QuadNet supports D-Star, DMR, Yaesu System Fusion II and M17

The anchor points for QuadNet are two interconnected reflector, URF307 and URF587 located in Wyoming and Alabama, respectively. The capabilities of the URF family of reflectors is a superset of XLX, so in addtion to accepting clients using D-Star, DMR and Yaesu System Fusion, URF also accepts M17 clients. If your system can connect to XLX reflectors, then it will be able to connect to URF reflectors.

Transcoding at Quadnet

There are primarily two transcoded channels at Quadnet anchored by two reflectors 307 and 587. Because 307 and 587 are interlinked, you can connect to either channel through 307 or 587:

  1. The QuadNet Array is on channel A of both reflector. This is our most active channel and is where you will find all of our daily nets. This is usually where everyone hangs out on QuadNet.
  2. The Tech Channel is on channel C of both reflectors and is a good place to have longer rag-chew discussions with your friends.

Please keep in mind that there are many ways to join either channel, as outlined below.


Accessing the QuadNet via DMR

There are several ways to access QuadNet via DMR. If you you have access to DMRGateway, you can simply enable the XLX configuration and point it to either XLX307, or XLX587. The XLXHosts file that comes with DMRGateway defaults to Module D, which is not the module the transcoder is active on, so you will need to change it to module A (for the QuadNet Array) or module B (for the Tech Channel).

Accessing through DMRGateway

Typical configuration of DMRGateway will have you using TG6 to transmit over the XLX link. This can be changed manually in your DMRGateway configuration if you wish. In the future, QuadNet will likely add other modules for transcoding as well, but currently only module A is being used. A sample configuration section for the XLX master is listed below:

[XLX Network]
Enabled=1
File=/opt/DMRGateway/XLXHosts.txt
Port=62030
Password=passw0rd
ReloadTime=60
Slot=2
TG=6
Base=64000
Startup=307
Relink=0
Debug=0
Id=[insert CCS7 ID here]

Please be aware that this sample configuration makes the assumption that your DMRGateway installation is in /opt/DMRGateway.

Accessing through Pi-Star

Pi-Star users simply need to select the XLX307 (or XLX587) master from the list of XLX masters. In Pi-Star, navigate to the configuration tab and select DMRGateway as your DMR Master, and select XLX307 from the drop down list of XLX Masters. Once the configuration is applied, your system should automatically link to Module A. Any transmission made to TG6 will automatically be routed through the XLX Server to the transcoder link.

If you have any issues or need any assistance, feel free to contact us and one of the administrators will be happy to assist you in any way we can.

Accessing through System X

Our three System X DMR servers are based on FreeDMR+ which is derived from HB Link. Please node that currently, the DMR_Hosts.txt file lists our servers incorrectly. HB_US_Quadnet_OR is okay, but HB_US_Quadnet_OH is actually our server in Georgia and HB_US_Quadnet_VA is our server in Ohio. In PiStar and WPSD, set up your options line with:

Options=PASS=your_password

Once your system is logged in to the server, go to the server dashboard and click on Selfcare. Login with your call sign and password that you setup in the options line. This will allow you to setup static talk groups that you would like to monitor.

Accessing through DMR+

In addition to the QuadNet Array and the Tech Channel, the DMR+ server provide a number of interesting talk groups:

TGDescription
320The QuadNet Array
321The Quadnet Tech Chat
322Western Michigan, WM-Connect
323South East-Link
335Texas I35 Multimode Group
369Fusion Net Multimode Group
3 Bridge US NA DMR-Marc
235Bridge UK
302Bridge CAN (Canada)
505Bridge AU (Austrailia)

In PI-STAR, click on configuration and then scroll down to DMR Configuration.

Once your hotspot reboots, you will be automatically connected to the QuadNet Array or whatever Talk Groups you've set in the Options= line. Of course you can choose nine static groups for each Time Slot TG. If you choose more than a couple of groups, it can be confusing what your listening to when things get busy on all your static groups.

Reflector mode is also supported in DMR+. To use that, set StartRef=4541; for the QuadNet Array or StartRef=4541; for the Tech Channel. If using reflector mode, it's best to set all static talk groups in the Options= line to zero. You'll use TG 8 to talk and you can switch channels by keying another reflector talk group number. After RelinkTime minutes of inactivity you will reconnect to StartRef.

Accessing through YSF

Both URF reflectors, 307 and 587, support direct, WiresX-enabled linking. Here are the MMDVM.ini setting needed to connect to URF307:

[System Fusion Network]
Enable=1
LocalAddress=127.0.0.1
LocalPort=0
GatewayAddress=72.21.76.154
GatewayPort=42000
# ModeHang=3
Debug=0

Or, if you want to connect to URF587, use GatewayAddress=104.8.207.66.

When you connect to URF307, you will start out on Module A. When you connect to URF587, you will start on Module C. However, you can use the Wires-X button on your Yaesu radio to go to any module you want:

  1. Start by pressing the Wires-X button. After a few seconds, you will see a second screen.
  2. Then press the All button on the screen. This will take you to a selection screen.
  3. Finally, select the URF module you want!

Accessing Quadnet through the US C4FM North America YCS310 Server

To gain access to the QuadNet YCS310 C4FM System Fusion II Multi-protocol Server, you will need to install or configure a YSFGateway using QnetGateway Multi-Protocol Build (MPB), PiStar, or OpenSpot software/device or a Yaesu System Fusion II Repeater, DR2X. The server will except MMDVM hot-spots and have the capability on 99 rooms. In addition, you will have access to what's called a DV-Matrix of world wide DG-IDs or what can be equated to what is known as world wide like DMR Talk Groups.

For example, the QuadNet Array on the C4FM YCS Server is on DG-ID 80 or is accessible on DMR+ TG 320, the QuadNet Tech Chat is DG-ID 79 or is accessible on TG 321. WM-Connect Michigan is on DG-ID 35 or on TG 322. The IPSC2-QuadNet DMR+ Server can be or is linked when requested to the YCS C4FM server. The server can also link in YSF and FCS reflectors on request. The C4FM YCS310 server dashboard is located at --> ycs.openquad.net.

You can build your own multi-mode hotspot using the Multi-Protocol Build of QnetGateway. The general instructions for MPB is in the MMDVM.README file.

The YSFGateway Config file example is below. If you have any questions we would like to invite you to join the QnetGateway groups.io for contact and discussion. Thanks and lets ham it up!

[Network]
Startup=FCS31079
# Startup=QuadNet-Tech-Chat
# book DG-ID for Reflector
Options=80;3;35
InactivityTimeout=10
Revert=0
Debug=0

[YSF Network]
Enable=1
Port=42000
Hosts=/home/YSFClients/YSFGateway/YSFHosts.txt
ReloadTime=60
ParrotAddress=127.0.0.1
ParrotPort=42012
YSF2DMRAddress=127.0.0.1
YSF2DMRPort=42013
YSF2NXDNAddress=127.0.0.1
YSF2NXDNPort=42014
YSF2P25Address=127.0.0.1
YSF2P25Port=42015

[FCS Network]
Enable=1
Rooms=/home/YSFClients/YSFGateway/FCSRooms.txt
Port=42001

Accessing QuadNet with D-Star

Of course, both URF307 and URF587 support REF, DCS and XRF linking, so you can connect to either the QuadNet Array on channel A or the Tech Channel on channel C. In addition, both channels are also available on our XRF757 reflector!

Routing on ircDDB

Routing is the main point of any ircDDB network and it is a great asset to your gateway communications. There are primarily two ways to route:

  1. Call Sign Routing is a one to one route. Call Sign Routing is much maligned in many circles because it can be disruptive if the source and/or destination of a Call Sign Route happens to be on a busy repeater. It is best used when you are operating from a personal hot spot and you know your desired contact is currently on their own personal hot spot.
  2. Group Routing is where you route into a group of other users. There are two kinds of Routing Groups available on the QuadNet network, Smart Groups and STARnet Groups. They both behave like a channel on a reflector, but you route to it instead of linking to it. If you've never used routing before, this is probably where you should start.

You can Route into the using one of two different Smart Groups, DSTAR1 or DSTAR2, located in New York and Ohio, respectively. You can route to the Tech Channel via Smart Group QNET20 C. To use any Routing Group, you must have your gateway logged into the QuadNet IRC Open Network, using rr.openquad.net. Next you need to place Routing Group callsign in your UR field in your d-star radio. Try connecting to one of the DSTAR Smart Groups. Key up your radio once and watch the display on your radio for the login confirmation. If you can't watch for the login text listen for a confirmation beep. Once logged in you can now talk on the QuadNet Array. To log off of the Array, add a T in the 8th character of the UR field of your radio and key up. For example if you are subscribed to DSTAR2, then DSTAR2 T will get you unsubscribed. Just like when you logged in, you will see a "logged off" message as well as hear a confirming beep to let you know that you are unsubscribed.

Please note that if you don't want to use routing, you don't need to connect to either of our ircddb servers. It's not necessary if you are going to link to URF307, URF587 or XRF757.

Please use ircv4.openquad.net in your hotspot/repeater configuration as your ircDDB server.

Username is your call sign, and password is left blank. For example, in the IRCDDBGateway initialization file:

ircddbHostname=ircv4.openquad.net
ircddbUsername=your-call
ircddbPassword=
ircddbUsername=2e0zzz

See the Routing Groups page for a lists of who's currently subscribed and what groups are available and the callsigns to use for subscribing and unsubscribing.

Port Forwarding

If you want to be able to receive a direct Callsign Route, your hot-spot needs to have open access to UDP port 40000. You don't need to open this port if you are just going to do Group Routing.

If you have a reasonably modern Internet router on your home network, you may not have to do anything other than to enable uPnP (universal Plug-and-Play) if it is not already enabled. Our first advice is to try subscribing to QNET20 C. If you get the "logged on" message on you radio, you are good to go! If after a few unsuccessful tries at logging in, see if uPnP is enabled on you home network. If you don't see a way to enable uPnP on you home network, you'll have to set up explicit port forwarding rules on you home network. In that case, keep reading.

To be able to link to XRF and DCS reflectors and to be able to do routing, ports that are usually blocked by your local area net gateway/firewall have to be opened to the computer where your ircDDB client is running. You'll need to access your home gateway, usually by browsing to 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1, or some similar address. You will need to login with a name (usually "admin") and a password (obtained from you Internet service provider). The "port forwarding" section can usually be found in the advanced page. Once in, you can set up rules to forward the necessary ports to the computer running your ircDDB client. Note that the DPlus UDP port 20001 probably doesn't need a forwarding rule, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have it defined.

Accessing through G3 Terminal or Access Point Mode

You can also access any of the Quadnet refectors using Icom's implementation of G3 routing. The IC-9700 can do this out of the box, otherwise you can connect this way using any radio supported by Icom's G3 application, RS-MS3W (for Windows) and RS-MS3A (for Android). If using the RS-MS3 software, follow Icom's instructions for installing and configuring the software and connecting a compatible radio. Due to limitations in their software, you have to use the IPv4 dotted-number address for the "Server IP/Domain" in order to connect to any of the Quadnet reflectors. To find the IPv4 address, do a ping -4 <domain-name> in a command shell. Here, <domain-name> is the domain name of the reflector, e.g., xlx307.openquad.net, xlx587.openquad.net, xrf735.openquad.net or xrf757.openquad.net. Don't forget the -4 so that ping returns the IPv4 address of the reflector.

If you are behind a home router, it's best to port-forward UDP 40000 to the device on which RS-MS3 is running. If this isn't possible, you may need to turn on "UDP Hole Punch" in the software configuration. You can set the radio to operate in either Terminal or Access Point Mode. Set the "Terminal/AP Callsign" field to your callsign with a module sufix in the 8th position.

Accessing QuadNet with an M17 client


M17 clients can access URF307 with the IP of 72.21.76.154 and URF587 is on IP 104.8.207.66.


Specific Software/Hardware Instructions

Here is another guide to a popular hardware/software combination.