Category Archives: NXDN

Hello from KD4EFM, Evans; 2017 Jan 22

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Greetings one and all Hams!

Orlando Hamfest coming up in February, I will be there! Hopefully I can show off the NX-5000 series radios while there as well.
News:
Well, work has had me rather busy over the last 3 months, so I can’t really give a good update on what has been going on, but will pass this along.
NXREF and NXCORE will be getting a minor over-haul and some updates to them. For the NX-REF, I am working on re-tooling it to become a soft-bridge between the Icom and Kenwood IP infrastructure. Thus making it a bridge between the two platforms.
NX-Core is being looked over to improve a few functions and make it a little more versatile for the NXDN side of Digital Ham Radio.

At this time, there is no lead-in as to designing NX-Ref to interface into the DMR Network Breinmaster. YES, there will be experiments leading up to an interface, but will not be part of the CORE NXDN world wide network.

DV-MINI’s; My understanding is there are a few who are playing with the mini and have been able to link into the NX-Core with the home-brew NXDN hotspots in non-nxdn repeater areas. Looking to incorporate that into the next level release forthcoming.

Anyone who has articles or other items to add, please send them to me or to Cliff (K1IFF)
and we will get them posted here for others to read up on.

New Repeaters?
I am getting word here in Florida, two repeaters have been put up over in Brevard County
on VHF.  I will work on getting that information updated in the repeater list linked over on the right side menu.

73’s and Happy Digital Ham’ing

Evans Mitchell
KD4EFM

Hello from Evans; KD4EFM

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Greetings and welcome to the NXDN Ham Radio Blog. Wanted to update a few thing and share a link.

We are working on designing a software “bridge” between the Kenwood’s and Icom’s. We now have several “core servers” around the U.S. with 2 of them here in Florida. If you’re interested in joining the NXDN network, please let me know and I will get you the information you need. We welcome any BRAND of NXDN manufacturers and encourage you to join the network, EVEN YOU WEST COAST PEOPLE OVER YAWNDER and ya’ll friends to the north of the border.

NXDN repeater search engine, well, thanks to repeater book, they now have a good listing of these around now. Here is the link to hit it up. (82 KNOWN NXDN systems out there)

I have been rather busy on the commercial side of Kenwood Type C trunking, putting up a few sites here and there, and working on getting our 36th site prep’ed and ready to go.
Hope you all have had a safe and great summer, fall is round’ the bend now. Know of any other NXDN’ers out there, spread the word. There is NO conFUSION that we run a great network here, and we keep things simple. We just let the one’s and zero’s flow!

73

Evans Mitchell
KD4EFM

NI4CE – Verna status update

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The new NI4CE NXDN Repeater at Verna went on the air at 3:20 PM this afternoon.  The repeater is operating on 444.3125 / 449.3125 RAN 1.  Some tweaking to connect the repeater to the NXDN Worldwide Network is still needed but should be completed in the near day or two.  In the meantime, we invite you to use the repeater on a local basis (TG1200).

We would also appreciate your signal reports.  Send your Callsign, Location, Time of Day and Signal Strength (if you can read RSSI with your radio) to info@ni4ce.org.

73 de Paul-NB9X

New Repeater coming on line in South West Fla. and 1 on the East Coast

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From Paul Toth; NB9X

It seems like we started talking about this a long ago.  But the new NI4CE NXDN Repeater at Verna is poised for launch next week.  The repeater and its several components have been assembled and are burning in.  The new Telewave Antenna that will radiate the signal from 500′ AGL is configured and tested.  And a tower crew is scheduled to put it on the tower this coming Monday.  Of course, everything in Florida this time of year is “weather permitting”.

RX 444.3125  TX 449.3125 RAN-1 are the important numbers to program into your radio.  TG 1200 will keep your traffic on the NI4CE system (Verna and Riverview).  TG65000 will gate you to the remainder of the NXDN Worldwide Network.

Keep watching here for updates.
73 de Paul-NB9X

editors note Verna is located in Sarasota County near the town of Myakka City.

And this nice report from Ed in Brevard County Fl had this to say earlier also when repling to Paul

“Great news, we are trying to setup one here in Brevard. I think we found a tower. Will let you know once we get further information.”

Regards,
Ed

Mount Uncanoonuc, Manchester, NH on the air

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The UHF repeater (443.400 +5 MHz), an Icom FR6000, was installed yesterday on Mount Uncanoonuc just outside of Manchester, NH. We did not get it connected to the network yet, but that process starts today. The plan is integrating into the Massachusetts hub in Swansea, MA.
Please send feedback if anyone detects any glitches such as one way audio and so forth.
Thanks,
John N1OTY

Icom Repeater Setup Info Guide

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Good evening,
I wanted to include to the links list, the Icom Repeater Setup Guide from our friends in the Northeast Corridor Group, www.nxdnradio.com

They have a very nice layout on setting up your Icom Repeater(s) and getting onto the NXDN Reflector network. Please be sure you have signed up on our yahoo email group
ham_nxdn at yahoogroups dot com to follow along with the progress of the network.
Spread the word to your friends in the West, would lover to see more West Coast activity.

Have a great week.

Evans M
KD4EFM

Next version of Kenwood’s NX-5000 Series due out soon

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The next firmware update for the NX-5000 series is due out within the next few weeks. This will have a minor bug fix and several expansion items being added to the radio. 2 weeks ago, I submitted a volume bug to Kenwood on the enhanced control head, and that
was validated and sent on up the line for correction. Now from what I am being told, this next release is supposed to contain the following, multi RF DECK control, and adding the NX-5900 to the software KPG-D1NK. There are a few other tweaks that will also be put into the Version 1.60 also.

WIDE BAND CAPABLE NX-5000 SOFTWARE
I have all the information, fought tooth and nail for it, on obtaining WIDE BAND software for the NX series radios. You will have to pay full price for the software, even if you already bought the NARROW version. There is no way around that. To obtain the wide band version from the GET GO you have to order it from your dealer DIRECTLY. Even I get pickled for my copy. Kenwood says so, so that is the word.

Anyone who has purchased the new ICOMS let me know, like to find out
about the OTAA on them.
More updates as they come.

Evans M.

Icom Type C Radio Information

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Well, I have a few to list on the newest Icom to come out.
The radio is pretty much like the ones out now that are Type D trunking but these units now act like the Kenwood’s to a degree.

Icom_typeC
Product info is at ICOM

For the most part, this radio is Conventional and Type C Trunking platform ready.
For those of us who use Kenwoods and Over the Air Alias, this radio will encode and
decode the OTAA, as will the Kenwoods. (the Type D Icom’s however will still act funky
with the OTAA even with the Newer Icom units) The mobiles come with GPS installed,
but you have to order the antenna if you do not have one for it.
How the GPS on these units and on the Kenwoods play out for the NXDN REFLECTOR
network, that has to be worked on still. The main issue is getting a program designed to
code out the GPS and send it to APRSd with a numerical / callsign database to proper
APRS position marker.

I have not had a chance to work on one yet, but I would imagine it will be like any other
Icom software wise. When I can, I will post information as I go along with looking one over.
For the most part, now the statement of two business units making a inter-operable radio
is now very true. Rather it is type C or D, both still carry the NXDN CAI in conventional modes, and they can both work side by side on the NXREF network.

Got a lightning storm in the area, so this is it for now. Enjoy!

Evans

 

 

Back from vacation..

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Hello all, back from vacation so I will be doing some updating here in the coming weeks as
I get all caught up with things again.

I will add this, while on vacation, Icom released their Type C NXDN radio line. What does this mean? You have a choice now on what Trunking format you want, but most of all, the
type C Icoms now have OTAA capabilities and are not effected by the Kenwood OTAA
on the Icom Type D radios. More on this as I build the block information and get photos
that are allowable for posting.

Kenwood NX-5000 Series has released the new ENHANCED Control Head, that will allow
for Multi-Deck RF units. More on this later, as I am installing mine shortly.

 

Evans Mitchell
KD4EFM