dmrgateway TX to YSF ?

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hb9hrd
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2023 11:32 am

dmrgateway TX to YSF ?

Post by hb9hrd »

Hi all,
I'm using pi star 4.1.6 and I'm using DMRgateway to auto connect to a XLX reflector, module A.

When I connect using MMDVM to this reflector and I PTT in module A on the software, pi-star will TX in YSF mode: is this a desired behavior?
It looks like what comes from the DMRgateway XLX link is recognized as coming from an YSF reflector.
Yet, with my software client, I connect in DMR mode, so the stream coming from the XLX to pi-star should be DMR, and therefore should be transmitted in DMR mode, right?

What I would like is that by default pi-star sends in DMR all that it receives (whatever the mode of the received messages), EXCEPT if a user by radio way has declared himself with a PTT in another mode. How can I achieve this ?
Thanks for any help :)
M1DNS
Pi-Star Team
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Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2018 5:30 am

Re: dmrgateway TX to YSF ?

Post by M1DNS »

DMR gateway is a DMR solution and shouldnt be sending you traffic in YSF mode. (unless ur also running YSF2DMR) Whilst the xlx can cater to multiple modes (DMR/YSF/DSTAR) you should only be getting the mode for the gateway you have connected. (ie YSFGateway, IRCDDBGateway or DMRGateway)

Are you certain you havnt got YSF mode active and connected ?? Or YSF2DMR active and connected.

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Andrew M1DNS.
Pi-star Admin Team.
hb9hrd
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2023 11:32 am

Re: dmrgateway TX to YSF ?

Post by hb9hrd »

Thanks for reply.
I can confirm that pistar is configured with DMR, DSTAR and YSF modes, but no xxx2yyy mode.

if I activate only the DMR mode, obviously pistar will send only DMR on the air
On the other hand if I activate the three modes, it seems random. Sometimes it sends DMR, sometimes YSF, based on a stream that always comes only from the XLX through DRMgateway.
So I can confirm that DMRgateway sometimes sends traffic in YSF. See log:
M: 2023-01-24 22:07:53.856 DMR Slot 2, received network voice header from HB9HRD to TG 6
M: 2023-01-24 22:07:53.856 YSF, received network data from HB9HRD to DG-ID 0 at HB9HRD
M: 2023-01-24 22:08:03.866 DMR Slot 2, received network end of voice transmission from HB9HRD to TG 6, 10.1 seconds, 0% packet loss, BER: 0.0%
Note that I never send YSF on the air as I only own a DMR radio, so pistar cannot be "connected" to YSF mode.
I'm probably making a mistake somewhere, but ...
M1DNS
Pi-Star Team
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Re: dmrgateway TX to YSF ?

Post by M1DNS »

Yeah ok. If all 3 modes are connected to the same xlx endpoint, then yes youll get that if the modem is idle, ie the last mode timed out. Then its whichever protocol gets to you first that will be transmitted.

Sent via smoke signals from my SM-G935F M1DNS (Admin)

Andrew M1DNS.
Pi-star Admin Team.
hb9hrd
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2023 11:32 am

Re: dmrgateway TX to YSF ?

Post by hb9hrd »

OK thanks.
This behaviour does not seem to be optimal, but it's also possible that I don't understand exactly how it works..

In my area, the majority of the relay users are using DMR, and only a few users are in C4FM or D-STAR.
So I would like the relay to send DMR by default when it is idle and receives traffic on the net channel. It should send C4FM or D-STAR only if a user has transmitted on the RF channel with this mode. Then, after the RF timeout, it should return to DMR mode. As most RF users are in DMR, it should be the default mode (or better: should be configurable by the admin)

If I understand your answer correctly, a solution would be to connect to a different XLX (or module) for each mode. But then the relay does not allow several modes to talk together and you lose the most important functionality.
Do I miss something ?
M1DNS
Pi-Star Team
Posts: 1388
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Re: dmrgateway TX to YSF ?

Post by M1DNS »

hb9hrd wrote: ...
Do I miss something ?
Regardless, whilst the reflector will allow different modes to talk as one the rptr can only ever Tx one mode at a time.
So if dmr users have it active it will TX DMR, if YSF users are using it, it will tx YSF.
If noone is using it, we have first come, first served.

Ok so youll prob. want to unlink any DSTAR and YSF connections and dont set any startup connections.

Try not to have all modes connected at the same time to the same resource. If its user linked then that user will in theory keep the mode busy so it shouldnt drop off and come back in a differing mode.

You might also want to experiment with the net mode hang times as its poss to hold off on the lesser used modes and emphasise the one you want. Meaning the wanted mode will 'stick' longer than the others.


And yes you have just discovered the drawback to running a multimode rptr. with multiple users with differing radios.
After a while many put up additional rptrs /gateways that cater to each mode as an individual resource.

Sent via smoke signals from my SM-G935F M1DNS (Admin)






Andrew M1DNS.
Pi-star Admin Team.
hb9hrd
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2023 11:32 am

Re: dmrgateway TX to YSF ?

Post by hb9hrd »

Thanks for this solution. It means that the (few) users who connect using C4FM or D-STAR will not be connected by default to the XLX module A but will have to make the connection manually.
Is this what you propose? I can set it up that way but it loses ease of use. Isn't it surprising to connect to a multimode repeater and be connected to "nothing"?

You suggest a workaround using the HANGTIME timers. Do you have experience with this, what values would you suggest?
thanks again !
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