Digi RATS C4FM Information And Resources
Welcome to the Digi RATS C4FM Information and resources page.
Here is where you will find information on our C4FM repeater as well as additional resources to get up and running with C4FM (Constant Envelope 4-Level Frequency Modulation) and WIRES-X equipment.
Our Yaesu DR-2X repeater (449.240 MHz negative offset no PL) provides digital voice access for use across the valley and around the world on Wires-X. The audio quality in digital mode is phenomenal!
C4FM is widely considered to be the best sounding and easiest of the digital voice modes to setup and use. Unlike other digital voice modes like DMR & D-Star, C4FM has a lower tolerance for bit error rates (BER). The higher the BER, the more noise, sometimes called “R2D2” is possible. Rather than subjecting the user to this unintelligible noise, C4FM radios will drop the signal after 3% BER is exceeded so everything comes through perfectly readable or not at all.
Compared to analog, C4FM has approximately the same range but stays clear all the way to the end unlike analog which will become more and more noisy and hard to understand as you approach the outer range of the transmission.
Club members can easily task the repeater to connect to rooms around the world for 60 minutes at a time.
A Yaesu Fusion radio is your gateway to C4FM/Wires-X. By setting your Yaesu radio to “DN” (Digital Narrow) to operate in full-time C4FM mode, you can access other hams around the valley around the world with out the need for a large antenna or expensive high frequency equipment. Most areas of the valley can access this C4FM repeater with a 5 watt handheld Yaesu radio.
Maybe you have friends in the EU. Connect to room 41755 for the Northwest Fusion Group in Fleetwood Lancashire, UK. Or, a popular room is America KC Wide (at room 28054) which frequently has 80 people attached to it from around the U.S. and the world. Press and hold the Dx button on your Fusion radio to access the Wires-X menu. If you know the room number (5 digits long) you want to go to, press “#” enter the number of the room and press “#” again. Or select ‘Search & Direct’ to search all rooms by name. Or select “ALL” which will display in order of most people attached to it.
Any club member with a C4FM radio can select the Wires-X room of their choosing and move it there for up to 1 hour at a time. We request you release the Wires-X room to return to the clubs room 00080 when you’ve finished with the room you selected so others can contact the club from outside the valley and other members can connect to a room of their choosing. Some radios allow for easy disconnection by pressing the “ * ” asterisk for 3 seconds while still on the ‘handshake’ screen (see your radios manual for details). Another way to put it back on the clubs room is to select our club room directly from “SEARCH & DIRECT” and type in “des” and our room will appear on the list. See Youtube videos and your radio’s manual to determine other ways to connect to and disconnect from rooms and save favorites for easy access.
This repeater will be where the Wires-X nets and our own C4FM / Wires-X check-in net will be heard.
Each week we connect our repeater to nets that allow questions on many topics to help people with setup and operation in C4FM and other topics. Dates and times are listed below
We host our own C4FM check-in net every second and fourth Monday at 7:30pm on 449.240 (negative offset) please feel free to participate – wherever you are. Members out of the area can log into this net by connecting to another repeater capable of Wires-X and selecting the Wires-X Room 00080. Similarly, access via a Portable Digital Node (PDN) connection to Room 00080 will also connect to this net.
For questions regarding the Desert RATS C4FM system, or for comments or suggestions? Let us know what you think!
Please scroll down for other C4FM nets, or visit our “Nets that cover the Coachella Valley” page for local analog NETS
More information on the repeater is available here.
Rick, N6PSP has provided a novel way to learn more about this technology. Click on the boxes in the diagram below to learn more about the topic:
Digital NETS
Several digital NETS are available. Here is the current List:
Desert RATS Bi-Weekly C4FM / WIRES-X NET
Date: On the second and fourth Mondays of each month
Time: 7:30 PM
Frequency: 449.240 MHz negative offset no PL
Members out of the area can log into this net by connecting to another repeater capable of Wires-X and selecting the Wires-X Room 00080. Similarly, access via a Portable Digital Node (PDN) connection to Room 00080 will also connect to this net.
Wires-X Nets
These NETS are available through our 70cm C4FM Repeater (449.240 MHz negative offset no PL):
Net Name: Fusion Technical NET
Time: Mondays @ 5:30 PM
Frequency: Wires-X Room 21493
Comments: Note the RATS 2M analog repeater will be used at 6:30 for the Amateur Radio Newsline and at 7:00 for the RATS weekly NET.
Net Name: Astronomy Net
Time: Tuesdays @ 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Frequency: Skyhub Link Room 46361
Comments: Hosted by Burness KIØAR. The Colorado ASTRONOMY NET has been on the 146.940 RMRL repeater since 1996 and is very interesting with Burness bringing an expert knowledge of the subject that is very thorough and enjoyable for the amateur radio community. Not only great astronomical information but interesting subjects related to all things in the heavens!
Net Name: Digital Learning NET
Time: Wednesdays @ 6:00 PM
Frequency: Colorado Digital Room 43674
Comments: Covers DMR, D-Star, Fusion
Net Name: “Let’s talk digital”
Time: Thursdays @ 6:00 PM
Frequency: Kansas City Wide room 28054
Comments: With Bucky WØSUN & Friends Topics: All digital voice modes
C4FM and WIRES-X Resources:
General WIRES-X Background Info:
- The WIRES-X Bible Is available here. (PDF)
- The Yaesu WIRES-X Web page is here.
- Great Video on setting up WIRES X
- Listen in on some of the WIRES-X channels from your web browder
WIRES-X Portable Digital Node (PDN) Setup:
Radio Specific Resources:
- Video of a Yaesu FTM-400 radio setup is here. (Note: Our repeater uses DG-ID Tx 00 Rx 00)
Downloads
Yaesu Digital Communications Guide (PDF):
