Trying to find a controller is very overwhelming. There are so many different designs out there. Definitely fries the brain.
I've done plenty searching and still none the wiser.
What I'd like the controller to do is:
CW & voice ident
Intelligent ident
Secondary port for linking
DTMF controllable
Perhaps extra ports for controlling misc items
Not too expensive
Recommendations and reasons please
Rick Kowalewski
-- Perth, WA, 6530 -- OF77xw --
VK6RK
VK6ADF wrote:Have you tried WARG for details of what they use?
There are a few options on the net but your "not too expensive" requirement means probably not suitable, or don't have all the requirements..
Also have you asked Graham what he used for your local repeaters?
Hi Phil,
I'm still awaiting a reply from Graham.
To me, not too expensive would be up to $150. Sounds like a reasonable figure.
Unfortunately WARG have no info on their website. I'll be sending an email soon.
Was hoping that the guru's here might be able to help with their expertise
73
Rick
Rick Kowalewski
-- Perth, WA, 6530 -- OF77xw --
VK6RK
I am using NHRC controllers in 3 repeaters down here in the South Coast/Great Southern Region (VK6RAA & VK6RAL). I'm about to increase that number to 4.
I have also installed a couple of the NHRC-u (NHRC micro's) on 70cm WARG repeaters in Perth.
They all work as described and all the models operate in a fairly similar manner.
If you are needing a link port on your new repeater, then the NHRC-4 and upwards is what you will require. If you are building just a straight talk through repeater, the anything from the NHRC-u to the NHRC-3 will work.
I've downloaded and compiled it up on two Banana Pi with SATA disks.
In today's world, we need connectivity eg. WiFi TCP/IP and Low Power and the price,
$70 plus a SATA disk ($50 for a laptop drive) and it potentially can control several
repeaters eg. 6m, 2m and 70cm.
Now to integrate it into a Tait T830 series chassis for 2m.
We (BMARC) have two 2m T830 series, one with the 25W PA and one with only the T837 exciter.
Both have eproms for any channel 146.025 to 147.975 MHz. DIP switch selectable.
I have used several of the VK5DJ controllers found them very good, nice and simple, with a link port, but also have some NHRC controllers to go on 2 new repeaters, also good controllers, just not a fan on long voice idents, weather reports, how high the grass is growing......
JUG
Try the Arcom controller range, I've used an RC-210 which will do everything you have asked for, plus a few other things such as audio delay etc to eliminate mute "crashes" when the uplink carrier goes off.
It can do DTMF, CTCSS decode/encode and more, there's a voice synth option for voice IDs.
RC-210 has 4 ports, is PC configurable and DTMF controllable, has digital/analog I/O for site monitoring. Very smart and easy to use unit.
Using the RC 210 you could link several repeaters by say CTCSS tones, DTMF, priority etc.
VK2AVR wrote:VK5DJ controller works very well, only thing it doesn't have is voice (but do you really need it?)
Yes you do need it.. Our VK7RMD repeaters were all Morse ident, but I have changed them over to voice. The increase in traffic from Victoria and further afield as a result is certainly noticeable. It takes less time for John Blackman to say VK7RMD than it does for the controller to key the same in Morse..
I have NHRC-2, 2.1, 3.1 and 4 controllers. I use a 5DJ controller at VK7RNW. I have an Arcom RC-210 to go in eventually, and currently playing with a Raspberry Pi based Asterisk/app_rpt controller.
The 5DJ controller has a voice option, which I've started to add to the new VK7RNW repeater, however it only plays one message where the NHRC controllers play 4 or more..
VK7RVP has a Pi based node on it, and if I had IP at the repeater site, the Pi could become the controller. Its running the VKLink system. http://www.vklink.com.au/
