Need help with echolink on HT

[AC2EU]

Hello all,

I'm very new new at this, but i was curious about contacting far flung areas with echolink.
I have the computer part of it working (even through a firewall after forwarding the UDP ports!). However i feel like that's "cheating or something.

I have a Yaesu FT60R and a few local echolink repeaters . Now the question is how to get them to play well with each other?
How do i key up the repeater into echolink mode so that the remote node can be entered? I saw somewhere that I'm supposed to press asterisk to begin echolink and pound to quit???
i tried it but i dont think anything happened. Is there an immediate ID to know that the connection was made?

[KC5FM]

How do i key up the repeater into echolink mode so that the remote node can be entered? I saw somewhere that I'm supposed to press asterisk to begin echolink and pound to quit???
i tried it but i dont think anything happened. Is there an immediate ID to know that the connection was made?

Depending on your repeater systems operator setup, just dial the node you want.

You can find the node you want by searching the online links (http://echolink.org/links.jsp)of those nodes who took the time to configure their node correctly.

From the Help Page (http://echolink.org/Help/default.htm)on Echolink, you can do the following:

dial 00 for random node
dial 01 for random link
dial 02 for random conference
dial 03 for random user

These are default settings. Again, check with your system operator for details regarding any changes that may have been made.

# disconnects and ## disconnects all users.

Dial 9999 for the Echolink Test Server where you can test Echolink on YOUR end before submitting the rest of us to what your audio will do. In other words, test there.

You are welcome to dial up 473649, especially on Monday night 8 p.m. Central time for our local net.

I hope that helps.

73

[K0RGR]

Each EchoLink entity - be it a repeater, a simplex link, or a computer user, has a 'node ID' associated with it.

Typically, you would start a session by keying in the node ID with which you want to connect. If you are successful, you will hear an announcement that says 'connected'. At that time, EchoLink on the remote side will announce that you are connected. Now, you would just operate like you were on a local repeater, but remember that it takes some time for EchoLink to switch from transmit to receive, so leave a pause between each transmission.

The default code to shut down EchoLink is '#'. However, I have seen sysops change that for various reasons. It can be embarrassing to get EchoLink going, and then not be able to shut it down - I'm sure it's annoying for the other users, too.

Before you start using someone else's EchoLink node, you should find the sysop or the club that runs it, and get their permission. If they've changed the control codes, they can advise you of that at that time.

[AC2EU]

I've been trying to figure this repeater version of echolink, but so far no cigar!
I tried the suggestion to ask for a sysop...nobody answers the call.
Tried looking it up on the repeater website but there are no specifics about access.

Is this supposed to a club secret thing?????

[AC2EU]

With more careful study , I found the local repeaters that CLAIM echolink capability.
A simple "non-destructive" test is to dial 08 and see if the repeater talks back with "not connected".
I found that most of them either are not working in echolink mode or there is a way known only to the sysop to activate it.

I was not able to get the "talkers" to connect either. I only tried the 9999 test server, lest I cause an international incident or something...
According to what I have gathered so far, to get connected, all one needs to do is dial the remote node (like 9999) and there should be a greeting. An ID can be forced by using 08. The # disconnects one, ## disconnects all.
This all sounds very simple, but I have not been able to get it to work! :confused: :mad:

Does anybody but me want to use echolink this way or does everyone just use the computer node?

[NC4JB]

Make sure you are not confusing Echolink with IRLP, the two are similar but IRLP is more common on repeaters. You should be able to key in a node number with either system, but as far as I know IRLP node numbers are only 4 digits long, while echolink nodes are upwards of 5 or 6 digits long. You can try dialing the Alaska reflector at 1900 and if you get an announcement that you're connected, then the repeater is definitely IRLP and may or may not be echolink capable.

[AC2EU]

Make sure you are not confusing Echolink with IRLP, the two are similar but IRLP is more common on repeaters. You should be able to key in a node number with either system, but as far as I know IRLP node numbers are only 4 digits long, while echolink nodes are upwards of 5 or 6 digits long. You can try dialing the Alaska reflector at 1900 and if you get an announcement that you're connected, then the repeater is definitely IRLP and may or may not be echolink capable.

I was careful to find the repeaters that were echolink capable and try them.(some have one or the other, some have both, some don't have either)
The problem was that some didn't respond to the 08 while others did. The ones that responded, would not dial up the node. For instance, if I dial the 9999, then dial 08 , the system should tell me that I have the echolink test server or something to that effect, right? I both cases, after dialing the node, wait for 5 seconds, and dial 08, it said "not connected".

I don't dial the the repeater node that I am contacting with the radio to activate it in echolink do I? The one that gets dialed is the remote repeater on the other end of the VOIP connection, correct?

It just doesn't make sense...

[K1RFD]

Keep in mind that DTMF sequences such as 08, #, etc. are the defaults for EchoLink, but they can easily be changed by the sysop.

The most common reason for changing from the defaults is to prevent the EchoLink commands from interfering with existing DTMF commands for the repeater controller. The second most common reason is to discourage access from unauthorized users.

Check with the owner of the node (by voice or e-mail) to find out whether the node is open, and if so, what the basic command sequences are.

[K0RGR]

Your address info here on QRZ says you are in Newburgh, NY. Going to the Echolink web site, I went to the link for 'Link Status' at the bottom of the list on the left side of the page. On that page, I clicked the radio button for 'Show Links Near:" and put in Newburgh, NY. I also left the default to search for 'Online Only' nodes.

The results show that the closest EchoLink nodes to you are not on repeaters - they are simplex. K2ATY-L is a simplex node in Newburgh on 146.590. It is tone access with a tone of 114.8. It looks like this is a low level node - 9 watts to an antenna 10 feet high, so I might not be surprised if it could not hear your HT, unless you are fairly close. Node 29260 -

The next on the list is KC2DHL-L, also a simplex link on 147.535 with a PL of 100.
There are four more simplex nodes in the region, three of them on 147.535 with different PL tones. All of these are on the EL-CONF node. They may not be set up to permit users to dial out, but without contacting the sysop or club we can't tell.

The next three listings are for actual repeaters. The nearest is 35 miles from you - might be a stretch for your HT.

I'd try contacting K2ATY. His email address is listed here on QRZ as his callsign at arrl dot net. According to his profile he's a very active ham, with many associations.

My first stop might be to get on EchoLink via computer and try connecting to his node, and EL-CONFERENCE, and see if you can find somebody that knows something that way.

If you can't access the other nodes and do what you wish, consider setting up one of your own, primarily for your own use. You'll need a radio, a computer, and a soundcard interface. That was how mine started - a very low level UHF simplex node that I could use when I was out on my evening walks around the neighborhood, and thanks to a QTH with a good view of the town, I could use it when driving around town, too.

[AC2EU]

Your address info here on QRZ says you are in Newburgh, NY. Going to the Echolink web site, I went to the link for 'Link Status' at the bottom of the list on the left side of the page. On that page, I clicked the radio button for 'Show Links Near:" and put in Newburgh, NY. I also left the default to search for 'Online Only' nodes.

The results show that the closest EchoLink nodes to you are not on repeaters - they are simplex. K2ATY-L is a simplex node in Newburgh on 146.590. It is tone access with a tone of 114.8. It looks like this is a low level node - 9 watts to an antenna 10 feet high, so I might not be surprised if it could not hear your HT, unless you are fairly close. Node 29260 -

The next on the list is KC2DHL-L, also a simplex link on 147.535 with a PL of 100.
There are four more simplex nodes in the region, three of them on 147.535 with different PL tones. All of these are on the EL-CONF node. They may not be set up to permit users to dial out, but without contacting the sysop or club we can't tell.

The next three listings are for actual repeaters. The nearest is 35 miles from you - might be a stretch for your HT.

I'd try contacting K2ATY. His email address is listed here on QRZ as his callsign at arrl dot net. According to his profile he's a very active ham, with many associations.

My first stop might be to get on EchoLink via computer and try connecting to his node, and EL-CONFERENCE, and see if you can find somebody that knows something that way.

If you can't access the other nodes and do what you wish, consider setting up one of your own, primarily for your own use. You'll need a radio, a computer, and a soundcard interface. That was how mine started - a very low level UHF simplex node that I could use when I was out on my evening walks around the neighborhood, and thanks to a QTH with a good view of the town, I could use it when driving around town, too.

Oh hell yeah! I looked up K2ATY-L too, it's even worse than you describe. The thing is on a Yagi. he says that that is there for emcomm purposes???

The echolink database is by no means complete. I found others on the ham repeater directory. There are fields there for echolink and IRLP . Search there if you are looking for nodes.

Talked to some guys who were familiar with the echolink active repeaters. They told me that sometimes there are people who abuse it so they shut it off from time to time. I guess I had the concept OK, but the DTMF interface was locked out.
They also told me that it's better to use the the computer link rather than tie up the repeater with an echolink contact. makes sense...
They said the intent was for use by traveling hams who want to hit their home repeater or call ahead to another location.

I'm not looking to use it much, just to make a contact to solidify my understanding of the system , then off to HF.

[K0RGR]

As I understand it, the EchoLink status board shows which nodes are actually on the air at the time. I know that many repeater listing show EchoLink or IRLP, but that doesn't mean the nodes are active. Around here, the sysops typically shut them off if they aren't around.

[AC2EU]

As I understand it, the EchoLink status board shows which nodes are actually on the air at the time. I know that many repeater listing show EchoLink or IRLP, but that doesn't mean the nodes are active. Around here, the sysops typically shut them off if they aren't around.

That sounds like a reasonable explanation for the problems i have been experiencing.

I just wanted to try openeing a remote node once on my ht, just to do it, but it looks like that's not going to happen. I'm bummed... :(

[N1BHH]

The Echolink status page will only show nodes that are online and have input their proper RF Info. Many do not put that in and won't show up within the area search. Those who have an RF node should put this information in.

As for operating with an HT, some have a level or frequency problem with some digits, it varies among models. On my FT-60R the 3 is not decoded by my Echolink RF node. I don't use shortcuts with a 3, and despite the year of trying to configure it, it still doesn't work, But I don't worry about that.

[KJ4JON]

One way to get help might be to get on the repeater one night and see if you can have a good QSO with someone who is a knowledgable, regular user. I did this and had a terrific conversation with the owner, who helped me tremendously.

The complications with Echolink are that the DTMF codes (such as # to disconnect), as mentioned by others, are defaults and sysops may change them. I have found that a frequent alternative for disconnect is "73." I do not know if ## is an absolute default...that would be good to know.

And to reiterate what someone wrote above....Echolink sysops frequently turn their systems on and off. You can see which sites are online by going to the Echolink.org site and doing a database search. I found this most helpful.

It would be great if there were greater consistancy between the various echolink repeaters. This would prevent those who do not know the disconnect code from getting on and the leaving the repeater linked. But, obviously, these are privately owned and operated and some probably do not want to be in common use.

Would be great if someone could offer a similar primer on IRLP. There does not seem to be one online.

Hope this helps

73

[KJ4JON]

ps - the first time I tried echolink, I did not have a dtmf mic. So, I just used my cell phone to generate the sounds into the mic. Worked fine. Hope this helps someone else.

73