[CTSARA] [GNARC] Projects and Activites: AnIdea and InformalSurvey

[Curt Seaton]

Whew, my eyes are tired.....    Thank you for the Asterisk info, I still 
want to discuss how this will be used as compared to what already is 
available once we program the controllers to do some of these 
functions.   But I still want to talk with you folks about the 
considerations of incomplete DTMF tones, due to improper touch tone 
levels into various radios, and the 'twist' of the difference in levels 
of the high and low groups of touch tones as in certain radios that are 
'marginal' in deviation.   Also what happens when the RF carrier is 
'weak' or a momentary noise burst or pop makes the touch tone decoder 
think it received two digits instead of the desired 'one' digit, 
etc...   there are many things we 'could' do, and as you may have read 
in the Arcom manual there are specific digits 'reserved' for specific 
tasks unless the control operators elect to change them.  I understand 
some other controllers (like the CAT family) do things a little 
different also..   It is just not a simple bee-boop and all works as you 
wish always...  Also consider the 'cover tones' that some other user may 
not have heard and then he elects to send some DTMFs and over-ride your 
sequence...  lots to consider and that is why I feel pretty strongly 
about discussing this eyeball to eyeball. 

If we conclude that some of these features are worth persuing, I will 
offer up an Arcom controller to 'experiment' with, so we can evaluate 
what it will and will not do.  In order to do this, and test properly, I 
would ask one of you guys to build up a "repeater simulator" box that 
would have some LED's and switches  that could be used to simulate the 
COS, CTCSS decode, and the controller's LED will need a PTT pullup to 
activate it.  IT would be super helpful to have a small audio amplifier 
and loudspeaker for the repeat audio in order to 'hear' what would 
normally be transmitted over the repeater.  A pair of these test boxes 
would allow us to test two ports at the same time, to test out linking 
and unlinking also...   I can provide a drawing of what is needed if you 
guys wish to build them up... maybe make them nice enough to sell to 
other repeater owners to test their controllers as controllers without 
having a radio always...    I can explain this more later too...   Hope 
to see you all Thursday evening...  


Curt