[Patrick, KD7WPQ]

There was a post on the block some years ago about AllStar being supported in the future. Any update on that or is it not going to happen?

[Aaron, N3MBH]

Not ruled out yet, just tackling other features. Also I do not have direct experience with AllStar…yet. I’ve also hear that there are theoretical ways to make AllStar which uses Asterisks at it’s core and make it play with SVXLink. The ideal thing would be to package it as a SVXLink modules…much like EchoLink is a module.

If that can be done, We are current working on the new module framework for the next release of ORP that should facilitate adding off additional modules.

If you have experience with AllStar and/or SVXLink in any way, let me know and you might be able to offer some helpful direction. If so, we can discuss further. Thanks.

73,
Aaron – N3MBH / WRFV871

OpenRepeater is offered free of charge. Find out how you can support us.

[Patrick, KD7WPQ]

I do have a allstar node working right now but I don’t have any experience as a programmer or at scripting.
I’m currently running HAMVOIP and I like much of what they’ve done though you really have to dig into the config files and make changes in the config. I however don’t like the arrogance of the HAMVOIP team. It’s EXTREMELY difficult to get any assistance and I’ll just leave it at that.

Anyhow, I’ve been keeping my eye on OpenRepeater for a while, I like where you guys are going and your approach.
The fact that you have a FORUM is a HUGE plus! Makes it so much easier to dig around and find information and get community support.

I believe if you get a AllStar module added in you’ll start seeing a lot more interest and likely a lot more community pitching in. Some of the HAM community is just realizing that AllStar is out there and are starting to setup nodes.

If it were me I’d be tempted to get a hold of AllStar (https://allstarlink.org/) and let them know you are interested in making a module for your OpenRepeater project and see if you can get a endorsement and work with them to make it happen. They likely will respond positively as I doubt you’d be stepping on any toes as your project is not focused on AllStar but instead focus on being a repeater with optional modules.

[Aaron, N3MBH]

Thanks for the reply. From what I’ve researched AllStar certainly has some appeal and it’s own following. I’ve heard that it has better audio quality than EchoLink, but then again I don’t find EchoLink bad. EchoLink also offers iPhone/Android apps which adds some versatility to the network.

Asterisk is not directly tied to ham radio. It is a voip program that is designed as a software phone PBX. AllStar utilizes it using a third party plugin called “apt-rpt”. Last I check the development on that was stagnant or the developer had passed away. Then the group you mention has news on their site from this year talking about a number of server issues and those that manage it.

I’ve thought I’ve run across some licensing restrictions in the pass, but that was a few years ago. That said, with those potential hurdles to get around and the uncertain of the network, it creates a sort of put-off feeling to actively pursuing development and testing for incorporation into ORP.

We’ve never ruled it out, just waiting to see how things shake out while we focus on other areas of development that a more certain. I don’t know if something else is out there besides apt-rpt or not. That’s why I would need someone to come on board that has expertise in AllStar and hopefully SVXLink as well that can help with the development or even coaching to get on the network and make the most of it.

It has certainly been on the back burner list just as I’ve been watching MMDVM projects as well for possible incorporation in the future to handle digital voice modes. But that is a ways off too.

One of the prime focuses of ORP is building a solid community based service that will hopefully be around for the long haul.

73,
Aaron – N3MBH / WRFV871

OpenRepeater is offered free of charge. Find out how you can support us.

[Patrick, KD7WPQ]

and I can see that potential and it shows that this group has a long term goal in mind.

I really wish I knew more about this stuff and was able to help.

I could ask around, see if someone would be willing to help create a module of AllStar. I’m not sure how all that would play out with the need for SVXLink and Asterisks. My thought was, while HAMVOIP and AllStar may be having it’s own set of problems, why not see if it would be possible to team up with AllStar to create a compatible module. That would allow for them to spend more time on the back end while others such as ORP help everyone else get connected. This would in a sense remove the load for them to need to create and/or modify the software.

AllStar’s uncertainty also means they are at a tipping point where it’s either going to take off (which it does look like) or it will fail. That also means that getting in now (if it does take off) would be a great idea! Get in while on the ground floor and ride the wave on up.

It was a thought anyhow. And I don’t really know if they’d be interested or not. I know HAMVOIP and the AllStar team haven’t played nice together and if I recall correctly HAMVOIP branched from AllStar.

I can post around and see if anyone is interested, maybe ask around. As I said before, I think dipping your toes into AllStar and maybe even IRLP would get you quite a bit of attention, attention means more people, more people means there’s a chance you might even be able to find more people that can help.

Thus far the only thing I’d like to do is build some RF backbones with my node and not be 100% dependent on internet that can fail without notice. I’d like to not use HAMVOIP but there aren’t many options for AllStar besides AllStar and HAMVOIP.

[John, EI5INB]

Hi,

Any update on this?

John
EI5INB

[Author]

Posts