At 11:02 PM 5/23/2012, you wrote:

I'm not opposed to linking different protocols, but there is value in some of the objections to linking specific networks. If the objections or concerns can be mitigated, then fewer people would resist.

The most often heard objection to linking FM systems to D-Star seems to be that D-Star users don't want all the white noise from a weak FM station digitized and retransmitted on D-Star, and I agree with this objection. Find a way to limit the retransmission of FM signals onto the D-Star network to only good, mostly full-quieting signals and you will probably overcome these objections.

Actually, there is a way, but it requires some money thrown at the problem. I have a German built DSP that is incredibly effectively at removing FM background noise. Maybe something to experiment with at some stage.

Echolink and IRLP were a match because they both use the same mode, FM.

Linking one type of digital system to another won't have this specific problem, so I don't see why we couldn't develop this option as long as protocols in each system are satisfied. For example, D-Star sends the callsign of the transmitting station through the network. Make this happen from the non-D-Star system and the D-Star network would probably be satisfied. Otherwise, there will continue to be objections.

Being digital all round, that shouldn't be too difficult, though it might need some lookup tables for systems which don't use the callsign as a MAC address. I believe TRBO uses a numeric ID, for instance.

73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL
http://vkradio.com