Monday, May 4, 2009

WeComm Digital Audio Repeater Linking


Wisconsin Emergency Communications (WeComm) is developing a statewide repeater system / voice network to provide base coverage throughout Wisconsin. Another imitative is to implement a modern high speed digital network. Both are for state, district and local ARES/RACES, skywarn, public service, and normal amateur radio communications.

The wide area analog repeaters are interlinked using SIP analog radio adapters. The Asterisk based conferencing software is virtually limitless. It provides the flexibility to connect individual repeaters into a statewide configuration, or to disconnect them to serve smaller areas or districts meeting specific needs.

This is a private VOIP network / reflector, unlike; IRLP and EchoLink. (Although the capability to link to such networks is still possible). Using IRLP, EchoLink or some other Wide Area Network linking services doesn't allow the control and flexibility that creating ones own off-network conferencing bridge. The aforementioned systems have a limited number of reflectors available and you are bound to their rules. Once the modern high speed digital network gets in gear the VOIP audio can actually be carried over these links instead of the internet.

SIP / digital audio repeater linking allows you to route / (think digipeat) . This is a great way to connect repeaters together that have quite a distance between them (or poor radio path).

SIP radio linking is also compatible with telephone circuits, and 21st century digital radio systems such as APCO-25, and D-Star. Such high speed multi-media interconnecting backbones can support radio linking of today as well as of the future.

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