Digital Radio

[JohnyMac]

I have volunteered to be part of our counties EOC (Emergency Operations Center) and need to pick up a few additional toys to participate in an emergency. They are:

1) Signalink USB, & the appropriate cables,
2) A digital VHF/UHF radio.

My Yasue 817nd will do digital so in theory I could use that as I have a VHF/UHF linear Amplifier with 5 watts in I will get 85 watts out. However, I like keeping my 817 in the Faraday cage.

Instead I was thinking of picking up a digital VHF/UHF HT (Handie Talkie) like and use that radio with the amp and modem.

Thoughts? 

[Jackalope]

    Regarding the VHF/UHF radio, just make sure that your local operators are indeed using DMR, not Fusion or Dstar.  It seems that different locales use different digital modes.  In the northeast it seems that DMR is the primary mode. In the southeast it's Dstar for the most part.  I ended up going the Dstar route because I have so many Dstar portables, and I also have a couple of HF radios that are Dstar capable too. 

    For those on a budget, I'd say that a DMR radio is the way to go because their prices have dropped dramatically.

     I have used a FT-817 with a Signalink and it worked okay.  I sold the Signalink once I acquired an Icom IC-7200 which has a soundcard built in and it just requires a USB cable to directly interface with my laptop.  All of the newer Icoms have that capability and it eliminates extra cables and one additional possible point of failure.

     One other note, when using HF digital modes, make sure your computer is capable of handling the software.  This past weekend I spent some time trying to get an Icom IC-9100 to run digital modes on a Dell Netbook.  Unfortunately the Netbook runs Windows XP, and it runs slower than heck.  I ended up temporarily abandoning the project until a replacement CF-30 Toughbook arrives loaded with Windows 7.  Hopefully, the Toughbook will load up properly.

 

[JohnyMac]

Thanks Jackalope. Do you think you can use a DMR HT along with a Signalink/computer for digital communications? I guess you would use a Kenwood cable. I just wrote to the company asking about this radio. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073JRTBPN/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

[Jackalope]

   Both the Signalink and the DMR can used for digital communications.  However, their digital communications are different modes.  The Signalink will allow you to communicate with PSK-31, Hellschrieber, etc. which are used on HF, using your FT-817 or another HF transceiver.  DMR is used almost exclusively on VHF/UHF.  The DMR radio isn't compatible with the Signalink. 

     Personally, I would avoid the Amazon TYT radio because it's not programmable with Chirp or RT Systems, and it uses a proprietary programming software.  I would ask the local EOC folks as to what they recommend.

[JohnyMac]

Good advise Jackalope.