RIGBlaster EchoStation v2.1 Installation & Operation:
Download; www.synergenics.com/
12MB + “MS Speech Engine” = 9.1 MB
Configure: Coded access – Directional antenna – LIMITED E.R.P.
1. Repeater Mode Full-duplex - sw replacement for conventional hardware
controllers:
2. Repeater Simplex Mode - On-line editing by Sysop - keypad control
3. Autopatch Mode Autopatch - allows telephone calls to be placed over a 2m FM HTs
4. Announcement Machine Mode - ID and request Station Info., Emergency, and ARRL
announcements.
1. Install RIGBlaster jumpers - RIGBlaster p.8-10
RIGBlaster manual, (p.8 to p.10) install RIGblaster jumpers to match the
Microphone pin functions on your radio; mismatch may cause harm to the
radio.
2. RIGblaster manual, (p.10) install RIGBlaster jumpers for RTS control
3. Cable the Transmit-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 p.2
NOTE: If an ABCD Data switch is installed between PC and RIGBlaster, insure
ABCD switch is set to the RIGBlaster position
6. Switch RIGBlaster 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 the Receive-Radio External Speaker out jack (RX Audio) to PC LINE-IN jack.
9. Cable PC Speaker out jack (TX Audio) to the RIGBlaster Audio in jack - p.2
10. Cable RIGBlaster Audio out jack to PC speakers.
11. Setting RIGblaster, Sound card and Radio Audio Levels:
Set RIGBlaster Audio Level Control pot full clockwise (TX Audio)
Adjust PC speaker volume, low but audible, for the next setup step.
Adjust the receive radio squelch (open) full counter clockwise.
Click OPEN VOLUME CONTROL.
Remove Volume & WAVE& 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
Click OPTIONS > PROPERTIES> RECORDING CONTROL > YES
Select LINE-In - drag LINE-In balance slider to left drag LINE-In slider
to position 3 Set Mic slider to position 3
Set O-Scope to check for clipping: V-Att. = 1/10 & H-Sweep to 100-1KHz
Set Receiver speaker volume between 1/4-1/3max or before, clipping is observed
at radio's external speaker on an O-scope.
Adjust the receive radio squelch control 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.
Turn up PC speaker volume.
Note: For the DTMF Commands to be received correctly, it will be necessary to
experiment with several settings Of the Play back Control, Recording
Control, Radio Speaker Volume Control and Radio Squelch Control. Pay
special attention to keypad numbers: 7, 8, 9.
Note: Recommend the Station Transceiver be set to LIMITED E.R.P. (5/10w); If
operated at full power, a FAN be installed to cool the heat-sink.
12. EchoStation: Tools
System Setup:
a. General:
Select: Repeater - Callsign: DE AA3EU/R - ID Interval 9 min.
Select Voice ID (optional setup for Duplex Repeaters)
File: C:\progra~1\K1RDF\echostation\welcome.wav (optional)
b. Receiver:
Receiver control: Set VOX lengthen VOX Delay right to 2/3 (decreases
dropouts between digits, helps in recognizing DTMF codes). - Set Auto VOX
Level right to 2/3(Optional Set TX Tone Freq. and RX Tone Freq.)
c. Transmitter:
Transmitter control: Select COM1 Control Pin: select RTS
d. Repeater:
Max TX time (sec.): 90 - Tail timer: 5 - YES=Courtesy Tone – Others
Default
e. DTMF:
Select Enable DTMF
RPTR DISABLE = 13 RPTR ENABLE = 31 AnncDisable = 122 AnncEnable = 21
EVENT Omps ID = 14 EVENT Morgan ID = 15 EVENT Station Info. = 234
Morgan County WX = 235 Morgan County Hams = 236
ARRL News= 238 - Morgan County Emergency = 237 Emergency telephone
numbers = 239 DX Propagation=240
Open the Auto patch = * Close the Auto patch = #
(Test DTMFs from a remote radio, if DTMF's fail to operate, readjust the
RX radio's volume) Advance configuration: 3= Freq. tolerance is how
close the tones need to be to the standard freq.. 3=TWIST is the
allowable difference in level between the high tone and the low tone.
15=S/N is max signal to noise. 4000 SYSTEM GAP (time in milliseconds,
EchoLink will wait after a string of
DTMF digits before considering the string having ended. The string will
also have been considered ended if the incoming carrier drop). (Default:
2=Freq. Tolerance - 4=Twist - 17=S/N)
f. Signals:
select Courtesy Tone - select:- twotone.wav (Courtesy timer is not
affected by the CW ID by design;It doesn't wait for the ID to finish).
CW setup: DEFAULT
Announcement setup: Enable Announcement - Select: Mute during announcing
– Wait for inactivity before announcing -
Inactivity time 60 - Ignore transmissions shorter than 5, 15=default –
Cancel if delayed shorter than 15 - NO=Auto pause - At first pause after
90 – Not more than 170 - Drop carrier and pause for 5 - Others= Default
Audio setup: (EchoStation): Levels - CW generation= 8 - Announce= 7 –
Tone= 7 Devices: DEFAULT
Preferences: No=SET Sound Card Levels with EchoStation (to gain complete
control of LINE-In)
Yes=RESTORE original configuration -
Yes=MUTE Ports - YES=DIRECT REPEATER AUDIO (is a recommended option which
routes receiver audio directly through the sound card to the OUTPUT. If
this option is disabled, receiver audio is processed through the programs
own mixer, which adds a perceptible delay) - 11025= Sample rate
3 =Mixer Buffers (are the number of buffers used by EchoStation's
internal audio mixer. Fewer buffers minimizes the audio delay; more
buffers can yield smother audio, especially on a slower computer)
Control Link setup: DEFAULT EchoStation has three Control-link modes: RF
DTMFs - Telephone modem monitoring "ring signals" - Dedicated Internet
Connection for sending control commands.
Auto patch: Status= Forward Patch, Time out 90, Read back- Levels=
Default - Logs= Text Files – Folder c:\Program Files\K1RFD\EchoStation
- Device=Voice Modem
Note: Autopatch Setup - REVERSE Patch Enable allows a third party to call the
phone number to which the modem is connected, causing a signal to be
heard over the air. A Control Operator can then bring up the Patch and
the modem will answer. This allows the Third Party to initiate the
phone call rather than the control operator.
THERE IS DEBATE OVER THE LEGALITY OF THIS IN THE U.S..
13. Add New Event: Click on Add New Event.
Schedule Event Wizard > Record Voice Announcement
Click NEXT > Type source for announcement > Click NEXT > Click:
Daily Click NEXT > Select Start Time > Select Perform Every Day
Click NEXT > Click Open Advance Properties > Click Finish
Event: type NAME and SOURCE Schedule > Schedule Event DAILY > Start time:
1:31am > Every Day 1
14. Recording announcements:
Note: When recording an Announcement, EchoStation CAN NOT be running.
To record with MS SOUND RECORDER v5.1
Select: ALL PROGRAMS > ACCESSORIES > ENTERTAINMENT > MS SOUND RECORDER
Select: Edit > AAUDIO PROPERTIES > SOUND RECORDING > VOLUME > MIC and
Set Mic to 1/2
Click File > Properties > Convert Now; Select: PCM 8.000KHz, 8 Bit Mono
OK - OK.
Click File > NEW - Click Record – “RECORD MESSAGE” and Click Stop >
Click Save as: Type: file name.wav
To record with MUSICMATCH JukeBox v6.1
Select: MUSICMATCH
Click Recorder > Click REC – “Record message” - Click STOP
To hear recording: Click FILE > Open Mic-in TRACK01 > PLAY
To Save: Click Save - type File name - Click Save
To record with SYNTHESIZE TEXT (TSS):
Click on Add New Event > Next >
Select Synthesized Voice Announcement > Next > Browse for Source.
(it is advisable to imbed XML tags in the Text to improve
intelligibility).
15. Download: www.readplease.com/ www.naturalreader.com/ www.syngenic.com/sc/
:Synthesized Voice Option" "Text To Speech" (TTS)
MS Speech Engine (9.193MB)into EchoStation Folder.
Note: Disable any and all .WAV File, Sound Recorder, automatic request to
Internet for Program UPGRADES. (cause TX lockup during announcement)
Note: Remove the PC Screen Saver if it contains sound effects. (cause sounds
to be transmitted)
Note: Annunciators (1=RX - 2=CW - 3=Annou - 4=TONE being played - 5=SIGnals
being played - 6=PATCH audio being played - 7=Patch Idle - 8=Time)
4 & 5 & 6 are very short, you will miss them.
Note: the following Auto Patch features are not planned for EchoStation:
Squelch status - Repeater time-out Repeater time-out clear message –
Software ver. – Auto dialer - Phone patch timer extender - DTMF pad
test - Preview Mailbox messages - Send mail - Erase message –
Outside temp - Low temp - High temp - Current inside temp
Critique: EchoStation -
Repeater full-duplex Mode - is a software replacement for conventional Hardware
controllers. It is a functional one to one replacement and supplements or expands
functions that do not exist on conventional Repeaters. It is clearly an improvement
over hardware controllers and a continuation in the transition from Hardware radios
and electronics to Firmware microprocessor based radios and electronics to Software
radios and Software test equipment and other electronics. The only criticism is in
reference to Note 5.(Auto Patch features) and XML Tag implementation and Help File
information. Brevity of the Help Files assumes a generic knowledge that Hams do not
process. The vast majority approach, from an operation view not a technical or
academic approach. Also the DTMF encoding is marginal. The A/D is sensitive to
noise and it's amplification; The Advance adjustments are more go-no-go; However,
there is a fix. A circuit is available that will correct the problem. Broadcast
Digital Radio (PAC Technology) Software Defined Radio (SDR) and software Test
Equipment are here; Soon Hams will install software in their PCs that will turn
their PCs into a radio and Test Equipment/Diagnostics' software,that will monitor
the operation of their "radio". The ARRL Technology Task Force has recognized U.S.
Hams have "fallen behind" ... "Most of the technical innovation in the past few
years has come from Europe,..". EchoStation and EchoLink and their 8 Modes are a
stepping stone through the 44 different Ham Modes into the future. Hanging on to
Hardware Repeaters, and cross-linking, contributes to "RADIO SMOG"; U.S. Hams
need to put down the PTT and pick up a book. In June 2000 ARRL said U.S. Amateurs
need to "walk the walk, not just talk the talk"; ARRL must be monitoring our
Repeater.
Joe Mettle sends: