Jeff's Lists wrote: > I'm interested in the same question, but instead I want to make it so people > from the outside world cannot access the system through the gateway VS > leaving it open to everyone.
This may run contrary to all of our "experience" with analog systems, even linked ones, but bear with me and read some thoughts I've been having lately... see what you think... This level of "control" is a bit much for Amateur repeaters. It fosters a sense of "entitlement" for the group (whoever it is, EmComm, club members, whatever) that gets preferential treatment if done wrong, and is the wrong attitude, for D-STAR long-term, I think. Here's why... On analog systems, you're not INSTANTLY part of a much larger network that's "linked" 24/7. You still have to command the links on and off. This leads to having some "command and control" of the system, and you can disable linking during events, etc... yadda yadda. We all KNOW this world. Very well, if we've run repeaters for years. In D-STAR, the second you turn your gateway up, you're part of a worldwide network, complete with the possible "quirks" this might cause for local Nets. Trying to cram D-STAR with it's USER-routed model with all-the-time linking via Gateways into the older Net Command and Control model, is probably a mistake. I think over time we will all TRY to use the old models, but they'll fall apart, and feelings will be hurt, etc. Here's why I think that we need to think differently about this. I think we admins kinda "want" it to be like the old system, because that would make us more comfortable. But there's no harm done if someone interrupts. Just reply to them, and tell them you have an event going on. See below... > The reason for this is the repeater is our emergency communications machine > and we do not want someone from outside of the event to all of a sudden pop > into the machine and start talking. I know with Echolink we can shut it > off remotely, but with the gateway what options are there from keeping > everyone else out during an event like this other than going to it and > disconnecting the computer? For EmComm specifically -- since EmComm has formal training and the people running the Nets regularly communicate techniques and ideas with each other, either formally or informally -- the best option is really in training. Having Net Controllers (as all formal events in EmComm usually have anyway) who REALLY understand the system who can just reply and say the system is busy. It's not difficult, but the Net Controllers need training from the "pioneers" on the system in the area before they'll "get it"... that they need to know how to work MORE than just the PTT to really control a Net on a D-STAR Gateway-equipped system. And that it's not hard. A quick press of their "one-touch" button, and a nicely worded: "KX0XXX this is WY0X... My name is Nate, and I'm the Net controller for an emergency communications event that is taking place on our repeater here locally -- I wanted to make sure to quickly reply to you and let you know that our repeater is busy right now. Please help us by not routing to [insert your gateway callsign here] right now. Please, no need to reply, we need the system right now for local traffic. Thank you. 73." Or a REALLY savvy Net controller with a couple of radios: "KX0XXX this is WY0X, we're running an emergency net on [insert gateway callsign here] Port Bravo right now. I will send someone over to Port Alpha to explain if you'd like, can you route your next transmission there please? Thank you. Break, [insert another net station here] please QSY to Port Alpha and help KX0XXX. Report back on frequency when you return to Port Bravo. Thank you both. WY0X Net Control" About 5 seconds either way, problem over. And then a follow up later on either on-air (note the callsign down and call on D-STAR later) or an e-mail to their QRZ address, after the event is over. It's no different than an accidental intrusion on say, an HF Net. (Other than there's no chance the Net Controller didn't hear the newcomer.) My opinion -- if your Net controllers for events can't or won't learn to do that, they're not ready to be Net Controllers of a D-STAR Net. And you'd HAVE to shut down the Gateway completely to feel comfortable doing a local event. That's too much work (long term) on the admins unless it can be automated, and even then, it just breaks the overall model of the network. D-STAR's power is in the fact that it *is* full-time networked once you have a Gateway. (I've said that before too... D-STAR without a Gateway would be boring.) The Net Controllers and users MUST be able to use one-touch, dial in a callsign, WHATEVER IT TAKES -- and really understand D-STAR, and this goes double for the Net Controllers ... in order to be in control of their Nets. Unless you want to completely turn off the Gateway every time someone wants to do a special event (training, real emergency net, whatever) -- and saddle a few admins with that "job" (bad idea... they might not always be around during a real event)... it'd be better to make SURE the net controllers UNDERSTAND the D-STAR system. Set up some on-air classes... find someone on a remote Gateway to PURPOSELY interrupt one of your sessions. Have a handout to ALL local members of the EmComm group about how to "reply to someone from outside the area". Raise the awareness. See if the Net Controller can handle it. This all falls in the category of: "You can't fix human behavior with technology. You have to fix the human." Training EmComm and other large user bases more and more about how the system is DESIGNED to work, so they're really GOOD at it... just trickles out to the user community that much faster. I don't think you should turn off your Gateway or "baby" the groups that want to use the system. Tell 'em the "system is what it is, linked 100% full-time, and you HAVE to learn how to manage that", and get 'em to "step up" a bit. It's better for you, your local users (who will learn the system better/faster), and the EmComm folks (who then have the flexibility to route calls even during their Nets whereever they need to). Will there be mistakes? Sure. Make those during training and teach others how to recognize when they're happening. Will it be confusing as hell at first? Not if a few folks "mentor" the others through figuring the new system out. If you hide the complexity from them, you also hide the power of the system. Nate WY0X
