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Re: BNSF To Begin Digital Radio Frequency Testing
Author: FesnoSub
Date: 08-23-2011 - 09:19
FresnoSub Wrote:
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> P.kepler Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > With an analog receiver all you will hear is
> white
> > noise. Icom has D-star as a mode for amateur
> > radio. I wonder if the protocol for D-star is
> the
> > same as what the railroads are using . As for
> > digital scanners or receivers for the general
> > public there are none available other than the
> > radios being used by the Railroads.
>
> Digital transmissions indeed sound like "white
> noise." If you have never heard it before, you
> might think that the squelch is not set high
> enough or your scanner is malfuntioning. As for
> the Icom D-STAR digital radio format: The D-STAR
> stands for Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur
> Radio. It is an open standard digital
> communication protocol established by the Japan
> Amateur Radio League. D-STAR uses 4.8 kbps
> digital voice (DV) mode and 128 kbps data.
>
> One of the BNSF-approved radio manufacturers,
> Kenwood, refers to their format as "NXDN." I
> haven't taken the time to break down the algorithm
> used for generating its digital modulation but it
> can't be too proprietary since ICOM is the other
> radio manufacturer approved for use.
>
> Would be interesting to find out from someone in
> the Barstow area on that date that uses an ICOM
> D-STAR equipped 2-meter radio whether or not there
> is compatibility. Just program one of the receive
> channels to AAR 71 and see what happens.
>
> FS
I should add that a solid block of "white noise" can be the result result of digital encryption being used (Motorola comes to mind) and of which the Kenwood pacset is capable. BNSF will not be using the encrytion feature (at least for now) but may instruct TELECOM to activate it at any time - just to trial the feature. The pacsets can be remotely programmed via the RF channel simultaneously to activate any feature the radio is capable of using.
As for specific digital modulation techniques, when received on an analog radio, any digital transmission can be "interesting" to listen to.
FS
-------------------------------------------------------
> P.kepler Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > With an analog receiver all you will hear is
> white
> > noise. Icom has D-star as a mode for amateur
> > radio. I wonder if the protocol for D-star is
> the
> > same as what the railroads are using . As for
> > digital scanners or receivers for the general
> > public there are none available other than the
> > radios being used by the Railroads.
>
> Digital transmissions indeed sound like "white
> noise." If you have never heard it before, you
> might think that the squelch is not set high
> enough or your scanner is malfuntioning. As for
> the Icom D-STAR digital radio format: The D-STAR
> stands for Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur
> Radio. It is an open standard digital
> communication protocol established by the Japan
> Amateur Radio League. D-STAR uses 4.8 kbps
> digital voice (DV) mode and 128 kbps data.
>
> One of the BNSF-approved radio manufacturers,
> Kenwood, refers to their format as "NXDN." I
> haven't taken the time to break down the algorithm
> used for generating its digital modulation but it
> can't be too proprietary since ICOM is the other
> radio manufacturer approved for use.
>
> Would be interesting to find out from someone in
> the Barstow area on that date that uses an ICOM
> D-STAR equipped 2-meter radio whether or not there
> is compatibility. Just program one of the receive
> channels to AAR 71 and see what happens.
>
> FS
I should add that a solid block of "white noise" can be the result result of digital encryption being used (Motorola comes to mind) and of which the Kenwood pacset is capable. BNSF will not be using the encrytion feature (at least for now) but may instruct TELECOM to activate it at any time - just to trial the feature. The pacsets can be remotely programmed via the RF channel simultaneously to activate any feature the radio is capable of using.
As for specific digital modulation techniques, when received on an analog radio, any digital transmission can be "interesting" to listen to.
FS
