OARC
Ottumwa Amateur Radio Club
(an ARRL affiliated club)
Ottumwa, Iowa USA
Wapello County

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Here are some thoughts about connecting the repeater to Echolink:

For Echolink to be used with a repeater, a computer and an interface device (to connect the computer to the repeater) are required. Additional hardware may be required, depending on the installation that is implemented. Some sort of connection to the Internet is also required.

According to the Echolink User's Guide:

1. Echolink identification would be WAØDX-R, to indicate that this is a gateway to a repeater.
2. Even though the default is for Echolink to identify every time someone connects and disconnects to the repeater (or transceiver), the identification is not required and can be turned off through the echolink configuration on the computer. Operators can connect, listen for activity and disconnect without disrupting others.

Here are three examples. I'm sure that there are others but I'm trying to get this together before the monthly meeting.


In figure #1, the repeater is connected directly to a computer which is connected directly to the Internet. While having everything at the same location might be the easiest to set up, it would require:

1. A monitor, keyboard and mouse at the repeater location. If there is plenty of room at the repeater's site, this should not be an issue. Oh, we'd probably want a chair (and some elbow room) to work with the computer.
2. An Internet connection (and possibly monthly fees for Internet service from phone or cable company).


In figure #2, the repeater is connected directly to a computer which is connected to the Internet through a pair of Access Points. One Access Point would be at the repeater site and the other would be at a site which would supply an Internet connection (preferably at no cost).
The Access Points (that I have used) use 2.4 GHz (which is in the industrial-scientific-medical frequency band) and are used on some of the home cordless phones and wireless Internet for laptops. I believe that some of the wireless Internet Service Providers use this type of system. Some issues with this type of connection are:

1. Because everyone else is using this frequency, there is a high probability of interference.
2. This is a low power, line-of-site connection.
3. The initial cost of this sytem would be high (two Access Points, two antennas, coax and connectors) but we might be able to use someone's Internet with no monthly cost.


In figure #3, a transceiver is connected directly to the computer which is connected directly to the Internet. The repeater sees the transceiver as any other radio using it's services.

If you haven't noticed yet, this is my favorite setup because:
a) Echolink is completely seperate from the repeater. Two systems vs one complicated system.
b) Echolink can be placed anywhere there is an Internet connection (as long as the transceiver can reach the repeater and visa-versa).
c) Hopefully, no monthly fees.
d) No extra equipment at the repeater site for Echolink. Requires less room for repeater.
e) A transceiver is the only extra equipment needed.
e) No one has to travel to repeater site to change Echolink configuration or troubleshoot problems.