Technical Coordinator

The ARRL Technical Coordinator (TC) is a section-level official appointed by the Section Manager to coordinate all technical activities within the section.

Technical Coordinator

Technical Specialist

For a section team to be effective in one of the most important arenas in Amateur Radio, technology, there must be a cadre of qualified, competent Technical Specialists (TS).

"Advancement of the radio art" is a profound obligation we incur under the rules of the FCC.

TSes help meet this obligation.

Technical Specialist

TS supports the TC in two main areas of responsibility:
Radio Frequency Interference and Technical Information.

Technical Specialist can specialize in certain specific technical areas, or can be generalists.

https://www.arrl.org/technical-specialist

What is VoIP?

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), also called IP telephony, is a method and group of technologies for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet.

Ham VoIP

• New, as of about 2002
• Networks or Internet for long distance communication, not ionosphere
• Mostly 2m or 440, some 220 & 6m (VHF/UHF)
• Repeaters and simplex node linking, some user/non-RF
• Internet-aided DXing for Technicians, not interested in HF, not capable
• Occasionally called "RoIP" for Radio over IP, at least one radio device has an IP connection
• Mostly independent, own islands

Ham VoIP - Analog Systems

• Echolink
• iLink
• eQSO
• IRLP
• WIRES-II
• AllStar Link
• WIRES-X (both)
• Hamshack Hotline
• Hams Over IP
• AmateurWire

Uses

img: QST, Feb 2003

• Common install:
• PC/Pi running Windows/Linux
• Interface: circuit, audio FOB, RIM, URI, RTCM (EOL), HRI, ...
• Transmitter: repeater, link/simplex radio, or none (radio less)
• Access other nodes: DTMF

img: DMK Engineering

Echolink

img: Echolink

• Early 2002 by Jonathan - K1RFD
• Quick adoption. 30,000 nodes ~1 yr
• User = K8JTK, Link = K8JTK-L, Repeater = K8JTK-R, Conference = *DVMIS*
• Port forwarding (firewall), specific ports. One node per IP.
• Proxies
• Closed source, reverse engineering OK
• Resurgence mobile apps
• Echolink. Windows, OS X, Qtel (Linux), SVXLink, Android, iOS

IRLP

• Started 1997 by Dave - VE7LTD
• Only accessible via radios
• node -> node or node -> reflector
• Approved or specialized hardware required, source of income
• Linux install. Closed source. Network tightly controlled.
• NO experimentation. Booted reverse engineering, cross connecting modes.
• EchoIRLP - Echolink or IRLP, not both same time
• Experimental reflectors, 2018
• IRLP

AllStar Link

• AllStar - open-source PBX Asterisk, Linux
• AllStar Link - network, phone directory
• Started 2008 by Jim - WB6NIL (SK)
• app_rpt module designed as repeater controller
• Public Internet or private network
• Multiple nodes on single IP
• Every node is a reflector, multiple connections
• Can be radio-less
• Stability issues: software, network, foundation
• Native support: Echolink, IRLP (until removed), D-STAR w/ DNGL
• AllStarLink. RepeaterPhone (iOS)

HamVoIP & PTTLink (ASL forks)

WIRES-X

• Wide-coverage Internet Repeater Enhancement System by Yaesu
• WIRES (beta), WIRES-II (until 2017), WIRES-X
• Proprietary network and hardware to Yaesu
• Analog possible non-Yaesu equipment. Digital ONLY on Yaesu C4FM capable radios & repeaters.
• Windows ONLY!
• WIRES-X
•  
• YSF/YSFReflector = Open-source reflector & linking system
• WIRES-X/WIRES-X rooms = Closed-source system for Yaesu

Hamshack Hotline

• Not a radio linking system
• Started 2018 John – K1WIZ
• Uses Asterisk
• Requires a SIP (Cisco) phone & Internet connection
• Softphones and non-supported devices
• Full duplex, direct dialing, voice mail, conference rooms, audio services, trunks, ...
• Popular in EOCs
• HH users can dial into Radio Services
• Range: $20 - $50
• Hamshack Hotline

Hams Over IP (HoIP) & AmateurWire

Users... HH: ~7.8K, HoIP: ~1K, AW: ~200

Ham VoIP - Digital Systems

• D-STAR
• DMR
• System Fusion
• NXDN
• P25
• M17
• POCSAG (paging)

img: QRZNow (defunct?)

Uses

img: ICOM

• Common install:
• Gateway software for routing
• Interface: controller, MMDVM board, DV4Mini, DVMega, OpenSpot, dongle, HRI, ...
• Transmitter: repeater, hotspot, link radio, or none at all (radio less)
• Access other nodes: structured control system (TG, Reflector, Room, ...)
•  
• Apps: DroidStar Win & Android non-Play store, Android Play store

D-STAR

• Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio
• Developed late 1990s by Japan Amateur Radio League
• First designed for ham radio
• Open protocol, proprietary codec
• Simultaneous voice & data
• Network, D-RATS
• High-speed data (128 kbps), not used
• Registration

• HF, VHF, UHF, SHF. Satellites.
• DPLUS, XRF, DCS/XLX?
• ICOM & Kenwood (back in)
• Useless manual
• Range: $300 - $1300

img: ICOM

DMR

• Digital mobile radio
• Developed by European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), published 2005
• Business
• Adopted by ham radio
• Talkgroup, RX group, contact, scan list, channel, zone
• 2 "slots" per repeater
• Open protocol, proprietary codec

img: Hytera

DMR

• Registration required
• DMR-ID is NOT a callsign!
• Programming requires computer
• VHF & UHF (inc 900 MHz)
• TYT, Connect Systems, Bridgecom, Alinco, Motorola, or any Tier-2 radio
• Range: $90 - $750

img: Amateur Radio Guide to Digital Mobile Radio

System Fusion

• Released in 2013 by Yaesu
• Easiest to use
• Proprietary standard & codec
• "Eternal beta" - redesigns, repeater issues, firmware, ...
• Compatible with analog
• VHF & UHF
• Yaesu - single manufacturer
• Cheap repeaters, "promo"
• WIRES-X linking
• Range: $175 - $1300

img: Yaesu System Fusion

NXDN & P25

• NXDN: ICOM & Kenwood in 2005
• Business
•  
• P25: collaboration started 1989
• Public safety
• Motorola, Kenwood, Tait, EFJohnson, ...
•  
• Both: open standards
• Adopted by ham radio
• Used (or new) commercial radios
• DMR ID
• Pricing: varies widely

img: Wikipedia

M17

The goal here should be to kick the proprietary protocols off the airwaves, replace DMR, Fusion, D-Star, etc. To do that, it’s not just good enough to be open, it has to be legitimately competitive.

• Started 2019
• Freely available and modifiable digital radio protocol, open hardware
• Codec2
• Needs ALOT of work
• M17

TeamSpeak, Zello, ...

• Non-ham specific
• Some commercial
• Don't have to be licensed
• Linked to transmitters, unlicensed violations
• Banned on some networks (Brandmeister)

Packages: AllStar Link

AllStarLink is a network of Amateur Radio repeaters, remote base stations and hot spots accessible to each other via Voice over Internet Protocol

• Open-source PBX Asterisk
• Linux (including Raspberry Pi)
• Jim Dixon - WB6NIL (SK)
• app_rpt module - repeater controller
• AllStarLink

img: luis gomes

Packages: G4KLX

Programs that support D-Star, DMR, System Fusion, P25, NXDN

• Jonathan - G4KLX
• ircDDBGateway, NXDNReflector, NXDNGateway, P25Reflector, P25Gateway, YSFReflector
• Reflectors now maintained by Doug - AD8DP
• MMDVM implemented in devices, boards, hotspots like Pi-Star and OpenSpot
• github: G4KLX

Note: active Pi-STAR image W0CHP-PiStar-Dash (WPSD)

Packages: DVSwitch

Tools and programs related to provisioning and operating Amateur Radio digital voice networks

• Steve - N4IRS & Michael - N4IRR
• MMDVM_Bridge (hacked MMDVM), Analog Bridge, and md380-emu (KK4VCZ md380tools) / OP25 (Osmocom, others) codecs
• Linux based
• DVSwitch Mobile Android app + Pi/Linux server = multimode HT
• ASL to DMR documentation (groups.io account required)
• Groups.io: DVSwitch

Packages: XLXD

XLX Multiprotocol Gateway Reflector Server is part of the software system for the D-Star Network

• Jean-Luc - LX3JL & Luc - LX1IQ
• Four D-STAR reflector protocols: REF, XRF, DCS, XLX
• XLXD speaks all four protocols +
• DMR and YSF transcoding (not used, additional hardware)
• github: XLXD

Packages: thebridge

CQiNet is a family of programs that combine Ham Radio with the Internet using Voice over IP (VoIP) technology

• Skip - WB6YMH & others
• EchoLink compatible conference bridge
• Sourceforge: Thebridge

Packages: HBLink3

This is a piece of software that implements an open-source, amateur radio networking protocol. It is not a network. It is not intended to be a network. It is not intended to replace or circumvent a network.

• Randy - AA6RH
• Open Source HomeBrew Repeater Protocol Client/Master
• github: HBLink3

Packages: mrefd

The mrefd reflector is for connecting M17 clients together.

• Tom - N7TAE
• Open Source M17 reflector based on XLXD
• github: mrefd

Packages: USRP2M17

... connect the various modes to an AllStar node or AllStar enabled repeater via USRP.

• Doug - AD8DP
• Part of MMDVM_CM - cross-mode conversion for some digital voice protocols, based on Jonathan G4KLX's MMDVM software.
• github: USRP2M17

DVMIS: The Nodes

• AllStar Link: 50394
• AmateurWire: 90004   *99 - TX, # - RX
• DMR: HB_US_K8JTK-HUB-DVMIS_DMO TG: 31983 TS: 2
• DMR: Brandmeister Talkgroup (TG) 3172783
• DMR: TGIF Talkgroup (TG) 31983
• D-STAR: XLX983A - "A" for Analog Bridge
• EchoLink: *DVMIS* 600008
• Hams Over IP: 15010   *99 - TX, # - RX
• M17: M17-983A
• NXDN: TG 31983
• P25: TG 31983
• YSF: K8JTK-Hub 31983
• Wires-X: K8JTK-ROOM 40680

Info on connecting, systems, radios, status, and more: DVMIS @ K8JTK.org

DVMIS: Dashboards

• AllStar Link & Hamshack Hotline: Supermon.K8JTK.org, Bubble Chart
• DMR: HBMon3
• DMR: Brandmeister TG 3172783 Last Heard, Brandmeister TG 3172783 HoseLine, TGIF Last Heard
• D-STAR: XLX983.K8JTK.org
• Hams Over IP: BLF Dashboard
• M17: M17-983.K8JTK.org
• NXDN: NXDNReflector31983.K8JTK.org
• P25: P25Reflector31983.K8JTK.org
• YSF: YSFReflector31983.K8JTK.org
•  
• AllStar Dashboard: 1XXX are private AllStar nodes
• K8JTK call seen ALOT on dashboards: "default" callsign, calls lost in analog conversion

img: freestocks.org

Operating

• Follow all rules of your regulatory authority
• Keep it classy
• English only
• Identify your station by voice. Digital stations are used to quick-keying to break-in or check-in, this will not work. IDs in data streams are lost due to analog and cross-linked connections. Users on non-radio VoIP solutions tend to forget they’re on a radio system. Proper ID is required and accepted method is by voice.

Operating

• Press PTT and pause for 2 seconds before speaking. This gives time for all links to become operational otherwise, the first couple words of the transmission will be lost.
• Pause a minimum 3-5 seconds between transmissions. Stations cannot break-in when stations quickly key-up (or "tailgate") after the previous. System timeouts are caused when links are not given proper time to reset.

Pretty pictures:
Logical connections

Pretty pictures:
IP connections

Problems?

Problems:

• IP based, keeping all the ports straight!
• 😞 Dependency hell: addons and changes to programs
• Protocol and implementation changes: XLX & YSF, YSF choose reflector number
• DVSwitch implementation rewrites: 2x already
• 😠 Data Center provider: packet loss, "internal problems" - 1 move
• D-STAR hardware. Codec: "you won't be happy"
• D-STAR & M17 LOOOOOVES IP addresses
• D-STAR Analog Bridge choppy audio with AMBED
• AllStar compiling
• 😡 AllStar chan_echolink module. Kill me now.
• Brandmeister objected to cross-linking
• Hamshack Hotline ASL SMS TXT problems

Nets

• WCARA (WC8VOA) Club net: Mondays @ 8pm-9pm, includes AR Newsline
• AmateurLogic.TV Logic Net: monthly, Tuesday after a recording of AmateurLogic (Friday), Tuesday @ 9pm-11pm
  
  Huge thanks for ALTV being a test of the system!

Last Man Standing SE - KA6LMS on 3/27/21

• Multimode QSO Party sponsored by AmateurLogic.TV
• Part of the week-long event commemorating nine seasons of LMS
• WAY more popular than anticipated! 8.5 hours!
• 300 counted stations, 500 total
• 20GB traffic
• Recap