ECHO LINK VOIP
PART TIME vs. FULL TIME
By Murray Green, K3BEQ - Nov 2005The connection of our club’s repeaters to the Internet and VOIP technology began in 1996. The operation presently employs the Echo Link software, on a part time basis, as an additional feature of the repeaters. Why part time vs. full time? Good question. Here are some answers:
Almost 3,000 stations check into the Echo Link servers daily. When connected, a station’s callsign, location etc., (see below) are listed on the computer screen, (some might say buried), among the listings. The chances of receiving a call are far and few between. Scrolling down the list can be mind boggling although you can scroll by call area, country and even connect to a specific call sign or node number.
Purely as an experiment, Echo Link was activated full time. Incoming calls averaged about 3 or 4 daily but many went unanswered. (Some believe it is not “ham radio” and refuse to use it. But that is their choice.) To provide more activity, outgoing connections are periodically made to stations by the sysop. Requests from local area stations to connect to a specific area or call sign are few and primarily limited to hams visiting the area wanting to talk back home. Enabling members to remotely initiate outgoing connections through DTMF does not seem to substantially increase activity based on listening to those few local repeaters that employ that capability. However, the topic is moot since our interface does not provide for DTMF except for control purposes.
In view of the above, it was deemed not cost effective to keep a computer, transceiver and associated power supply up and running 24/7, 365 days a year for a few daily contacts. (I suspect one could say that about some repeaters.) Nor would it be financially prudent, in our case, to invest in dedicated equipment installed at the repeater site for the same purpose.
In summary, our part time operation coupled with connecting out periodically by a system operator has shown to provide about the same amount of activity, or more, as certain repeater systems using Echo Link full time. Of course you have to have a system operator willing to do it. In the final analysis, however, whether to operate full or part time is entirely the decision of the specific repeater organization based on their range of activity and financial status.
VOIP has proven to be a beneficial addition to repeaters. It permits hams who cannot put up HF antennas and do not have computers, to operate out of their local areas using a basic VHF/UHF handheld, mobile or base station. For others without HF privileges, it gives them a taste of DX and an incentive to upgrade to General or Extra class. And during emergencies it enables users to contact stations outside of their immediate area for needed assistance, traffic handling and information. A huge asset to the Amateur Radio Service enabling the meshing of Internet/RF technologies.
(Echo Link screen listings. Below are 26 connected stations. Imagine what 3,000 look like!)
