iLINK...A new era in Ham Radio !

Dave, VE3FGK writes: "It should come as no surprise for you to learn that using the Internet
is a popular pastime for millions and millions of people around the
world. It should also not surprise you to learn that it has become
increasingly more difficult in recent years to attract new people to
our hobby of Ham Radio."



iLink offers exciting new possibilities that extend amateur
radio on a new scale!






Despite the grumblings of some hams that you may hear on the air denouncing the Internet as having taken the wind out of Ham Radio's sail, perhaps it would be better to go with the flow and focus our energy at utilizing the Internet to our advantage. Nothing can quite replace the joy of talking to someone half way around the world using radio equipment and propagation. However in recent years, the efforts of various clever hams has yielded some interesting means of marrying the world of Radio Frequency to the Internet. These computer programs allow you to use the sound features of your computer (microphone and speakers) to hold live QSOs with other hams around the world. Although they all seem to have their shortcomings, one of the more recent Radio-to-Internet gateway programs appears to stand out from the others. Enter iLINK.




The iLINK system, which first appeared around May 2001, was developed
by Graeme Barnes, M0CSH, in Kent England. It appears to be a
culmination of the better features of I-Phone, IRLP and Pal Talk.
iLINK allows you to audibly connect a PC on the Internet to another PC
or to a radio link/repeater (like I-phone), or from a mobile or land
based radio (RF connect) to a Repeater or PC (like IRLP). In addition, there are several nodes on the system that provide a "conference" facility like Pal Talk. iLINK also provides a good method of screening non-amateurs from gaining access to the system by allowing the SYSOP (SYStem OPerator) of each Link station to "bar" such users. The audio quality of iLINK is quite good. In fact, it's better than anything other than the reception of a full quieting FM signal. Overall, its seems to be a very good system.




The iLINK program can be downloaded for free. Just visit
www.aacnet.net
and click on iLINK LINKS, then download the current
user version. There really isn't a lot of documentation that comes with iLINK, however the program is relatively simple and the learning curve is not very steep. Many new users have it figured out within several minutes of playing around. There is also a streaming video available on the aacnet web site that may help you get started. The program runs on computers running Windows(tm) operating systems. No fussing with special Linux(tm) operating systems is necessary.




For those of you wishing to connect iLINK to a link radio or local
repeater, a different program must be used along with a special
interface board. Unlike other radio-Internet gateway programs, iLINK
does not use an audio VOX circuit to control changeover, but rather a
specially programmed PIC chip that provides more positive control of
the PTT on the link radio. The "SYSOP" version of the iLINK program is
also available from the aacnet web site. Bare boards, partial/ full
kits, and completed boards for the iLINK interface are available from
www.ilinkca.com.
This web site contains a description and pictures of
the interface as well as technical details and ordering information.




73 de Dave, VE3FGK and Hugh, VA3TO. (iLINK Crusaders !)




Comments to: ve3fgk@projectx.com

or va3to@rac.ca