InterceptRadio.com Forums

I was talking with someone the otherday about distance limitations on 2 meters. This person indicated they use IRLP to over come the limitations. They referred me to: http://www.irlp.net . I have read much of the information included with that URL and don't quite understand all of it. The impressioon I received was this person uses this (referring to it as a reflector) over the air. According to IRLP.NET it sounds to me like it uses Voip technology over the internet.

Has anyone on the forum used this successfully? If anyone could enlighten me a little further on the basics I would appreciate it. What I would really like to do is talk to family and other hams in the PDX area. I am in Auburn. We haven't found a repeater connection that works for us as yet.

Before posting this I did a search for IRLP and found no previously posted information.

Many thanks,

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Wayne
KF7FYL

The "Internet Radio Linking Project" was developed ( I am pretty sure ) by Dave Cameron VE7LTD in Vancouver BC.
IRLP really is a "brand name" and there are other systems that work in a similar fashion using voice over IP to connect one radio system to another any distance away ( or on another band ).
And some of these, Echolink for example, can be done direct from a computer equipped with a mic and speakers.
It is VERY likely that there is an Echolink repeater in your area, and likely some in Portland.
You just need to find the Node number at each end, and have permission by the operator of the system to use it.
Do some more checking around and there is a very good chance you will find a system.
If not, you could always put up a simplex Echolink Node of your own.

In short, it's just linking repeaters together over the internet. So you could have a repeater owner in Seattle link up with a repeater owner in Miami. People in Seattle could chat with Miami folks just as if they were local and vice-versa.

Some repeaters are set up that users can enter specific DTMF codes to access this feature. The repeater owner may have several links already pre-configured and they just have to be "turned on."

The obvious downside is the "SPAM" effect this can have on a wide-area repeater.

I believe what I described above is Echolink. IRLP is using a portable radio (which is connected to the computer and internet.) A user from X location could access the IRLP "node" (in location Y) from anywhere in the world (over the internet.) So you could be traveling out of country and still have access to your home repeater.

Here's a IRLP node configuration:

Thanks to both of you for the information. I appreciate it. It sounds like something which is becoming more popular. I first heard of Echolink last summer on the coast. I had been listening on a frequency in Pacific County when all of a sudden a strong signal came in with someone testing. It turned out to be a gentleman in North Carolina. He stated he was using Echolink.

I am going to research further. To anyone's knowledge is it used quite a bit in the Northwest?

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Wayne
KF7FYL

2nd in the country only to California, only because they have more land!

so yes its nodes a plenty for echo and IRLP here.

and as for the echolink and IRLP its sort of like a Apple, Windows debate. they each do the same thing with a different interface. IRLP you "need" a radio. with echolink you just need a connection. There usta be a lot of which and who is better and they will never work together.

Now a days they work together and ever since the iphone became the love of the nation echolink is this new hot topic since you can link software to a repeater with no need for a old phone patch this is rather nifty.


Also the cool part about echolink is you can register your own node with zero cost, for example in a emergency or when I am out somewhere fun, I can plug my laptop in 3G internet then register my node and people can listen to local traffic or interact with an area and frequency I choose (particularly cool for simplex) I can be camping for example and go exploring and report back over the internet. the things that IRLP had that echolink didnt are no more...for anyone who hasnt seen things like this (random google link)

http://homepage.eircom.net/~ei4jr/EchoA ... Addons.htm

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If I had an antenna, I would; but I can only transmit on 160 meters.
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DE K7MHI

Yeah I hear Echolink more frequently on 70cm than 2m but I don't think frequency has any bearing.

A 6m SSB IRLP simplex node in India would be kind of cool. 8)

I would say that is because 2m repeaters are "older" in the PNW and slower to change - IRLP was the first to the market and therefore the first to the "older" 2m repeaters, also the IRLP is more complex, (and things that are complex are better)

Echolink really came to its own later, where the "younger" 70cm repeater owners (because there is no more room for 2m repeaters new applicants must use a 70cm) are more dynamic to change. Echolink was only less complex because it ran on windows and didnt need hardware (but is equally complex IMO if you make it cool)

this is of course a generalization with full respect to the OM and the 2meter's :) just my perspective of why "70cm is more echolink"

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If I had an antenna, I would; but I can only transmit on 160 meters.
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DE K7MHI

Here is another, less popular stateside, but more flexible, solution

IRLP and ECHOLINK both use central servers that allow you to link your sites through their networks.

eQSO offers this, but ALSO offers you the ability to configure your own server and create your own, standalone, internet linked system.

nice thanks for the link... just registered with them to check that out!

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If I had an antenna, I would; but I can only transmit on 160 meters.
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DE K7MHI

I love IRLP! I use it religiously here in Portland..I'm on node 3420 here in Portland!

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