>>
 >>                        .....Bob, VE5XEF
 >
 > ok this may be a very dumb question but here goes... What exactly is a
 > hotsopt for? Advantages? Used for? etc.


Simply put, it's a personal, usually run in simplex mode, repeater.  It
allows you to operate in digital mode, d-star, fusion, dmr, etc, when there
is no local repeaters available, or when you don't want to link the local
repeater elsewhere and inconvenience other local hams.

For example, in Saskatoon, we have one D-STAR repeater, fully linked to the
outside world, one fusion repeater, which is only occasionally linked, and
no DMR repeater.  In fact the nearest, and only DMR repeater in
Saskatchewan, is a couple of hundred miles away, well out of range.  Yet,
with a hotspot, I have full access to all three modes of digital service,
which I fully make use of. fwiw, I have two hotspots, both use a stubby UHF
antenna, approx 6" in length, and have a TX power of approx 10mw, so
they're easily used indoors, yet have a range of a few blocks.

For D-STAR, try googling for dstar commander (one example), or DV4MINI,
which covers all three modes I've referred to, plus others.

Most cost $100-$150 plus a Raspberry Pi, some others can cost double that
or more, and don't require a Pi.  The DV4Mini, for exmple costs around
$130, and plugs into a USB port on a Windows computer, or a Pi.

Hope this helps





                       .....Bob


--- GEcho/32 & IM 2.50