Some repeaters like Tait, Vertex, and others have simple repeater controller functionality built-in. In some cases, all it takes to enable/disable the internal controller is one logic line. In cases where I cannot afford to have a repeater fail if the computer dies or the USB radio device stops responding, I have used a simple circuit that looks for the flashy - flashy on the FOB, and if it fails, reverts the internal controls. Scott Zimmerman (and I) have developed a new USB radio interface device that has this functionality built-in. The new device will be ready for full production in a few weeks. Our interface is like most USB radio devices in that it converts the USB to audio and signaling, (it's CM119 based) but is also includes some other features not currently included on the interfaces available today. One of those features is monitoring the health of the computer and interface. If the LED stops flashing, a pin will go to the opposite logic state and allow control to revert to internal controls, or another device like a in-between repeater controller. The source of the health circuit can be slaved from the LED or GPIO1, and is capacitor coupled so it doesn't matter if the input fails to ON or OFF - it still has failed, and will revert. There are several other features that address a number of compatibility issues. One of these features allow this interface to be connected to a radio, or invert the logic to allow easy connection to a controller. The logic is programmed by solder jumpers. The audio filters have been pushed out some, but more importantly have more poles to insure none of the clocking gets to the modulator in instances where the interface device connects directly to the modulator. There is an on-board DC to DC converter so you can take advantage of higher audio output levels without needing to route a source of 12 Volts to the device. Several audio levels into and out of the device are possible without the need of additional attenuation or amplifiers. Watch for the release of this new product soon - the Repeater Builder USB-RIM. Kevin Custer - WJ8G On 4/9/2013 12:54 AM, Jim Duuuude wrote:

All opinions aside, YOU have to be comfortable with the operation of a radio system that YOU have responsibility for. If it involves the use of an external controller, then that's exactly what you should do. App_rpt/Allstar fully supports such use in several different ways, and we certainly encourage people to implement their systems in this manner if they see fit to do so.

Jim WB6NIL

------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2013 23:35:29 -0500 From: bob@w5evh.org To: bob@af6d.com CC: app_rpt-users@ohnosec.org Subject: Re: [App_rpt-users] Using an external Controller

Bob,

I still use my RC210s at all my sites. I have a lot of confidence in AllStar running a repeater but the controller is one thing I have a hard time letting go. I deal a bunch with PCs and no matter what OS you are using, they will lock up eventually because of hardware, heat, etc. I had a site that had a good PC, but every once and a while, the machine would lock up or do something and allstar would halt. Couldn't even remote in. So, I had to go to the site and reboot just to get the machine back on the air. After the third time, I reinstalled the controller. Machine was still flaky but all I lost was the link and the repeater was still on the air.

boB

On Mon, Apr 8, 2013 at 12:07 AM, Bob - AF6D <bob@af6d.com <mailto:bob@af6d.com>> wrote:

I know that there are so many features that I have yet to learn about. But there are many features available with my rc10. Is there any way that they may co-exist, even if using a repeater in between?

I have to admit, when I first started looking at AllStar, the idea o f a computer running the re peater seemed a bit risky. Several decades of keeping things running on hilltops made me leery . But now with my first node appro aching it's third (or is it fourth?) anniversary , I've realigned my stance. In that time the only ti mes that I've ha d to make a n "emergency" run to th at si te is : 1. The repeater went dead in the middle of the day. When I go t to the site, I found that someone had turned the breaker off in the electrical distribution p anel. 2. Some dummy (me) wasn't paying at tention to which re mote console session he was on when he typed "poweroff <enter>". I have had some problems though wi th one of the repeaters ( t wo seperate no des operating as a s plit site 10m repeate r), b ut that has turned out to be a hardware p roblem that I didn't catch before putting that computer into service. Now I do ha ve each bo x exec ute a c ontrolled shutdown and re boot once a week in the wee hours of Sunday morning. And while I haven't been extravagant on the computer hardware, I haven't cut things to the bone . E ach of my boxes are at least a 3. 0 Ghz P4 with a gig or two of memory. (each bought on Ebay for about $7 5) They sit th ere hour after hour, run ning the repeater, ID scri pts, weather al ert and observation scripts, on sche dule jumping between WAN -RS , Alaska Morning Net, and the Insomni ac net. R unning AR Newslin e Monday and Friday nights . And running other housekeeping scripts (rsync the custom nodename list, rs ync new versions of my scripts, and so on). Oh, and s ervicing a handful Asterisk extens i ons wi th attending IAX trunks bet ween the repeaters. On the other hand, at work I have a fa irly expensive dedicated broadcast remote control (like a repeater "controller") on our TV translator about fif ty miles away , on top of a mountain w ith a nasty access road, that drives me NUTS! WB3AWJ Robert A. Poff Loganville, PA. "Lieutenant, target the offending power boat and launch photon torpedoes"

Me too. I have one site with an RTCM and the other 3 are PC's. Granted 2 of the 3 sites with PC's are at local ham's houses and the 3rd is running an industrial pc up at the repeater site. I've actually had more problems with my RC-210 than I have with any of the node pc's. K0JSC On Tue, Apr 9, 2013 at 10:17 AM, David McGough <kb4fxc@inttek.net> wrote:

I agree that running full-blown PC's remotely isn't an issue these days--just make certain to use high-quality hardware (particularly the power supply). I've also been running systems in hard to reach spots for years with very minimal headaches (knock on wood!).

73, David KB4FXC

On Tue, 9 Apr 2013, Robert A. Poff WB3AWJ wrote:

...

I have to admit, when I first started looking at AllStar, the idea o f a computer running the re peater seemed a bit risky. Several decades of keeping things running on hilltops made me leery .

But now with my first node appro aching it's third (or is it fourth?) anniversary , I've realigned my stance.

In that time the only ti mes that I've ha d to make a n "emergency" run to th at si te is : 1. The repeater went dead in the middle of the day. When I go t to the site, I found that someone had turned the breaker off in the electrical distribution p anel. 2. Some dummy (me) wasn't paying at tention to which re mote console session he was on when he typed "poweroff <enter>".

I have had some problems though wi th one of the repeaters ( t wo seperate no des operating as a s plit site 10m repeate r), b ut that has turned out to be a hardware p roblem that I didn't catch before putting that computer into service.

Now I do ha ve each bo x exec ute a c ontrolled shutdown and re boot once a week in the wee hours of Sunday morning. And while I haven't been extravagant on the computer hardware, I haven't cut things to the bone . E ach of my boxes are at least a 3. 0 Ghz P4 with a gig or two of memory. (each bought on Ebay for about $7 5)

They sit th ere hour after hour, run ning the repeater, ID scri pts, weather al ert and observation scripts, on sche dule jumping between WAN -RS , Alaska Morning Net, and the Insomni ac net. R unning AR Newslin e Monday and Friday nights . And running other housekeeping scripts (rsync the custom nodename list, rs ync new versions of my scripts, and so on). Oh, and s ervicing a handful Asterisk extens i ons wi th attending IAX trunks bet ween the repeaters.

On the other hand, at work I have a fa irly expensive dedicated broadcast remote control (like a repeater "controller") on our TV translator about fif ty miles away , on top of a mountain w ith a nasty access road, that drives me NUTS!

WB3AWJ Robert A. Poff Loganville, PA. "Lieutenant, target the offending power boat and launch photon torpedoes"

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