[Qcwa] Echolink and Ham operation

Mon, 30 Dec 2002 17:41:48 -0800

We had the same options facing us, we started out with IRLP and the tech
support (and other things) was so poor we chucked it. (any one want to buy
an IRLP node?) In the end we settled on Echo Link and haven't looked back.
The quality of QSO is better, none of those maddening delays and the quality
of audio is as good or better then IRLP. It's much easier to set up and
little or no tech support required. At least, when we set up Echo Link to
our particular parameters, nobody accessed our system and changed them. The
best thing is there is no cost involved and any amateur can do it.
As for the security end of things, our club members all have the codes
required to turn off any pirate station that may appear. To date (in four
months of operation) we haven't had any problems and have enjoyed a lot of
really nice QSO's with some wonderful amateurs from all over the world.
Think about it for a minute, what is to stop people on stolen 2mtr rigs from
getting on IRLP, or any repeater for that matter? There has to be a few guys
out there that have had a rig(s) stolen? If they know the language and are
polite and considerate, they'll fool us no matter what their motives are.
As amateurs we have to self-regulate our hobby in accordance with the
guidelines set out for us, especially here in Canada, because we certainly
can't rely on Industry Canada to do it anymore.
Echo Link has been a real boon to our aging majority that are unable for one
reason or another to be active on HF anymore. They can continue their
friendships with those distant amateur friends through a local repeater or
directly via their own computer and the internet. Lets face it, we'll all be
there some day; unable to climb a tower any more or having to downsize and
move into a condo with no tolerance for antennas. It's not a pretty thought.

We switched and no one here is complaining. We'll live with our decision and
the on/off switch.

Bill Hicks
VE7DGM

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]On
Behalf Of George/Frances
Sent: December 29, 2002 11:33 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Qcwa] Echolink and Ham operation

A year ago the Ottawa Amateur Radio Club made a decision to install
an IRLP (Internet Repeater Linking Project) node on the Club's
146.34/94 wide area repeater. We had a choice of th IRLP system,
Echolink, or I-link.
>From a security point of view we picked IRLP, a system that is linked
to a repeater, or base station at each end, with the internet
connecting the two radios.  As both ends of the link are under the
control of a licensed amateur or radio club, and the entrance into
the system is by radio at both ends, maximum monitoring of
communication takes place.

The other systems can be entered directly from a computer.

The server(s) that control the system are designed to give
access to authorized amateurs, but their identification is not
hard to "fake".

While none of the systems are completly foolproof, the IRLP
system gives us the best chance of keeping out unlicensed
communicators.

Happy New Year........

George-VE3BNO         (IRLP NODE 2040 )

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