I have played with D-Rats for some time on several radios. a few things I see in your video: 1. You can certainly connect to multiple "radio" paths at once (you said only one). There is a big reason for this. Somebody with a ratflector (internet) connection can serve to forward email, etc. as a bridge from RF-only stations. 2. To add on to above, your email example of "send via" is very powerful. Say you have no internet (or cell) but want to send email to anyone with email (anyone, not just those in your list of stations online--you could send email to any email address). A station in the "online" list will indicate he/she has internet and you "send via" them. 3. WinLink no longer works. The WinLink requirement for a password no matter what broke this function. There is talk about trying to take the D-Rats code and fix it, but the original developer has moved on to other things a long time ago. 4. File sharing....by default D-Rats creates a "D-Rats Shared" folder. This is what you use for sharing. Sharing is almost exactly like an FTP program, for those old enough to remember that (it's still around). 5. D-Rats can appear to work if you accidentally leave your GPS TX on. In the chat window you will annoy everyone by sending that GPS data which looks sort of like raw APRS data. 5. In the Icom 5100 you DO NOT have to do anything with turning GPS off. You DO have to make your data port "DV Data" (no CI-V like you'd use in the Android app). 6. Icom ID 5100 Bluetooth works fine with D-Rats to connect to your computer while mobile (no need for a cable). 7. Just my personal observation....when using a cable and an HT for D-Rats while mobile, keep the radio away from the computer as far as possible. Use some ferrites on the cable. The RF from the radio at higher than "low" can make your touchpad go nuts or crap out. Ask me how I know. 8. AGWPE, TNC, etc. will work with D-Rats in RF mode only to other systems like this. There is no RF bridge from analog to digital D-Rats. I believe a ratflector connection can serve as this bridge. Another reason to use D-Rats if you only have an analog radio...if you have a mobilinked, tnc-x, or other KISS modem, most of the packet programs around are too old and don't support KISS modems. Outpost, for example. You have to use your tnc AND AGWPE, which is kind of clunky. D-Rats can make your KISS modem like a Kantronics with stored messages, files, etc. Even better than a Kantronics. 9. It is documented and proven in personal experience that D-Rats works fine over a repeater but for some reason even better simplex. Not totally sure why, but true. 10. One last thing....if your GPS TX is "off" how does the D-Rats map know where you are? You enter your location manually, and this goes out via D-Rats data (not the incompatible GPS-A or whatever format D-Star normally uses). So not real good for a moving station, but great for fixed or tactical station. Works like APRS would work with offline maps and a discrete frequency.
HI I Live in Puerto Rico and I really appreciate you shared all this great info. For some reason this is the first time I heard about Drats. I think more people should know about this in our case because of Hurricanes etc Big thanks to you for sharing
Based on one of your videos, today I bought an ICOM ID-5100a to go in my truck. I learned from you video that it does D-Star but I didn't know anything about D-Rats or Ratflectors. What an amazing additional capability. Thanks.
Our local SCHEART Hospital group in 2012 used DRATS for a Hospital exercise to manage the flow of incoming patients, report them to the Incident Commander and the local county Emergency Management. The program even includes premade patient reporting forms. Remember also the ICOM 7100 does DSTAR DV VOICE on all bands, HF, VHF, and UHF.
Just got my tech two weeks ago, KE8PTI, and get the ICOM 5100 installed in my Jeep yesterday. I ran into you channel trying to better understand dastardly. I’m still very lost, because I have listened to some international folks on dastardly, just don’t know exactly how that happened! This video was very interesting, it reinforces the idea of getting the serial cable for my radio.
Best explanation of D-RATS that I have seen so far. Thanks for the Video! BTW the filters on the radio (1,2,3) affect not only the receive but the TX as well ... FYI.
Being new to HR this looks interesting to complement D-Star. Ordering a IC-51A Plus 2, was just looking at D-Star but now a new mode to acquire. I have watched a lot of you videos over the last several month and come on this one by accident. Thanks for all the great videos.
Thank you for posting this video. I have been thinking of doing more with D-star and this is one of the things that I have been looking at. I'm not sure how to do it all just yet, I will be watching the video again and attempt to install D-Rats and see where it takes me. Keep them coming
Great video, I have a 5100a and had no idea this existed. I just ordered a hotspot for it and stumbled across this video and learned that I can do this on my 5100. So excited to try it just missing the sound card. Thanks again!
I understand the check box, "connect to internet" doesn't do anything, doesn't matter if it is checked or not. Why don't you check multiple ports under the radio settings, then you can choose via the port pull-down which port is active. This is one of the best explanations I've seen so far. I would like to know more about choosing a rat reflector in the program, also choices of url's for servers, in the radio menu.
Eric, several things have happened in the D-Rats world since you made your video. As you may know, the software has not been updated in some time. When Winlink started using passwords to access their system, the connectivity via D-Rats was broken as the software had no way of inputting and sending the password to get in. No big problem, you can still load and use Winlink via RMS or Winlink Express software. The radio to radio email functionality in D-Rats still works fine. Recently, a problem developed with the Map feature where the users can no longer download the map files. Something changed with the map file provider that is not allowing the program to access the files any longer. Other than those two issues the program works as originally intended. We keep hoping someone will take over the project and update D-Rats as there are a few minor bugs. A major bug that can crash the program occurs when you have the program using a commercial email account. The program will error out if a message in the email download from the commercial account exceeds 60K in size. There is a D-Rats users group on Yahoo that people can check out for more information. I operate a local ratflector in Louisiana in the Slidell area at StTammany.ratflector.com. It runs on a Raspberry Pi computer and is presently accessed via Internet only. During an emergency activation, I can connect a radio to it. It would then act as a bridge between D-Rats users connected via Internet and those accessing D-Rats via radio only. In an Internet down situation, a ratflector is not needed. The radio shows up as a port, just as port “RAT” does. It actually is possible to be connected to more than one port at a time, but when you type in the Chat window, you have to remember to switch ports to the one the other station is on. The program identifies that on the screen when you ping the stations. There are a number of nets that operate on D-Rats. One of the larger ones is the Southeast D-Star Weather Net on Sunday night at 9:00 PM Eastern, 8:00 PM Central Time. The net takes check-ins by voice on Reflector 4A and/or via D-Rats through the SEWX.ratflector.com. You would set that up by adding it to the RADIO section as a Network connection using the ratflector name as the URL and port 9000. If you have more than one of the radio connections checked, the program allows you to switch between them in the Chat window using the small arrow next to the port name in the lower left. The net control station for the D-Rats check-in are usually either WX4QZ, Daryl, from Little Rock, AR or myself, KG5CEN from Slidell, LA near New Orleans.
I just got D-Rats connected through my IC-705. Thank you for your great videos, I watch yours first then others. Yours are easy to follow for a novelist. Next is Winlink and others. IC-705 is a BIG help in connecting to my computers. So far I can not get the ID-51A plus 2 to connect, no com port.
Good info as always, Eric. I've got D-RATS on my list of things to try after license test of Tech and Gen in May 2020. Between now and testing is getting the radio of my choice, ICOM ID-7100 and get that on air. I plan on getting an ICOM HT to cross-band repeat through the 7100 at times. Early May, I'm taking webinar with my regional NWS to actively pursue Skywarn via internet and radio. 73s to you and subscribers.
Very interesting and thanks. We will revisit D-rats for emcomm use as some years ago we had problems getting it to work due to a lack of clear Operating instructions. Everything told you the way to download the program but NOT how to use it! So many thanks for the video. Peter GW4OZU
Thanks for the video. Excellent as usual. To answer your question about what "foo" means. It's what we (programmers) call a metasyntactic variable. That's a fancy way of saying it's like a placeholder or a variable name that you can/should change. When a programmer is writing software and doesn't know what he/she wants to name a variable, they will use one of these standard variable names like foo or bar. The source of those variable names (FUBAR), should be recognizable to most people my age but I'll let you google that. Cheers and '73 from K5JNM.
Thanks for this video!!! Like you mentioned there is little information about drats out there. Iv took up the challenge to learn more about drats and this video has helped. Jeremy KE8FGF
I have learned something new and since I will be starting to work with the emergency management director for the county I live in I will keep this as part of my tool kit to use should I get interest from him and or other hams in the area thanks and keep up the good work
Thanks Eric, really good information, I will have to check it out on my computer. Got the 7100 six months ago only to find out that there are no DSTAR repeaters in my area (only one in the whole state 😥, 45 miles away).
Excellent presentation on D-RATS Eric. Only had heard about it but never knew it's true capabilities. Great motivation to get started with it. Keep up the good work ! P.S. Have been looking at a 7100 as my next rig. Between this video and your other ones on the 7100, you helped make my decision for a complete mobile (IC-756PRO II @home) shack in a box. 73s Don KM6TRZ
Great video. Note: Dstar digital transmissions are squelched for repeater voice users so are compatible and you’re not hearing the digital data noise all the time. We tested drats on our club dstar repeater and worked great. But I think people were reluctant to spend money for a digital rig cable. Also, a low cost dedicated “always on” drats terminal (Raspberry Pi with keyboard/display) would encourage frequent casual usage. tnx
HamRadioConcepts Well, there’s that. Also forgot to mention D-rats should be usable with Yaesu System Fusion C4FM as the transport (with some dev. work). I guess DMR radios don’t have a digital port. Drats could be the one messaging app to rule them all-and in the darkness bind them ;-)
D-Rats is still being used every Sunday evening during the Southeast US D-Star Weather Net. We do voice check-ins by state on Reflector 4A and D-Rats via the Internet on the sewx.ratflector.com ratflector. The net meets at 9:00 pm Eastern / 8:00 Central on Sunday evenings. A quick note about changes to D-Rats. Due to changes made to other sites, the Winlink functionality is now only one-way. Messages can be pushed into the Winlink system by sending it to the operator's callsign@winlink.org while making sure to place the term "//WL2K" in the subject line. Without having //WL2K in the subject line, Winlink will flag the message as spam and will not allow it to go through. When Winlink started using passwords to pick up the mail, it broke the receiving functionality in D-Rats. To pick up Winlink mail, you now have to use Winlink Express. The map downloader also no longer functions due to a change at the website that provided the map tiles. There is a workaround for it that is explained on some of the D-Rats user group sites on the internet. Also, if you want to use D-Rats via RF on a Simplex mode, by convention 145.670 Simplex is the 2-Meter D-Star frequency. Coverage is usually far enough to cover most small towns, about an 8 to 10-mile radius depending on the heights of the antennas used and the terrain. Your results might vary.
Great video Eric! It got me thinking and wondering. Would it be possible to use a D-RATS capable HT connected to a laptop that isn't powerful enough to hit a local D-STAR repeater, transmit through a non-D-Star mobile using crossband repeater for the higher transmit power to reach the local D-Star repeater?
An update on D-Rats - Most of the problems listed below have been repaired in updates to the software. Winlink via Telnet now works, Maps now works, using QST's to obtain weather information or to post bulletins works. The original ratflector knows as RAT has been taken offline by the owner and is no more. The new Worldwide ratflector is KB8PMY.net. Set it up under the Radios tab in the software. For more information on setting up and using D-Rats visit drats@groups.io to download the latest software and to learn more about the project.
Excellent video - thank you. I'm interested in using my ID-51A for digital text messaging, and it seems I can with D-RATS. You've inspired me to give it a try. Daryl VK3MCB
Cool stuff, I wish DStar was more prevalent in these parts. Being an Icom only thing makes it not as usable for EMCOM as compared to Winlink (though sending via Winlink is a nice option). A useful tool to keep in mind though.
The whole thing is, Dstar isn't an ICOM only thing, kenwood does have a HT that works with Dstar, and there is nothing stopping Kenwood or Yaesu from doing Dstar since it's open source.
Thanks for the video. I mentioned on another of your videos (first radio?) I'm looking at this as my first HF rig. I have enjoyed the videos so far. On your last one you pointed out that you needed to be on digital mode for it to work. I thought for completeness maybe that could have been covered here? I see the DV on the screen. I didn't know about D-RATS so this was very informative. I was thinking this will be a good rig for me because of the single USB so I was excited to see that on this video. 73 de KI7CIA.
Thanks for the nice video! I plan on getting into DStar and using DRats. I am having a hard time deciding which radio to buy TH D74A or the ID5100.:( KD5P
Now I know what drats is. Going to definitely check it out when I get home off the road. Do you still play around with it yet? Thanks for the informative video as always. 73, ad0am
This is excellent, thanks. Do you have any experience with the new 'Terminal Mode' specifically on the ID-51 Plus 2 ? I'm eager to learn what the difference is between Access point and Terminal mode is for this set.
I really think ICOM should include the generic more open DMR standard. I see it catching on a lot lately. My local repeater converted one of the 70cm repeaters to DMR and people really like it and it doesn't cost a ton of money for people to get a radio that works with it.
Let me stop right here. Question. So is DRats like DMR and I can't use it if I don't have a Windows machine? I got my license in 1977 and all we had then was Windows. I left gaming for 40 years and now coming back. At that time I got modern and got with the program with Apple and Macs. Why is HAMing still back in 1977 and still only using Windows? Most every other company in the world programs for both Windows and Macs.
Ok I m working with te IC 9700 so far I have not found the settings for it to work with Drats, OK NO GPS on and at 9600 baud rate. Nevertheles TX keeps on and does not want to stop TX. Any Ideas ???
OK - I'm trying to better understand how D-RATS works. I believe that I have things setup with my radio, but had a question. If I am tuned to a local repeater, and click to ping all, is the system only pinging other local users that are tuned to that repeater as well? If the repeater is connected to a reflector, will the repeater ping all that are connected to the reflector?
Thank you, Erick, for the tutorial I been registered for some under my USA Call sign I am using Mint Linux v18.3 that has D-Rats and I think you can run it from Raspberry PI as well ?
Can we connect to Dstar if we only have a computer and no icom radio only because I only own yaesu radio's and can someone point me to a video to setup my call is kb3poc
Thank You for this information! I want to get to know more about this. Maybe someone with Digital University will go more into this. Maybe some time you can come to Fort Pierce for a Digital University. It is a great learning experience! 73 de W4DES
i had installed "D-RATS Trash" on my NEW PC and it trashed my system. as it defaults that in need C drive to be link to the desktop and many other parts that like to C drive, but not every one in the world set windows the same way, even Microsoft say for safety direct documents and desktop to other drive Like D drive, 99% of other companies will put that in to there programs, they make that to keep the settings, now all my documents all my AVR, FPGA coding have been deleted as for many other things as the D_RATS ass moved and what it cant move it deletes
Erik, I really enjoy your videos. I find them very accurate and informative.
I have played with D-Rats for some time on several radios. a few things I see in your video:
1. You can certainly connect to multiple "radio" paths at once (you said only one). There is a big reason for this. Somebody with a ratflector (internet) connection can serve to forward email, etc. as a bridge from RF-only stations.
2. To add on to above, your email example of "send via" is very powerful. Say you have no internet (or cell) but want to send email to anyone with email (anyone, not just those in your list of stations online--you could send email to any email address). A station in the "online" list will indicate he/she has internet and you "send via" them.
3. WinLink no longer works. The WinLink requirement for a password no matter what broke this function. There is talk about trying to take the D-Rats code and fix it, but the original developer has moved on to other things a long time ago.
4. File sharing....by default D-Rats creates a "D-Rats Shared" folder. This is what you use for sharing. Sharing is almost exactly like an FTP program, for those old enough to remember that (it's still around).
5. D-Rats can appear to work if you accidentally leave your GPS TX on. In the chat window you will annoy everyone by sending that GPS data which looks sort of like raw APRS data.
5. In the Icom 5100 you DO NOT have to do anything with turning GPS off. You DO have to make your data port "DV Data" (no CI-V like you'd use in the Android app).
6. Icom ID 5100 Bluetooth works fine with D-Rats to connect to your computer while mobile (no need for a cable).
7. Just my personal observation....when using a cable and an HT for D-Rats while mobile, keep the radio away from the computer as far as possible. Use some ferrites on the cable. The RF from the radio at higher than "low" can make your touchpad go nuts or crap out. Ask me how I know.
8. AGWPE, TNC, etc. will work with D-Rats in RF mode only to other systems like this. There is no RF bridge from analog to digital D-Rats. I believe a ratflector connection can serve as this bridge. Another reason to use D-Rats if you only have an analog radio...if you have a mobilinked, tnc-x, or other KISS modem, most of the packet programs around are too old and don't support KISS modems. Outpost, for example. You have to use your tnc AND AGWPE, which is kind of clunky. D-Rats can make your KISS modem like a Kantronics with stored messages, files, etc. Even better than a Kantronics.
9. It is documented and proven in personal experience that D-Rats works fine over a repeater but for some reason even better simplex. Not totally sure why, but true.
10. One last thing....if your GPS TX is "off" how does the D-Rats map know where you are? You enter your location manually, and this goes out via D-Rats data (not the incompatible GPS-A or whatever format D-Star normally uses). So not real good for a moving station, but great for fixed or tactical station. Works like APRS would work with offline maps and a discrete frequency.
Always on the lookout for d-star and related items.
HI I Live in Puerto Rico and I really appreciate you shared all this great info. For some reason this is the first time I heard about Drats. I think more people should know about this in our case because of Hurricanes etc Big thanks to you for sharing
Based on one of your videos, today I bought an ICOM ID-5100a to go in my truck. I learned from you video that it does D-Star but I didn't know anything about D-Rats or Ratflectors. What an amazing additional capability. Thanks.
Our local SCHEART Hospital group in 2012 used DRATS for a Hospital exercise to manage the flow of incoming patients, report them to the Incident Commander and the local county Emergency Management. The program even includes premade patient reporting forms.
Remember also the ICOM 7100 does DSTAR DV VOICE on all bands, HF, VHF, and UHF.
Just got my tech two weeks ago, KE8PTI, and get the ICOM 5100 installed in my Jeep yesterday. I ran into you channel trying to better understand dastardly. I’m still very lost, because I have listened to some international folks on dastardly, just don’t know exactly how that happened!
This video was very interesting, it reinforces the idea of getting the serial cable for my radio.
I hadn’t heard of D-RATS. Thanks for the introduction. It was also great to see more on the 7100.
Thank you! First time D-Rats user here from Manila, Philippines. 73.
Best explanation of D-RATS that I have seen so far. Thanks for the Video!
BTW the filters on the radio (1,2,3) affect not only the receive but the TX as well ... FYI.
Being new to HR this looks interesting to complement D-Star. Ordering a IC-51A Plus 2, was just looking at D-Star but now a new mode to acquire. I have watched a lot of you videos over the last several month and come on this one by accident. Thanks for all the great videos.
Again, great info. I have started to research D-RATS. This helps a bunch! Thanks Eric!
Thank you for posting this video. I have been thinking of doing more with D-star and this is one of the things that I have been looking at. I'm not sure how to do it all just yet, I will be watching the video again and attempt to install D-Rats and see where it takes me. Keep them coming
Great video, I have a 5100a and had no idea this existed. I just ordered a hotspot for it and stumbled across this video and learned that I can do this on my 5100. So excited to try it just missing the sound card. Thanks again!
I understand the check box, "connect to internet" doesn't do anything, doesn't matter if it is checked or not. Why don't you check multiple ports under the radio settings, then you can choose via the port pull-down which port is active. This is one of the best explanations I've seen so far. I would like to know more about choosing a rat reflector in the program, also choices of url's for servers, in the radio menu.
Eric, several things have happened in the D-Rats world since you made your video. As you may know, the software has not been updated in some time. When Winlink started using passwords to access their system, the connectivity via D-Rats was broken as the software had no way of inputting and sending the password to get in. No big problem, you can still load and use Winlink via RMS or Winlink Express software. The radio to radio email functionality in D-Rats still works fine. Recently, a problem developed with the Map feature where the users can no longer download the map files. Something changed with the map file provider that is not allowing the program to access the files any longer. Other than those two issues the program works as originally intended. We keep hoping someone will take over the project and update D-Rats as there are a few minor bugs. A major bug that can crash the program occurs when you have the program using a commercial email account. The program will error out if a message in the email download from the commercial account exceeds 60K in size. There is a D-Rats users group on Yahoo that people can check out for more information. I operate a local ratflector in Louisiana in the Slidell area at StTammany.ratflector.com. It runs on a Raspberry Pi computer and is presently accessed via Internet only. During an emergency activation, I can connect a radio to it. It would then act as a bridge between D-Rats users connected via Internet and those accessing D-Rats via radio only. In an Internet down situation, a ratflector is not needed. The radio shows up as a port, just as port “RAT” does. It actually is possible to be connected to more than one port at a time, but when you type in the Chat window, you have to remember to switch ports to the one the other station is on. The program identifies that on the screen when you ping the stations. There are a number of nets that operate on D-Rats. One of the larger ones is the Southeast D-Star Weather Net on Sunday night at 9:00 PM Eastern, 8:00 PM Central Time. The net takes check-ins by voice on Reflector 4A and/or via D-Rats through the SEWX.ratflector.com. You would set that up by adding it to the RADIO section as a Network connection using the ratflector name as the URL and port 9000. If you have more than one of the radio connections checked, the program allows you to switch between them in the Chat window using the small arrow next to the port name in the lower left. The net control station for the D-Rats check-in are usually either WX4QZ, Daryl, from Little Rock, AR or myself, KG5CEN from Slidell, LA near New Orleans.
Thanks, I learned something new today to use with my Icom 7100.
I just got D-Rats connected through my IC-705. Thank you for your great videos, I watch yours first then others. Yours are easy to follow for a novelist. Next is Winlink and others. IC-705 is a BIG help in connecting to my computers. So far I can not get the ID-51A plus 2 to connect, no com port.
Good info as always, Eric. I've got D-RATS on my list of things to try after license test of Tech and Gen in May 2020. Between now and testing is getting the radio of my choice, ICOM ID-7100 and get that on air. I plan on getting an ICOM HT to cross-band repeat through the 7100 at times. Early May, I'm taking webinar with my regional NWS to actively pursue Skywarn via internet and radio. 73s to you and subscribers.
Heard a lot about it Eric and now you explained it up what it's all about so anyway thank you for the video 73 is K2 CSX
Nice video!!! keep them coming. I was able to watch and get up and going with no issues.
Great video. Thanks for sharing. I'm gonna try this with couple of the guys in our local club that have DSTAR.
Hi, Don w7hdm.
Like the video I have 7100 as well. Learned so much for first time thanks, BTW drummer here too.
73
Great info, I think 8 will be using it as well ! Thanks
Very interesting and thanks. We will revisit D-rats for emcomm use as some years ago we had problems getting it to work due to a lack of clear
Operating instructions. Everything told you the way to download the program but NOT how to use it! So many thanks for the video.
Peter GW4OZU
Thank you! I never heard of this I’m new to ham Radio. I’m still studying for my tech class and looking for a radio.
Thanks for the video. Excellent as usual. To answer your question about what "foo" means. It's what we (programmers) call a metasyntactic variable. That's a fancy way of saying it's like a placeholder or a variable name that you can/should change. When a programmer is writing software and doesn't know what he/she wants to name a variable, they will use one of these standard variable names like foo or bar. The source of those variable names (FUBAR), should be recognizable to most people my age but I'll let you google that. Cheers and '73 from K5JNM.
Thanks for this video!!! Like you mentioned there is little information about drats out there. Iv took up the challenge to learn more about drats and this video has helped. Jeremy KE8FGF
Awesome bro.....
Great Video, Didn't know anything about this program that works not only on the radios but computers too. Thank You for sharing. 73 KB1MDH
I have learned something new and since I will be starting to work with the emergency management director for the county I live in I will keep this as part of my tool kit to use should I get interest from him and or other hams in the area thanks and keep up the good work
Thank you for this info Eric. Waiting on delivery of my IC7100. Looking forward to using this feature. W4JCH
Thanks Eric, really good information, I will have to check it out on my computer. Got the 7100 six months ago only to find out that there are no DSTAR repeaters in my area (only one in the whole state 😥, 45 miles away).
An easy fix is to get a hotspot.
@@HamRadioConcepts Christmas is coming, might have to get one. I'm thinking OpenSpot 2.
Very interesting and excellent information. I haven't used this but plan to when time permits.
Excellent presentation on D-RATS Eric. Only had heard about it but never knew it's true capabilities. Great motivation to get started with it. Keep up the good work ! P.S. Have been looking at a 7100 as my next rig. Between this video and your other ones on the 7100, you helped make my decision for a complete mobile (IC-756PRO II @home) shack in a box. 73s Don KM6TRZ
Great video. Note: Dstar digital transmissions are squelched for repeater voice users so are compatible and you’re not hearing the digital data noise all the time. We tested drats on our club dstar repeater and worked great. But I think people were reluctant to spend money for a digital rig cable. Also, a low cost dedicated “always on” drats terminal (Raspberry Pi with keyboard/display) would encourage frequent casual usage. tnx
well the digital is squelched, but the kerchunking is audible isnt it? Beep, Booop...
HamRadioConcepts Well, there’s that.
Also forgot to mention D-rats should be usable with Yaesu System Fusion C4FM as the transport (with some dev. work). I guess DMR radios don’t have a digital port. Drats could be the one messaging app to rule them all-and in the darkness bind them ;-)
I heard that D-RATS can be used with Fusion but I don't know the details on how to.
D-Rats is still being used every Sunday evening during the Southeast US D-Star Weather Net. We do voice check-ins by state on Reflector 4A and D-Rats via the Internet on the sewx.ratflector.com ratflector. The net meets at 9:00 pm Eastern / 8:00 Central on Sunday evenings. A quick note about changes to D-Rats. Due to changes made to other sites, the Winlink functionality is now only one-way. Messages can be pushed into the Winlink system by sending it to the operator's callsign@winlink.org while making sure to place the term "//WL2K" in the subject line. Without having //WL2K in the subject line, Winlink will flag the message as spam and will not allow it to go through. When Winlink started using passwords to pick up the mail, it broke the receiving functionality in D-Rats. To pick up Winlink mail, you now have to use Winlink Express. The map downloader also no longer functions due to a change at the website that provided the map tiles. There is a workaround for it that is explained on some of the D-Rats user group sites on the internet. Also, if you want to use D-Rats via RF on a Simplex mode, by convention 145.670 Simplex is the 2-Meter D-Star frequency. Coverage is usually far enough to cover most small towns, about an 8 to 10-mile radius depending on the heights of the antennas used and the terrain. Your results might vary.
Great video Eric! It got me thinking and wondering. Would it be possible to use a D-RATS capable HT connected to a laptop that isn't powerful enough to hit a local D-STAR repeater, transmit through a non-D-Star mobile using crossband repeater for the higher transmit power to reach the local D-Star repeater?
Great tutorial! I’m going to give it a try! Thanks very much! 73, KC1GWJ
I can’t wait to try this soon.
diggin through yer Vids, just got this all set up....
An update on D-Rats - Most of the problems listed below have been repaired in updates to the software. Winlink via Telnet now works, Maps now works, using QST's to obtain weather information or to post bulletins works. The original ratflector knows as RAT has been taken offline by the owner and is no more. The new Worldwide ratflector is KB8PMY.net. Set it up under the Radios tab in the software. For more information on setting up and using D-Rats visit drats@groups.io to download the latest software and to learn more about the project.
Thanks for the video - been away from the hobby a while and learning about DSTAR. KW4KI
Not a d-star user currently, but this is pretty cool. Thanks for sharing!
You do not have to have a D-STAR radio to use D-RATS. You can use your FM radio as well! Or just connect via the Internet.
Excellent video - thank you. I'm interested in using my ID-51A for digital text messaging, and it seems I can with D-RATS. You've inspired me to give it a try. Daryl VK3MCB
Cool stuff, I wish DStar was more prevalent in these parts. Being an Icom only thing makes it not as usable for EMCOM as compared to Winlink (though sending via Winlink is a nice option). A useful tool to keep in mind though.
The whole thing is, Dstar isn't an ICOM only thing, kenwood does have a HT that works with Dstar, and there is nothing stopping Kenwood or Yaesu from doing Dstar since it's open source.
You can use D-RATS with a standard FM Analog radio as well as D-STAR!
Definitely some cool Emcomm capabilities with D-RATS. Is it possible to utilize the system with a yaesu (or other non- D-star radio)?
Good stuff! I learned some things.
Thanks for the video. I mentioned on another of your videos (first radio?) I'm looking at this as my first HF rig. I have enjoyed the videos so far. On your last one you pointed out that you needed to be on digital mode for it to work. I thought for completeness maybe that could have been covered here? I see the DV on the screen. I didn't know about D-RATS so this was very informative. I was thinking this will be a good rig for me because of the single USB so I was excited to see that on this video. 73 de KI7CIA.
Thanks for the nice video! I plan on getting into DStar and using DRats. I am having a hard time deciding which radio to buy TH D74A or the ID5100.:( KD5P
Now I know what drats is. Going to definitely check it out when I get home off the road. Do you still play around with it yet? Thanks for the informative video as always. 73, ad0am
thank you!
This is excellent, thanks. Do you have any experience with the new 'Terminal Mode' specifically on the ID-51 Plus 2 ? I'm eager to learn what the difference is between Access point and Terminal mode is for this set.
Great video TKS. 73's
Great video! Thanks!!
Using drats over a repeater does not kerchunk the repeater. You will not hear it. Only goes thru gateway side
I really think ICOM should include the generic more open DMR standard. I see it catching on a lot lately. My local repeater converted one of the 70cm repeaters to DMR and people really like it and it doesn't cost a ton of money for people to get a radio that works with it.
DMR is not more generic or more open than DSTAR. If you prefer DMR there are many radios to choose from. Go have fun
New ham and looking at this radio. Do you still like and use it. Thanks
I am interested in seeing this setup on the 5100. Also did you set up an email server in the preferences?
Is there a way to text between DSTAR and APRS?
What cable do you use with the ICOM 880H ? I am confused because the Icom 880H instructions are listed twice.
Can I use the OPC-2350 cable? I plan to use an ID-4100a, or an ID-51A+
Let me stop right here. Question. So is DRats like DMR and I can't use it if I don't have a Windows machine? I got my license in 1977 and all we had then was Windows. I left gaming for 40 years and now coming back. At that time I got modern and got with the program with Apple and Macs. Why is HAMing still back in 1977 and still only using Windows? Most every other company in the world programs for both Windows and Macs.
How do you get D-rats to beacon with the wx info in the qst feild. I hoping that there is a list. I see it ask for weatherunderground.
enjoy video n4age, just now purchasing 7100
Hi, it´s possible to use also the new IC-9700 for D-RATS?
I'm trying to get it to run with IC 705. Pulling my hair out getting it to run.
Ok I m working with te IC 9700 so far I have not found the settings for it to work with Drats, OK NO GPS on and at 9600 baud rate. Nevertheles TX keeps on and does not want to stop TX. Any Ideas ???
How about with the Icom 880 ?
reminds me of the old days of packet back in the 1990s
OK - I'm trying to better understand how D-RATS works. I believe that I have things setup with my radio, but had a question. If I am tuned to a local repeater, and click to ping all, is the system only pinging other local users that are tuned to that repeater as well? If the repeater is connected to a reflector, will the repeater ping all that are connected to the reflector?
Thank you, Erick, for the tutorial I been registered for some under my USA Call sign I am using Mint Linux v18.3 that has D-Rats and I think you can run it from Raspberry PI as well ?
@HamRadioConcepts: Does it work with the ICOM 51 handheld?
kwinzman Yes, works great.
will this work on HF also?
Can I do rats on a iphone or ipad? I have the IPhone Xs and iPad Pro 11
I can't get the map to populate.
What about fusion or wires-x?
Thanks ,very usefull , 73 de F4IEH.
Can we connect to Dstar if we only have a computer and no icom radio only because I only own yaesu radio's and can someone point me to a video to setup my call is kb3poc
Hi I am just new at this but getting a connection refused
Try a different ratflector.
What about with a D74 Kenwood? I can’t find anything on using drats with it.
Charlie Rogers go to the drats Facebook page . Whole post about D74
Great presentation, I'd like to see how with D-Star works on Fusion
How about dstar?
Thank You for this information! I want to get to know more about this. Maybe someone with Digital University will go more into this. Maybe some time you can come to Fort Pierce for a Digital University. It is a great learning experience! 73 de W4DES
Boy... I wish there was a Zombie Apocalypse so I could use my DRATS...!
I laughed when I read this..
D-RATS Keeps crashing in Windows 10 D-RATS Encountered an error Microsoft told me this is a poorly written program.
More, more, more about D-Rats in spanish ... HI HI in my blog ... www.cacharreo.es/?q=blog/12
i had installed "D-RATS Trash" on my NEW PC and it trashed my system. as it defaults that in need C drive to be link to the desktop and many other parts that like to C drive, but not every one in the world set windows the same way, even Microsoft say for safety direct documents and desktop to other drive Like D drive, 99% of other companies will put that in to there programs, they make that to keep the settings, now all my documents all my AVR, FPGA coding have been deleted as for many other things as the D_RATS ass moved and what it cant move it deletes
I wish this was ported to pi-star. We could open a browser to the hotspot and access all this cool shit without having to run windows/cross platform.