cause a few seconds of a delay anytime that you change a selection. Just sit back and be patient.

Also, notice the note about the space character. When the call-signs are show for programming, the location and number of spaces is very important. Make sure that you match the number of spaces exactly. The last letter should always be in the 8th position.

At the bottom of the screen is a pictorial representation of what parts of the D-STAR system that you are using. Dependent on whether you are using multiple systems of multiple modules, the pictorial should indicate the path that your signal is taking.

Around the pictorial is Green Dude and Blue Dude. The Blue Dude puts his self in your shoes. the Green Dude represents who you are talking to. To the sides of the dudes is a description of where they are and their radio settings. Below the Blue Dude is the CQ that he would use when calling someone. Notice that it includes the system call sign and the module that you are on. Under the Green Dude is how he would set his radio to respond to you. Some of the newer radios support "One-touch" so it isn't really that important for them.

 

No Results Shown

Make sure that you have selected something in each of the boxes if you aren't seeing the programming in the blue window. You will need to select the modules as well as the repeater. Look at the last line in the green box is there a Red message there? If do, that's the Calculator indicating that you might be missing a step.

Which Function should I choose?

This might be the most confusing option in the Calculator. If this is your first time here, you will want to choose "Local Repeater with Gateway." This option allows you to talk to everyone on your local repeater.

The next most common is probably "Link to Reflector" along with "Unlink" These options allow you to link and unlink a repeater module to a specific reflector (local system administrator allowing).

I see my Repeater in the Source Repeaters, but not Destination Repeaters

The Source Repeaters section lists all known (as registered in the  DSTARInfo database) repeaters worldwide. The Destination Repeaters section list a subset of the Source Repeaters, those are listed as having a Gateway. If your repeater does not have a gateway, then many of the advanced functions, such as linking are not available.