The first thing you will notice is this is a Digital Gateway not a REPEATER, no other station can hear what you say if they are also connected to this same gateway.
A gateway as the name suggests means you can use this just as a way to access Talk Groups which reside on the Internet.
This is an Multi Mode Gateway and it could be in any mode at any time. Just 1 station can make use of the gateway at any time. Think of it similar to a public phone box
To see if the gateway is in use you can see on the Dashboard. It will show you what mode is in use an if anyone is in a QSO and to where.
The gateway will remain on the the last mode as it was left. You cannot change mode until the last station hasn’t made a TX for 6 minutes. Therefore if the last station has finished you can change the mode to DMR and select your own Talk Group. This gateway is connected to the World Wide Network of Reflectors
By Default the DStar Reflector is set to Reflector 1C
If you hear activity but your ICOM doesn’t decode the stream it is probable that the Gateway is currently in use by another station in a different mode DMR for example. Once the band seems clear you can connect your Icom to a Reflector which is basically another name for a chat room.
Check out this YouTube about DStar Reflectors and a relevant video on how to program an ICOM Memory to remember this Gateway. Note our frequency is different and so is the call signs and the video calls them Hot-Spots which are essentially the same.
While connected to the Gateway on 144.850 DV
our GW call sign is MB6CF G
YOU MUST WAIT UNTIL NO ONE IS TALKING BEFORE KEYING UP TO SEND A COMMAND OR IT WONT WORK.
THE COMMAND WONT BE HEARD IF YOU ARE DOUBLING
Some ICOM Reflector Commands to note are:-
U – Disconnect the last Reflector and any station previously used
79D – connects to the NW of England Reflector
1C – Connects to World Wide
If the mode is being switched it mat take 2 attempts to switch mode. Try sending the unlink command and waiting a few seconds before selecting your reflector
A full list of REF reflectors are listed Here. Other types of reflectors are supported, XLX, DCS, XRF.
