Allstar is a way to link a repeater to the Internet...or more specifically for the user to link through an analog repeater via the Internet to another analog repeater.
If you are familiar at all with Echolink...it is similar.
If you have perused my other posts, you have seen me play with DMR, D-Star, and Hotspots to connect both of those Digital radio formats to the internet.
Allstar is taking an analog radio and putting it on the internet. So in my case an analog HT connecting via RF through the Allstar node pictured below.
The question is always WHY? I can't give you all the good reasons...but my local linked repeater system is using Allstar nodes to both link remote repeaters to the system...AND as a backup in case the RF link drops, or a repeater in the link chain gets locked out.
One of the repeaters in the linked system has an Allstar node that is accessible to 'whitelisted' users. That means that even though I am out of range of the link system in my house, I can link in with an Allstar node and be on the linked repeater system.
And tonight the NWS is using the linked repeater system for getting storm spotter info from remote locations...because I am linked in, I get to hear all the NWS transmissions.
This article is about building the Allstar Node I am using.
(Pictured...large battery, Pi, RIM-Lite, Baofeng BF-888s. also powering Baofeng using modified battery replacement car adapter, note I left the mic on the HT, and plug a 3.5mm plug into the mic socket to disable it.)
I would say the first thing to do if you plan on building an Allstar Node is to get an account and Node number at https://allstarlink.org/
They usually have a good turn around, and are pretty good about responding to emails to fix problems.
I won't duplicate the already well documented info out there...I will however fill in the blanks...
I am using a Baofeng BF-888s UHF HT. This radio goes for $24 a pair on Amazon. It is a low power 16 channel preprogrammed radio...no display. You program it using the standard Baofeng programming cable.
https://hamvoip.org/ has full documentation on the radio mods and software downloads for the Pi.
Once you have the radio modded (you need audio from TX and RX, a COS input, and a connection to the HTs PTT circuit.) you need a way for the Pi to talk to it. There are two ways, home brew and commercial. I elected for commercial (but I do have the parts for homebrewing it).
I am using the RIM-Lite by Repeater Builder
$50 USB plug in board with DB-9 connector...and even includes the unpopulated male connector for attaching to the modded radio.
Finally you need a Raspberry Pi.
There is a good image available, but the hard part is understanding the software.
I will make a new post about the software part.
Note: Allstar uses DTMF tones to connect and disconnect and do other admin items...so I am using an HT with a keypad to punch in the codes...I will cover that later also.
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