Oh goodie...

[2E0JTP]

2012 will be a historic year that sees Yaesu lead Amateur Radio into the modern era of Digital Communications.

Source: Yaesu website link

yaesu-digital.jpg

Oh look, a "new" digital radio from Yaesu (what, five years after Icom?) ... and guess what?

It's not (Icom) D-Star compatible.

That's it. They can all stick their incompatible digital nonsense where the sun doesn't shine.

[G6NHU]

Absolute madness. I suppose it was only a matter of time before one of the other manufacturers produced a digital encrypted radio that won't talk with the existing format.

As far as I'm concerned, any amateur radio transmitter which encrypts audio should be considered illegal.

[G4LNA]

Illegal, that's a good point. As far as I'm concerned it should be open source, until then that is a road I'm not going down. Sounds like Microsoft all over again. That goes for both of them.

[M0WAO]

indeed, d-star uses a proprietary voice codec from digital voice systems, Inc.

imho d-star should be ignored as amateur radio systems should be open to all. one of the points of amateur radio is that it's a hobby with hams making their own transceivers, receivers, antenna's etc.

from; D-STAR
Proprietary codec
D-STAR uses a patented, closed-source proprietary voice codec (AMBE). Hams do not have access to the detailed specification of this codec or the rights to implement it on their own without buying a licensed product. Hams have a long tradition of building, improving upon and experimenting with their own radio designs. The modern digital age equivalent of this would be designing and/or implementing codecs in software. Critics say the proprietary nature of AMBE and its availability only in hardware form (as ICs) discourages innovation. Even critics praise the openness of the rest of the D-STAR standard which can be implemented freely. An open-source replacement for the AMBE codec would resolve this issue.
Bruce Perens, K6BP, amateur radio and open source advocate, evangelized the need for an open source codec for amateur radio.[12] David Rowe, VK5DGR, has implemented an Alpha-test replacement codec under the LGPL and is continuing in its development.[13]
Trademarked name
Despite many protestations from the Pro-D-Star lobby that the standard was developed by the JARL, and D-Star is not only an Icom system, the term 'D-Star' is itself a registered trademark of Icom.[14]

now you will get that other manufacturers who refuse to pay these licence fees come up with their own kind of digital system. history repeats it self and we never learn from the past... we might ending up with all different digital systems unable to talk with each other like in the computer world.

[2E0JTP]

I just feel sorry for the poor Yaesu fans who think, 'at last! a Yaesu digital radio!', and rush out and buy it thinking they can finally access the existing (D-Star) digital repeaters.

If the different manufacturers are going to be using their own digital solutions, then the RSGB ETCC/Ofcom (whoever is actually in charge of coordinating this?!?) should NEVER have allowed the replacement of existing analogue repeaters with one manufacturers closed digital system. There should have been a strict ruling on the requirement for interoperability between different manufacturers digital solutions for accessing repeaters networks. No guaranteed digital interoperability should mean no permission to replace existing analogue repeaters.

Are we going to start seeing Yaesu competing with Icom for paired digital repeater frequencies?!?

So much for the Japanese Amateur Radio League having any input on co-ordinating the Japanese manufacturers new amateur digital direction.

Icom (and now Yaesu) must think we are right schmucks.

Bloody crazy.

[techiesteve]

indeed, d-star uses a proprietary voice codec from digital voice systems, Inc.

imho d-star should be ignored as amateur radio systems should be open to all. one of the points of amateur radio is that it's a hobby with hams making their own transceivers, receivers, antenna's etc.

Quite right.

An what will newcomers to amateur radio think of 2 opposing systems, and at least one using proprietary code. It must be very encouraging, not.

[M6SOE]

Just don't bother buying either, only way manufacturers get the message

[G4LNA]

I am a bit surprised that amateurs haven't produced their own open source code, thinking about it they probably have, but of course persuading any of the big makers to take it on is another matter. It would certainly open up the competition and get them to concentrate on producing radios and not pushing the software.

Still, if pigs had wings we'd be shotin' for our pork.