Question for Hams re: Echolink

ZigZag911 · July 09, 2007, 03:55:33 AM

I was having a discussion with a fellow ham (former CAP officer) this evening about Echolink, a program designed by several hams to link amateur radio stations and/or repeaters through VOIP.

As presently structured the creators restrict usage to licensed amateur radio operators....however my buddy & I have been involved in CAP communications at various points over the years, and can see this having very useful application within CAP operations.

The program is password protected, and there are safeguards against unauthorized use.

Is anyone familiar with Echolink? If so, what has your experience been?

Does anyone see potential utility here for CAP? Is it worth floating up the chain of command? Are there built in regulatory problems that I am not seeing?

For further information, see www.echolink.org

PHall · July 09, 2007, 04:23:57 AM

And the advantages of this over Instant Messaging and/or e-mail are?

CAWG has used AIM and YAHOO instant messager during search missions operating from multiple bases with good results.

ZigZag911 · July 09, 2007, 04:27:36 AM

A unit (or an IC running a mission from home) lacking a radio but with computer/speakers/microphone can access a repeater or remote base station and communicate with aircrews or ground teams....possibly, in some areas, more reliably than cell phone.

isuhawkeye · July 09, 2007, 09:04:24 AM

echo link is an excellent tool.

Iowa CAP has used VOIP to create an internet Gateway. This past winter durring our disaster we had an IC in Florida managing tactical assetts in Iowa

floridacyclist · July 09, 2007, 11:21:18 AM

Quote from: PHall on July 09, 2007, 04:23:57 AM
And the advantages of this over Instant Messaging and/or e-mail are?

CAWG has used AIM and YAHOO instant messager during search missions operating from multiple bases with good results.

Not everyone has access to a computer or the internet, so this lets you interface radios and internet-enabled computers together into a single system.

You can also link repeaters over distances further than normal VHF range and neither side would need a computer.

BillB · July 09, 2007, 12:16:15 PM

How many mission bases can have a dedicated line for internet access and still be able to have the phone line open for incoming calls? Echolink seems to be a way around the problem of communicating between IC's and mission bases. To bad CAP doesn't allow the use of ham radio stations for CAP traffic.

floridacyclist · July 09, 2007, 01:11:06 PM

Actually, we have have DSL now (reduced rate as a non-profit) but as soon as the FBO finishes expanding to the hangar next door we will have free wireless internet.

capchiro · July 09, 2007, 04:11:25 PM

Perhaps more CAP personnel will become Ham Operators? Since they got rid of the code requirement, it's not all that hard. A book with a pool of 300-400 questions and a short multiple question test right from the study pool. This will get the license. A lot of interest, study and experience will help with the expertise. KE4QBB-AG..

floridacyclist · July 09, 2007, 04:55:49 PM

You would have enjoyed our Comm Camp

http://www.tallahasseecap.org/commcamp

capchiro · July 09, 2007, 10:27:48 PM

Gene, I don't know how good your turn out was, but, WOW, what a program. I wish I would have heard about. I would have tried to go, along with my lovely wife. This is the type of thin we need to do on a regional basis, annually or at least bi-annually. That would really get people charged up and motivated. Thanks for sharing. Hope to come and meet you some day. Awsome program.

floridacyclist · July 10, 2007, 02:31:55 AM

We had 10 cadets show up plus a couple of ~~seni~~ er Officers. Joe Tomasone AB2M (whom you might recognize from his work with the ARRL Katrina database and from his work in MS) was one of the lead instructors and he really shined in that role; the kids loved him and all of his gear.

All students met all of the training goals listed, taking up a sizable block of KI4WE* callsigns. You can read the write-up on it at http://flwg.us/database/database/news.asp?action=print&article=470

SARPilotNY · July 10, 2007, 11:06:38 PM

Tried to get it to work with no luck. I understand the "owner" will not allow it to be used for CAP.

KyCAP · July 22, 2007, 12:23:19 AM

I had one of my staff members try to get us a license to start setting up our own seperate network from the EchoLink "servers" that have amateur traffic on them... Therefore, to keep the traffic seperate completely.

As I recall Scotty had ZERO luck with the EchoLink folks two years ago.

There is another project http://www.irlp.net/. We ran out of gas on this and then with out KyNG MOU we gained access to the Ky NG microwave linked radio network which we will have implemented in all corporate radios this fall to augment our USAF funded system to fill in the holes when we hit them.

I know this is limited to the state, but it's better than nothing and we often aren't concerned with comm outside of the state at this time.

There is HF email software. My two cents would be to engage the Microm's that we have with the ALE software onboard and build a nationwide email system over HF. More efficient than voice... This is what the NG has nationally and I have seen it in "exercise" very handy...