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Reviews For: DV-Mega Dual Band D-Star Radio Hotspot

Category: Interfaces, Radio to computer, amp, rotor, coax switch, internet

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Review Summary For : DV-Mega Dual Band D-Star Radio Hotspot
Reviews: 18MSRP: 179.95
Description:
DV-MEGA Radio HotSpot Shield & a computer ( PC or Raspberry PI ) will create a Dual Band D-Star HotSpot which will give D-Star users “ Over The Air “ access to the network with a D-Star compatible radio.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.dvmega.co.uk/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00185
K4BR Rating: 2020-11-05
Great hotspot - use the directions to set it up! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I had to find out the hard way... the DV Mega will kick your butt if you try to get it working without reading and following the directions. I have another competing hotspot and DV Mega kicks its butt, too!

Below are some excellent resource links I used that helped me upgrade my opinion of the DV Mega from zero to hero quickly. I highly recommend this little device any amateur, but don't even try to use it until you read and follow the simple directions!

K5RPM Rating: 2020-07-20
One fantastic hotspot Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned my hotspot for a little over a year now. I can't say anything bad about the little guy. It just keeps playing, and playing and playing. You won't go wrong. Pi Star is a little bit of learning curve but not too tricky for the midgrad-to-technical type person. If you get stuck just remember....Google is your friend. hihi
73,
Ronbo - K5RPM
N6CZE Rating: 2020-07-02
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Terrific Hot Spots. I have three, I use one for Fusion, one for DMR and another for D-Star. Using Pi-Star they all work flawlessly. Keeping Pi-Star updated allows all of the new features to work as they should. Customer Service is top notch.
KB9ZB Rating: 2020-07-01
the best hotspot i ever had Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Setting it up was a breeze, quick and easy. It has a long range to HT as well as to Wi-Fi. After putting in my call, DMR number, frequency, and Wi-Fi information, reboot the DVMEGA and your up and running. It is just that easy! I have had other hots spots, but this outperforms them all hand down. I rarely give any product a rave, but in this case, it is the only game in town. I highly recommend this hot spot; you will not be disappointed. As for distance, with stock antenna on second story kitchen I get well over 1/4-mile coverage. Of you add a better antenna I bet that range would double. Replaced with SRH320A and got almost a mile (.825 miles on google map).
I like this one so much I got another for the car, great for train walking. Works perfect with my cars Wi-Fi.

after purchasing a second one for my car, i know i made the right choice, setup was easy and quick, connected to my cars Wi-Fi and just ran. Took a fairly long trip and never failed. good connection and the DV-Mega told me if i had an issue with the Wi-Fi.
This is well worth the price, you will have great service and guaranteed results
SQ5TSS Rating: 2017-08-01
Great device Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This product works very well, great device.
Easy to setup and use, simply work very well
M0XFL Rating: 2017-05-01
Great fun to build and works well Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the DV-Mega with a Raspberry Pi 3 to make a Yaesu System Fusion hotspot. This was a lot of fun to set up, it has an amazing range.

I have shared a page detailing the build here:
https://www.qsoshack.com/make-a-yaesu-system-fusion-c4fm-hotspot/

I am very happy with this project :-)
KE0FHS Rating: 2017-01-31
Great shack & mobile solution Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
UPDATED REVIEW

I’m using the DVMEGA-DUAL in two configurations for D-STAR: 1) with a Raspberry Pi 3 running DStar Commander for a shack solution; and 2) with the complementary BlueStack board and the BlueDV application for Android for a mobile solution. It’s an excellent solution in both configurations.

I particularly appreciate that the shack configuration enables me to link to D-STAR repeaters as well as reflectors. Most of the hotspots I’ve seen handle reflectors fine, but not many enable repeater linking. We have a local ARES D-STAR net on a FREESTAR repeater, so that’s important to me.

The only thing I struggled with is trying to upgrade the firmware of the DVMEGA-DUAL. I tried to do that using the BlueStack board, but wasn’t successful. I wanted to upgrade to 3.07 in order to expand the capability of the solution to System Fusion, as well as DMR. I finally decided that rather than risk ruining the DVMEGA board with my questionable soldering skills, I’d order another board from The Nederlands, as they come with 3.07 already installed.

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UPDATED: I decided to try upgrading the DVMEGA firmware again, and this time it worked. Not quite sure what I did differently so that it worked this time. Perhaps my soldering improved a bit, or maybe I better handled switching to ser2net mode and launching the X-Loader firmware updater app. Whatever I did differently, it worked!
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I highly recommend the DVMEGA. I’m not within range of a D-STAR repeater, so it has opened up a whole new world for me. I’m using it with a Kenwood TH-D74A.

I’m keeping reference notes about my experience with D-STAR, the DVMEGA-DUAL, and the BlueStack, including the solutions to some of the challenges I ran into along the way. In case they might be helpful to anyone: ke0fhs.com/d-star.htm.
KJ5RM Rating: 2016-08-18
DStar/DMR/C4FM all in one package! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased my single band DVMega over a year ago to support DStar mobile operations. I have a strong programming and Linux background but found the unit to be extremely simple to setup and get running. For DStar, I downloaded the Maryland DStar image, installed it, and after a simple configuration setup was on the DStar network.

I use a cell hotspot and mobile router with my DVMega. This allows me to operate DStar in the vehicle using my IC-7100. When I stay in hotels I connect my router to their internet connection giving me DStar access using my ID-51A just about anywhere I stay.

The unit has proven to be rock stable and runs cool even under constant usage. In the past I have had it linked to REF001C for over a week with no issues. Though the unit only transmits at 10mw, it is surprising the distance you can get out of it. Using a 15 inch dual band HT antenna I have roughly 1/4 mile coverage in most cases around the unit. Many times I have been able to make work the unit in the vehicle with an HT from inside buildings I visit on my travels.

Earlier this year the “Mega” team released a firmware update that allows the DVMega to operate as a DMR, DStar, or Fusion hot spot using the MMDVM software. That is great product support! Using an Arduino I was able to update the firmware on my chip and enable these new functions. New DVMegas are preloaded with the correct firmware so this is not required if you purchase a new one.

After firmware update, I installed MMDVM and setup the configuration files. Once this was done I could work the Brandmeister DMR network using my TYT MD-380. DStar functions are still available using my DStar radios, as the MMDVM software switches between modes based on the traffic it is receiving. I have not tried the Fusion support yet so I can’t comment on its abilities in this mode.

If you are looking for a solid device to support short range mobile digital network access then this is the one you should purchase!
GI4FZD Rating: 2016-03-23
Now includes DMR Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have been using The DVmega on d-star for a couple of months and recently with new firmware upgrade and software, it now works very well on DMR also.So well in fact that I have bought a second DVmega single band unit which mounts on a raspberrypi and resides in the boot of my car, this is linked to the internet with a mobilebroadband hotspot and monitored on the dashboard using an Android phone running Bluespot Software. I also use vnc on the Android phone to control and switch off the raspberry pi when not in use.Basically I have a system in my car that needs no external mounted antennas on which I can work the world on my journey to work. Support from Karl, the uk distributer is 100% and I would have no hesitation in recommending this device.
M6TNW Rating: 2016-03-18
2 years on Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Just thought an update was due.
I have had a Dv-mega for 2 years now and have had no problems in any way what so ever. It is a superb unit and wooks fantastic. I have 1 at home and i have 1 that i use in my car that i tether to my phone so i can use any where i want.

I cant recomend the unit enough if you want to use D-star you need to get ine of these. Thanks to Dvmega.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by M6TNW on 2014-08-12

I have the Dv-mega dual band set up to work on 70cms with a Raspberry pi.and my IC-5100
The only repeater I can get into within my location has no internet gate way so I was restricted with what I could do with Digital, I decided to purchase the above unit and have found it to be the best bit of kit I have ever purchased it works with no problems and never misses a beat, it has been switched on now for about 4 months and has been used every day, there are no limitations as the where I can go via the D-star network and am free to use at any times I want to I have never failed to get a connection it just works, I have to say the support I have had from Karl @ DV-mega has been second to none, in view of the way the unit has worked I have bought the Dv-Raspi single band unit with the addition of a WiFi unit that I now keep in the glove box of the car so when I am out I tether the unit to my mobile phone and then have connection where ever I am. this again has worked faultless with my Ic51e hh in addition I have found that if I connect the dual band unit up to my Diamond 2/70 Antenna at home I can access the network upto about 4 miles away from my Qth with my ID 51 hh I would recommend the units to anyone.

Looking forward to more products from DV-Mega