Jeff Slusher - KE5APC's EchoLink Station Operational de Leesburg

Jeff Slusher - KE5APC's EchoLink Station Operational de Leesburg
With WA4TXE/R Repeater - 147.600 MHz
By Jeff Slusher - KE5APC de Leesburg, Virginia
Originally Posted November 2008 & Updated January 2010

Another Loudoun Amateur Radio Group Communications Operations
This is a Loudoun Count On Us Operation

(Loudoun ARG, Purcellville, VA.,January 9, 2010) My EchoLink station is back on the air – with a new PC and rig interface (from SignaLink). After a some testing, I'll re-establish the link with the WA4TXE Leesburg repeater on 146.700. You can currently access the link on simplex – 147.875 (no tone). I encourage you to try it out and provide me with feedback (good and bad). I'd be particularly interested in any audio reports.

You can access my EchoLink station using DTMF codes on your base or handheld (or connect via your computer if you have EchoLink running at your QTH).

"*" plays a brief ID message -- and provides you with an indication of whether or not you are in range of the link. Output power here is currently 15 watts during the testing phase. (Apologies to those of you out in "Catoctin County.")

"9999" connects you to the EchoLink test server. Once you hear the "connected" message and brief announcement, transmit a brief voice message and that message will be played back to you over the link. This is an excellent way of testing your audio. Don't forget to disconnect from the test server by sending the "#" DTMF command.

"00" (that's ZERO ZERO) initiates a random connection to another station on the network. It could be a ham accessing EchoLink from his computer (no RF on his end), a simplex link like mine, or a repeater anywhere in the world.

You can also connect to a specific station, link or repeater. There are usually about 5,000 stations logged on -- and you can search among those at http://echolink.org/logins.jsp To connect, simply enter the "node number" -- usually a 6-digit number using DTMF tones.

If you're traveling and know of an EchoLink station in the town you're visiting, enter my node -- 198628 to connect back to Leesburg -- or if you have a ham friend in another town who is in range of an EchoLink node, set up a direct QSO! Note that my node # WILL CHANGE when I re-establish the link with the Leesburg repeater – but I'll post something here AND of course you can go to http://echolink.org/logins.jsp and search for my call sign to find my link number.

Once you've completed your QSO, please disconnect from the other station by pressing "#".

If you're interested in being a control operator (CO), let me know. CO's can connect to my EchoLink PC over the internet with their web browser and disable the link or disconnect any inappropriate station. For that matter, they can also CONNECT my link to any other station remotely over the internet – sometimes useful if you're traveling and can QSO with a local EchoLink station via RF but that station does not allow you to control it using DTMF.

I'll try and make the Sunday evening net this weekend WITH an EchoLink connection established – so consider this as an option. If you're checking in via EchoLink, remember to check with http://echolink.org/logins.jsp first to find my node number.

Best Regards, Jeff - KE5APC

(Purcellville, VA., November 22, 2008) My EchoLink node is now linked to the WA4TXE Leesburg repeater operating at 146.700 (minus offset/no tone). I have disabled simplex operation on 146.460.

If your radio is set to access the Leesburg repeater, then you're "ready" to work EchoLink.

For example, if someone connects to my node (285726), they will key up the Leesburg repeater via the internet in the same way as if they were driving thru Leesburg and operating VHF from their car. You could have a QSO with that station just as if they were a local mobile, although they could be a VK or a ZL operating on a 5W HT. The only adjustment you need to make it -- pause one second after keying your mic before speaking to compensate for internet delays.

If you want to connect to someone via EchoLink -- and you know their node number, key up the repeater and enter their node number using DTMF (usually 6 digits). EchoLink will give you a message either saying "Connected," "time out" or "access denied." Once you get the connection message, go ahead and call the station as you would any other station (allowing for the one second delay after keying the mic but before speaking). After concluding your QSO, enter the DTMF tone "#" to disconnect the remote station.

For home EchoLink users: If you have EchoLink installed on your PC, connect to my node -- 285726. Once you hear the "connected" message, you are connected to the Leesburg repeater -- so you will hear any on-going local QSO's -- and you will be transmitting on the repeater as soon as you press your PTT.

We may have some bugs during the first few weeks -- so please send me an email report or give me a call. Also, although unlikely -- a "lid" could connect and cause a few problems. If that happens, enter the DTMP tone "#" or "##" when the other person is not transmitting; that will disconnect the offending station. If that does NOT work, call my mobile at 214-725-9099 and I can disconnect them remotely over the internet.

I suspect we will continue to use this repeater for the club's Sunday night nets, at least until the 145.310 machine comes back up -- so issue invitations to former club members who have moved away and ask them to join our net on Sunday night via EchoLink!

Special thanks to Dave Boltson, WA4TXE for facilitating this experiment and Dale Harrison, K3CN for serving as a control operator.

More about EchoLink at: http://echolink.org To see a list of stations currently logged onto EchoLink (and available for connection with Leesburg), go to: http://echolink.org/logins.jsp Note their "node" numbers in the right hand column.

73, Jeff - KE5APC

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