Search found 61 matches

by exkalibur
Sat May 29, 2010 6:44 am
Forum: HAMFESTS!!!
Topic: Rochester 'fest 2010
Replies: 6
Views: 19392

Re: Rochester 'fest 2010

It isn't anywhere near what it used to be, but it's still worth the drive.
by exkalibur
Fri May 28, 2010 3:11 pm
Forum: HAMFESTS!!!
Topic: Rochester 'fest 2010
Replies: 6
Views: 19392

Rochester 'fest 2010

Anyone else planning on going next weekend?

Myself and Scott (VE3RWL) ala zip-tied whacker van shall be there with bells on.

-M
by exkalibur
Thu Feb 04, 2010 1:45 am
Forum: HAMFESTS!!!
Topic: Niagara Peninsula Amateur Radio Clubs Big Event 32
Replies: 3
Views: 9666

Re: Niagara Peninsula Amateur Radio Clubs Big Event 32

I'll be there with bells on. VA3AGF and VA3HAX are making the trek down as well!
by exkalibur
Sun May 25, 2008 9:45 am
Forum: HAMFESTS!!!
Topic: Rochester Hamfest
Replies: 1
Views: 5563

Re: Rochester Hamfest

I was considering it.

I had heard that it blows the big one compared to how it was back in the day. I haven't been for probably 8 years - I had gone for about 4 years in a row and it was always great.

I might just make the trip...we'll see.
by exkalibur
Fri Oct 26, 2007 11:41 am
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Encryption on P25
Replies: 89
Views: 202145

Now on a side note, does this mean that TMS would be technically illegal because I don't have the means to decipher it, or know what radio ID the message is being sent to, so I can't even receive it... Not unless the messages are encrypted. In Canada (and probably in the US), a cypher (in terms of ...
by exkalibur
Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:17 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Encryption on P25
Replies: 89
Views: 202145

escomm wrote:fork over the $500 for an FCC commercial license and some frequency coordination and circlejerk yourselves on DES all day long....
I'd love to, but something tells me the FCC would tell us to FO and talk to Industry Canada :baby:
by exkalibur
Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:32 am
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Encryption on P25
Replies: 89
Views: 202145

This is horseshit. Breaking the rules is OK because people want to advance technology? That's a retarded argument, and a red herring. So what about all the radio experimenters of days past that experimented with modes that were probably considered "illegal" either by law or otherwise? I r...
by exkalibur
Wed Oct 24, 2007 1:13 am
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Encryption on P25
Replies: 89
Views: 202145

You gentlemen are some fine hamsexuals. You give a great name to the hooby. I hate to say it...but despite the legal issues around using encryption, it's good to see some people using advanced technology on ham radio, instead of being stuck in the "old days" with CW and that kind of thing...
by exkalibur
Tue Oct 23, 2007 12:38 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Encryption on P25
Replies: 89
Views: 202145

97.113(a) of 47 CFR is clear. If you are going to use that regulation by the book , then using simplex to talk to your friend who lives a mile away every night is also illegal: (5) Communications, on a regular basis, which could reasonably be furnished alternatively through other radio services.
by exkalibur
Sun Oct 14, 2007 9:42 am
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Legality of P25 on Ham Bands
Replies: 28
Views: 49844

True enough. That said, I really doubt the FCC is going to give a hoot about someone running encryption, providing they aren't causing a disturbance or being an idiot about it. If you're using an obscure simplex frequency and not bothering anybody, what reason would they have to DF you in the first ...
by exkalibur
Sat Oct 13, 2007 11:34 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Legality of P25 on Ham Bands
Replies: 28
Views: 49844

Then again, if you are running encryption, nobody will know who you are anyway, so who gives a crap?
by exkalibur
Fri Oct 12, 2007 11:18 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Legality of P25 on Ham Bands
Replies: 28
Views: 49844

mr.syntrx wrote:but it's against the spirit of amateur radio
My friend, the spirit of amateur radio was lost many years before P25 was even a tickle in someone's... well you get the picture.
by exkalibur
Fri Oct 12, 2007 2:56 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Legality of P25 on Ham Bands
Replies: 28
Views: 49844

I've used MODAT on my work frequency before. Works real good to wake the other guy up at 3am :D
by exkalibur
Thu Oct 11, 2007 1:17 am
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Legality of P25 on Ham Bands
Replies: 28
Views: 49844

Rayjk110 wrote:For the past year or so, my "primary mode" on ham has been IMBE.
You forgot the mention of AES :)
by exkalibur
Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:36 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Trunking ID display
Replies: 12
Views: 22541

What I'd really love is to get my hands on some 9600 firmware for my astro saber. Yes, I know about the affiliation thing but I'm not worried about that as I believe there's a very reliable way to get around that which works excellent on other "forced affiliation" systems. But, I'm told I'...
by exkalibur
Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:35 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Trunking ID display
Replies: 12
Views: 22541

Hi, this is 2006 calling. :P It's been up and fully operational for the better part of a year. GO Train Operations (Communter Central) had their analog channel patched in with the talkgroup for the longest time, but as of a few weeks ago (more than a week ago but less than 6 - which are the last tim...
by exkalibur
Sat Sep 15, 2007 5:43 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Trunking ID display
Replies: 12
Views: 22541

That's the one.
by exkalibur
Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:12 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Trunking ID display
Replies: 12
Views: 22541

Well hey, some people make it their life mission to lecture people that "baud" and "bps" aren't the same thing ;) Until Motorola starts calling it 9600bps instead of 9600baud, that's what I'll call it too.
by exkalibur
Sat Sep 15, 2007 11:43 am
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Trunking ID display
Replies: 12
Views: 22541

Trunking ID display

Hi guys. I've got a UHF Astro Saber II that I've set up to scan the 8 channels from a local 9600 baud (yes I know it's incorrect, STFU) in conventional mode. When I program the system NAC of 1a0 and set unmuting to Normal Squelch (instead of Digital CSQ), the radio ID of the unit that's talking is d...
by exkalibur
Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:35 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Need Astro Saber 800 S-Rec
Replies: 19
Views: 31722

Yeah good job with the blank reply there Mike... http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&sid=1572 That is a SmartNet system that only uses odd-numbered talkgroups. http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&sid=738 That is a SmartNet system which uses both even and odd. http...
by exkalibur
Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:31 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Need Astro Saber 800 S-Rec
Replies: 19
Views: 31722

Smartnet or Smartzone? I asked the same question on Batlabs, and was told that odd-numbered talkgroups were introduced with Smartzone. Now, it's entirely possible that your "Smartnet" system is actually a Smartzone system that happens to only have one site. I believe VX's work system is c...
by exkalibur
Sun Sep 02, 2007 12:55 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Need Astro Saber 800 S-Rec
Replies: 19
Views: 31722

Why wouldn't it be SmartNet happy? There are numerous SmartNet systems up this way, most of which have odd numbered talkgroups. The only time a talkgroup being odd or even matters is with priority scan, even numbered talkgroups don't jive.
by exkalibur
Thu Aug 30, 2007 2:59 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Example of a DSP6 system without AGC
Replies: 34
Views: 62220

If you ask me, the "beginning to see the merits" they speak of in reality means that the Provincial Government cannot afford to have it's own system. When Fleetnet was first announced back in 98/99 or whatever it was, the Provincial Government took the stand that they are in the business o...
by exkalibur
Thu Aug 30, 2007 2:49 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Example of a DSP6 system without AGC
Replies: 34
Views: 62220

Yes, the SmartZone systems that are deployed throughout Ontario were engineered, installed and maintained by Bell Mobility Radio. From their own website: About FleetNet Over the past twenty years, two way radio systems have evolved from simple conventional systems to complex trunked design. During t...
by exkalibur
Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:37 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Example of a DSP6 system without AGC
Replies: 34
Views: 62220

I'm not sure if they are using AGC or not. Their audio is much better now than it used to be however. Back in the day, they had the same "problem" you guys have, where the audio levels are really different between units/dispatcher but I haven't really noticed that too much recently. Hopefu...
by exkalibur
Wed Aug 29, 2007 1:25 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Example of a DSP6 system without AGC
Replies: 34
Views: 62220

It's a bad fucking day for the driver is what it is! I can't believe MTS/Motorola's unwillingness to uplift the RCMP's radios. With the Ontario Fleetnet system, all the radios were uplifted about a year or so ago because of an issue pertaining to SmartZone. Aparantly the issue was that radios wouldn...
by exkalibur
Sun Aug 26, 2007 1:34 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Example of a DSP6 system without AGC
Replies: 34
Views: 62220

I'm going to go with a guess here and say that "pop" is the Audio PA being turned on. The reason it doesn't do it every time is maybe because there's a delay in the time that it turns off the PA's "B+" so it doesn't have to turn back on every time.
by exkalibur
Sun Aug 26, 2007 1:03 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Example of a DSP6 system without AGC
Replies: 34
Views: 62220

That seems fairly straight forward. I wonder though. Any idea what the DC voltage is that it "pops" on the line? I'm wondering if you could put a bigger cap on there to block any DC voltage from getting into RCA jack. I imagine this would work on any Motorola radio that uses audio output t...
by exkalibur
Sun Aug 26, 2007 11:23 am
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Example of a DSP6 system without AGC
Replies: 34
Views: 62220

Yeah, that sounds like absolute shit. Even before the OPP had all their firmware uplifted, it didn't sound THAT bad. How did you interface the radio to the computer? That is... did you make an interface yourself, or... I've been looking to interface a Spectra with my sound card, but don't really wan...
by exkalibur
Thu Aug 23, 2007 11:36 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Here's how a MODERN CAI system should sound...
Replies: 21
Views: 34001

*stubby
by exkalibur
Thu Aug 23, 2007 11:35 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Here's how a MODERN CAI system should sound...
Replies: 21
Views: 34001

Wow. Canadian in a chubby. I haven't seen those in AGES.
by exkalibur
Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:41 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Passively scanning Astro25 trunking systems
Replies: 27
Views: 61350

r0f wrote: Wishful thinking :)
Not going to happen. The zones aren't interlinked and there aren't any common talkgroups between the zones. Kenora won't be online for probably quite some time.
by exkalibur
Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:45 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Passively scanning Astro25 trunking systems
Replies: 27
Views: 61350

Yeah, the OPP/Fleetnet system here in Ontario is somewhat setup like that. Currently there are 3 separate systems on the air. Zone 2 is set up like a SZOL system in that, if you have SZOL enabled on your radio, you can see site aliases.
by exkalibur
Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:26 pm
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Passively scanning Astro25 trunking systems
Replies: 27
Views: 61350

Okay, just to add a couple of things that I probably should have mentioned. When I use my radio in "SmartZone", I don't use it with the Site Unlock enabled. The main reason that I use SmartZone over AMSS is because the site numbers reported with AMSS are not the actual site numbers being b...
by exkalibur
Thu Aug 16, 2007 11:58 am
Forum: Astro DStar and other digital voice formats
Topic: Passively scanning Astro25 trunking systems
Replies: 27
Views: 61350

They're both the same firmware versions:

R07.22.01
N08.03.02

Flash is the "1C5E" in both radios, and they're both 1 meg.