[App_rpt-users] Bug fixes and feature updates to ASL asterisk

[Steve Zingman]

Along with the multitude of things we are doing to shore up the ASL 
(AllStarLink) infrastructure, we have started to apply a number of fixes 
and add some new features to the next version of asterisk used in ASL.

I am not going to try to detail every change, it's moving much too fast 
for that. If you want to follow the changes, it's time to start learning 
your way around git. We have moved any new fixes or development away 
from the SVN to a public repository in git. Everything ASL related is 
now in <https://github.com/AllStarLink> You do NOT need a git account to 
look at or even download the code from git.

I am starting to move the repository from my own github account to the 
ASL repository. There are a number of updates I need to apply to the 
Debian and DIAL scripts. I will copy the cleaned up code into the 
ASL/DIAL repository. Stay tuned.

We are using a very CONTROLLED method of development to guarantee each 
fix and feature is vetted before it makes it way into the master 
release. One of the many upsides is that you can see the changes as they 
are applied to the different branches as they make their way towards the 
master. As members of the development team start committing their work 
you will see it.

The master branch is as it was plus one hotfix that needed to be 
applied. You will not see any change there until we are ready for a 
release. The develop branch is where all the fixes and features will 
start to appear. it is at 
<https://github.com/AllStarLink/Asterisk/tree/develop>

The first of those features is something the WANRS 
<http://www.wanrepeater.net/> people have been asking for. For quite a 
while I might add. They needed the ability to tailor the receive and 
transmit audio characteristics of the chan_usbradio channel driver. This 
feature has been available for quite a while in XIPAR and they felt if 
they were going to update their existing installations, they had to have 
that and at least one other feature. Late last summer Mike N4IRR added 
the feature to a custom version of DIAL that the WAN people have been 
testing. The testing has been done both on the air and with some very 
high quality test equipment. We have the thumbs up on it, so it is now 
in the develop branch.

I'll say this again, you will not see any new feature in the version of 
asterisk used in ASL, today, tomorrow or next week. I do not have a 
feature freeze date let alone a release date. There is a TON of work to 
do. The teams are small (on purpose) and they all have day jobs. But the 
upside is you will be able to watch the progress.

I want to encourage everyone to do a few things:

1: If you see a question on the list, Answer it. The more people 
answering questions the better for all.

2: If you have a skill you think can be helpful to the overall project, 
let me know. Not everyone is a software architect, We need people who 
can write (unlike me). People that can script (bash). And let's not 
forget the people that spend quite a bit of time interfacing ASL to 
repeaters. There are a lot more tasks that can be filled. No, not 
everyone can contribute, but it's worth a shot.

3: If you have a idea, post it here. I read every message and after a 
few back and for discussions I may capture the idea and stick it in a 
log for review and discussion.

For AllStarLink Inc. A non-profit

73, Steve N4IRS

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