Welcome to DVSwitch

DVSwitch is a set of tools and programs related to provisioning and operating Amateur Radio digital voice networks.

Purpose

The purpose of DVSwitch is as follows:

1) Allows “local” networking during an outage of the regional national/international network server.
2) Allows a local network operator to “blend” upstream feeds from different Networks (capital N on purpose). These Networks can’t get their act together and learn how to play nice with each other (everyone guilty as far as we are concerned). They may not like people doing this, but the solution is to grow up and work with each other, and not keep trying to force people to take sides.
3) Allows local segregation of localized traffic with more flexibility.
4) Allows experimentation with linking and how it’s done (part 97 specifies experimentation and advancement of the radio art are a core part of amateur radio).

Mission Statement/Position

Our stated position is:

WHEREAS the Networks continue to be largely islands and are not working together to create a unified network of Networks.
WHEREAS no firm reason has been given by any of the Networks why a *competent* local network operator cannot make this work effectively.

(US ONLY)
WHEREAS 47 CFR 97 (Amateur Radio Service) specifies that a core component of amateur radio is experimentation and advancement of the radio art [97.1(b)].

BE IT RESOLVED the core group of US amateur radio operators and experimenters organized around the DVSwitch project, and in the spirit of USA 47 CFR 97 and its intentions, support the *responsible* and *thoughtful* use of digital voice networking tools to create localized networks that will interconnect to the national/international Networks, and will support users of its tools in order to do this in the most effective and sustainable way possible.

DVSwitch Partner Applications

DMRlink

GitHub: https://github.com/n0mjs710/DMRlink

DMRlink is the open-source IPSC master/peer “stack” written in python by Cort Buffington, N0MJS.

Applications are built on top of this stack. An example application built on top of the stack is the parrot.

DMRlink provides communications to and from IPSC. This can be a Motorola repeater or a Network device like c-Bridge or BrandMeister.

IPSC_Bridge (GitHub branch) is a specific variation of DMRlink, and is still being used to bridge IPSC networks to other systems.

HBlink

GitHub: https://github.com/n0mjs710/HBlink

Note: the main branch of HBlink is considered deprecated, Cort strongly suggests moving to HBlink3.

HBlink is the open-source Homebrew (“HB”) master/peer “stack” written in python by Cort Buffington, N0MJS.

Applications are built on top of this stack. An example application built on top of the stack is the parrot.

HBlink provides the communications to and from HB Repeater Protocol. This can be a MMDVM repeater, DVMega HotSpot, OpenSpot or a Network device like DMR+ or BrandMeister.

HB_Bridge (GitHub branch) is a specific variation of HBlink, and is still being used to bridge Homebrew networks to other systems.

HBlink3

GitHub: https://github.com/n0mjs710/hblink3

HBlink3 is a rewrite/refactoring of the HBlink partner application stack using Python 3.x. More documentation about this is needed and will be forthcoming.

Analog_Bridge

GitHub: https://github.com/DVSwitch/Analog_Bridge

Analog_Bridge (formerly DMRGateway) accepts a stream of analog audio, uses a Vocoder (such as the ThumbDV from NW Digital or AMBEserver) to convert to AMBE and communicates it to a partner. That analog audio can come from AllStarLink (“ASL”) or an application running on a desktop computer. A deficiency in the method of signaling PTT assert / de-assert has been fixed. The name “Analog_Bridge” better describes its function.

Some of you may have noticed Jonathan G4KLX just announced his gateway DMRGateway. Thank goodness there will not be any confusion in the names.

MMDVM_Bridge

GitHub: https://github.com/DVSwitch/MMDVM_Bridge

MMDVM_Bridge is used to provide an interconnection between digital networks.  It does this by decomposing each network protocol and creating an agnostic version of the stream.  This generalized form can then be re-constructed into a new network stream of a different type. MMDVM_Bridge works in conjunction with other bridging tools to allow for the connection of networks with differing audio formats and metadata components. Support for DMR, D-Star, Yaesu Fusion, P25 and NXDN networks are provided.  In addition, bridging to analog networks (such as AllStarLink or Echolink) can be accomplished with little effort.

How Partners Work Together

Any Partner can communicate with any other Partner to form a bridge. Consider you want to bridge ASL to IPSC. (What ambe_audio and DMRGateway used to do) ASL <—> Analog_bridge <—> IPSC_Bridge <—> IPSC Network. This works quite well with a simple Motorola Master / Peer configuration or a c-Bridge. With BrandMeister, there are limitations imposed. You need a BM administrator to configure the BM side of the connection. Any changes to TS or TG has to be coordinated with BM. Now consider another way to accomplish the same ASL to BM connection. ASL <—> Analog_Bridge <—> HB_Bridge <—> HBR Network.  The HB_bridge connection is treated the same way a MMDVM is treated by BM. You as the sysop define what TS/TG is used. You can build it your way.

The methods used to allow Partners to communicate will over time be expanded to include communications with other protocols and services. Cort is busy working on support for remote logging and display.

Please be aware, this software is BETA. It’s early in the cycle. There will be bugs and features need to be added. HBlink, DMRlink and other yet to be announced programs and tools. (D-Star_bridge?)

Please understand we can not support every possible protocol, there are only so many hours in the day and some protocols would have to be reverse engineered. Oh, and some of even have lives. These are tools that allow you to enhance the systems you operate. They are NOT networks. Build it your way. After all, this is HAM radio.

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