After the positive showing from the d-rats exercise last Thursday, I’m pleased to announce that we now have our own DRATS RAT Reflector. A big thank you goes out to VE7CQF (Curtis) who setup and is hosting the reflector through his server and to Chris (VE7QCS) and Bill (VE7IKX) for some technical assistance along the way.
The links are on the last page for downloading the software and setup for RF use.
The other night most of you indicated you would like to learn more about d-rats. If you would be interested in doing some exercises from home send me the call sign you will be using for d-rats. I will then send it to all those who said they would participate so they can add you into their email access (this is explained in the attached manual.)
Over the course of the next few days we will link the rat reflector to VA7DEP. This means although you might be using the internet your usage of DRATS will also be RF’d out on 145.760 simplex. Like wise if you use RF and can hit DEP you will be repeated through the reflector.
Now I would ask that you NOT broadcast the rat reflector address to the wide wide world. It is intended to train our members on d-rats and in time of need we have it for our use. That is not to say if you have a friend from around here who would be interested that would be OK. I just don’t want a bunch of people who we don’t have a clue to who they are using it.
Please give it a go and as a starter feel free to either chat with me or send me an email. I will leave my d-rats running as much as possible. I didn’t explain it in the manual but in the bottom right corner of the screen you can set your status to whether you are at the keyboard ready to chat or your unattended and other person will get no response from you. Email if you have any questions.
Enjoy
Gord