LATEST KB0P LINKING NEWS
NEWS WILL BE UPDATED!
The KB0P Internet Link has been "on-the-air" since January, 2001. In the beginning, the 147.240 repeater
in Virginia, Minnesota was linked to the internet via KB0P Internet Link using Vocaltec IPhone. During the summer,
2001, the Vocaltec IPhone server was discontinued and KB0P had to find an alternate internet linking software.
In May, 2001, KB0P switched over to ILINK. ILINK served the 147.240 repeater well. During the spring, 2002, ECHOLINK
was created to replace ILINK, and at that time KB0P switched over to ECHOLINK. To this date, the KB0P Internet Link remains on
ECHOLINK as KB0P-L. In 2003, KB0P moved from Minnesota to Michigan. The 147.240 repeater in Virginia, Minnesota remains
on ECHOLINK with a new direct connection, as WD8RFS-R. The KB0P Internet Link now serves Marquette County in Michigan's
beautiful Upper Peninsula (U.P.) as KB0P-L. Look for us on ECHOLINK.
Update: January, 2001
We are now on the internet. The 147.240, WD8RFS repeater is the very FIRST internet repeater
in the state of Minnesota!!!!! We are using Vocaltec IPhone and our repeater is located on
my webpage, KB0P, Paul. This is the coolest thing to be able to talk to friends from my home state,
Michigan, and from around the world while driving down the road. WOW!
Update: Sunday, 7/8/2001
I added this "NEWS" page to the website to help inform you of changes being
made to my website. I do pay attention to what is going on and I do update my site frequently.
Update: Monday, 7/9/2001
I fixed the K5JD conference room on the Iphone and the Surf & Call pages. Also,
I added the "Off-The-Air Chat" conference square to each page. I monitor the activity on the conference
squares and update them frequently. I don't like "dead" squares on my page.
Update: Friday, 7/13/01
I think I figured it out! During the day, I log into the "Ely Repeater" conference
square on my conference website. Unfortunately, I am always being disconnected from the conference square
at least once a day, which makes it unreliable when I am away from home. I discovered the reason for the
daily disconnects. It appears that the Iphone Server is shutting down the conference rooms at least once
a day, perhaps to perform backups and other daily maintenance. So, I will continue to check my computer,
daily, to make sure we remain logged in.
Update: Saturday, 7/28/01
I just returned from another trip to Michigan. This time, I was away for
2 weeks. I logged into the KB0P-L from my laptop in the hotel room, once. After that, I noticed the
Iphone link crashed. So, the system remained down until I returned home and reset it. This Iphone
system needs constant baby sitting. We are back on the air, now!
Update: Sunday, 7/29/01
We have now earned international recognition. Today, I have been informed that we have been
added to two websites. Take a look at Dave's, M1BHP site by clicking here.
Also, Tom's, W2ZQ page by clicking here. Thank you , Dave and Tom
for adding the KB0P-L URL to your websites.
Update: Sunday, 7/29/01
Today, I added more conference squares to my website. You will now notice
the EA8EE, Canary Island Repeater, and the KP3AV, Puerto Rico Repeater on my page.
Monday, 8/20/01
We have been added to the K0MSP Midwest Radio Association website, which is
located in the twin cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. To visit the K0MSP MRA website,
goto www.2meters.org.
Update: Monday, 8/27/01
I have been noticing that the stability of our connection on the webpage
has been very poor. It goes in spurts. There are times when I can maintain a connection for two
days, and then there are times when the VocalTec Iphone server dumps the connection several times
a day. This is the reason why I will be switching over to a new system, this fall.
Update: Tuesday, 8/28/01
Today, I completed my circuit for programming PIC's (EPROMS). I am one
step closer to switching over to the new system. PLEASE BE ADVISED! We will be switching over
to iLINK this fall.
What does the switch-over to iLINK mean to you?
(1). We will be abandoning IPhone and Surf&Call.
(2). We will be using iLINK, instead. iLINK is much more reliable.
(3). To learn more about iLINK, goto www.aacnet.net.
Update: Wednesday, 8/29/01
I uploaded Surf&Call directly to my webpage. Since the URL for the
program failed, I now have it HERE for you! On that note, I have decided to not offer IPhone, anymore.
All new users will have to use Surf&Call from now on.
Update: Friday, 9/7/01
I changed the format of the Repeater Link Pages. Now, instead of having a separate page
for IPhone users and another for Surf & Call users, I combined the two into a single page. Also,
I was informed, today, that the "Capice Server" for Vocaltec is down! The server was hacked! Now, we
just wait and see if the server will ever resurface. So, for now our repeater linking days are over
until that service is re-established. But, I am working on getting iLink up and running.
Update: Saturday, 9/15/01
The new iLINK system is working!!! It was about 11:00 PM tonight when I finally got the system
up and running. I dumped the IPHONE system all together! No more headaches.
Update: Monday, 9/24/01
The new iLINK system is working GREAT!!! Today, I updated my webpage to include instructions
for ILink. Also, I am maintaining the IPhone page by popular demand. I still have to create some
help instruction for ILink, but I will get to that, soon.
Update: Saturday, 10/6/01
We now have a "Listen To 147.240 Repeater" box on the LISTEN.TO/24 website.
This was done by popular request-- many amateurs wanted us to provide a way for them to "park"
on the 147.240 repeater just to listen. If you are interested in LISTENING ONLY, goto the two-four
website at http://listen.to/24
Update: November, 2001
The "Listen To 147.240 Repeater" box on the LISTEN.TO/24 website, has died.
Actually, Vocaltec IPhone, which supported that page, has died. We will no longer support a "listen only" site.
Update: December, 2001
The KB0P-L link went "OFF-THE-AIR" due to an ANTHRAX scare. All of the equipment has been disassembled and
put away. I recieved a QSL card from a Britain internet station (via ILINK) and the envelope contained white powder.
This powder resulted in my company being shut down for 48 hours. Now, we have to lay low for a few months until
the news media forgets about what happened.
Update: March, 2002
We now switched over to ECHOLINK and will no longer use ILINK. ILINK support got a girlfriend and disappeared
off the face of the Earth. Fortunately, all the ILINK node numbers will work directly with ECHOLINK. Smooth transition.
Update: October, 2002
KB0P is moving from Minnesota to Michigan. So, the KB0P-L will be "off-the-air" for awhile until the move is complete.
The 147.240 repeater in Aurora, MN will now have a dedicated PC at the repeater site and will be on ECHOLINK. Look
for this repeater on ECHOLINK as WD8RFS-R. This repeater will be semi-closed to incoming stations.
Update: Novemer, 2002
The KB0P-L link is now up and running in Ishpeming, Michigan. We are linked to the 444.200 repeater in
Marquette, MI (N8PUM repeater). The link computer and radios are currently set up at Brandon, N8PUM
residence. Thank you, Brandon, for your help.
Update: March, 2003
The KB0P-L link has been moved off the 444.200 repeater and put on 445.000 simplex for the time being. The
444.200, N8PUM repeater was taken off the air due to problems caused at the repeater site by the new
500,000 Watt UHF television station. We will hopefully get this problem resolved, soon.
Update: April, 2003
The KB0P-L link has been running GREAT all winter in the new Michigan location. This month (1) The webpage has
finally been updated, (2) The KB0P-L link has been added to the ECHOLINK map on the internet, and (3) The KB0P-L has
been put back on the 444.200 repeater (actually, the repeater was put back "on-the-air").
Update: April 20, 2003
Upgraded the Echolink software on the repeater to version 1.6. Now we have a CW ID instead of the voice ID. Also,
added a link to the webpage to allow viewers to download echolink.
Update: Summer 2003
Moved into a new house and dismantled all linking hardware. Also, the repeater went off the air as N8PUM was
looking for a new home for his repeater. Echolink is now stored in a box in the attic of my garage.
Update: October 23, 2006
We are back! We have been away from Echolink for some time due to busy work schedules, moving into a new house,
family stuff, etc. But we are now on the 444.200 Repeater (N8PUM repeater) in Ishpeming, Michigan. Tonight,
Norm, KD8BPC, and I climbed the Cliffs Shaft to install a CTCSS board on the repeater so that we could turn
Echolink back on. It was dark (night), cold and snowy, and breezy. On our way up (about a 1000 stair climb to the top), we woke up 2 pigeons with our flashlights and they both
tried to fly into my face. I hit the floor fast and hard, face burried in pigeon poop, feathers, and iron ore dust. Then, I realized
something. The pigeons were flying toward the light, the head light that was strapped to my forehead. I quickly doused the beam and
ran up 2 flights of stairs to safety. Norm was laughing his butt off.
Update: November5, 2006
Finally, I got the dedicated Echolink computer up and running in the work shop. I designed and built
a new interface solely for Echolink with a local microphone built in. Now, I can use the local
microphone on the interface and the station on the repeater as well as the station on the computer will hear my transmission.
Update: November 29, 2006
Tonight, I decided to abandon the recent built interface and go with a PIC microprocessor interface.
I started this project at 8:00 PM and finally completed it at 3:00 AM. Using a PIC controller chip
and an HT9170 DTMF decoder chip, I built an external controler for Echolink. This is the same
controler I used back in the iLINK days. Now, instead of using the
DTMF decoder built into the Echolink software (been having some problems with that decoder), I now have
an external decoder (a hardware decoder). I found that as a result of switching over, the DTMF
response is FAST! Also, I have eliminated all of the time delays in the program and now the switch over
from transmit and receive is almost instantaneous.
Update: January 2007
I purchased some Motorola GM300 UHF radios. I am now using a Motorola Maxtrac as my linking
radio. The previously used Yaesu FT-8500 was put away in the box. Also this month, my friends
in Wisconsin and Minnesota helped me out by collecting their used parts and donating those
parts toward a repeater. Joel K9MLD, John N9QWH, Randy N0BZZ, Doug AA0AW, donated the parts,
and Pat KB0QYC put the repeater together for me. I picked up the repeater in Duluth during
one of my work assignment trips to Hibbing, MN. Thank you guys for you help,
Update: February 2007
I purchased more Motorola Maxtrac radios. Also this month, I purchased an IFR-1000S service monitor from
Ebay, so now I have some nice, used, vintage, test equipment to assist my setting up links. And, finally
I rebuilt the interface, again. I was receiving complaints on Echolink that my audio sounded
"tinny". So, I rebuilt the interface and paid special attention to audio impedance matching. Now my
online audio sounds GREAT!
Update: April 1, 2007
This weekend I worked with Raoul, W8RDR in Munising. The Munising and Grand Marais, Michigan
repeater is now on Echolink. Munising is 145.410 MHz (-) and Grand Marais is 147.195 MHz (+).
You can find the Munising repeater on Echolink under W8RDR-R or node# 275200.
Update: February 2008
This month, the KB0P-L Echolink system was moved off the Ishpeming, N8PUM-R, 444.200 repeater and onto the
147.270 HARA repeater(s). This was done so that Echolink would be available for the UP200 Sled Dog Race.
Update: April 4, 2008
Talking to the HARA members, they like having Echolink on the 147.270 repeater. I had recently removed it from
the repeater to help prevent problems, and I was scolded (lightly) and told to restore it. That is GREAT!
Update: Fall, 2008
Now the 444.800 Repeater in Marquette is on Echolink (KE8IL-R). So, I move my Echolink node back to the N8PUM 444.200 Repeater in Ishpeming. Now, all local Echolink activity is on UHF.
Update: February 20, 2009
Moved the KB0P-L Echolink off of 444.200 and placed it back on 147.270 Linked System for the UP200 Sled Dog Race (20th annual). Ham were able to listen to the UP200 radio traffice on Echolink over the weekend on the WMPORN conference. This worked great! After the race, I moved the Echolink node back to the N8PUM 444.200 Repeater in Ishpeming and resumed normal operation.
Update: March 7, 2009
We now have LIVE! Streaming Audio on this website! The Linked Repeater System (27, 64, 41, and 195) can now be monitored via the Internet using Windows Media Player.
Update: August, 2009
We moved the 444.200 and 443.500 repeater. Brandon N8PUM, Norm W8NWD, and your's truly (Paul KB0P) climbed up and down the Cliff's Shaft (175 feet, over 250 stairs),
to put 443.500 into service. The 443.500 repeater has replaced the 444.200 repeater in Ishpeming. The 443.500 repeater is a GE MAster II, 100 Watts, with
a 100 Hz PL tone. This repeater was built with the help of my friend, Pay, KC0QYC, as a dedicated Echolink repeater.