EchoLink

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Ok, so I went through the download, the verify and now it's up and running.

I guess I could read the help file...but I'm being lazy. LOL! I guess I just find a repeater and then log on? Can more than one log on at a time?

I tried to get on Waltham, but it said it was busy and I couldn't get on...

If only one person can connect at a time..how can a group get on and talk?
 
Ok, so I went through the download, the verify and now it's up and running.

I guess I could read the help file...but I'm being lazy. LOL! I guess I just find a repeater and then log on? Can more than one log on at a time?

I tried to get on Waltham, but it said it was busy and I couldn't get on...

If only one person can connect at a time..how can a group get on and talk?

You can set yourself up as a conference center. I'm on now. Search for my call and connect.
 
There is an iPhone APRS ap too.

http://ibcnu.us/

ibcnu-1.1.png


Was a little buggy in previous releases, but he's done a lot of updates since Jan 1 and I've not had any issues since. Location Services on the iPhone provide location data, and if you are in range of a Digipeater, it will propagate to the airwaves too.

Then, you can use the aprs.fi site to track yourself.

http://aprs.fi/?&mt=m&z=15&timerange=3600

Far far nicer than having to get the Yeasu VX-8R, the GPS module, and then praying you can hit the Digipeater. (Not to mention the battery issue)

Lots of nice ham related iPhone apps.

Another really nice one if you travel (it's kinda expensive if you don't travel) is:

Freq Finder

Freq%20Finder%20Photo%201.jpg
Freq%20Finder%20Photo%204.jpg


I also love Morse-it

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I'm adding the EchoLink app now. (^_^)
 
EchoLink and Verizon FiOS Router

Anyone have experience with EcoLink running through a FiOS router?

I did the EchoLink download and failed the Firewall Test. The report said:
* Successfully connected to the EchoLink server.
* UDP ports don't seem to be blocked, BUT did not receive responce to some of the UDP tests.

The help file says to set my router to forward certain UDP ports to my shack computer (we have several computers in the house).

I looked at what portforward.com has, and it looks simple enough and have my exact router on their list, but this scares me. I work from home and if I f-up my router I'm out of work until it's fixed.

Is this simple and low risk? Any advice?
 
Anyone have experience with EcoLink running through a FiOS router?

I did the EchoLink download and failed the Firewall Test. The report said:
* Successfully connected to the EchoLink server.
* UDP ports don't seem to be blocked, BUT did not receive responce to some of the UDP tests.

The help file says to set my router to forward certain UDP ports to my shack computer (we have several computers in the house).

I looked at what portforward.com has, and it looks simple enough and have my exact router on their list, but this scares me. I work from home and if I f-up my router I'm out of work until it's fixed.

Is this simple and low risk? Any advice?

Well, if you f-up your router, you just set it back to factory defaults and then you're back up and running. Trust me, I've done it a BUNCH of times. Mostly because I don't know CRAP about networking...but I know that setting things to the default is a quick and easy fix.

I've used it on my FiOS router...but then I haven't in awhile. And I've reset my router about three times since I've last tried. I'll give it a try when I get home tonight if I remember...or have time.
 
Ok, you've emboldend me. I'll try it tomorrow night after work (so I've got the weekend if I break it).

My new house is down in a hole and I haven't put my J-pole on the roof yet, so I can only hit a few repeaters around Danvers right now. EchoLink will be fun and expand my horizons. Thanks.
 
On second thought...
I got brave and started doing it last night. The first step was to get a fixed IP address. The instructions for that were 4 pages long. And after that I'm supposed to muck with the UDP port forwarding! That stopped me. The risks of loosing a lot of time creating and fixing problems is too great.

With no changes I was able to hear myself on EchoLink's test server. Deeper reading in the help files says I may be OK with some servers and not others. I just love computers
bangheadonwall.gif
I think I'll try working EchoLink with my HT through a local repeater first.
 
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Here's a hint! Be sure that all the echolink router tests pass 100%. If they don't you, you need to setup your port forwarding properly
or you will have problems at one time or another.

Also, I setup a trigger, so that I can use any PC with echolink, this means I didn't have to setup a static IP. It just works! :)
 
...a trigger? What's that? I've often considered pulling one on my computer, but never thought of setting one up in it. I assume the kind you're talking about doesn't have a sear and safety.
 
Instead of setting up a port foward, setup a port trigger.

I setup a trigger, when TCP or UDP port 5198 to 5200 is used, to allow TCP or UDP ports in the range of 5198 to 5200 to be used. I think this is overkill, but it has been working well with Echolink.

I think the minimum is to trigger when TCP is used on 5200, then allow UDP traffic on both 5198 and 5199.

How you configure this on your router, varies by manufacuturer. Check your manual.

With this method, there is no need to setup a static IP. The way it works is that when ever an application (from any IP address) send outgoing TCP packets on port 5200, the firewall will automatically open incoming UDP ports on 5198 and 5199 (in my example, it opens 5198 to 5200 of both TCP and UDP) to that same IP address. Since the Echolink application starts by trying to login to the servers via TCP first, this works perfectly. :)


When you are done, try the firewall test, all tests of both pass 1 and pass 2 must be sucessful or something is not configured properly.
 
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Thanks for all the help and advice. It almost makes sense to this newb. I was up until 12:30 last night fussing with this without success, but I'm getting close.

If anyone knows what the setup should look like on the standard Veriso FiOS router (Actiontec MI424-WR revE) I would love a screen shot of it. I found my way into the port triggering setup but the setup menus don't quite make sense to me and are very different from some of the examples for other routers I found googling.

Here's what I see. Any advice on what to put where? (and thanks)
porttriggering.jpg
 
You're in the right place!

To duplicate what I have set the outgoing trigger protocol should be TCP and UDP and ports 5198 to 5200

The incoming protocol TCP and UDP, ports 5198 to 5200

If you can't set both TCP and UDP for outgoing, try this as I think this is the minimum:

Outgoing protocol TCP at port 5200
Incoming protocol UDP at ports 5198 and 5199
 
SUCCESS!!!! [dance][party][thumbsup]

R1CH, thanks for the help. +Reps! It took a few iterations, but I got it to pass all of EchoLink's router tests and it works on the Danvers 145.470 machine, which is supposed to be fussier than most.

Want a laugh? I tried the Danvers machine from my computer with my HT monitoring. The computer's mic picked up the HT's audio and created a psychedelic feedback (another newb mistake). someone keyed up with a grumpy suggestion to turn my PC's speaker down [laugh]

For anyone that's interested, the setup below is what worked on my Verizon FiOS router.

porttriggering-1.jpg
 
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