This looks like a neat little toy to have. One day I do hope to purchase an ICOM rig with the D-Star capabilities. At the moment there is a D-Star Repeater in my area but I am unsure how much activity it receives. One day I may listen online. If you are interested in listening to DSTAR audio feeds via the internet, then you have two options:
Listen direct on my server at http://radio1.ham-radio- op.net:9008 or via the Radio Reference Web Site at http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/? ctid=321 Users on Radio Reference need to scroll to bottom of page then click on the speaker icon next to the Dstar feed name.
Back to the ID-880;
Icom is pleased to announce the debut of the ID-E880 mobile VHF/UHF dual-band, D-Star transceiver. The ID-E880 is designed to be easy to use and contain a new ‘DV mode’ feature which allows the operator to access D-Star repeaters in just two steps. The ID-E880 mobile is the successor to the ID-800H mobile transceiver and retains many of the features of its predecessor including switchable dual-band capability, detachable controller and 50W power output. The usability of the ID-E880 has been improved with a larger LCD display and a high speed scan capability of up to 50 channels a second. The ID-E880 is ideal for a range of users including foundation licensees, anyone new to D-Star and Ham organizations such as Ray-net that are looking for a simple GPS position reporting system.
To read more on this rig, click here or click here