EchoLink v 1.3.801 10-23-2002 - Installation & Operation:
1. SINGLE-USER Mode Mic & Spkr PC over Internet to PC Spkr & Mic
2. SIMPLEX LINK Mode HT to Station Radio & PC over Internet
3. SYSOP Chat Mode Mic & Spkr PC over Internet in the SYSOP Mode
4. REPEATER Mode a Full-Duplex repeater for bridging a Local
Repeater into Internet
1. Install RIGBlaster jumpers.
RIGblaster manual, (p.8 to p.10), install jumpers to match the microphone pin
Functions on your radio.
2. RIGblaster manual, (p.10), install jumpers for RTS control.
3. Cable radio microphone jack to the RIGBlaster microphone jack in the front or the
back of the RIGBlaster.
4. Connect RIGBlaster power supply to RIGBlaster and plug into AC; (RIGBlaster does not
have an AC switch).
5. Cable PC Comm1 serial port to RIGBlaster serial connector, RIGblaster manual p.2.
(If an ABCD Data switch is installed between PC and RIGBlaster, insure ABCD switch
is set to the RIGBlaster position)
6. RIGBlaster switch from AUTO/VOX to AUTO.
7. Test: Boot PC... RIGBlaster Digital light will come on and radio will go to TX ...
and then both will turn off automatically.
(This Boot PC test, confirms: PC, RIGBlaster and serial cable are working).
8. Cable Radio Speaker out jack (RX Audio) to PC LINE-IN jack.
9. Cable PC Speaker out jack (TX Audio) to the RIGBlaster Audio in jack
10. Cable RIGBlaster Audio out jack to PC speakers.
PC Setup Internet Connection Firewall: Click: Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet
Connections > Network Connection > highlight Dial-Up > Change Settings of
This Connection > Advanced > DISABLE “Internet Connection Firewall”
11. Setting Audio levels & Modes:
Set RIGblaster Audio Level Control pot at full clockwise (TX Audio)
Note: After switching from Single-User to Sysop you must close and restart
EchoLink program and you may want to turn PC speaker volume low, but
audible, for the next setup step Adjust the radio squelch (open) full
counter clockwise.
Transmit setup: (MUST BE IN SYSOP MODE) Click TOOLS > ADJUST VOLUME > PLAYBACK:
Remove Volume & WAV & LINE-In MUTES. Slide balances to left. Slide
Volume & WAV to position 3;
Slide LINE-In to Position 3 (or before clipping is observed at
RIGBlaster, on an O-scope)
Receive setup: (MUST BE IN SYSOP MODE) Click TOOLS > ADJUST VOLUME > RECORDING
CONTROL:
Slide the VOX level threshold slider, 1/3 to the right
Set radio speaker volume between 1/4 - 1/3max (or before clipping is
observed at radio's external speaker on an O-scope). Adjust radio
squelch as you TX DTMF Commands from your remote HT; squelch is
adjusted (1/2-2/3) correctly when TX Commands are displayed on the
EchoLink Screen’s Annunciator window. Select: LINE-In - Slide
LINE-In Balance slider to the LEFT - Drag LINE-In
slider to position 3.
Note: For the DTMF Commands to be received correctly it will be necessary to
experiment with several settings of the Playback Control, Recording
Control, Radio speaker volume control and radio squelch control.
Pay Special attention to keypad numbers 7, 8, 9.
Turn up PC speaker volume.
Note: Entering Callsigns To enter a callsign (for the connect by Call or Query by CALL
commands), press two digits for each letter and number in the Callsign.
The first digit is the key on which the letter appears (using 1 for Q
and Z, and the second digit is 1, 2, or 3, to indicate which letter is
being entered. To enter a digit, press the digit followed by 0. When
finished, end with the pound key (#).
Touch Tone keypad
1 2 3
QZ ABC DEF
4 5 6
GHI JKL MNO
7 8 9
PRS TUV WXY
0
Example: C+CALL+# (C+AA3EU+#) = 23 21 21 30 32 82 #
Microphone setup: (MUST BE IN SYSOP MODE) Click TOOLS > ADJUST VOLUME > RECORDING
CONTROL:
Select: MICROPHONE - drag Mic. Slider to position 3
Talking into the microphone, drag the Mic. slider up/down to
increase/decrease the volume displayed on the bar type sound level meter.
Increase the volume till the red turns to yellow. Adjust the
VOX Level Threshold indicator till the vertical red line on the meter
operates the SIG indicator.
12. Setup:
FULL-DUPLEX REPEATER operation setup: (Requires two radios tuned to frequency pair
of a Local repeater)
Click TOOLS > SETUP > SYSTEM SETUP My Station Click SYSOP and type
AA3EU-R
Click Timing > Transmit Time Limit type 210 sec. Inactivity Timeout
type 0
SINGLE-USER MODE operation setup: (Operate PC Mic & Spkr over Internet to PC Mic.
& Spkrs.)
Click TOOLS > SETUP > My Station Click SINGLE-USER and type AA3EU
Click TOOLS > ADJUST VOLUME > RECORDING CONTROL - Select MICROPHONE
SYSOP CHAT MODE operation setup: (Operate PC Mic. & Spkr. over Internet to PC Mic
& Spkr)
Click TOOLS > SETUP > My Station Click SYSOP and type AA3EU-L
Click TOOLS > ADJUST VOLUME > RECORDING CONTROL - Select MICROPHONE
when the Space Bar or TX Icon are depressed: CONNECT & TX & SIG
indicators will be on
SIMPLEX LINK MODE operation setup: (Operate HT/DTMF over LINK Radio & Internet to
LINK Radio to HT)
Click TOOLS > SETUP > SYSTEM SETUP My Station Click SYSOP and type
AA3EU-L
Click Timing > Transmit Time Limit type 210 sec. Inactivity Timeout
type 0
Click TOOLS > ADJUST VOLUME > RECORDING CONTROL - Select LINE-In
Set EchoLink VOX Level control:
Connect to an Internet Station; then operating the HT's PTT, Slide VOX
Level Threshold slider
control from Left to right until the TX light comes on.
when the HT's PTT is operated: CONNECTED & TX & SIG lndicators will
be on Releasing the PTT and in RX: CONNECTED & RX & PTT Indicators
will be on.
13. Preferences: Click LISTING > Select UPDATE (will maintain Internet connection) –
CONNECTIONS > CHOOSE > Select:
SYSOP or USER Information files - Select NO ALLOW CONFERENCING, for
Narrowband Users. (see HELP
Files – Troubleshooting low Bandwidth Indicator and Conferencing with
EchoLink). Each Station requires 16Kbps Bandwidth upstream/upload.
56Kbps is a misnomer; typically a 56Kbps (U.S. limits 56Kbps to 53)
modem downstream/download at 45.2Kbps and may upstream a max 31.2Kbps
on a GOOD NARROWBAND telephone circuit. Bandwidth is Asymmetrical;
upload/upstream throughput is limited to 31.2 Kbps, due to Noise being
introduced by imperfect A/D (analog to digital) conversion. 3 to 7
Station Conferencing is for DSL ADSL ISDN Cable modem BROADBAND not
56Kbps NARROWBAND. When in Conference type .LURK to hide your CALL.
14. Sysop settings Sysop setup:
RX control: VOX - Delay 1500 - Anti-thump 500
TX control: RTS -- Com 1 -- NO 9600bps (no info.)
DTMF: set: LINK DOWN = LINK UP = DTMF decoder INTERNAL –
Min. Time 0 Advance: 3=Freq. tolerance - 3=Twist - 15=S/N - 4000=
System Gap (Default: 2=Freq - 4=Twist – 17=S/N) IDENT- Select INTERNAL-
Say and type AA3EU-L or -R or Select External File "Welcome" Options:
NO= Play WELCOME message to connecting station (from Internet) - MAX
Keydown=90sec. - Dead Carrier=0 WEB: (wireline remote control) not
selected
15. DTMF Commands: (Simplex LINK Operating from a remote HT to Station LINK Radio - PC –
Internet)
Click TOOLS > ADJUST VOLUME > RECORDING CONTROL - LINE-In MUST be
selected to operate by DTMF To connect to a NODE, Press HT's PTT + NODE
Number. (DTMF codes will be displayed as an ANNUNCIATOR as they are
entered from the HT's touch-tone pad) CALL signs can be sent also, see
DTMF HELP Files. The Station PC will indicate & announce when a remote
HT connects to an EchoLink
Node. The HT operator will be connected and announced as to successful connection.
To DISCONNECT HT from a NODE = press # on the HT's touch-tone pad.
FCC/EchoLink responses= "AA3EU-L LINK Connected to CALL" - "CALL
Disconnected AA3EU-L LINK"
16. Recording announcements: .WAV Format Files
To Set Up Sound MS Recorder v5.1:
Select MS Sound Recorder:
Select EDIT > Audio Properties > Sound Recording
Volume > Recording Control Select Mic., & set Mic. to ½ > EXIT > OK
Select FILE > Properties > Convert Now Select Format: PCM Select:
Attributes: 8.000KHz, 8Bit, Mono Click Save as: type echolink > OK >
EXIT > OK.
To RECORD: Click FILE - New - Click Record – “record your message”
and Click STOP > Click Save as: & type welcome.
To Set Up CUSTOM Announce Connect:
Select TOOLS > SYSOP > OPTIONS > Select: PLAY WELCOME Click on Box
Click on WELCOME File > OK
To TEST: Select: TOOLS > SYSOP > SIGNAL Select CUSTOM WELCOME.wav >
TEST
To record with Musicbox JukeBox v6.1 Program: Select MusicBox Icon.
Click recorder - Click REC - record message - Click STOP
To hear recording: Click OPEN > Prefferences > MISCELLANEOUS > ARTIST >
Micin > Track01 > PLAY
To DELETE: Click MY MUSIC > ARTIST > ALBUM > Delete Files
To Save: Click Save - type File name - Click save
To record a Voice Synthesizer WELCOME MESSAGE in 8-bit, 8000Hz, PCM
Mono format:
Click RECORDING CONTROL & Select MIC. -- Click START- All PROGRAMS >
ACCESSORIES > ENTERTAINMENT - SOUND RECORDER - FILE - NEW -- RECORD
The MESSAGE --- STOP - FILE - SAVE as WELCOME.WAV.
Click FILE - Properties - Detail - Convert Now - ATTRIBUTES – Select
PCM 8.000 KHz 8Bit Mono 7kb/sec- OK -
OK - Message is saved as: C:\progra~1\k1rfd\echolink\welcome.wav.
Click TOOLS - SYSOP SETUP – IDENT - EXTERNAL FILE - OPEN WELCOME –
OK... (Note: EchoLink SYSOP requires a Voice recording
to be in PCM 8.000KHz 8Bit Mono, the Default setting for MS Sound
Recorder is: PCM 22.050 KHz 16 Bit Mono).
Note: There is one QSOLog. If seperate Logs are needed for: SINGLE-USER and SYSOP,
they will need to be created.
Note: Recommend the Station Transceiver be set to LIMITED E.R.P. (5-10w); If
full power, a FAN BE INSTALLED to cool the heatsink.
Note: Recommend removing PC Screen Saver if it contains sound effects.
EchoLink Sites: www.echolink.org/ //home.insighttbb.com/~n9yty
//home.wanadoo.nl/nl9222/digisoft.htm //www.echolinkmap.org
Critique: EchoLink - Modes
1. Simplex Link Mode - allows a 2m FM HT operating on a local Repeater that is connected
to Internet, to operate with another HT, or other HTs, also operating with a
Repeater connected to Internet, also allows for HT to PC operation.
2. Repeater Mode - allows a local Full-duplex Repeater to be interfaced into Internet
and also as a Simplex Repeater.
3. Single User Mode - allows PC microphone & speaker to operate over Internet to a PC
microphone & speaker.
4. SYSOP Chat Mode - allows PC microphone & speaker to operate over Internet to a PC
microphone & speaker in SYSOP.
The Simplex Link Mode alone, makes EchoLink worthwhile and should make all inquisitive
Hams, look into to its theory and application. It is a continuation in the transition from
Hardware radios and electronics to Firmware microprocessor based radios and electronics
to Software radios and electronics. I would choose implementing EchoStation over the
EchoLink Repeater Mode. Hardware Repeater controllers are old technology and should be
replaced with EchoStation, why Rube Goldberg an interface; Adds to system complexity
and increases single-fault-failure. The audio quality of Single User and SYSOP "chat"
Modes are of great audio quality.