[Allstar Digital] DMRlink, HBlink AllStarLink etc.

[Steve Zingman]

  I should have done this the first day of Hamvention 2017, but busy 
does not describe the last couple of weeks. Mike N4IRR and I have been 
working on updating and expanding the bridging ability of ASL, DMRlink 
and HBlink.
The new applications are referred to as Partners. Partners by themselves 
don't do much. When 2 or more partners communicate, the partnership 
forms a bridge between different systems.

  DMRlink is the Open Source IPSC Master / Peer "stack" written in 
python by Cort Buffington, N0MJS. Applications are built on top of this 
stack. An example application built on top of the stack is the parrot. 
DMRlink provides the communications to and from IPSC. This can be a 
Motorola repeater or a Network device like c-Bridge or BrandMeister. We 
have added to the available applications, IPSC_bridge. This partner 
application communicates with DMRlink and provides a bridge to other 
systems.

  HBlink is the Open Source HB Master / Peer "stack" written in python 
by Cort Buffington, N0MJS. Applications are built on top of this stack. 
An example application built on top of the stack is the parrot. HBlink 
provides the communications to and from HB Repeater Protocol. This can 
be a MMDVM repeater, DVMega HotSpot, OpenSpot or a Network device like 
DMR+ or BrandMeister. We have added to the available applications, 
HB_bridge. This partner application communicates with HBlink and 
provides a bridge to other systems.

  The third partner is not quite new. New capabilities have been added 
and old capabilities enhanced. That partner is called Analog_bridge.  It 
was formerly called DMRGateway. Analog_bridge accepts a stream of analog 
audio, uses a Vocoder from NW Digital to convert to AMBE and 
communicates it to a partner. That analog audio can come from ASL or a 
application running on a desktop computer. A deficiency in the method of 
signaling PTT assert / de-assert has been fixed. The name Analog_bridge 
better describes it's function. Some of you may have noticed Jonathan 
G4KLX just announced his gateway DMRGateway. Thank goodness there will 
not be any confusion in the names.

  Any Partner can communicate with any other Partner to form a bridge. 
Consider you want to bridge ASL to IPSC. (What ambe_audio and DMRGateway 
used to do) ASL <---> Analog_bridge <---> IPSC_bridge <---> IPSC 
Network. This works quite well with a simple Motorola Master / Peer 
configuration or a c-Bridge. With BrandMeister, there are limitations 
imposed. You need a BM administrator to configure the BM side of the 
connection. Any changes to TS or TG has to be coordinated with BM. Now 
consider another way to accomplish the same ASL to BM connection. ASL 
<---> Analog_bridge <---> HB_bridge <---> HBR Network.  The HB_bridge 
connection is treated the same way a MMDVM is treated by BM. You as the 
sysop define what TS/TG is used. You can build it your way.

  I have spoken with Cort, The methods used to allow Partners to 
communicate will be expanded to include communications with other 
protocols and services. Cort is busy working on support for remote 
logging and display. Please be aware, this software is BETA. It's early 
in the cycle. There will be bugs and features need to be added. HBlink, 
DMRlink and other yet to be announced programs and tools. 
(D-Star_bridge?) Please understand we can not support every possible 
protocol, there are only so many hours in the day and some protocols 
would have to be reverse engineered. Oh, and some of even have lives. 
These are tools that allow you to enhance the systems you operate. They 
are NOT networks. Build it your way. After all, this is HAM radio.

  Analog_bridge, HB_bridge and IPSC_bridge will be posted to the 
repositories in a couple of days. I have uploaded some simple block 
diagrams to <http://dvswitch.org/files/DVSwitch/> I know some of this 
information is outside of the ASL Digital area. We will form a new more 
general list to discuss digital bridging in general. (YAML, Yet another 
mail list)

-- 
"What are HB_bridge, IPSC_bridge and Analog_bridge?"