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D-Rats Data

List of D-RATS features

  • Instant-messaging style chat
  • Multiple automatic messages at varying schedules, containing static or dynamic content
  • File Transfers of arbitrary binary or text content with compression
  • Online/offline status notifications
  • Multi-platform: runs on Linux/UNIX, Windows, and MacOSX
  • Canned messages
  • Chat logging
  • Tabbed chat interface to filter traffic based on a search string
  • Structured data (i.e. Forms) transmission with multiple form templates, graphical editor, and HTML exporting
  • Form-to-Email gateway support for providing email access to distant stations
  • Winlink2000 gateway
  • Automatic message forwarding
  • Arbitrary TCP forwarding over the RF channel
  • Support for using a TNC or a network connection instead of a D-STAR radio
  • GPS position tracking, distance/direction calculation, static beacon support, and integrated map viewer with offline caching
  • Network-linkable repeater/proxy co-application

D-RATS Club Presentation

The following is a version of the presentation viewed at the online meeting. Also see additional information below related to installing D-RATS.


D-RATS Not Just for D-Star Radios



Downloading and Configuring D-RATS

Get D-RATS for your shack! Digital computer to computer communication with or without the internet!

Join us and communicate with us on a D-Rats data reflector. 

Use the Desktop app with or without the Internet, with or without any D-Star radio, and with or without a KISS TNC.

Works on Windows, MAC OSX, Linux (Raspberry Pi).

Send email, chat, file transfer, and GPS location (static or from live GPS) locally without infrastructure or to a distant station with infrastructure.

D-Rats is the perfect data complement to the Warren County Amateur Radio Association layered voice simplex net.

Very good beta versions are available and are frequently updated. Check https://groups.io/g/d-rats for latest version as well as instructions for installing D-Rats on Raspberry Pi and Linux.

Draft installation instructions can help start you on version 0.3.9:  Click this text to open in new tab. After opening in new tab the installation instructions can be downloaded in several formats using the "File" - "Download" menu feature.

Unzip the D-Rats zip file downloaded from link above into a folder of your choice.

Previously there was a note here for removing 19 files from the 0.3.7 D-Rats build.  The developers have removed them from the distribution, so, checking for the files and removing them is no longer necessary.

Sign up with https://www.thunderforest.com/maps/  to get an API key for free maps used with D-Rats 0.3.8 and later

A list of D-Rats data reflectors is here: http://www.dstarinfo.com/drats.aspx


D-Rats source code documentation if you are curious: http://www.innovationengineering.it/d-rats-support/docs/_build/html/

Linux code for RasPi zipped into one file is here: https://github.com/maurizioandreotti/D-Rats/archive/0.3.9.zip

Make your own Data Cable if you own a D-Star radio: https://iz2lxi.jimdofree.com/diy-data-cable-for-ic-2820-id-51-id-5100/

D-Rats Configuration (also in Draft Installation Instructions above):

If you are new to D-RATS, you may also set up these items. (Included (plus much more) in Draft installation Instructions )
--  Under Maps select cycle for "Map to use". Change apikey to the one from your free thunderforest.com account
     Get a free thunderforest.com account to get your own apikey. 

--  Click Save to close the Config window.  These settings should get you started. You may need to change these for specific uses.
--   Personalize the My Status message in the lower right corner of the Main window.
      Delete the text and insert your own (e.g. Myname in City, State, [Locator]).
--   (Optional) Also add a folder for 'sounds' under C:\Users\'username'\AppData\Roaming\D-RATS-EV\ for wav file sounds.

--   If you already have a D-Rats Shared file transfer folder on the desktop, it can also be used.

--   To send your GPS positions to others, locally, create a QST that sends GPS-A and set the interval to 20 minutes.

-- Set up the following Chat filters to start with. They may be modified according to your tastes later:
    [QST]  ;  CQCQCQ  ;  Current weather at  ;  Now Online  ;  Now Offline  ;  Now Unattended
    These filters will make having a conversion in the "Main" Chat easier. The large amounts of status information will be diverted to each filter.

Finding more info about D-RATS

--   Go to https://groups.io/g/d-rats/ for D-Rats discussion and help.
--   Go to https://groups.io/g/d-rats/files for D-Rats operating instructions and more.
--   The GitHub D-Rats Wiki has additional info. https://github.com/maurizioandreotti/D-Rats/wiki
--   The D-Rats Facebook page also has good information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DRATS

Ratflector

The repeater application works like an ethernet switch, for those that understand that analogy.  If not, imagine it like a Y-adapter or a USB hub.  It allows multiple connections to talk to each other.  Sort of a concentrator of D-RATS traffic that can bridge multiple modes.  If you hook to radios to it, it will behave somewhat like a repeater: any data traffic that comes in on one radio will go out on the other radio.  This could be useful for a cross-band digital data repeater.
 
If you enable network access, then a user from a networked computer could connect to the repeater and see the RF traffic, as well as communicate with other RF users.  This means you can locate your main D-RATS PC away from the radio (connected by a LAN) or allow multiple stations to share a single radio.  It also allows you to let people come in from across the globe to communicate with RF stations in your area.
 
If you establish a link between your repeater and another repeater over a network or the internet, then you can bridge your local RF users to remote RF users.


D-RATS Serial Port Settings

Icom Handheld Radio Serial Port Speeds
 D-Star  Radio  Serial Port  Speed
 IC-80AD  9600
 IC-U82  9600
 IC-V82  9600
 IC-91AD  38400
 IC-92AD  38400
 ID-31  9600
 ID-51  9600 See Note (1)


Icom Mobile Radio Serial Port Speeds 
 D-Star  Radio  Serial Port  Speed
 IC-2200  9600
 IC-2820  9600
 ID-800H  9600
 ID-5100  9600 See Note (2)

 Note (1)
 Special I-51A settings for D-RATS
 DV Set> DV Date TX = Auto
 GPS> GPS TX Mode = OFF
 GPS> GPS Auto TX = OFF
 GPS> GPS Set> GPS Out = OFF
 
 Note (2)
 The ID-5100 factory settings already work with D-RATS, with and without GPS active.

Homebrew 2.5mm to DB-9 Serial and USB Cable

A homebrew version of the Icom OPC-2218LU USB cable can be made with a 2.5mm 3 conductor male connector salvaged from a headset and a DB-9 female connector. The homebrew cable is connected to a USB to DB-9 serial adapter. Also, search ebay for a 2.5 mm male to 2.5 mm male 3 conductor cable and cut in half to have a factory made 2.5 mm male end. The connector plastic may need to be shaved with a utility knife or ground with a Dremel tool to fit in recess in handheld case.

The 2.5mm 3 conductor male connector has 3 contacts. In order from the tip end, the contact names are Tip, Ring, and Sleeve. 

The following table defines the wire connections between the 3 contact 2.5mm connector and the DB-9 connector:
Pin Function 2.5mm Male Pin DB-9 Female Pin
 Receive Data (RXD) Tip 3
 Transmit Data (TXD) Ring 2
 Ground/Earth (Gnd) Sleeve 5
 

Sometimes a 4 contact 2.5mm male connector is available. In order from the tip end, the contact names are Tip, Ring1, Ring2, and Sleeve. 
The following table defines the wire connections between the 4 contact 2.5mm connector and the DB-9 connector:
Pin Function 2.5mm Male Pin DB-9 Female Pin
 Receive Data (RXD) Tip 3
 Transmit Data (TXD) Ring1 2
 Ground/Earth (Gnd) Ring2 5
 Ground/Earth (Gnd)  Sleeve 5