Taking the Leap – My First ICOM Radio & D-STAR Adventures

So, I’ve done it – I’ve finally added some ICOM equipment to the shack! 🎉

I picked up an ICOM ID-51E so I can start exploring D-STAR, and I have to say, it’s been an exciting experience so far. I’ve got my call sign registered, and, in true ham fashion, I’ve been skipping the manual and pressing lots of buttons to see what happens. 😆

So far, so good! The radio feels great in hand, and I’ve managed to connect to a few reflectors. However, after a couple of hours of trial and error, I’m at that stage where I should probably crack open the manual or find a good YouTube tutorial.

Looking forward to learning more about D-STAR routing, reflectors, and linking repeaters. If you have any tips or good resources, let me know!