Mike Zero Tango Bravo X-ray
an adventure with amateur radio

Pi-Star - Setting Up My First Digital Hotspot

1 min read • Updated Feb 17, 2021

Finally, I’ve had some time to dive into digital hotspots!

I’ve had my ICOM ID-51 for a while now but haven’t used its digital features much. This digital hotspot should allow me to explore those capabilities more effectively.

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The Setup

I decided to use an old Raspberry Pi and a MMDVM kit I picked up from Amazon. The setup process was relatively simple, and I didn’t include the OLED screen because the web interface works just fine for my needs.

One of the next tasks will be to print a case for the hotspot to keep everything tidy and protected. The LEDs on the MMDVM board are super bright, so I had a bit of fun covering them with a USB dongle just for the photo—no, it’s not a new feature, just a quick fix! 😆

Helpful Resources

I found a YouTube video that was incredibly helpful with the configuration, so I’ll be sure to keep that in mind as I continue setting up.

I’m looking forward to using this to connect to D-STAR, DMR, and Fusion networks. Who else is using a digital hotspot? Any tips or tricks to get the most out of it?

Written by Kevin (M0TBX)