Periodically, the ARRL’s Atlantic Division hosts a “webinar” -- an interactive Web-based seminar, designed to facilitate communication between a small number of presenters and a large remote audience using the Internet. Atlantic Division Director Bill Edgar, N3LLR, and the National Capital Region D-STAR Association will present a two-part webinar discussion on D-STAR technology and its application to emergency communications. Anyone can register for these informative, interactive Internet meetings; you do not need to reside in the Atlantic Division to join in.

Part 1 will be presented on Wednesday, May 25 at 9 PM (EDT). This 90 minute webinar -- entitled D-STAR Basics -- will provide a general introduction to the topic of D-STAR and compares the technology to existing Amateur Radio systems. Examples of D-STAR innovation will also be presented. Click here to sign up for Part 1.

On Wednesday, June 8 at 9 PM (EDT), join in for Part 2 -- D-STAR and EmComm. This 90 minute webinar will provide a discussion on how D-STAR technology can benefit Amateur Radio EmComm scenarios. Examples of D-STAR applications to EMCOMM will also be presented, as well as future growth ideas. Click here to sign up for Part 2.

From ARRL web site news.

The presentations from the D-STAR Forum at this year's Dayton Hamvention are posted under the Conferences tab for viewing or downloading.

Again this year, the Dayton Hamvention will be a hotbed of D-STAR Activity. There’s a number of events, forums, and exhibitors all scheduled to be there, and of course we can’t forget all of the vendor with the best prices on D-STAR equipment!

• From Dayton, go east on US 35 toward Xenia. Turn north at the N Fairfield Road exit. Marion’s Piazza is on the right one half mile immediately after Tim Horton’s. If you went to the traffic light at Dayton-Xenia Road, you have gone too far. Turn right at the light and turn right again after Pizza Hut. Go behind Pizza Hut and you will see Marion’s Piazza.  (Note that N Fairfield Road is approximately 8.5 miles east of the I-75 and U.S. 35 intersection.)
• From I-675 exit 13, go east on US 35 toward Xenia for approximately 2 miles. Follow directions above.
• From I-675 Exit 17, go south on N Fairfield Road 3.3 miles and turn left at the light onto Dayton-Xenia Road. Immediately get into right lane and turn right after Pizza Hut. Go behind Pizza Hut and you will see Marion’s Piazza.

• · John Davis, WB4QDX; Georgia D-STAR Group

• · Robin Cutshaw, AA4RC

On Saturday May 7th the Atlanta Radio Club will be hosting a special event station in downtown Atlanta to celebrate Coke's 125th and ARC's 100th anniversaries. Coke will also be having some entertainment and event downtown.

We will be operating CW and SSB on HF. We will also be operating D-Star via possibly REF030C using W4DOC C or B. We will be calling CQ.

Coke has designed the QSL card for this event. Everyone who sends us a card and SASE will get a card in return regardless of method they used to make contact. If you use D-Star you can still get a card!!!

QSL manager for this event will be K0NWT.

73,
Chris k4fh

About 70 folks made it to the DSTARInfoCon even with it being Easter weekend. And about 70 folks staggered away, full of all sorts of new D-STAR information. From the beginners to the advanced, there were classes to be enjoyed by everyone.

First, I'd like to thank the instructors who did this out of the goodness of their heart.

And all of the participants who made the trek. I believe that we had 5 states represented!

3 of our presenters attended without being there. David, Pete, and Mark all were remote presenters, spread across the country and joining us either with D-STAR or Web Meeting.

The following is a list of classes that we had

It was a full day of D-STAR. And we even had giveaways from Icom, RT Systems, and HRO.

D-STAR Infrastructure Promotion

Program Details:
From April 25, 2011 — May 9, 2011, your club can purchase directly from Icom America Inc, either a 2m or 70cm D-STAR repeater for US$3,000 (plus freight and applicable taxes).

Bonus: If you can meet the following requirements within 90-days from the date of purchase, Icom will refund the original purchase price (US$3000).

• Install in permanent location identified at the time of purchase
• Fully operational on the USROOT trust server with Icom G2 Gateway Software and within the requirements outlined by the USROOT Administration team
• Minimum of 10 users registered on the "Gateway"
• Guarantee system on air for minimum of 1 year from date of installation

This program is limited to the first 70 qualifying clubs located in priority areas listed below or not within an existing D-STAR Repeater (100 Aeronautical Mile Radius). Send a club biography and an outline of how D-STAR will be used in your community to DSTAR.Promo@icomamerica.com to see if your club qualifies.

Priority areas:

Limitations:
This promotion is for U.S. residents only. Applicants cannot be affiliated with employees of Icom, Inc., including any parent, subsidiary or entity affiliated with Icom, Inc. or the distribution channels of Icom products.

For more information about the D-STAR Promotion: DSTAR.Promo@icomamerica.com

For more information on D-STAR:
www.icomamerica.com/en/products/amateur/dstar/dstar/default.aspx

For more information on registering on the gateway:
Refer to the document "Joining the Network" on www.dstarusers.org

The three Florida ARRL Sections and Georgia completed a Hurricane Exercise last weekend that utilized D-STAR voice and data capabilities extensively.  D-RATS was used as the primary data communications and messaging mode for much of the traffic between sections.  The North Florida group established a Ratflector in Tallahassee for use by all exercise participants and utilized several private channels for communicartions directed to specific groups.  For voice communications, Reflector 37B was used for Unified Command communications among the leadership of the sections.

Since Georgia would be les affected by a Hurricane simulated in this exercise, it created an opportunity to check participation in a voice net.  Most of the Georgia D-STAR repeaters have a module normally connected to Atlnata-based REF030C.  A voice net was established on D-STAR with a liaison to the Georgia HF net and to relay messages to the other sections via D-RATS. A total of 61 check ins were handled representing 40 counties across the state including several from county EOCs using the new D-STAR radios furnished under a grant from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency.

All of the Section Managers participating agreed that D-STAR adds some unique and very useful capabilities to Emergency Communicatons.  ARES in Georgia plans to add a D-RATS Net to it's weekly net to gain more experience with all of its features.  D-RATS is a free program written by Dan Smith, KK7DS, and is available at www.d-rats.com.

South Yorkshire Repeater Group, SYRG are proud to announce their investment of funds in a shiny new custom D-Star Rapid Response vehicle.

The Star Bus is one of a kind customised by the team at fakimakarup workshops based at Carlton Industrial Estate, in Barnsley. Fitted with all the available D-Star equipment and a great big horn and floodlight with Star logos.

To compliment the "Star Bus" each member of the team will be outfitted, by Mr Bens Taylor, with a superhero type Lycra outfit in one of the colours of the rainbow.

SYRG D-Star rapid response team are available to all who can holler "D-Star I need you" and will be there in a flash. That's if you can make the team hear above their roaring turbo charged engine and dixie horns!

See the STAR BUS in all it's glory at www.syrg.net

DSTARInfo and Georgia D-STAR will be hosting a one-day workshop to provide information and training on all levels of D-STAR.  Classes will be organized to allow participants on all levels from new users to repeater system administrators gain knowledge about D-STAR’s digital voice and data technology.

D-STAR InfoCon will be held at Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Georgia, just 30 minutes northeast of downtown Atlanta. Participants can choose from informative, hands-on classes to get you started for the new D-STAR user to more advanced topics for experienced users.

For More Information see  DSTARInfoCon 2011