Author: Michael | OE8YML
M17 in Austria: Open Digital Voice with Codec2
DMR, D-STAR and C4FM are well established — but they share one feature that irritates many hams: their voice codec (AMBE) is proprietary and sits as a licensed chip inside every device. M17 takes a different…
Set Up a Pi-Star Hotspot: DMR, D-STAR and C4FM Digital
For the analogue world we showed the SA818 hotspot with SVXLink . For digital voice modes — DMR , D-STAR and C4FM — Pi-Star is the standard solution. This open-source software turns a Raspberry Pi and…
Build Your Own SVXLink Hotspot with the SA818 Module
In our overview of SVXLink in Austria we showed two ways to get on the network: via a participating repeater – or via your own hotspot. This article covers the second path. An FM hotspot generates…
SVXLink in Austria: Reflector Radio with Any FM Device
Digital voice networks like DMR, D-STAR or C4FM are great – but they require a compatible digital radio. SVXLink takes a different approach: it connects repeaters and hotspots over the internet while remaining completely analogue. Anyone…
TETRA in Austria: Professional Trunked Radio in Amateur Radio
TETRA is best known from public safety communications — it is the digital trunked radio standard used by fire services, ambulance, and police. For some time now this professional technology has been making inroads into amateur…
C4FM / Yaesu Fusion in Austria: Getting Started Without Barriers
C4FM — marketed by Yaesu as "System Fusion" — is arguably the lowest-barrier entry into digital voice radio: no ID to apply for, no codeplug to build. Switch on the radio, choose a reflector or room,…
D-STAR in Austria: Reflectors, Registration and Getting Started
D-STAR was the first digital voice system in amateur radio and remains widely used today — including in Austria. Originally driven forward by Icom, it combines voice communication with worldwide networking over the internet. This article…
DMR in Austria: Getting Started with BrandMeister and Talkgroups
DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) is one of the most popular digital voice modes in amateur radio — including in Austria. Its appeal: affordable radios, clear audio, and worldwide connectivity via the internet. This article explains how…
Station Grounding and Lightning Protection: Protecting Your Shack from Surges
Station grounding and lightning protection are among those topics a radio amateur happily puts off — until the first thunderstorm rolls over the mast. Yet this is not about comfort or squeezing out a few extra…
Amateur Radio Exam in Austria 2026: The Complete Guide
Are you interested in amateur radio and want to become active on the bands yourself? Then your path leads through the amateur radio examination at the Austrian telecommunications authority . In 2026, Austria offers three different…
OE8YAK – Anna-Maria: Three Category Wins in a Row at the AOEE
Amateur radio has these quiet, exceptional talents who are talked about far too rarely. One of them holds the callsign OE8YAK and goes by the name Anna-Maria . Anyone who has read the AOEE result lists…
New Website: Homebrew Instead of a Kit — oeradio.at Now Runs Static
If the new green looks familiar: oeradio.at has been completely rebuilt. WordPress is history — the site is now static, much faster, and open source.
