Any ameteur radio operaters in here? VOIP to radio

[giqcass]

Any amateur radio operators in here?  I have only done some basic testing thus far.  I'm currently waiting on new parts but this design should send and receive over VOIP using an OBi202 ATA.  It could also be used with a scanner to remotely listen to police scanners, radio, TV.  It could be used for very unique music on hold with some tinkering.  Possibly set it to NOAA weather radio for listening only.  

EDIT: Only one phone port is set to paging mode.  Click the image below for a larger picture.

[Lavarock7]

I am a Ham and so is my neighbor. In fact, he asked me the other day if I could come up with a way he could use VOIP to access his radio at home to participate in a SW net.

I have not had time to think about it.

[Shale]

I have wondered if a pair of OBis could be used to implement a split-site repeater.

[QBZappy]

@giqcass

Why would you setup the OBi in paging mode? This would limit using the OBi like a normal phone in that way. Not knowing anything about ham radio, I suppose this recreates the amateur radio experience.

If this has been confirmed to work, a setup like this could compete with a cellular or long range wifi fixed point-to-point setup. Someone with poor cell coverage, or simply wanting to avoid the cost of cell service could benefit. Some possible uses could be for Home<->Office, Home<->far away location, etc...

Can you put some dollars figures together for a project like this.

I've often considered very long range wifi projects. Cost has always been a factor. I'm pulling up a chair to follow your developments on this project.

[giqcass]

@giqcass
Why would you setup the OBi in paging mode? This would limit using the OBi like a normal phone in that way.

Paging mode does two way voice with the off hook phone.  The radio does only one direction at a time.  With VOX the radio transmits when you talk and it listens when you aren't. Since the radio can't pick up the phone without extra hardware paging mode was the only simple/cheap solution I could think of. 

@giqcass
If this has been confirmed to work, a setup like this could compete with a cellular or long range wifi fixed point-to-point setup. Someone with poor cell coverage, or simply wanting to avoid the cost of cell service could benefit. Some possible uses could be for Home<->Office, Home<->far away location, etc...

There would be a whole host of problems using this setup like you suggest.  First of all anyone with a ham radio can hear your calls.  Anyone talking on this must have a license. No business calls allowed. 

@giqcass
Can you put some dollars figures together for a project like this.

Radio $35
Cables $20
Isolator $20 locally or $5 ebay
Mini phone $10
Obi 202 $60
$130-$145

I imagine there are less expensive ATA devices that would work. 

[giqcass]

Right now the problems I'm having are as follows. 

A Buzz or hum

• Solution Ground loop isolator

Overload of inputs

• Solution Line Converter

Battery life

• Solution new phone ( For testing I'm using my cordless because its the only phone I have with the correct jack.)
  

Click sound

• This may be fixed by the line converter/ground loop isolator.  If not it may be fixed by a small capacitor.

I can't test TX and RX at the same time until I receive the ground loop isolator due to the wiring of my radio. It would stay in RX only because the PTT button would remain active.

One of the parts I'm waiting for in the mail is a Line converter with a built in ground loop Isolator.
The other part I'm waiting for is my mini phone so I can stop using my cordless.  Those parts are in my diagram.  I simply have not been able to test them because I haven't received them

Currently I can dial in to my radio and listen by sip address or phone number.  I have called it from my cell phone, a local phone, and by extension. 

A company makes a repeater controller called a Radio-Tone duplex repeater that I believe would hook just about any radio into this system with a custom made cable.  If the radio you are using has VOX built in that piece of hardware should not be needed.

[giqcass]

@giqcass

Why would you setup the OBi in paging mode? This would limit using the OBi like a normal phone in that way. Not knowing anything about ham radio, I suppose this recreates the amateur radio experience.

I just realized you might have thought I set both phone ports to paging mode.  I was not clear on that point. Only one phone port is set to paging mode.

[giqcass]

My permanent phone for this probably won't arrive for a while but the Line Converter/Ground loop isolator allowed me to make it fully functional and it really helped the sound quality.  Buzz, hum, clicks, and clipping all went away. Now I need to set my obi so the paging phone port is password protected.  It wouldn't be good if a random person accessed it and was broadcasting on my radio.  I plan to mess around with the actual sound levels tonight when traffic is low.  The line converter makes finer tuning possible.  The VOX circuit in the radio takes a moment to activate.  I don't think there is much I can do to fix that. A little "workaround" is to just tap a key on the phone before I start talking.  I have tested it through my cell phone as well as a local extension.  No problems either way.

I would like to get rid of the initial paging beeps when I first call in.  I might be able to create a null value to replace it.  Under "tone settings" there is a value I can change.  ObiHai was nice enough to actually call it "Paging Tone" so it was easy to find.  

EDIT: Just erase everything in the "Paging Tone" field. Tone Gone.  

Fully working version using cordless phone.  Time to clean up wiring.

[sdb-]

The other thing a modern repeater controller can do for you is periodic call-sign transmission.  I think I've seen simple repeater controllers using an arduino.

Or do it all with a Raspberry Pi and then you don't even need the OBi.

[QBZappy]

@giqcass

Sorry to ask perhaps obvious, but can you explain some use cases for this setup. How can this be used as MOH?

[giqcass]

@giqcass

Sorry to ask perhaps obvious, but can you explain some use cases for this setup. How can this be used as MOH?

I haven't dug into the details of that yet but I was thinking the call would be bridged in some fashion.  I'll post something if I end up doing MOH with this.  I figure I would use it to broadcast local weather from NOAA or just plug it into a normal radio or mp3 player.  I wouldn't connect the wires for transmission.

The other thing a modern repeater controller can do for you is periodic call-sign transmission.  I think I've seen simple repeater controllers using an arduino.

Or do it all with a Raspberry Pi and then you don't even need the OBi.

For this set up the repeater does not need to transmit a call sign because only I have access.  I'm required to ID anyway so there is no point.  What can I say about Raspberry pi?  They're awesome, they can do just about anything, and someone else already did it.. I don't have one yet but I plan to get one or two of them in the future.  I think a Raspberry pi makes a wonderful addition to any ATA. 

There is a repeater controller that I could tie in to my radio for about $100. It does all of the neat stuff but I wanted to put one together myself.  I haven't actually seen anyone else do this before in quite the same way as I did it.  Most of us amateur radio operators like to tinker.  The cable I made for this project also had another reason behind it.  I was thinking about attaching my radio directly into and old Android phone.  Imagine what you could do then.

[giqcass]

@giqcass

Sorry to ask perhaps obvious, but can you explain some use cases for this setup. How can this be used as MOH?

I was looking at the setup and I think it's as easy as plugging the device into audio of your choice.  Setting one port to paging only and replacing the field MOHServiceNumber with # for the other port.  I haven't tried it yet but it should work fine that way. You might need to specify a service provider like SP4(#).  I'll have to experiment but it looks simple enough.