AllstarLink

1. Introduction
2. The Original Author
3. AllStarlink virsus Hamvoip
4. AllStarlink
5. The Server Form on the AllStarLink Web Site
6. Downloading the AllStar and Installation on the Raspberry Pi
7. Install on existing Ubuntu System
8. Key Configuration Files
   1. /etc/asterisk/rpt.conf
   2. /etc/asterisk/iax.conf
   3. /etc/asterisk/simpleusb.conf
9. simpleusb-tune-menu
10. Tuning the Transmitter's Audio Output
11. AllStar Connection Map
12. Allstarlink Active Nodes List
13. Codec and Bandwidth
14. VK4PK Site
15. Radio Interface Modules for AllStarCustom Communication's Mabel for the Yaesu DR-1X and DR-2X
16. Baofeng Modification
17. Echolink
18. The Internet Radio Linking Project
19. Setting up a IRLP Bridge
20. Using Duplex Frequencies
21. AllStar - An Analogue FM RoIP by Rick Perks VK4HC/S79RP
22. VKLINK - The VK Repeater Linking Project
23. Tools Run from the OS prompt
24. Tools Run from the CLI prompt
25. Bandwidth
26. Building Hamvoip version of AllStar
27. Building Hamvoip version of AllStar
28. Building Hamvoip version of AllStar
29. Mobile Access with DVSwitch
30. References for Allstar Information
31. Mobile Access with DVSwitch
32. References for Allstar Information
33. Mobile Access with DVSwitch host = dynamic
34. DVSwitch
35. References for Allstar Information

1. AllStar DTMF Function List
2. Hamvoip (Redirected to hamvoip.org with some edits)
3. Radio Interface Modules for AllStar:
   1. Repeater Builders's RB-RIM Lite
   2. ARA's AllStar FOB
   3. DMK-Engineering's URIxB
   4. Master Communications RA Series of RIMS
   5. W6IPA Pi-Radio Interface Module

Introduction

AllStarLink is a network of Amateur Radio repeaters, remote base stations and hot spots accessible to each other via Voice over Internet Protocol.

AllStarLink: https://www.allstarlink.org/

[Top][Home]

The Original Author

The creator of AllStarLink is Jim Dixon, WB6NIL (Silent Key). Jim passed away on December 16, 2016.
His objective was to design a radio interface that could interconnect a computer and the typical interface signals of two-way radios. Jim designed and built the first AllStar style radio interface hardware modules and developed a software application based upon Asterisk, a free and open source framework for building communications applications. Jim developed the app_rpt module which allowed the open source PBX system, Asterisk, to function as a repeater controller.

Jim developed a radio interface that could interconnect with a PC internally and the typical interface signals of a two-way radio:



The story of App_Rpt development can be found in an article by Jim Dixon WB6NIL himself on the AllStarLink History page: https://wiki.allstarlink.org/wiki/History

[Top][Home]

AllStarlink virsus Hamvoip

There are two providers of the AllStar System:

• the original AllStarlink.org (New Home Page)
  AllStdeprarlink's deprecated Home Page is at AllStarlink.org
• the new entrant, hamvoip.org.
  I have re-written a master index to the Hamvoip site, hamvoip.org (Redirected with some edits)

Both offerings are build on Asterisk.org, an open source communications project that lets you create telephony apps for IP PBXs, VoIP Gateways.

The most common build is on the Raspberry Pi, RPi3. The Allstarlink distribution is built on the Raspberian OS and Hamvoip is built on Archlinux OS.

• Raspberian Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspbian
• Archlinux Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_Linux

AllStarlink

           _ _  _____ _                _      _       _
     /\   | | |/ ____| |              | |    (_)     | |
    /  \  | | | (___ | |_  __ _ _ __  | |     _ _ __ | | __
   / /\ \ | | |\___ \| __|/ _` | '__| | |    | | '_ \| |/ /
  / ____ \| | |____) | |_| (_| | |    | |____| | | | |   <
 /_/    \_\_|_|_____/ \__|\__,_|_|    |______|_|_| |_|_|\_\

The Server Form on the AllStarLink Web Site

Downloading the AllStar and Installation on the Raspberry Pi

https://www.qsl.net/w2ymm/allstar1.html In order to become a member of the AllStar Link Network, you must first Register to become user of the Portal system. To qualify for membership, you must be a holder of a valid Amateur Radio license.

A URI or RIM (Radio Interface Module) is required.

I purchased the Repeater Builder RIM-Lite, Repeater Builders's RB-RIM-Lite (local)

An interface can be constructed using a cheap USB sound FOB. Search the internet for conversion instructions.

• On the AllstarLink web site. Request an ID, get it approved.
• Open port 4569 on your router and point it to the IP that will be your node.
• Download and install the RPi image.
• Once approved make your ID a sysOp, add a server, and request one or more nodes.
• Configure the server and assigned node(s)

Wifi and DHCP are enabled by default and the RPi will attempt to obtain an IP lease. Secure Shell was not enabled by default.

Try ssh repeater@192.168.5.213 the ssh port is the default port: 22

Login: repeater
Passsword: allstarlink # The is the default password
On first login you will be requested to reset the password for the "repeater" account.
The repeater account has sudo privileges (sudo -s)

There may have been updates to the operating system and AllStarLindvswk since this image was built.

Install on existing Ubuntu System

Key Configuration Files

/etc/asterisk/rpt.conf

/etc/asterisk/iax.conf

/etc/asterisk/simpleusb.conf

This configures parameters for the USB radio interface. It is far better to perform this configuration using the simpleusb-tune-menu

• rxboost - sets extra radio gain
• carrierfrom - set the COS format
• inverppt - can be 0 or 1
• plfilter - eliminates PL tones
• deemphasis -
• preemphasis -
• rxaudiodelay - to eliminate squelch tails

simpleusb-tune-menu

Tuning the Transmitter's Audio Output

AllStar Connection Map

The Connection Map is useful to confirm that connections have been made between node. It also gives an understanding of the AllStar communication around the world at any given time.

When connected check the AllStar Connection Map:

http://allstarmap.org/allstarmap.html

[Top][Home]

Allstarlink Active Nodes List

Codec and Bandwidth

Because we use the ADPCM (Adaptive Differential Pulse-Code Modulation) g726aal2 codec with Asterisk, each connection from/to a remote node will require about 55 kilobits/sec (at the IP packet level) of bandwidth in both directions. The frequency response when ADPCM is used will be very close to telephone voice grade (telephone voice grade is defined as 3db points at 300-3400Hz, 1000Hz 0db reference).

Due to the fact that the system is TDM (Time Domain Multiplexed) and there is overhead involved to perform DSP functions in Asterisk, there is audio delay for both local connections and there is additional audio delay from connections made over the Internet.

Adaptive differential pulse-code modulation (ADPCM) is a variant of differential pulse-code modulation (DPCM) that varies the size of the quantization step, to allow further reduction of the required data bandwidth for a given signal-to-noise ratio.

Typically, the adaptation to signal statistics in ADPCM consists simply of an adaptive scale factor before quantizing the difference in the DPCM encoder.

ADPCM was developed in the early 1970s at Bell Labs for voice coding, by P. Cummiskey, N. S. Jayant and James L. Flanagan. Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptive_differential_pulse-code_modulation

[Top][Home]

VK4PK Site

Active simpleusb stanza: [usb]
USB device String:       1-1.1.3:1.0

Card is:         0
Name is:         usb
Rx Level:        500
Rx no-delay:     0
Rx audio-delay:  0
Tx A Level:      700
Tx B Level:      700
preemphasis:     no
deemphasis:      no
plfilter:        no
dcsfilter:        no
rxboost:         no

PTT:             Active LOW
PTT status:      Un-Keyed

CTCSS (input):   Ignored
COS (input):     CM108/CM119 Active LOW
COS (test):      Un-Keyed
COS (composite): Un-Keyed

Radio Interface Modules for AllStar

Custom Communication's Mabel for the Yaesu DR-1X and DR-2X

• The main MABEL board
• The SC-50 or CT-30 CTCSS Tone boards offered from Masters Communications.
• The RA-35 or RA-40 board offered from Masters Communications.

Baofeng Modification

Echolink

Incoming connections are made from any Echolink node in the usual manner. An app_rpt user dials an additional prefix digit in the connect command to distinguish between Allstar (2), Echolink (3) node numbers.

The Internet Radio Linking Project

Setting up a IRLP Bridge

Using Duplex Frequencies

I changed my duplex setting in the rpt.conf file and now that I'm transmitting telemetry and courtesy tones I am back on the map. Switching off the telemetry is how I fixed the chasing the tail problem. The docs say that it shouldn't matter if I dont advertise my node people should still be able to connect but now no one can connect and I am not on the map at http://allstarmap.org/allstarmap.html

To check you have no registration issues you do a check_reg.sh from the bash prompt.
To check you have a route to the node you are wishing to contact you do "dns-query <node>"

[Top][Home]

AllStar - An Analogue FM RoIP by Rick Perks VK4HC/S79RP

This is a write up by my good friend. Rick and I have colaborated on many projects and he has always challanged me on to greater heights.
AllStar–Analogue-FM-RoIP-Rick-Perks-VK4HC-S79RP.pdf (local)

[Top][Home]

VKLINK - The VK Repeater Linking Project

Tools Run from the OS prompt

Tools Run from the CLI prompt

Bandwidth

Because we use the ADPCM (g726aal2) codec in Asterisk, each connection from/to a remote node will require about 55 kilobits/sec (at the IP packet level) of bandwidth in both directions. Optionally, the GSM codec can be used and the bandwidth requirement will be 35 kilobits/sec, but the audio quality will suffer.

The frequency response when ADPCM is used will be very close to telephone voice grade (telephone voice grade is defined as 3db points at 300-3400Hz, 1000Hz 0db reference). Additionally, we optionally support the G.711 codec which is superior ro ADPCM at the expense of bandwidth.
Source: https://wiki.allstarlink.org/wiki/ASL_FAQ#How_much_bandwidth_is_required_per_connection.3F

The hamvoip code has the ILBC (Internet low bandwidth codec) installed. It uses about 1/3 of the bandwidth of the G726AA codec which is most commonly used for Allstar. Its audio quality is very good and very close to G726. Most people would not be able to tell the difference. The reason we do not use it by default is that it poorer "squelching" than G726. G726 on a poor connection mutes dropouts whereas ILBC tends to allow the garbage sounds through. I often recommend that cell phone hotspot users try ILBC but anyone trying to conserve bandwidth can give it a try. Most would not have that issue as voice is rather low bandwidth compared to most other things we do on the Internet nowadays. Codec settings are in /etc/asterisk/iax.conf. Ordering sets priority but if the called node does not have the codec you request then it will take the next one down the list until it is satisfied. I would recommend you try the ILBC codec and see if it satisfies your needs.
Source:
http://lists.hamvoip.org/pipermail/arm-allstar/2017-May/005191.html

[Top][Home]

Building Hamvoip version of AllStar

Building Hamvoip version of AllStar

Mobile Access with DVSwitch

References for Allstar Information

Mobile Access with DVSwitch

References for Allstar Information

Mobile Access with DVSwitch

References for Allstar Information