You remember in the movie “Twister”, where they were watching the cow swirling around in the wind of the Tornado? The “Vortex” and the cow did not drop, it just kept circling around the truck? Well the last 10 or so years for me have been just like that. I TRIED to leave DMR operation in the past, and continued with a small amount of operation on that mode and picked up getting back to my main Ham operation – HF. But this DMR vortex keep sucking me back in, and now it has brought friends to help him out- P25,NXDN and M17.
Yea.
Recently I have had the pleasure of being lead on a new radio development for a company I work part time for, and that meant jumping into new modes (so far just NXDN) head 1st. What started as testing and working with Anytone directly in the development, I ended up spinning up a NXDN reflector, and that led to a p25 Reflector, and then THAT led to an M17 reflector (yes M17 is not dead- there are discussions going on to work with the M17 Project team.)
No matter how hard I can try, DMR and digital modes will always be a part of my Ham Radio career. I just need to accept that and continue on. And in the accepting of the role, it has lead me back to AllStar Link. Bob and I played with it when Jim Dixon WB6NIL was still alive, and ALL of our BYRG repeaters we ASL repeaters. But the Beaglebone on the 900 rptr died, and we moved to DMR. Well due to this moving forward we are back bitches. What I spun up in my “spare” time is:
ASL node to fully DTMF controllable DVSwitch build (https://dvswitch.groups.io/g/main/topics)
ASL to P25 Node fulltime
ASL to NXDN Node fulltime
ALS to M17 node fulltime.
Once we get the repeater to ASL connections made I will give out the dashboard info on the BYRG webpage.
Also for those who the rumors are true, NO THE BYRG IS NOT DEAD!!! SO KMA- Bob and I decide when the BYRG is dead, not someone who really cannot be considered a “REAL” ham (even by his own definition- just because you own a ton of radios does not make you a “real ham” USING them does.)
So, there you have it. my version of diving back into the fray. BUT this time my employer nor their kids will not be giving out my personal phone number or email or social media to customers asking support because they themselves are not capable of answering the questions. …..
Until the next time…de KØXM