Washington Digital Radio Enthusiasts

The W4LKS Hotspot is a D-STAR simplex hotspot system that is privately owned by Randy-W4LKS. His hotspot is a Washington Digital Radio Enthusiasts affiliated repeater. That means the operating guidelines and rules described on this site, apply to this repeater.

A D-STAR Hotspot is a transceiver that is usually connected to a D-STAR repeater or reflector, using the internet connection at the host's site, and allows persons with a D-STAR transceiver to join in on the D-STAR network. Since it is a simplex frequency two stations do not talk to each other through the hotspot. Its main purpose is to allow individials to talk on the repeater or reflector where the hotspot is connected. The W4LKS hotspot responds to standard DPLUS commands for linking, echo, inquiry, etc. Feel free to disconnect and connect to other repeaters and reflectors (including X reflectors).

Since the W4LKS hotspot is usually connected to REF029A, when you talk on it, you will be heard on the WA7DRE repeater and other D-STAR repeaters connected to REF029A as well.

Operating Frequency: 441.500 mhz simplex D-STAR DV mode
Antenna: Diamond X300A mounted 10' above the roof
Radio: ICOM 208H on Medium power (25 watts)
GMSK (RF) to Digital Interface: MoenComm StarBoard
Internet Connection: Raspberry Pi 2 model B using wired ethernet
D-STAR connectivity software: ircddbrepeater and ircddbgateway by G4KLX, D-STAR Commander Image for RPi by W6KD
Connected to: Reflector REF029A (usually)
Other Features: ircddb remote (ask for permission), X Reflectors, APRS forwarding, D-RATS forwarding, ircddb callsign routing


Click the map below to see the coverage area. Hit refresh on your browser to go back to the map.

Green = Handheld coverage, Yellow = Base or Mobile coverage