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Everyone is welcome to use GB3KD, whether near or far, fixed or mobile, computer or RF-based. Gone are the days when repeaters were just for mobiles and hand portables. Repeaters nowadays are more important as centres of activity. For some people, a 50 milliwatt handheld, or a rig in the car, is their only amateur radio operation. If fixed stations avoided using the repeater, those with handhelds would have no-one to talk with or listen to! Although GB3KD has Internet-linking facilities, that is not its sole purpose, and you are encouraged to use it just like any other repeater.
If GB3KD is "dormant", you can wake it up using either a 1750Hz tone-burst (or a reasonably accurate whistle), or a 118.8Hz CTCSS tone. It will then allow conventional talk-through with other RF users, and will go back to sleep after 15 seconds of inactivity.
If Internet linking is not required, that's all there is to it! However, by dialling the appropriate DTMF tones, you can link GB3KD to other amateur radio repeaters, simplex gateways or computer users as desired.
If you send the "*" (star) command, GB3KD will identify itself and give you some brief information, including a reminder of the main commands.
In order to talk to someone via the Internet, GB3KD must be "connected" to them (if they're a computer station), or to a gateway near them (if they're an RF station). To find out who the repeater is currently connected to, use the DTMF sequence "08". GB3KD will then speak the callsign(s), or say "Not Connected" if there is no-one connected. If the repeater is in use, it will send a Morse "C" character (dah dit dah dit) between overs if anyone is connected.
If someone is connected, they will hear your transmissions, and you will hear theirs, so you can have a QSO with them if you wish.
If GB3KD has been inactive for a while, it will periodically speak the callsigns of anyone who is connected. (It used to announce each connection and disconnection, but that facility was turned off because it was irritating. We will be happy to restore it if people feel it's useful)
You can connect to a specific station by sending the DTMF sequence "C" followed by their callsign (as detailed on the DTMF Commands page), followed by "#" (hash).
Alternatively, just key in their "node number" if you know it. If not, here's a list of UK gateways and repeaters, or you can find a more detailed but less complete list on the Echolink links site.
You may also obtain the node number for any station currently online by sending the "07+callsign+#" command sequence.
If the target station is online, the repeater will announce "Connecting to xxx", otherwise it will say "xxx not online", where "xxx" is the callsign or node number
You may wish to do the VOIP equivalent of calling CQ into the ether, to see who will come back, in which case you would use one of the "random connect" commands.
GB3KD will randomly select a non-busy node of the specified type, and will attempt to connect to it. It will announce "Connecting to <callsign>". Note that there are commands to make the selection from a "favourite stations" list.
Since it is quite awkward to key in a callsign, and quite difficult to remember lots of 5 digit node numbers, some of the more useful nodes can be connected simply by keying in a 3 digit "shortcut" code, beginning with "7" (repeaters) or "8" (simplex gateways). The shortcuts are listed in the DTMF Commands table. (Please let me know if you'd like your favourite node added to the list)
Sometimes it may take up to 30 seconds to establish a connection, so please be patient.
When the connection is made, the repeater will announce "Connected to <callsign>", and you may then have a QSO in the normal way.
If you don't hear the "Connected" announcement within 30 seconds, it has failed to connect. This could be because the target station has gone off line or busy since the last directory update, or because he is denying access.
If you wish to abort a connection in progress, dial the hash (#) key. This will reset the system, so that it is ready to try another connect.
You may connect to more than one station at once, to create a multi-way conference or "net". To do this, simply connect to additional stations without disconnecting the previous ones.
Having an internet-aided QSO via GB3KD is almost the same as having a "normal" repeater QSO, with one or two minor differences, the most obvious one being the sending of "C" or "I", instead of "K", after an "over". The "C" is sent if the previous over came via RF, and the "I" if it came via the Internet.
Due to packet losses and random delays in the Internet, the other person's speech may sometimes break up or sound a little garbled. If their over appears to end prematurely, wait for a few seconds before you transmit, because there can be up to 3 seconds of delay before their speech re-commences.
After you drop carrier, the "C" is delayed until all your speech has been sent to the Internet. Due to buffering in the other party's system, there could be *another* couple of seconds delay before they hear the end of your over. During that time, they are not able to transmit, and this has two consequences...
Firstly, it means RF users of GB3KD have ample time to "break in" on QSO's. Some people fear that "Internet" QSO's can dominate the repeater, but in fact it is the RF users who have priority.
Secondly, it means that anyone who is connected via a simplex gateway is absolutely dependent on ample gaps between overs in order to send commands to their gateway. So PLEASE leave a couple of seconds gap after the "I" before you start transmitting.
The etiquette page has more details of responsible operating practice.
After an Internet-aided QSO, either party may disconnect the link if necessary. Use the "#" (hash) command to disconnect.
If there is more than one station connected, the "#" command will disconnect the most recently connected one. Two hashes ("##") will disconnect all the stations.
Sometimes you may need to selectively disconnect a station without disconnecting others who connected AFTER him. You can do this using "#n", where n represents a number. Either the full node number or 3-digit shortcut number of the station can be used, e.g. #62872 disconnects node 62872, and #700 disconnects GB3IE repeater.
Or you may "disconnect by index", e.g. to disconnect the 2nd station, use "#2". You can find the index by using "08" - the repeater will respond with "Connected to GB3xx and G6yyy and M3zzz". The first callsign announced (GB3xx) is number 1, the second (G6yyy) is number 2 etc., so "#" alone will disconnect M3zzz whilst "#2" will disconnect G6yyy.
Strictly speaking, the person who initiates a link should be the one who terminates it. If the repeater was already linked when you came on, please leave it as you found it (unless there's a problem), because someone may have linked it for a purpose.
If a stations calls in via the Internet and disconnects before you get chance to reply, or your QSO gets disconnected, you may re-connect to that station by issuing the "09" command sequence.
If an "over" lasts more than 3 minutes without a break, GB3KD will send a series of morse "T" characters and transmission will cease. It may be re-accessed by a stronger station with a 1750Hz toneburst or a DTMF command, but until the offending "over" has finished, it will drop out again after 60 seconds.
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