The dust makes it faster

Mine is locked to TGIF 556 currently, I have another one but I'll have to dig it out... it doesn't work so good

Only have "half" of a hotspot.

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I've got two Zumspots that I use for Dstar and DMR. It does cross mode but not Dstar.

It works for me. Pi-Star is easy to use and set up. Never had any real issues with them either.

Official pi-star site which has links to the download images, forums, and other misc. information. For equipment, I went with Lonestar Semiconductor (N5BOC) MMDVMs. I have both a Simplex, and his Duplex. Then you will need some version of a Rasberry Pi, I went with two Pi-Zero WH (with header) boards, a wall wart, microSD card, and the C4Labs plexiglass cases.

Once you acquire the items, you download the current pi-star image, format the microSD card, write the image, assemble everything, connect to the unit via ethernet or wifi, and use the Dashboard to enter some of your information, and set a few choices. It's all pretty easy until you start configuring it the first time, but once you do it the first time, you can either back-up the image, or just do it from scratch.

I enjoyed assembling it, after playing with DroidStar for a few weeks. I landed up with the above components, and use a Yaesu FT3DR HT for connecting YSF2DMR. The only cross-mode not yet working is D-Star to xxx. There is the one manufacturer that sells a complete hotspot that *will* handle D-Star cross-modes, if you have the need.

It's neat to add hotspot capabilities to your operating. Just do it.

I got this one to work for a few minutes once but it also caused massive common mode to the point my 7300 would reset itself

I have 3. My first I home built on a pi 3 with a nextion display and C4 labs case. Getting the display set right was the hardest part.

It runs DMR TGIF network and Fusion.

Picked up an assembled hotspot from an american seller on ebay. Built on a pi zero with an Oled display and a c4 labs case. Note: the Zeros run considerably slower than the 3s. Only noticeable on startup and updating though. Running DMR brandmeister on this one.

My most recent is a zumspot I got in a deal with a used ID51A. Its running DStar.

I have five hotspots connected to various DMR, D-Star, and YSF/FCS networks. I own the original SharkRF OpenSpot, an OpenSpot 3, and three MMDVM hats running Pi-Star. The most reliable (expensive) by far are the SharkRF OpenSpots. I don't own any of the Chicom hotspots, my three MMDVM hotspots are using N5BOC or KI6ZUM hats.

The OpenSpot 3 is the only hotspot with a hardware encoder that will cross-mode to D-Star, but it is by far the most expensive. The Pi-Star MMDVM hotspots are the least expensive, but usually the most difficult for beginners to configure. Nothing is plug and play per se, so YouTube will be your friend as far as setup/configuration tutorials go.

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3.5" Nextion screen in a C4 Labs case using a KI6ZUM MMDVM hat mounted on a Pi 3B.

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This is a N5BOC MMDVM board on a Raspberry Pi A+.

I got my MMDVM from BI7JTA, he is a Chinese ham that designed the board. They all come from China any way, why no support an entrepreneur? He was very helpful when I bricked it. Shipping just takes longer but you know what you're getting vs buying one from ebay or amazon.

Why not support a Texas, USA ham entrepreneur who also designed his own board, and when "In Stock" can probably get to your door just as fast, if not faster? No offense intended. Just countering with the N5BOC option mentioned above

Because we're cheap?

DF2ET & DB9MAT designed the MMDVM board sold by Winter_CN aka BI7JTA and most of the other Chicom MMDVM sellers.  Winters_CN clones good stuff, but he never actually contributed anything to MMDVM development. Like all Chicom sellers he has made a ton money off the hard work of others. Jonathan Naylor, G4KLX and José Uribe (Andy), CA6JAU deserve all of the real credit for MMDVM's as we know it. Without their software we would all still be on analog FM.

Oh...and F@$K China too.

I stand corrected.

Lol. I understand that aspect too! All good brother.