We have just added new functionality/capability to the system. We now have an HoIP extension that links directly into the hub that the repeaters are connected to.
For those that don’t know, HoIP (Hams Over IP) is a VoIP (Voice Over IP) system setup just for Ham Operators. The IP in all of this stands for Internet Protocol. What is that? The Internet Protocol (IP) is a set of rules that governs how data is transmitted over the internet and other networks. It’s the foundation for how devices communicate with each other, essentially acting as a digital addressing and routing system. IP ensures that data packets reach their intended destination by using unique IP addresses assigned to each device.
AllStarLink is built on Asterisk which is an Open Source PBX platform. What is a PBX? Private Branch Exchange, to put it simply, it’s a telephone system. Our repeaters are run off of the AllStarLink fork of Asterisk which means it’s a full fledged phone system under the hood. This makes for relatively easy modifications to have other phone services patched into the repeaters. The folks at HoIP have put together an asterisk based phone system for Hams. You can sign up with them and provide a copy of your license to prove you are a legal Amateur Radio Operator and they can create you an extension on the system. You can then use a VoIP hardphone or softphone to connect to the phone system and then make “in-system/network” calls to other operators at their extension numbers. You can’t make outbound calls to the world, there are no public trunks or routes to make those kinds of calls. So don’t expect to use this system to call your cell phone or to check in on grandma…unless of course she’s a ham herself and has this set up in her shack. It’s simple another form of internal communication between hams that may prove useful at some point where being “on the air” isn’t feasible or maybe you don’t have cell service but do have an internet connection. Also, I’ll add that you may have heard of Hamshack Hotline…it’s going away and this Hams Over IP project was spun up to take it’s place.
Now, back to the repeater system. HoIP, being built on Asterisk, makes it easy to link into AllStarLink enabled repeaters/systems. So I’ve setup an extension on their system (or did my part so they could do their part) to create the link. From an HoIP phone you can dial the W4MSI-Hub’s extension number and the hub will answer you and you can listen in and talk on the system right from the phone. One neat factor that we aren’t used to with radio communication is that since it’s a telephone, it works in full duplex. Radio communications are half duplex generally, meaning you can’t hear anybody else while you have your PTT keyed and transmitting. When coming in over the phone, it’s full duplex so you can hear and be heard.
To connect in, of course use you HoIP enabled phone and dial Extension Number…
15124
To activate PTT from the phone, dial…
*99
And then to release the PTT, dial…
#
Be sure to remember to dial # at the end of your transmission (when using a phone) so that the repeaters can drop. Otherwise you’ll keep them keyed up and eventually hit their Timeout Timers.
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