D-Rats is a communications tool that exploits the “Slow Speed Data” capability of D-Star VHF/UHF radios. Dan Smith is the author of this open source project which is available for Linux, Mac OS X, and Win 32 (Windows XP) operating systems. Dan’s main D-Rats page has links to downloads, installation tips, and a growing library of help files and development/test notes. Go to the Download Page and get the latest version- updates are frequent, so consider subscribing to Dan’s download page to be notified of new versions. Windows users will find the installer version the easiest way to get started. Simply download and execute. Future versions can be installed the same way and will not require uninstalling the previous revision.
Dan recently added a separate utility to the D-Rats suite called REPEATER. This program simply takes any input from selected serial ports and network ports and “repeats” the data right back out those same ports. It is very simple in concept, but powerful in the functionality it adds to D-Rats. The Repeater program can be used to link two radios hooked to separate serial ports and/or D-Rats users on local or even distant Internets. We will be using this Repeater capability to “play” with the D-Rats program on your computer, with no radio needed. We will run the repeater program and move it aside or minimize it, and then run D-Rats in TWO windows, so that you can see how they communicate with each other. I have tested this method on both Linux and Windows installations and it works the same on both systems.
Assuming you have installed the D-Rats package, run REPEATER. Nothing needs to be added or changed from the default settings, so just click “ON” at the bottom of the window. The window will dim. You can minimize the window (do not close it!), or press the MONITOR tab to see what’s going on behind the curtain.
Next run the D-Rats program. If you have not run the program before, you will have to put some settings in. Select FILE / MAIN SETTINGS. On the USER tab, change the first two values to your callsign and name.
Still in the MAIN SETTINGS window, select the DATA tab. Click your mouse in the selector box next to SERIAL PORT, clear it, and type in net:localhost:9000 exactly (that’s n-e-t colon L-o-c-a-L-h-o-s-t colon nine-zero-zero-zero no spaces or dashes of course). Now press the SAVE button at the bottom of the window and you will be back at the D-Rats window. You are now sending and receiving from the REPEATER, but we need “someone” to chat with.
Leaving the D-Rats and Repeater windows open and running, run D-Rats AGAIN. A new instance and window of the program will open. You can now send and receive text and files between the two open D-Rats windows. If you wish, you may go to the FILE / MAIN SETTINGS / USER window on one of the D-Rats programs and change the callsign to something different so you can more easily see what is happening.
Experiment and explore what the programs have to offer- there is a lot to do in the menus. First you should select VIEW from the top menu and ADVANCED. Now the window expands to reveal more options below the main communications pane. The D-Rats home page has links to “Getting Started” pages and other links to help you learn what the program can do. When you are finished “playing”, close each D-Rats instance / program by exiting or closing the windows, then exit or close the Repeater program. Done!
In case you are wondering about the network connectivity of Repeater and D-Rats; YES you can have a D-Rats communications session between computers on a network. Those computers can be in the same house, or a world apart, and of course there can be several computers connected to the same “Repeater” by networks mixed with radio links via serial ports. Connecting over the Internet is very simple as far as “Repeater” is concerned; it doesn’t care if the other users are in the same computer like our demonstration, or a thousand miles apart. To connect over the Internet however, you will have to deal with your local firewall, be it software or router based. That is beyond the scope of this introduction, as the steps will vary according to individual software and hardware.
73, Brian KNØN