![EchoLink](https://i0.wp.com/ki5wkb.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/echolinkgraphic.jpg?resize=196%2C300&ssl=1)
All about using EchoLink over the air on a Baofeng HT Ham radio.
I first heard about EchoLink when I was studying for the Technician level test. There is actually a question about EchoLink on the Technician level HAM test.
What must be done before you may use the EchoLink system to communicate using a repeater?
The correct answer is D. With that in mind, the day I got my HAM license, I got right onto the EchoLink website, confirmed my callsign with them, and was assigned a node number. After downloading the app, onto my iPhone, within minutes, I was talking to someone in California. My thinking at the time was, why would I want to do this? If I wanted to talk to a random stranger in another part of the world, could I not just use WHATSAPP, ZELLO, or any other app on the Apple store. Then answer of course is yes. I could. What I did not realize at the time though, was that EchoLink is more than just talking to other HAMS over the internet. You can actually use just about any UHF/VHF transceiver that has a keypad to talk over the air using local repeaters that are linked to EchoLink.
The revelation came to me about a month later. With that in mind, I could start to see the utility in having a handheld radio that could talk to another handheld radio in another part of the world.
In my case, I have one repeater in my area that is connected to EchoLink. It is the K5DEL repeater. After writing to the repeater trustee, I was given all of the instructions and permission to use EchoLink on the repeater.
CONNECTING TO ECHOLINK OVER THE AIR
The process for connecting is very easy. You can use DTMF (dual tone multi frequency) tones, also known as touch tones (think telephone touch tones). You can find repeaters in your area using repeaterbook.com. When doing your local search, you can specify to find repeaters that have an EchoLink Node. Program in the repeater info into your radio. It is usually best to contact the repeater owner before using a digital mode to get permission, and also to get any codes that may need to be entered to connect. Once you have it all programed in, tune to that channel, wait to see if anyone is using the repeater. If it is free, announce your call sign and what for the repeater to give you a courtesy tone. Once that is completed, announce that you are going to begin a EchoLink connection. While holding the PTT (push to talk) button, use the keypad on your radio to enter # plus node number you want to talk to. Wait two seconds after entering the last number before releasing the PTT. You should then hear EchoLink announce that it is connected to the requested node. You can also do a radio test to see how your connection is by entering #9999.
Command | Description | Default |
Connect | Connects to a station on the Internet, based on its node number. | num |
Connect by Call | Connects to a station on the Internet, based on its callsign. | C+call+# |
Random Node | Selects an available node (of any type) at random, and tries to connect to it. | 00 |
Random Link | Selects an available link or repeater (-L or -R) at random, and tries to connect to it. | 01 |
Random Conf | Selects a conference server at random, and tries to connect to it. | 02 |
Random User | Selects an available single-user station at random, and tries to connect to it. | 03 |
Call CQ | Puts EchoLink in Call CQ mode, to try to connect to another station also calling CQ. | 27 |
RandomFavNode | Selects an available node (of any type) at random from the Favorites List, and tries to connect to it. | 001 |
RandomFavLink | Selects an available link or repeater (-L or -R) at random from the Favorites List, and tries to connect to it. | 011 |
RandomFavConf | Selects a conference server at random from the Favorites List, and tries to connect to it. | 021 |
RandomFavUser | Selects an available single-user station at random, and tries to connect to it. | 031 |
Disconnect | Disconnects the station that is currently connected. If more than one station is connected, disconnects only the most-recently-connected station. | # |
Disconnect All | Disconnects all stations. | ## |
Reconnect | Re-connects to the station that most recently disconnected. | 09 |
Status | Announces the callsign of each station currently connected. | 08 |
Link Down | Disables EchoLink (no connections can be established). | (none) |
Link Up | Enables EchoLink. | (none) |
Play Info | Plays a brief ID message. | * |
Query by Call | Looks up a station by its callsign, and reads back its node number and status. | 07+call+# |
Query by Node | Looks up a station by its node number, and reads back its callsign and status. | 06+num |
Profile Select | Switches to a different stored set of configuration settings (0 through 9). | B#+num |
Listen-Only On | Inhibits transmission from RF to the Internet. | 0511 |
Listen-Only Off | Restores normal transmission from RF to the Internet. | 0510 |
You can find more information on EchoLink DTMF commands here: https://echolink.org/help_ex/dtmf_functions.htm
Contacting KB5AVY in New Orleans via the K5DEL Repeater in Oklahoma City
Contacting VK2AOR in NSW Australia via the K5DEL Repeater in Oklahoma City
Modes (taken directly from EchoLink.org
EchoLink operates in one of two modes. The choice of modes is made during Setup, and can be changed at any time via the MyStation tab on the Settings screen.
Single-User Mode
Choose Single-User mode if you expect to use your PC to connect to other EchoLink stations over the Internet, using your PC’s microphone and speaker to communicate. This option is appropriate if you do not expect to connect radio equipment to your PC to operate a repeater or link node.
For this mode, no special interface is required to use EchoLink. If you plan to use single-user mode, enter your callsign without any special suffix.
Sysop Mode
Choose Sysop mode if you have connected (or intend to connect) a transceiver to your PC, in order to make your rig accessible to other EchoLink users connecting over the Internet. This mode generally requires a special hardware interface between your PC and your transceiver. For more information, see Interfacing.
If you plan to use Sysop mode, enter your callsign with either a -L or -R suffix. -L signifies a Simplex Link and -R signifies a Repeater. Please use -R if your link will be tuned to the frequency pair of a local repeater (or directly connected to it), even if the callsign is not the same as that of the repeater.
Simplex Link
A simplex link is typically a transceiver tuned to a quiet simplex frequency. Stations in local range can communicate with connected stations over EchoLink, but not with each other unless they are in simplex range of each other as well.
Repeater
A repeater link is typically a transceiver tuned to the frequency pair of a local repeater. This type of link acts as a bridge between the repeater and EchoLink. Any station in range of the repeater can communicate with connected stations over EchoLink, and also with any other station in the repeater’s range.
If a PC and Internet connection are available at the repeater site, it is also possible to connect EchoLink directly to the repeater equipment. One advantage of this arrangement is that it may not be necessary to rely on VOX for carrier detection. For more information, see Interfacing.