Australian Foundation License - Gateway function - IC9700

Radio Equipment that can be used in Amateur Radio and where to get them. User support for those little problems that frequently occur and other little issues relation to Radio Equipment
vk2fgwp
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Australian Foundation License - Gateway function - IC9700

Post by vk2fgwp »

G’day,

I have a Seven alphanumeric callsign.

The IC9700 won’t let me use this callsign for the Terminal/AP entry.

Is there anyway I can do this to use the Gateway function?

Thanks!

73’s, Grant - vk2fgwp
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Re: Australian Foundation License - Gateway function - IC9700

Post by VK7HSE »

Unfortunately the short answer is no. This is the reason why there's discussion happening between the ACMA and the WIA for a solution. This was a rather short sighted decision by the WIA back in 2005 to implement a non standard callsign structure. Although I do believe that it was done deliberately to prevent foundation class licences from trying to use certain digital modes as most will only accept a 6 character callsign (ax25, dstar, etc)

The initial survey conducted by the WIA had a positive response to disbanding the current letter suffix system for callsigns, so once that is done, you'll be able to get a new 6 character callsign and you will be able to play dstar as you should have always been able to (I never did understand some of the restrictions placed on foundation licences)

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vk2fgwp
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Re: Australian Foundation License - Gateway function - IC9700

Post by vk2fgwp »

Thank you for the concise, however factual answer. I will just have to wait.

Can I use the 9700 any other way connecting to a gateway with an ethernet cable though an internet connection from the 9700 ?

I am very much a novice here.

Thanks!
M1DNS
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Re: Australian Foundation License - Gateway function - IC9700

Post by M1DNS »

vk2fgwp wrote:Thank you for the concise, however factual answer. I will just have to wait.

Can I use the 9700 any other way connecting to a gateway with an ethernet cable though an internet connection from the 9700 ?

I am very much a novice here.

Thanks!
Not with that callsign. You'll be able to use it RF talking with the locals, But the structure of ur callsign will prevent you working through any DSTAR gateway.

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Andrew M1DNS.
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VK2FMET
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Re: Australian Foundation License - Gateway function - IC9700

Post by VK2FMET »

Hmm well that's not true.
I use my ICOM51APlus2 on DStar without issue on digital mode reflectors (as well as analog).
It only fails when using the RS-MS3W software and when using the piStar set as DStarRepeater/Terminal Mode.

Alan
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Re: Australian Foundation License - Gateway function - IC9700

Post by VK2FMET »

This definitely indicates the 7 character callsign issue
DStarRS-MS3WStartandSettingsTrans.PNG
DStarRS-MS3WStartandSettingsTrans.PNG (19.27 KiB) Viewed 7196 times
The 7th character is being removed arbitrarily during transmission but this does not happen during normal DStar transmission either via digital repeaters OR via any digital hotspot RF comms.
Alan
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Re: Australian Foundation License - Gateway function - IC9700

Post by VK2FMET »

It appears to me to be a software issue not a DStar limitation
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Re: Australian Foundation License - Gateway function - IC9700

Post by M1DNS »


When the DSTAR idea was created by the JARL the world ran a std. LLNLLL callsign format, at most 6 character's. so it was never envisioned. Your countries regulators have introduce the new 7figure callsign structure, currently afaia the only one in the world. So yes it is a issue but one that was never expected when DSTAR was conceived near 20yrs ago.

From the post above, one of ur fellow countrymen says your regulators are looking to change you to a 6figure setup.
Else it will most likely get resolved by software/ firmware updates. But it means currently your limited in what you can do with your callsign setup.

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Re: Australian Foundation License - Gateway function - IC9700

Post by VK2FMET »

Correct.
It is clearly the case that the radio requires 7 characters PLUS the command letter. In most cases this is 6 =< characters then a space and the command letter [I,E,L,U]
But 7 characters is not objected to and works as expected and as all other length callsigns. The 7th character is not replaced by or assumed to be a space.
APRS also works fine on ICOM radio as long as you choose -0 as the SSID (i.e. no SSID)
APRSDroid also works WITH an SSID as long as you use the dev version of the app which uses objects as the APRS transports and no packets.

The 2 things which do not work on ICOM at the moment are Terminal and Gateway modes (as you state) because it removes the 7th character, replaces it with a space and thereby producing an invalid callsign.

So, IMO, it is a software repairable situation. I am sure if Andy had a look at the code, he would see where this substitution/truncation is taking place in the package associated with the DStarRepeater module.

When I hit the PTT I get this in the Live logs:

Code: Select all

M: 2020-04-07 10:49:33: Radio header decoded - My: VK2FMET /ALAN Your: CQCQCQ Rpt1: DIRECT Rpt2: DIRECT Flags: 00 00 00
M: 2020-04-07 10:49:33: Australian foundation class licence callsign found, VK2FMET , ignoring
This is yet another issue because Foundation Licences in Australia have, since last year, been granted rights on digital modes and this message infers that pi-star is (still) trying to assert the old regime.
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Re: Australian Foundation License - Gateway function - IC9700

Post by M1DNS »


VK2FMET wrote:
So, IMO, it is a software repairable situation. I am sure if Andy had a look at the code, he would see where this substitution/truncation is taking place in the package associated with the DStarRepeater module.

This is yet another issue because Foundation Licences in Australia have, since last year, been granted rights on digital modes and this message infers that pi-star is (still) trying to assert the old regime.
Ok couple of things to establish

Firstly. It wouldn't be Andy it would be Jonathan and the MMDVM team that would need to make changes, before it's seen in pistar.

Secondly. There is no regime! personally as part of the PS team I see what you say there as both offensive and unfactual.

Pistar started it's life as a small uk community project. It has grown into a world wide project catering to 1000's it continues to include all by adjusting to events as they happen. Your particular issue will get sorted but as all things involving many separate individual teams and persons will take a little while to do So.

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Andrew M1DNS.
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