N8HEE.COM

Common Modes

There are two types of connections, direct (one-to-one) and reflector/conference (one-to-many).

1. Direct - Is just like it sounds, where node "A" connects directly to node "B". With this type of link the two nodes are interconnected and no other IRLP connections are possible. While nodes "A" and "B" are connected, anyone attempting to connect with either node will be told by a recording that - "The node you are calling is currently connected to callsign."
2. Reflector/Conference - While Direct link is preferred for a person-to-person chat, the most common type of connection in use today is via a reflector or conference. A reflector/Conference node is a special node sitting on a high bandwidth Internet connection that takes whatever audio streams it receives and resends them out to all of the other nodes that are connected to the reflector, thereby allowing all of the nodes involved in the connection to communicate with each other. At any given time there may be 6 to 10 nodes around the world interconnected via a reflector or conference.

Node Use

The first thing we must all remember is to leave a gap between transmissions. Having said that, this is a good time to list the three main rules when connected to a node or reflector:

1. Pause
2. Pause
3. Pause

All this waiting is necessary because many of the nodes participating in Internet linking are parts of large multi-linked repeater systems where there can be significant key-up delays as all of the repeaters in the system come up. Therefore, it could take 1 to 2 seconds before last repeater in the link comes on-line, thus chopping the first several syllables off of your transmission. Please adjust your operating habits accordingly.

Also, leaving a pause between transmissions ...

The most important thing to remember is to pause after pressing the PTT button as well as pausing between transmissions.

Local QSOs

It is not necessary to bore the world with your shopping list requests or complaints about the plumber; therefore, Please drop the IRLP/EchoLink connection when having a local QSO.

Making Connections

All commands accepted by the N8HEE node, will cause some sort of audible signal to be returned to the user. This may be in the form of beeps and boops or spoken words. You will note that EchoLink commands are prefaced with the DTMF "B" digit.

Just as you would listen before transmitting on any repeater, you must listen for at least 10-15 seconds for link activity before making any transmissions as there may already be an active connection or local QSO in progress.

Always identify before using any control codes.

Example:

1. "This is <callsign>", then send DTMF
2. wait for link up message then
3. listen, listen, listen then announce yourself.
   It's a good idea to announce your location as in "<callsign> Charlotte, Michigan"

When traveling to other parts it should noted that many nodes require different commands than those found on the N8HEE node. Many people decry this as closing a system which should be open, when in fact, it is just a necessary evil to make the node coexist within the command structure of the repeater to which it is connected. This could be compared using CTCSS, not all repeaters that use CTCSS are closed, nor do they all use the same tones. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you contact the owner of the node you wish to use prior to your travels to obtain codes and/or procedures for their systems.

IRLP Error Messages

From time-to-time you may receive error messages when attempting to connect with a node or reflector. The most common ones are:

"The node you are calling is not responding, please try again later"
This is caused by a loss of Internet connectivity to one end of the call attempt.

"bee-boop Error- The call attempt has timed out, the connection has been lost"
This error occurs when a node is OFF-LINE. Some nodes such as in the UK use dial-up connections and then, only for short periods. Also there may be temporary net or node problems.

"The connection has been lost"
If the Internet connection drops, this error message will be heard.

"The node you are calling is currently connected to callsign."
If the node you a calling is already connected to another node or reflector, you will hear this message.

"The node you are calling is being used locally."
If the node you are calling has local activity on the repeater or frequency, you will hear this message. Try calling again in a minute or so.

"<busy signal>"
The node you are calling is not connected to another node or reflector; however, the repeater or frequency is in use locally or the IRLP node hardware is being used for some other function (e.g. Voice-mail, playing Newsline, etc.).