Bill, I am another third of that network trio from this past weekend. I think it has worked flawlessly for the past 5 days but for an AT&T ISP issue.
The repeaters are essentially plug-N-play. Each repeater is capable of being the server (called Master) and the other 14 repeaters (15 max per network) are known as Peers. Only the Master repeater needs a static IP address and the Master can be anywhere in the network of repeaters. This is nice as good hilltops tend to have pricey Internet rates for the cheapest level of service. The Master must have have 32k of bandwidth for each repeater on the system, 10 repeaters would require 320k of uplink bandwidth so 512k uplink speed would be adequate. Not demanding at all. Early returns are very good. It's very nice not to have a computer to support Echolink or IRLP, simply plug ethernet into the back of the repeater, no additional hardware is required. Obvious downside is that only the digital mode of the repeater supports IP Site Connections. Analog is available but not both modes at the same time. But the minimum version of 1.04 supports both the IPSC and channel steering which allow remote switching between modes. This allows conventional operation with current ham and commercial gear and the MotoTRBO modes on the digital side. My repeater will be located in a very rural area of Washington state, where VHF is king, some UHF and almost no use of 800 and 900. I will be a digital system of one likely for many years. So my system will be called into analog mode on demand by my current users. I plan to use an analog radio listening on the input for the correct PL with a bit of logic for timing and priorities that will put it back in digital mode after a short period of inactivity. I feel that MotoTRBO will take off as more hams get the boxes up and running. The users will need radios and of course, that will slow implementation. But it works and works well with a minimum of set-up and ancilliary costs (beyond the radios of course). We are learning more each day as we play with the mirad of features. Digital is so very different and it's a blast too. For almost 40 years I've chased the Motorola product line...about 10-30 years behind as the old stuff was surplused out. For once, it's nice to be played with a current product line. It's well worth checking out if you are seriously looking for dependable Internet linking of repeaters and all the cool data stuff that comes with the TRBO package. -- Mike, WB6WUI, Costa Mesa, CA and Winthrop, WA --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, "William Becks" <wbe...@...> wrote: > > Randy, > > I am not familiar Mototrbo but would like to know if the repeater is > designed for and comes with the necessary hardware and software for linking > via IP networks? If not what type of gateway devices were used in your > project? > > Thank you, > > Bill, WA8WG
