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What is the UK Repeater Network (UKRN)?

The UK Repeater Network is simply that - a network of repeaters from around the UK who are linked together to form a larger number of users. As local repeater activity has declined, we have to find new and innovative ways to create activity to generate interest. There are a few technical standards that participating repeaters have to follow, but since internet linking is a tried, tested and proven technology and is easily/cheaply available this is the ideal way to achieve this increase in activity.

I hear stations from around the UK on my local repeater - how is this?

Your local repeater is likely to be participating in the UKRN project, you can find a list of stations currently affiliated with the network from this link. Some repeaters are connected full-time, others are only connected during their quiet times which tend to be outside of the normal commuter "drivetime".

Which repeaters participate?

You can get a list of the affiliated repeaters at: http://www.ukrn.org.uk/index.php?s=repinfo

My local repeater is very quiet most of the time, how do I connect to the UKRN?

Firstly have a good read through this website and see that it fits your local repeater environment and won't cause disruption to existing nets, links or users. Once you're happy its something you want to do, email us and we'll discuss the options with you. Simply speaking there are two technical avenues to join the network:

  • IRLP
    IRLP is one of the founding "internet linking" technologies from the early 1990's. It is purely an RF based access system so end users cannot connect using a computer. The audio quality is maintained by use of a lightly compressed codec (ADPCM) which can replicate analogue audio properties perfectly so you can't tell the difference between a local or remote user. PTT/COS signalling is done via real connections to the repeater so there is no possibility of VOX being used. IRLP requires a basic Linux (CentOS) based PC to run on, and has a bespoke interface board - these cost around $130 at the time of writing.
    The UK Repeater Network 'lives' on reflector 9755 and can connect many dozens of repeaters in this way. In summary, IRLP is a high quality, RF dedicated method of internet linking but at a cost. Depending upon what functionality you want to bring to your repeater, this may be a good choice for both access to the UKRN and the 2000+ IRLP nodes/repeaters around the world.

  • Asterisk
    Asterisk started life as a "soft" PABX system. It allows VoIP telephone handsets to talk together, and to other PSTN providers and services. While being exceptionally good at efficient call handling/routing, it lends itself to RoIP (Radio over IP) very well too - and soon app_rpt (a repeater application for Asterisk) was developed to embrace the functionality.
    The good thing about Asterisk is that the radio interface can be based upon a simple "sound card" USB fob, using a CM108 chip. These can be picked up from eBay for a couple of pounds and with a small handful of components can be turned into a fully functional radio / repeater interface. Whats more, you can connect many of these USB interfaces to a single physical Asterisk server so you can link several repeaters together on a single site, or link two or more repeaters together over the internet but on a smaller, private network.

We have recently finished work on a gateway between Asterisk and IRLP so repeaters can connect using either technology. Given the cost is much less for Asterisk than IRLP, repeaters only wishing to participate in the UKRN and not worldwide "internet linking" will probably prefer this route. The quality can also be maintained since the codec is dynamically chosen based upon the quality of the internet connection - to the extent that it is re-negotiated on the fly if the network quality degrades during a QSO rather than suffer audio break-up.

We can provide help and advice in establishing both IRLP and Asterisk systems, we have plenty of experience of making (and breaking!) just about everything you'll encounter.

What hardware do I need to connect to the UKRN?

  • IRLP - the IRLP interface board, available from http://www.irlp.net and PayPal payment online. The inventor of IRLP (Dave Cameron, VE7LTD) supplies these himself normally delivered to the UK within a couple of weeks. You will also need a low-spec PC, around P3 500Mhz+ to run the latest CentOS distribution (for security updates etc).

  • Asterisk - The radio interface device (USB sound fob) based on the CM108 chipset, search Google or eBay for some good offers. You will need to open+modify the device to provide PTT/COS lines but these is simple and straightforward in a step-by-step modification guide.
    Beyond this, the PC will need to be a P3 500Mhz+ but more if you want to connect more than one radio interface to a single Asterisk server.

What is IRLP?

IRLP was one of the first "internet linking" VoIP systems developed by Dave Cameron, VE7LTD. For the full history and more information check: http://www.irlp.net

What is Asterisk?

Asterisk is simply a telephone softswitch. An application has been created (app_rpt) which turns it into a full-service repeater by using a cheap sound card interface. Asterisk nodes can be connected together in clusters, or single connections to services such as the UKRN. If you wish to create a local/regional group of repeaters this is by far the easiest and best way to achieve this.

I have an Echolink connection - can I connect?

Unfortunately not. There are many good quality Echolink nodes that have good audio quality, and correct signalling using RX COS (not VOX) but there are a lot of very badly setup and poor quality nodes too. The way that Echolink works you cannot control who can/cannot connect via other connected links/nodes so very quickly/easily there can be dozens of users/repeaters connected putting bad quality audio, CWIDs and idents etc onto the network. Echolink is a great system for internet linking, but unfortunately is not the technology we have chosen to build the UKRN upon.

I have a simplex node (MB7xxx) - can I connect?

Talk to us. In the majority of cases simplex nodes can connect, largely because they service areas not covered by traditional duplex repeaters. If you want to connect permanently there are some scripts you can put on your IRLP node to provide additional UKRN functionality too.

Sometimes I hear an international station talking on the network, how is this?

IRLP is an international network comprising of over 2000 nodes/repeaters. Although this system is called the "UK Repeater Network" primarily concerned with connecting repeaters around the UK, there is nothing technically to stop nodes from anywhere connecting for a QSO. In our trials, this has proven for some interesting QSO's but they are occasional and certainly this policy will be reviewed should it become a problem.

How much does it cost to join my repeater to The UKRN?

Nothing. Once you have the necessary hardware, you can connect to the UKRN as much/little as you like on a part time of full time basis. The reflector is provided by a commercial network provider so although there is a cost to running the network from a network bandwidth / server hosting perspective, this is generously taken care of.

Can I still run my local IRLP node to connect to other internet linked stations around the world?

Yes, IRLP allows you to connect to all nodes around the world. Asterisk has its own 'network' of nodes called AllStarLink (http://www.allstarlink.org) which you can join and expand if you wish. See the respective websites for more information on what you can do with each technology / network.

What happens when there are too many users on the network?

While it hasn't happened yet, usage is around 5-6hours a day (25%) so there is the potential for traffic to increase too much as more systems connect and individual repeater usage increases. There is a plan to implement 'virtual' channels within each repeater, allowing for repeater-to-repeater QSO's (for example two stations on two different repeaters) where those users could move repeater x and y to virtual channel 2, leaving the rest of the UKRN network free for the other connected repeaters.

Which repeaters are connected to the UKRN?

The current list is maintained at: http://www.ukrn.org.uk/index.php?s=repinfo

What happens when I want a local QSO?

A user just dials "73" on their DTMF mic/keypad and the repeater will disconnect, and "back off" for a period after local activity has ceased, then reconnect to the UKRN.

How can I see how the UKRN is used?

Dynamic statistics are kept here: http://stats.ukrn.org.uk