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FUNCTIONS THAT ICOM HIGHLIGHTED AS UNIQUE FUNCTIONS IN THE FIRST THREE
PAGES OF THE BASIC D STAR GUIDE, INCLUDING THE NEAR REPEATER DV/FM SEARCH
DISCUSSED ABOVE.  THERE IS A DV GATEWAY FUNCTION THAT ALLOWS YOU TO MAKE A
DIRECT GATEWAY CALL VIA THE INTERNET NO LOCAL ACCESS REPEATER REQUIRED.  AN
OPTIONAL DATA CABLE AND PC/DEVICE ARE REQUIRED.  I DID NOT TRY THIS
FUNCTION.  I FOUND THE CONTACT AUDIO RECORDING FUNCTION TO BE USEFUL, AND I
CAN SEE AN IMPORTANT APPLICATION FOR IT.  I PURCHASED AN INEXPENSIVE 16 GB
MICRO SDHC CARD, PLUGGED IT INTO THE SLOT ON THE MAIN UNIT, AND FORMATTED
IT FROM A MENU ITEM.  I THEN RECORDED AN ENTIRE SESSION OF THE LOCAL ARRL
ARES NET, WHICH RAN 30 MINUTES.  WONDERING HOW MUCH DATA STORAGE I HAD USED
AND HOW MUCH I HAD LEFT, I WAS ABLE TO CHECK THE CARDS INFORMATION FROM
ANOTHER MENU ITEM.  IT REVEALED THAT I HAD USED ONLY 30 MB, LEAVING A
WHOPPING 275 HOURS 10 DAYS MORE OF RECORDING TIME AVAILABLE.  AS MY PRIMARY
INTEREST IN AMATEUR RADIO IS PUBLIC SERVICE/DISASTER RESPONSE
COMMUNICATIONS, I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT THE RADIO COULD RECORD THE
TRANSMITTED AND RECEIVED COMMUNICATIONS AND MESSAGES FOR AN ENTIRE INCIDENT
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