System Setup

System Setup allows you to set basic features of EchoStation.  Choose one of the tabs along the top to view the General, Receiver, Transmitter,  Repeater, DTMF, or Signals options.  Each of these tabs is described in detail below.

General Tab

The General Tab configures the system mode, callsign, and ID options.

 

Mode:  Choose the appropriate mode for EchoStation.  The following modes are available:

  • Repeater
  • Simplex Repeater
  • Simplex Autopatch
  • Announcement Machine

For a brief description of each mode, see Modes.  For additional repeater options, see Repeater Setup .

Callsign:  Set the machine's callsign exactly as you would like it to be transmitted in the CW ID.  For example, a repeater might be identified as "DE K1RFD/R".

If you are using a registered copy of EchoStation, the basic callsign you enter must match the registered callsign.  For more information, see Licensing .

ID Interval:  Set the time, in minutes, in between each CW ID.  To comply with FCC rules, this should be no more than 10 minutes.

Voice ID:  Check this box to enable Voice ID.  If enabled, a voice ID will be used at certain times to supplement the CW ID.  The voice ID will be played at the end of announcements, and in duplex repeater mode when the receiver is inactive and the system "wakes up" the transmitter to identify.

File:  Enter the full path and filename of a WAV or MP3 file, or choose the Browse button to locate one.

Create New:  Choose this button to record a new WAV file for the voice ID.  You will be prompted for a file name, and then your system's Sound Recorder application will be started.  You may then record a brief ID announcement, and choose Exit from Sound Recorder to save the new file.

Receiver Tab

The Receiver tab configures the connection between your receiver (or transceiver) and your PC.

Receiver Control:  From the drop-down list, select the COM port to which the receiver's channel-busy signal is connected, or choose VOX if you wish EchoStation to be triggered by receiver audio instead.  For more information about the optional channel-busy connection, see Connecting a Transceiver .

VOX Delay:  If you are using VOX control for the receiver, this slider sets the VOX delay.  This is the time between loss of audio signal and drop of carrier detect.  Note that this is not the same as the repeater "hang" time.  The range of values is 0 (to the far left) and 2 seconds (to the far right).   Normally, this should be set to a very short delay.  If the VOX level is properly adjusted, this can usually be set to 0.

VOX Level:  If you are using VOX control for the receiver, this slider sets the peak audio level at which EchoStation's VOX is triggered.  Move the slider to the left to decrease the level, or move it to the right to increase it.  To set the VOX level, be sure the receiver is squelched, move the slider all the way to the left, then move the slider slowly to the right until the green "Busy" light in the System Status box goes out.  Or, use the Auto Set button, described below.

Auto Set:  Click this button to set the VOX level automatically while the receiver is squelched.  EchoStation will monitor the receiver's audio level for 5 seconds and set the VOX level slightly higher than the peak level received.

Notes:

  • The VOX level may need to be re-set after any adjustments are made to the receiver's audio level.
  • Changes to the VOX sliders take effect immediately, to make adjustments easier.

Control Pin:  If you are not using VOX to monitor the receiver, select the COM port's RS-232 pin to which the receiver's channel-busy (or "carrier detect") circuit is connected.   This must match the design of your interface device.   For more information about the channel-busy connection, see Connecting a Transceiver.

Transmitter Tab

The Transmitter tab configures the connection between your PC and your transmitter (or transceiver).

Transmitter Control:  From the drop-down list, select the COM port to which the receiver's push-to-talk (PTT) line is connected.  If the transmitter supports VOX (and you wish to use it), or you wish to control the transmitter manually, choose VOX.  For more information about the PTT connection, see Connecting a Transceiver.

Control Pins:  If using PTT to control the transmitter, select the COM port's RS-232 pin to which the PTT circuit is connected.  EchoStation will raise (assert) the specified pin(s) to transmit, and drop (lower) the pin(s) to stop transmitting.  This must match the design of your interface device.   Many PTT interfaces, such as the RIGBlaster, will respond to either RTS or DTR, so the setting of this control may not matter.  For more information about the PTT connection, see Connecting a Transceiver.

Enable Heartbeat: Check this box to enable EchoStation's fail-safe feature.  For more information, see Fail-Safe Feature.

Repeater Tab

The Repeater tab configures EchoStation's repeater functions.  These settings apply only if Repeater Mode is selected on the General tab.

Max transmission time:  Sets the maximum allowable time for a received signal.  This configures a timer begins running each time a received signal begins.  For a duplex repeater, a common setting is 180 seconds (3 minutes).  For a simplex repeater, a much lower setting is suggested, such as 20 seconds.  (Long transmissions through a simplex repeater result in long periods of silence.)  Setting this value to 0 disables the time-out feature.

If the timer expires, the receiver is temporarily disabled.   If the system is running in duplex-repeater mode, EchoStation will send the CW message "TIMEO" when the receiver times out.  When the received signal ends, the receiver is re-enabled.

Tail timer: Sets the "hang time" for the repeater.  This setting applies differently for Duplex and Simplex modes:

In Duplex mode, this controls how long EchoStation waits after the end of a received signal before turning off the transmitter.  Typical settings are 5 to 10 seconds.

In Simplex mode, this controls how long EchoStation waits after the end of a received signal before turning on the transmitter.  Typical settings are 0 or 1 second.

Courtesy Tone: Enables or disables the "courtesy tone" in duplex mode.  The courtesy tone is a short "beep" to signal that one station has finished and another can begin transmitting.  It encourages stations using a repeater to pause between transmissions to allow others to break in. 

The delay, pitch, and duration of the tone can be set.  If a Courtesy Tone signal has been assigned (see the Signals tab), the signal will be played instead of a tone.

DTMF Tab

The DTMF tab sets up DTMF (TouchTone) command sequences for various functions.  The left-hand column shows the name of the function, and the right-hand column shows the sequence of DTMF digits which, when received by EchoStation through the receiver, will activate it.

Functions are listed in alphabetical order.  To change a DTMF sequence for a particular function, click twice in the right-hand column until a flashing cursor appears, then type in the new sequence.  The only characters allowed are the digits 0-9, letters A-D, and the * and # characters.  Do not use spaces or other punctuation.

Each event (such as a voice announcement) is also listed.  For example, an event called "Bulletin" would be listed as "Event: Bulletin".  If a sequence is assigned to an event, the event will be triggered immediately when the sequence is received, regardless of its schedule.

Avoid assigning the same sequence to different functions, since the results will be unpredictable.  An exception is the PatchOpen and PatchRevAnswer functions, which can have the same sequence.

For a list of functions and their descriptions, see DTMF Functions .

Advanced: Allows configuration of EchoStation's DTMF decoder parameters, including frequency tolerance, twist, and signal-to-noise ratio.  Adjust these parameters only if DTMF performance needs to be improved, for example, if digits are frequently missed or excessive falsing is occuring.

Signals Tab

The Signals tab sets up WAV files to associate with certain events.  These sounds are known as signals .  This tab is similar to the Sounds control panel in Windows, except that it applies only to EchoStation.

To view or change the signal associated with an event, click on the event in the list at the top.  The short name of the associated WAV file will appear in the drop-down list at the bottom (or "(none)" if no file is associated).  To change the file, select a different item from the drop-down list, or choose Browse to select another WAV file not listed.

To preview the selected WAV file, click on the > button.  After a moment, the sound will be heard.

For a list of signals and their descriptions, see Signals .