Although it was intended to be a
project where a single device (a D-STAR capable transceiver) was to be
designed and built, this was quickly changed into a more layered approach.
Different (groups of) people wanted different features, and that eventually
became too complex for a first attempt at this.
So, after many discussions, back-and-forth email sessions and endless
hours of typing on MSN (yes..), it was decided that initially, the following
devices would be designed:
- In every way the basis of all products, the Smart Modem is the part of
DUTCH*Star that connects to a radio transceiver on one end, converts the GMSK-modulated
audio signals to bits, and then processes those bits into manageable frames,
according to the D-STAR DV Radio Protocol. These frames are then output on the
serial port, to whatever is connected to it - usually, a PC of some kind. The
connected system is then responsible for doing something useful with those
frames. The modem features an USB connection to the PC, and is powered from the
USB bus. Its communication protocol is simple, easy to implement and does not
require special drivers of libraries, as it emulates a standard serial ("COM")
port to the operating system.
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- Next-up in features, complexity and cost is the Standalone Terminal.
Designed for use as a standalone messaging monitor, the DT-1 contains a
variant of the DM-1 technology, combined with its own local
high-performance CPU, graphical LCD and keypad, thus eliminating the
need for a PC in several applications. It can deal with various uses of
the D-STAR system, such as a repeater monitor, a short-message device,
but also as a data gateway into the D-STAR network. For easy messaging
functionality, a PS/2-style keyboard connection is available.
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- The flagship of the DUTCH*Star line, the DS-1 is a complete radio
transceiver with modular design. The basic transceiver consists of a RF
transceiver module (available are modules for the 2m, 70cm and 23cm
ranges; others may follow) and all other modules required to implement a
complete analog FM transceiver. It also supports D-STAR, however, by
addition of the DS-1DV module which is another variant of the Smart
Modem. Practically speaking, the Digital Station is a DT-1 Standalone
Terminal, coupled with a complete radio transceiver in a single
enclosure.
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- Not a standard product as such, but really an add-on module to the other
products, adding DV (Digital Voice) audio capabilities. The module
contains an AMBE-2020 Vocoder chip plus associated components to add or
create an analog endpoint to the project.
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- A re-implementation of the original GMSK Node Adapter by Satoshi Yasuda,
with some added features thrown in. It can be used both as a standalone
repeater, as well as linked up to the D-STAR G2 network with the help of
the DVAR HotSpot application for PCs running Windows.
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- A trimmed-down version of the wellknown Node Adapter design,
designed to be used with the DVAR HotSpot application for
Windows PCs. Nice and small, just what the doctor ordered!
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- The new, separately developed firmware for the Mini-HotSpot
and Node Adapter series of products.
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- Used in many of our projects, this little radio transceiver can do a lot
in both analog as well as digital radio projects. For small,
leightweight repeaters (such as the D-STAR Portable HotSpot) or even
beacons, this small, cheap transceiver can do it!
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You can find the Node Adapter clone boards here.