The Atlanta Radio Club now has two nodes for IRLP. Node 4550 is stationed on our 146.82- (PL 146.2 Hz) via a UHF link, and node 5070 works our 444.825 repeater directly. The most important site for information about IRLP is at http://www.irlp.net so please review that page carefully.
With
IRLP there are two basic modes. We can either connect to a "Reflector"
where many repeaters are connected, or we can make point-to-point connections.
The Reflectors can be crowded and can "take over" a repeater.
Point-to-point connections are simply one repeater linking to another over the
Internet. As I write this I am
leaving 146.82 unconnected, but available for point-to-point connections. If you hear someone on our repeater from out of state, you are most
likely hearing IRLP.
Dues paying members of the Atlanta Radio Club will receive the prefix dtmf codes to access the IRLP network, but when our repeaters are linked all hams are welcome to join the fun! Visitors from out of town are welcome to access the system, and should contact a w4doc control operator for access.
If the Reflector is carrying a lot of traffic, conversations
between locals may be inappropriate. If
you want to talk to a local ham then QSY to one of our other Atlanta Radio Club
repeaters. We should reserve the Reflectors for world-wide communication.
If you hear a conversation on our repeaters when they are linked into IRLP, join in on the conversation just like you would any other repeater QSO, but please allow more time between transmissions! Also pause a second when you first key up your mic before speaking. These pauses compensate for the delay inherent in IRLP when someone keys up and starts talking. It takes a moment for the local computer to send the audio out to the Internet, to the Reflector and back to the other repeaters. For this reason it is more important to pause between transmissions on the Reflectors to allow for breakers, than it is when using point-to-point connections.
To see a list of IRLP-enabled repeaters see the “Active Node Status” page at http://status.irlp.net This page is updated in real time with the status of each IRLP node! Check the status page prior to initiating a connection, because the repeater you want may be unavailable.There is even a Reflector status page at http://irlp.g4eid.co.uk/status/all_reflectors.html to see who is connected to the Reflectors at any time. You can also find a map of nodes worldwide at http://maps.irlp.net
For node 4550 we have a Linux based PC at the banktower. This PC is connected to the Internet via a broadband internet service and is running the special IRLP software.
Node 5070 works 444.825 PL 146.2 Hz directly. This node is hosted by Robin,AA4RC, who is a Linux consultant. His bandwidth promises to be very realiable. We prefer you access the Reflectors on 5070 because 444.825 doesn't carry as much traffic as 146.82.
The IRLP
system also depends on Dave Cameron, VE7LTD, who puts in countless hours making the network
run smoothly. If
you ever run into Dave on IRLP, be sure to thank him. The IRLP system is growing and changing all the time. Check the IRLP home page at http://www.irlp.net
for the latest news.
An excellent explanation of IRLP operating practices that is required reading if you plan to use IRLP can be found at http://www.irlp.net/guidelines.html
To see an article about IRLP in the area covered by the Southeastern Repeater Association, see http://www.w4doc.org/arc/seraticl.pdf The Atlanta Radio Club gets some nice press in this article. If you haven't already you should consider joining SERA as an associate member. At only $8/year it is a great bargain. You can learn more about SERA at http://www.sera.org. Good organization!
Check out http://www.w4doc.org/arc/russia.pdf Several club members went to Russia in June of 2001 and told the folks at Moscow University about IRLP and this article was the result. If you can read Russian, tell us what it says!.