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View Full Version : so it isnt "real" ham radio...



N2CHX
12-31-2013, 10:27 PM
I just reinstalled echolink on my phone..

N2CHX
12-31-2013, 10:28 PM
Posted this from my phone too, which is why my spelling sucks.

kb2vxa
12-31-2013, 10:56 PM
Well, at least you didn't get your license so you can do cheap internet from your yacht. Posted? Looks plastered, it IS New Year's Eve.

N2CHX
12-31-2013, 11:12 PM
Ya know... Not sure why I never realized that you can connect to repeaters all over the world... Gonna play with this a bit.

VE7DCW
01-01-2014, 12:23 AM
Ya know... Not sure why I never realized that you can connect to repeaters all over the world... Gonna play with this a bit.

It is actually a cool access to radio..... when Tony W2IBC had his repeater up and running it was connected to Echolink and a few people here on the Island actually had some neat QSO's on it...... I remember a couple of years back a few stations in New Zealand experimented by hooking up their HF radio's through the Echolink interface and were allowing connections on 20 meters.....but I have not seen that done lately hooking up to the system :-|

KC9SQR
01-01-2014, 02:15 AM
I really don't see why some hams tend to pick on echolink and talk about it like it's the plague or something..
It's actually pretty neat and quite a useful toy....

Notice I said toy... Would I rely on Echolink? Never, although I've never had any problems that weren't easily fixed by tweaking a setting or two... We know how fragile the internet really is and when big disasters happen, the internet is the first thing to go, so I definitely wouldn't count on it being there 100% of the time.. But it is fun to play with and I see nothing wrong with it, and enjoy using it myself from time to time.. I don't see why some hams have an issue with echolink or why some people call it fake ham radio though, sure it is VOIP, but most of the time there is a radio or repeater on a ham frequency on the other end.. I don't see it as "fake ham radio", looks to me as remote operating of a station or repeater.. At least with echolink most of the time there is actually RF involved at some point or another, or both.. Unlike hamsphere I think it is, which is just VOIP and nothing more...

W2NAP
01-01-2014, 04:34 AM
It is actually a cool access to radio..... when Tony W2IBC had his repeater up and running it was connected to Echolink and a few people here on the Island actually had some neat QSO's on it...... I remember a couple of years back a few stations in New Zealand experimented by hooking up their HF radio's through the Echolink interface and were allowing connections on 20 meters.....but I have not seen that done lately hooking up to the system :-|

who knows, I may end up with echolink on the new 440 machine, when ever that gets on air......

n0iu
01-01-2014, 07:20 AM
Posted this from my phone too, which is why my spelling sucks.

I thought maybe it was because you didn't pay attention in school!

But seriously...

I belong (sometimes) to a Masonic group that holds "gatherings" on EchoLink on Sunday nights. Now we could have a traditional on-air net, but the we would have to worry about finding a clear frequency most likely somewhere on 80 meters. Yeah, like that's gonna happen. But not everyone can put up a decent 80 meter antenna. And then you have to deal with holding it at a time when propagation would be good for everyone coast to coast (apologies to George Noory). And then throw in the seasonal challenges during the summer making 80 unusable most of the time. What a pain in the ass!

Since all we really wanted to do was chat about where the secret treasure is hidden and how the Masons are going to take over the world, the easiest thing to do was to remove all of the "overhead" associated with an on-air net. Everyone comes through 5x9 clear as a bell no matter what the season. And if you have EchoLink on a mobile device, you don't even have to be in your shack to particpate!

Kewl!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

n6hcm
01-01-2014, 07:28 AM
I really don't see why some hams tend to pick on echolink and talk about it like it's the plague or something..

i honestly think most of them are people who truly don't understand how to use a web browser, let alone VoIP ...

N2CHX
01-01-2014, 07:53 AM
I really don't see why some hams tend to pick on echolink and talk about it like it's the plague or something..
It's actually pretty neat and quite a useful toy....

Notice I said toy... Would I rely on Echolink? Never, although I've never had any problems that weren't easily fixed by tweaking a setting or two... We know how fragile the internet really is and when big disasters happen, the internet is the first thing to go, so I definitely wouldn't count on it being there 100% of the time.. But it is fun to play with and I see nothing wrong with it, and enjoy using it myself from time to time.. I don't see why some hams have an issue with echolink or why some people call it fake ham radio though, sure it is VOIP, but most of the time there is a radio or repeater on a ham frequency on the other end.. I don't see it as "fake ham radio", looks to me as remote operating of a station or repeater.. At least with echolink most of the time there is actually RF involved at some point or another, or both.. Unlike hamsphere I think it is, which is just VOIP and nothing more...

This is pretty much how I feel about it. I've installed it twice before but never really used it. I think I'm going to start using it more, despite the fact that I will indeed have HF capability again very shortly. I was never really that interested in DX but the last few years I have become more and more interested in meeting people from other countries and I think both HF and Echolink will be quite useful for that.

KC9ECI
01-01-2014, 10:19 AM
Got an IRLP node nearby?

kb2vxa
01-01-2014, 11:38 AM
"I really don't see why some hams tend to pick on echolink and talk about it like it's the plague or something."

They call it Echostink because it's not radio, just like during Packet Wars in the 1990s those sysops who use Telnet for forwarding and users (like me now without antennas) make connections to a BBS with it were called land line lids. Unfortunately because of this so many radio links went down and weren't replaced leaving the network fragmented, widespread areas of the US and the world fell off the map but I digress. Those same grumpy old bastids worse than I down those (name escapes me) internet linked repeaters using DTMF control to access other so equipped repeaters. OH GROW UP ALREADY! Due to today's conditions we can't afford to be radio purists, live with it or die on the air, sucka.

VE7DCW
01-01-2014, 01:29 PM
who knows, I may end up with echolink on the new 440 machine, when ever that gets on air......

...... and a Happy New Year to you too stranger...... and i'm actually curious to see what you will do with the capabilities of that 440 repeater :yes:

AC8KF WALT
01-01-2014, 02:27 PM
just got it last week. haven't really sat down to play with it yet. looking forward to try in it in the coming weeks.

KC9SQR
01-01-2014, 03:02 PM
"I really don't see why some hams tend to pick on echolink and talk about it like it's the plague or something."

They call it Echostink because it's not radio, just like during Packet Wars in the 1990s those sysops who use Telnet for forwarding and users (like me now without antennas) make connections to a BBS with it were called land line lids. Unfortunately because of this so many radio links went down and weren't replaced leaving the network fragmented, widespread areas of the US and the world fell off the map but I digress. Those same grumpy old bastids worse than I down those (name escapes me) internet linked repeaters using DTMF control to access other so equipped repeaters. OH GROW UP ALREADY! Due to today's conditions we can't afford to be radio purists, live with it or die on the air, sucka.


Well actually it is radio, it just uses a REAL long mic cord ;)
Unlike hamsphere (http://www.hamsphere.com/) Echolink nodes are usually connected to an actual radio, on actual ham frequencies on one side and a lot of times both sides of the link.. Hamsphere is just pointless and rather dumb, I actually logged in once, I think I spent about 2 minutes "tuning" around before I said fuck this and left lol

But I've always believed with anything there will be people that like it, some that love it, and some that hate it... Whatever it be.. But that's one of the great things that I LOVE about this hobby of ham radio is that there is SO much to do with radios, and so many different modes and modulations to play with.. Granted some areas get a bit cramped in the HF regions but there is room for all of us to do our thing.. Example, those that like to talk phone and not work digital modes or CW just don't go there and don't participate and do their thing.. I know there are digital mode and CW ops that haven't picked up a mic in years, and that's okay, there's room for us all to do what we like (for the most part, most of the time)..

But overall I don't have the view of Echolink being fake radio or anything like that. It's really no different than remote operating through twisted pair phone line, this is just a newer way to accomplish the same thing but is staying up to date with technology (using internet instead of phone lines). Echolink at least uses RF and is normally involving a radio (or few) on one or both sides of the link most of the time.. Especially where two repeaters are linked through Echolink... I see that really as being no different than linking two repeaters through a phone line as was done sometimes back in the days of "pure" ham radio, I know it wasn't too common but it was still done from time to time when radio RF links weren't possible...

koØm
01-01-2014, 05:18 PM
I belong (sometimes) to a Masonic group

HAPPY NEW YEAR!


where were you raised?

So mote it be?

.

N2CHX
01-01-2014, 05:36 PM
Anyone up for a QSO via echolink? I'm itchin' to play.

n0iu
01-01-2014, 05:45 PM
where were you raised?

So mote it be?

.

I was raised at Wentzville Lodge #46 in Wentzville, MO.

You?

WØTKX
01-01-2014, 05:46 PM
Sure Kelli. Where?

My buddy Bob has a link active, AC0KC. Just logged in there with my iPhone.
Not sure the repeater is on the air, can't hear it on the radio, usually do.
You got a link in mind? Obviously it can actually be anywhere.

W2NAP
01-01-2014, 05:51 PM
...... and a Happy New Year to you too stranger...... and i'm actually curious to see what you will do with the capabilities of that 440 repeater :yes:

still waiting for Indiana repeater council to get off they bum and actually do some work..

WØTKX
01-01-2014, 05:51 PM
N0OBA-R is working for sure. That's my buddy Scott.

He would be amused. We just said HEY! Hell Yea.

N2CHX
01-01-2014, 05:51 PM
Sure Kelli. Where?

My buddy Bob has a link active, AC0KC. Just logged in there with my iPhone.
Not sure the repeater is on the air, can't hear it on the radio, usually do.
You got a link in mind? Obviously it can actually be anywhere.

Just called you on that link.

WØTKX
01-01-2014, 05:59 PM
N0OBA-R is working for sure. That's my buddy Scott.

He would be amused. We just said HEY! Hell Yea.

N2CHX
01-01-2014, 06:08 PM
Hehe, this is cool.

koØm
01-01-2014, 11:36 PM
King Solomon #12, AF&AM, Cincinnati, Ohio

.

n0iu
01-02-2014, 06:09 AM
Cincinnati, Ohio

It snowed over night and a big steamy bowl of Skyline chili sounds great about now.... even though it is 5:00am!

K7SGJ
01-02-2014, 09:22 AM
It snowed over night and a big steamy bowl of Skyline chili sounds great about now.... even though it is 5:00am!


See, I told you, it's always 5:00 somewhere. Chili for breakfast? YES

kb2vxa
01-03-2014, 09:54 AM
In that case, while your station may not be powered by atomic energy, like me, the operator is powered by natural gas. Always eat chili in the morning, it's good for keeping unwanted visitors out of the shack, like cats that take over the station.

KF5ER
01-04-2014, 05:58 PM
Hey! They didn't tell me about the hidden treasure!

n0iu
01-04-2014, 06:05 PM
Hey! They didn't tell me about the hidden treasure!

I would tell you... but then I would have to kill you!

NM5TF
01-09-2014, 06:41 PM
ya wanna see REAL HAM RADIO :yum:

THIS is real ham radio the way it used to be back in the gudd ole daze :snicker:

kb2vxa
01-10-2014, 12:19 PM
So THAT'S where my NC-173 got off to! Interestingly enough that's not an Amateur Radio promo, it's a cropped 1952 Schlitz "message from Milwaukee" ad I have in my archives. Balloon, here comes the pin. (;->)

Here's my 8 wheel mobile trailer. There's so much gear inside it has to be pulled by a locomotive. Oh go ahead and derail it.

NM5TF
01-10-2014, 01:26 PM
correct about the pix....look closely at the beer bottle the dutiful XYL
is bringing her contesting hubby.....the Schlitz label is visible....

as we used to say...."drink Schlitz & get the schitzz".....

not as bad as that West Coast slop "Brew 102" tho....

kb2vxa
01-11-2014, 03:23 AM
"as we used to say...."drink Schlitz & get the schitzz"....."

Yeah, that was schlitzy beer alright, at that time Bud was it, but since that Argentine multinational bought Ann Heiser's Bush it tastes like one. These days, grab some buds.

NM5TF
01-11-2014, 09:45 AM
I see your Buds & raise you 2 of these...:cool2:

kb2vxa
01-11-2014, 11:19 AM
Beautiful plant, but my buds are ready to go. I can't show you what we made out of an older Bud commercial but I can describe it if you want to show your friends. Raise the back of your left hand with fingers extended and say here are my other friends. Point to each one in order giving their names; Bill, Bud, John, Joe. Now curl all except the middle one and say this Bud's for you! (;->)

NM5TF
01-11-2014, 12:32 PM
sorry for hi-jacking your thread Kelli.....guess we just got carried away....

we now return you to your regularly scheduled thread...

N2CHX
01-11-2014, 12:56 PM
sorry for hi-jacking your thread Kelli.....guess we just got carried away....

we now return you to your regularly scheduled thread...

LOL no apologies needed. Par for the course here, I've done the same thing myself and come to expect it :p

Besides, that is some beautiful bud.

NM5TF
01-11-2014, 01:26 PM
LOL no apologies needed. Par for the course here, I've done the same thing myself and come to expect it :p

Besides, that is some beautiful bud.

hybrid Sativa/Afghani Kush...:yum:


my friend has a medical grow license..:shhh:

New Mexico is poised to go the way of WA & Colo...a bill is being introduced in the State Legislature now...8)

W7XF
01-11-2014, 10:41 PM
hybrid Sativa/Afghani Kush...:yum:


my friend has a medical grow license..:shhh:

New Mexico is poised to go the way of WA & Colo...a bill is being introduced in the State Legislature now...8)

Same here in Arizona. Medical is legal now, recreational is in the Legislature now.

kb2vxa
01-12-2014, 07:55 AM
"New Mexico is poised to go the way of WA & Colo..."

I GUARANTEE you Sheriff Joe Arpaio is jumping up and down like James Brown over this one!

NM5TF
01-12-2014, 09:25 AM
"New Mexico is poised to go the way of WA & Colo..."

I GUARANTEE you Sheriff Joe Arpaio is jumping up and down like James Brown over this one!

well maybe......but he's a sheriff in Arizona.....New Mexico is the next State to the East....between Arizona
& Texas....and you don't need a passport to visit.....and yes, we ARE 1 of the 50 US States.....and some
of us even speak English...or Spanglish....

I wish our Governor was just like yours....

kb2vxa
01-13-2014, 03:39 PM
Ah crap, stupid mistake. Well, you're right, that's the only part of los Estados Unidos de Mexico you don't need a passport to visit and since they speak Spanglish at least you can understand some of what they're saying. I'm reminded of a Mexican friend puzzled by "Mexican" fast food joints like Toxic Hell (make a run for the bathroom) when they first showed up in Jersey selling things he never heard of. I couldn't help him, at the time I hadn't heard of Texican or Tex-Mex either. He was from Yucatan, way to the south and all I knew about it was when my parents brought Old El Paso home from the supermarket years before, we thought it was Mexican as advertized.

Rudy, if you're reading this I hate tacos, one bite and you have a mess all over the plate and have to eat the damn thing with a spoon!

Oh, you really don't wish your governor was just like mine, really you don't.

n2ize
01-17-2014, 03:51 PM
I guess it's not "real ham radio" in the classic sense.