Glossary¶
APRS¶
Automatic Packet Reporting System A network for sharing positions and short messages. Your WPSD device can send its position to APRS-IS, the internet side of APRS. See APRS and GPS.
BER¶
Bit Error Rate The share of a digital signal received wrong, as a percentage. Below about 1% is good. A high BER from your own radio usually means the WPSD device needs calibrating.
Code Plug¶
While somewhat generically used for digital radio and even FM VHF and UHF radios, people who talk about DMR radios especially throw the term CPS about it like it’s salt.
Radios used crystals to control the frequencies, and sometimes, users applied internal jumpers for the various options. Later, builders moved the internal jumpers to a jack on the back of the radio. A “plug” with wire jumpers plugged into the jack enabled these options. These became the original code plugs. Later, builders and manufacturers controlled more things using these code plugs, such as tone encode/decode selection.
Later, as radios became microprocessor-controlled, the external code plugs moved inside the radio as programmed information. The term has, unfortunately, remained with us. The code plug contains the operating frequencies, tone selections, timeout values, system IDs, etc. In some instances, some parts of the radio definition itself are in the code plug. These days, the code plug is just a relatively small file transferred to the radio with Code Plug Software.
Custom Setting¶
A line of your own in a radio program’s settings file, for a setting the Radio pages don’t have. Kept apart from the dashboard’s settings and tried before it’s kept. See Custom Settings.
D-Star¶
Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio A digital voice and data protocol specification for Amateur Radio by the Japan Amateur Radio League published in 2001. D-Star implements GFSK modulation in a 6kHz wide channel.
DMR¶
Digital Mobile Radio An ETSI standard digital radio specification for professional, commercial, and private radio users published in 2005. Implements 4-level FSK modulation in a 12.5kHz wide channel using TDMA, effectively ‘doubling’ channel capacity.
Duplex¶
Receiving and transmitting on two different frequencies at once, as a repeater does. A duplex hotspot needs a duplex (dual) modem board, and carries both DMR timeslots. Compare Simplex.
Dynamic Talkgroup/Reflector¶
A talkgroup or reflector you’re linked to for now, typically because you keyed up on it, rather than one set to stay linked. On most networks a dynamic talkgroup drops after a while with no activity. See Manage.
ESSID¶
Two digits (01 to 99) added to your DMR ID on a network, so that network can tell your WPSD device apart from your other devices. See DMR networks.
ETSI¶
European Telecommunications Standards Institute The European Telecommunications Standards Institute is an independent, not-for-profit, standardization organization in the field of information and communications.
find.wpsd.direct¶
The page that finds your WPSD device on your own network: open it on a phone or computer on the same network. See First Boot and Security.
FSK¶
Frequency-shift keying Frequency-shift keying is a frequency modulation scheme in which digital information is encoded on a carrier signal by periodically shifting the frequency of the carrier between several discrete frequencies.
GFSK¶
Gaussian frequency-shift keying Rather than directly modulating the frequency with the digital data symbols, “instantaneously” changing the frequency at the beginning of each symbol period, Gaussian frequency-shift keying filters the data pulses with a Gaussian filter to make the transitions smoother.
Host Files¶
The lists of reflectors, masters, talkgroups and radio IDs the gateways use, downloaded from WPSD’s servers and kept current. See Host Files.
Hotspot¶
An SBC flashed with a hotspot image (for example, WPSD), with either a simplex or duplex hotspot board (HAT) connected to the Internet. Hotspots usually have radios built in, typically with an ADF7021 RF chip and one or two SMA antenna connectors or an onboard ceramic antenna.
Kerchunk¶
A very short key-up, with no voice: to check a hotspot or repeater hears you, or to link a talkgroup. The dashboard can hide them.
Live Panel¶
The large panel at the top of the dashboard showing the call on the air now, or the last one. See The Dashboard.
M17¶
An open digital voice and data protocol for amateur radio, using the open Codec 2 voice codec. Implements 4-level FSK in a 9kHz wide channel.
MMDVM¶
Multi-Mode Digital Voice Modem MMDVM hardware and software are at the core of most digital mode hotspots on the market. The success of the MMDVM Project comes from different people and projects going back to the earliest days on D-STAR. MMDVM now supports D-Star, DMR, YSF, P25, NXDN, M17, POCSAG, and analog.
Node¶
A simplex hotspot, using an MMDVM modem board and an external radio. The modem board does not include an RF chip and typically connects to a higher-power mobile radio.
NXDN¶
Next Generation Digital Narrowband A digital voice and data radio protocol developed jointly by Icom and Kenwood for public land mobile radio systems, published in 2005. NXDN implements 4-level FSK modulation in either a 12.5kHz or 6.25kHz wide channel.
Offset¶
The correction, in Hz, that makes up for a modem’s crystal being slightly off frequency. Found by calibration, separately for receive (RX) and transmit (TX).
P25¶
Project 25 Also known as APCO-25, is a set of digital voice and data radio protocols developed by public safety professionals starting in 1989. Implements C4FM 4-level FSK in a 12.5kHz wide channel (Phase I).
POCSAG¶
A paging protocol. Your WPSD device can send pages to pagers through DAPNET, the amateur paging network. See POCSAG / DAPNET.
Prefix¶
A digit you dial in front of a DMR talkgroup to reach it on a network other than your primary one, such as 5 for TGIF. See DMR networks.
Primary Network¶
The DMR network whose talkgroups you dial as they are, with no prefix.
Profile¶
A saved radio setup: modes, networks, frequencies, talkgroups and reflectors, and the dashboard’s preferences. Switch between them in a few seconds. See Profiles.
Radio (calibration)¶
In WPSD Palisade, the radio you use with your WPSD device, as it holds that pair’s calibration. Each profile uses one. See Profiles.
Reflector¶
A server that links many hotspots and repeaters into one conversation, like a conference call. D-Star, YSF, P25, NXDN, M17 and XLX use reflectors; DMR networks mostly use talkgroups.
Repeater¶
A duplex hotspot, using an MMDVM modem board and two external radios or attached to a repeater or repeater controller. The modem board does not include an RF chip and typically connects to an existing repeater or repeater controller.
SBC¶
A single-board computer A common example of an SBC is the ubiquitous Raspberry Pi.
Simplex¶
Receiving and transmitting on the same frequency, taking turns. Most hotspots are simplex, and carry DMR timeslot 2 only. Compare Duplex.
Snapshot¶
A copy of a program’s settings, kept each time you apply changes, so you can go back. See Radio Settings.
Static Talkgroup/Reflector¶
A talkgroup or reflector set to stay linked, so its traffic always reaches your WPSD device, whether or not you’ve keyed up on it. It acts like a scan list in some radios. Set them in Manage or on the mode’s Radio page.
Talkgroup¶
A numbered channel on a digital network that everyone on it can call and hear, by subject or by area (such as 91 for worldwide or 3100 for the USA on BrandMeister).
Timeslot¶
DMR shares each frequency between two calls at once by taking turns, in two timeslots (TS1 and TS2). A simplex hotspot uses timeslot 2.
Watchdog¶
The part of WPSD Palisade that restarts a radio program that crashes, or a gateway whose link has stayed down. See Services and Watchdog.
WPSD¶
“WPSD Plausibly Stands for Divergence”
WPSD is the name of the software suite and project. WPSD Palisade is the current version, which this guide covers; WPSD (legacy) is the earlier version, with its own manual.
Hint
WPSD = WPSD Plausibly Stands for Divergence
wpsd.direct address¶
A listed WPSD device’s own address, <id>.wpsd.direct (ten characters, starting with the six in its setup network’s name). It points at the WPSD device on your network and comes with a certificate from Let’s Encrypt. See Security.
YSF¶
Yaesu System Fusion A digital voice and data protocol specification developed by Yaesu for Amateur Radio in 2013. Implements C4FM 4-level FSK in a 16kHz wide channel.