More D-Star learnings

Pete (AE5PL) replied to a few questions I posted up on the
DStarUsers.org forum concerning some outstanding questions I had.

Two items of particular interest:
1. I had asked whether there was a way to test D-Star access into a repeater without bugging anyone for a radio check.
Pete said:
Sure, place CQCQCQ in URCALL, VA7ICM A in RPT1, and VA7ICM G in RPT2. You should see VA7ICM G respond back that it doesn't know CQCQCQ (you will see VA7ICM G show up on the front display).

... pretty handy!

2. I asked about gateway registration on repeaters, considering I had registered on one repeater but am likely to be using another for most activity. I was concerned as to whether you should be registered on the gateway you were actually going to be using as a 'home'. Pete's response was that you only need register on one gateway (and indeed should not be registered multiple times), and that registration on any one gateway is sufficient to use all gateways.

Considering I have yet to raise the admins of VA7ICM with this same question, I'm pretty glad my VE7RAG registration (which went through in under a day) will work anywhere.

Tomorrow I intend giving my ID-1 its first airing with an attempt to wake up the VA7ICM repeater in the manner described in (1). If I get any sign of life from the repeater on its port A, then I'll try a CQ call onto its 2m port to see if I can magic up a real QSO!