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NARRI Quarterly Meet & Greet

September 15th 2018

Nevada Amateur Radio Repeaters, Inc.

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AllStar Link

A Global Amateur

Radio Community Prepared by : John Arto

9/5/2018

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What Alternatives Are There?

Echolink

Proprietary windows software

Cell phone Apps

IRLP (Internet Radio Linking Project)

Linux based

Closed source hardware and closed linking network

No EchoLink compatibility

AllStar Link

Linux based

Most open, most connectivity options

EchoLink compatible

Based on high quality audio switching technology (Asterisk)

Others app base

Third party apps which are not open license GPL/LGPL, e.g Zello, Teamspeak 3 etc

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The EchoLink Node

My W7JCA-R EchoLink on 445.875MHz

PC running Windows and EchoLink software

Using Signalink USB interface

Motorola CDM1550 for link radio

Running windows version XP

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The EchoLink Node Why change it?

Worked ok, but inflexible

Linked connections suffer from lag

Limited multi-conferencing

Limited in its ability to grow (no upgrades since 90s)

Based on proprietary Windows based software

One node per 1 IP address (need to use proxy if

wanted more)

Max 3 nodes per Callsign

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The EchoLink Node

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IRLP First radio over internet network protocol (ROIP)

Half-duplex

Node to node or node to reflector

Proprietary hardware needed to connect to radio

The AllStar Link network consists of a number of large (and small) individuals and groups who wish to provide efficient large-area communications to the Amateur Radio public in their respective local areas.

It is not perfect technology

Utilizes VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)

Repeater – Full Duplex

Simplex Node

Hub Node – No Radio Hardware

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

What is AllStar Link?

Excellent Audio Quality (G.711µ-law)

Provides More Connectivity

Can link with any other AllStar Node or EchoLink (if enabled) node (repeaters or simplex nodes)

Individuals can uses the Web Transceiver. (no longer supported)

Any touchtone phone through the Telephone Portal

Android Smart Phones or Tablets with IAXRPT app (PTT)

Windows PC with IAX RPT app (PTT)

iPhone or Android with IAX Client app (you can use sip protocol too if you enable sip module (not recommended)

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Why AllStar Link?

Automated announcements (Time, weather, meetings, etc)

Cheap to implement (only Rpi2-3, CM108 Soundfob and a Baofeng 888s)

It can be configured to do desired functions

Automatically link repeaters for nets, etc.

Weather Conditions, alerts and forecasts

Emergency operations modes (different courtesy tones, predefined linkages, emergency announcements)

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Why AllStar Link? (cont.)

Implement new functions without having to visit the repeater site

Recording and archiving of all audio passing through the repeater

Remote control of node via the Internet (including but not limited to changing timeouts, PL, courtesy tones, enable, disable, DTMF functions, macros, etc) also can remote via allmon2 and supermon (web admin version)

Uses Linux operating system for stability (hamvoip rpi image)

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Why AllStar Link? (cont.)

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The AllStar Link Setup • Raspberry Pi 3, Node 48467 W7JCA

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The AllStar Link Setup • Raspberry Pi 3 & URI

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The AllStar Link Setup • Rasp Pi DMK interface

• http://www.dmkeng.com/Products.htm

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Allstar Software Setup • Download Rasp Pi 2-3 image from

https://hamvoip.org/RPi2/RPi2-3_V1.5rc16_Allstar.exe

• Extract the img (image) file

• Download the Win32 DiskImager

http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/

• Write the image into your micro SD card

• Connect your Ras Pi into monitor & keyboard, follow the

instruction. (The setup will be guided and with menu, after

setup, the keyboard and mouse will not be needed anymore)

• SSH into your Pi IP address with port 222 to configure if you

need any configuration

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Allstar Software Setup

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Visualizations

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Internet RF

RF

Allstar node

47711

Allstar node

47259

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Connect allstar node via SIP/IAX

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Connect allstar node via Windows IAX program

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Connect allstar node via Android IAXRpt program

downloaded from Google Play Store

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Connections to

Alternative Systems

ECHOLINK linked node

DSTAR linked node

WIRESX linked node

IRLP linked node

DMR linked node

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

AMBE3000 Dongle (GPIO)

To bridge to DSTAR/DMR

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

AMBE3000 USB version

to bridge to DSTAR/DMR

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

• To bridge from analog (allstar) to digital,

AMBE3000 type hardware needed to do

vocoding (transcoding)

• https://github.com/N4IRS/Analog_Bridge • Dummyrepeater for DSTAR

• There is a group that is discussing on the

development

• https://groups.io/g/DVSwitch • hb_link and hb_bridge to DMR

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Real World Scenario

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Allmon2 (simple webadmin for connect disconnect nodes)

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Supermon (advance version webadmin for connect & disconnect

nodes and so much more, even restart the asterisk or server reboot)

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

UK HubNet, a large allstarlink HUB/nodes that linked all the nodes

together (41522, 41223, 41288, 43845) . Linked to DMR TG23526

Use http://hose.brandmeister.network/23526 to monitor

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Allmon for UK hubnet

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

http://stats.allstarlink.org/maps/allstarUSAMap.html

Allstarlink Ham Operators North America

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

http://stats.allstarlink.org/maps/allstarEuropeMap.html

Allstarlink Ham Operators North America

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

http://stats.allstarlink.org/maps/allstarAusMap.html

Allstarlink Ham Operators Asia-Australia

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Allstarlink Ham Operators Malaysia

Always know what your node is or is not linked to before connecting to another node

Never link two large systems together

When linking your node to a large system it is best to link to a HUB instead of a connected node

HUB nodes generally have a superior Internet connection and handle higher throughput

Administrators can readily troubleshoot and remedy any problems that may arise from a central point

Never daisy-chain nodes to a HUB

Never RF Link to a repeater you do not own without the owner's permission

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Good Practices to Follow

Pause 2 seconds before speaking to allow all far end

transmitters to synchronize

Pause 2 seconds between transmissions to allow other

stations to break in

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Good Practices to Follow (cont.)

A node assigned to you from AllStarLink.org

A Computer

Node radio or radios (simplex or full duplex)

An interface to connect your computer to your

node radio or radios (simplex or full duplex)

Broadband Internet connection

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

What Do I Need?

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Connect me on allstarnode

48467

AllStarLink.org

EchoLink.org

hamvoip.org

w0fcm.com

AllStar Explained by Doug Crompton

AllStar Link Network

Allstar Link System

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Resources

Questions

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AllStar Link AllStarLink.org

Register yourself at https://www.allstarlink.org

now. Registration is free