Palomar Amateur Radio Club STEM Experimentation Lab

What is D-STAR?

Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio (D-STAR) is a proprietary digital standard developed by Icom specifically for amateur radio. It is used in their digital-capable radios and repeaters.
D-STARS is a popular mode and a lot of repeaters can be found throughout the country.

Key Features:

• The D_STAR protocol uses less bandwidth than analog while still providing better audio quality for the same signal strength.
• D-STAR supports sending low- and high-speed data.
• The D-STAR protocol can be used across various amateur radio bands, including HF, VHF, UHF, and microwave frequencies.
• D-STAR radios can switch seamlessly between digital and analog modes.
• Using Internet-connected D-STAR Gateways, calls can be made literally anywhere in the world.
• D-STARS also has a refined calling system. A large onboard database allows a D-STAR user to look up nearby repeaters and users directly on the radio which makes roaming much easier for practiced users.

References:
•  D-STAR Information  🔗 D-STAR System Introduction