Yaesu / WIRES system....?

[WX2MIG]

I've got two Yaesu 2 meter radios (FT-2800M & the VX-170 HT), both contain the WIRES-II technology. I haven't spent much energy looking into this digital internet radio stuff at all, but was wondering if anyone here has attempted to use it.
Seems you either need to by an internet interface device, or access a repeater that has it with a DTMF code.
From what I've found out about it so far, it's a big thing in Japan, but only a small handful of repeaters in the USA, and one or two in other countries are actually using it....

Anyone know anything about it......????

 

[Moleculo]

It's basically an RF/internet gateway similar to echolink or IRLP. It's popular in Japan, but that's about it. If you go to the WIRES website you can see all the stations that are active and most will be in Japan.

My VX-8r has the same functionality, but it also gives you a way to make it work with the other systems like echolink. You change the WIRES mode and then you can use the available WIRES memories to program in node numbers of stations you frequently call. That's about the only useful way to use it that I've found.

 

[WX2MIG]

Thanks Mole, pretty much what I get out of it as well.
Wish I went with Icom, at least D-star is a big thing around here, it's out pacing WIRES by a long shot.
Not that I'm all that interested in D-star either, but had I gone that route, it would be available to me at whatever time I might gain an interest in digital voice, as it is now, I'd have to move to Japan to fully enjoy the attributes of WIRES-II technology......