The Internet is getting in everywhere.
Ham radio has had repeaters for many years, they are systems placed at a good VHF/UHF locations that receive and re-transmit signals, allowing communications between stations that could not otherwise be in communication.
Now with the event of voice over IP it was natural that someone would write software allowing repeaters to be connected to the Internet, allowing someone to use a PC as a sort of extended microphone and speaker, attached to the repeater of their choice.
Well the latest step in this particular line of development is that I can now connect to my local repeater using my hand held transceiver, tell the repeater to connect to another repeater via the Internet by entering the node number using the DTMF keypad on my transceiver (Each echolink node has a unique number), and then have a conversation with anyone within range of that repeater.
The long and short of it is that I can now easily contact any ham who lives within range of an echolink connected repeater anywhere in the world, using a hand held transceiver.
Thats pretty cool, and way cheaper than using a handy…
I wonder what the next step will be?
If you are licensed, I can be reached via the repeater DB0EL (Node 7385) when I am listening. My call is DL4MGJ.
That is pretty interesting indeed! It’s amazing, the kind of stuff that can be done with existing technology if you put your mind to it. By the way, do they call cell phones “handy” in British English, or is that a Germanism?
Comment by Justin — October 7, 2006 @ 12:16 am