[aprssig] APRS over D-STAR (was APRS Link)

[Joel Maslak]

On Sep 18, 2006, at 2:06 PM, John Habbinga wrote:

> I think you could probably buy the IC-V82 radio with D-STAR for about
> $320 USD.  I've got a picture of the KC5ZRQ-2 station somewhere, but I
> can't find it right now.  I'd imagine that it would cost about the
> same amount as a typical APRS I-Gate station.

I must disagree on that assessment.  The IGate I run uses spare  
equipment that had no other purpose.  There's not a lot of spare D- 
STAR stuff yet, nor even used stuff.

The only expenses where I specifically spent out-of-pocket money for  
the IGate was the power supply (and soon a backup battery - the UPS  
the power supply is plugged into does not work well anymore, so it's  
time to build a proper 12V power supply - and to run the computer and  
network equipment off of it).

If I wasn't run an IGate with the IGate computer and radio, the  
computer would probably be disposed of and the radio would probably  
be sitting and gathering dust (or sold at a hamfest).

But I'd agree if you bought mostly-new equipment, the IGate station  
might even cost more money (price TNCs!).