Kent Amateur Radio Society

Chestertown, Maryland Kent County, USA

Established 1986

Echo Link

KARS Echolink

Echolink® allows licensed Amateur Radio operators to communicate with one another using Voice-over-IP (VOIP) technology. The program allows for worldwide connections.®

You can access the KARS gateway through our 2 meter Repeater on 147.375 Mhz +, using a PL of 156.7. The KARS node is 249466.

Echolink® is configured to accept commands thru the local repeater using DTMF tones (Touch Tones). These commands are used to enable or disable the link and to connect or disconnect from another node or repeater.

To establish an Echolink® connection, perform the following steps:

– It is recommended that you first identify your station on our repeater and that you are attempting an Echolink® operation.

– To activate the DTMF pass thru; key a 1802, drop the carrier, listen for the controller to announce “Echolink Active”.

– You can determine if the Echolink gateway is operational by keying a * DTMF tone. The gateway node will respond with status information.

– once active, key the transmitter, then key in the node number of the station to which you want to connect. Now drop the carrier and listen for Echolink® to announce the connection. If the link was not successful, key a ** to disconnect the gateway node.

– Following a successful connection, announce your presence on the linked node by calling CQ, etc.

– During a QSO using linked repeaters, let our repeater tail completely drop before transmitting to avoid any timeout problems.

– At the end of the QSO, disconnect the link by keying a *** DTMF tone. The Echolink gateway will respond with confirmation that the link has been disconnected.

– The following is a table of basic commands to use on our Echolink® node.

Command

Description

DTMF

Connect

Connects to a node on the Internet, based on its node number. The node number can be 4, 5 or 6 digits.

C nnnnnn

Connect by Call

Connects to a station on the Internet, based on its callsign. Where aaaaaa is a valid station call sign.

CCaaaaaa

Re-connect

Re-connects to the station that most recently disconnected.ct.

009

Report Status

Announces the callsign of each station currently connected.

08

Disconnect

Disconnects the station that is currently connected. If more than one station is connected, it disconnects only the most recently connected station.

* *

Disconnect All

Disconnects all stations

***

Query by Call

Looks up a station by its callsign, and reads back its node number and status

07

Query by Node

Looks up a station by its node number, and reads back its callsign and status.

06

KARS is a 501 C3 non-profit corporation. We regularly offer our communication services to local county public events. If you would like to participate, join our organization, or request our services, pleasecontact us.

Donations are very much appreciated!