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Zello Channel & GMRS Linking

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amphibian

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Humor me cause I'm not as smart as you all but could you use this cable

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LMIBAZW/ref=pd_aw_cart_recs_2?pi=SS115

And connect your radio to zello app via tablet or smartphone and make a gateway??

Only if your cell, tablet, PC accepts the the single end of that cable and your cell, tablet, PC has the Zello app installed on it and you manage to get it to work correctly without issues...

We have had it hang the radio on line, so you will need a fail safe in the radio like setting the time out timer to one minute of key up time... with no automatic reset for ptt function till you figure out how to keep it from keying the radio.

I've tried it hooked up to a repeater, mobile, base control station and a handheld.... the issue existed with all four.... to the point that I took it down and am now working with my own software very similar to zello format/style....


William R Howell,
GMRS License Call Sign: WQYX489
CEO, USGMRS Repeater & Users Group Association
USGMRS Repeater & Users Group Association (usgmrsgroup.club)
FB Group Page: USGMRS Repeater & Users Group
 

btrogdon

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Linking

William, I cannot locate your email address please write me at brad@trogdon.org as interested and learning linking options currently available.

-Brad


You are almost there....


William R Howell,
GMRS License Call Sign: WQYX489
CEO, USGMRS Repeater & Users Group Association
USGMRS Repeater & Users Group Association (usgmrsgroup.club)
FB Group Page: USGMRS Repeater & Users Group
 

baltimorecs

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Did you ever try any of the Chinese ROIP gateways? They make one based on Android that doesn't need a computer. It just interfaces with a radio.
 

bharvey2

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Did you ever try any of the Chinese ROIP gateways? They make one based on Android that doesn't need a computer. It just interfaces with a radio.

Do you have any experience with them? I like the concept. I'd be interested in hearing about them from someone with first hand knowledge.
 

RFI-EMI-GUY

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I would like to find an off the shelf Zello to Radio solution that isn't some Chinese concoction or require programming a raspberry pi or other DIY project. Any ideas?

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk
 

bharvey2

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I would like to find an off the shelf Zello to Radio solution that isn't some Chinese concoction or require programming a raspberry pi or other DIY project. Any ideas?

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

I don't know what that might be as it would have to interface with Zello. I suspect that they differ a bit from Asterisk or other more common VOIP hardware/protocol.
 

nd5y

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I would like to find an off the shelf Zello to Radio solution that isn't some Chinese concoction or require programming a raspberry pi or other DIY project. Any ideas?
https://zellowork.com/lmr
https://zellowork.com/accessories/gateway

I looked into this a couple years ago. If I remember right they used to have several commercially manufactured ham radio PC/radio interfaces listed but now they only have one product listed. Maybe they changed the software so it only works with their preferred vendor's product or something. On the setup page it looks like it the device has a USB serial port to key the radio. It doesn't show the receive page so I don't know if it also uses the serial port for COS or just VOX which would suck. I can't tell if it has a built in USB audio device or uses the PC sound device.
 

baltimorecs

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Zelloworks is a monthly paid service and the hardware is still made in China. With the Chinese Zello gateways like Radiotone you purchase the gateway and have no recurring fees.
 

RFI-EMI-GUY

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I found these; Solidtronic ST-RoIP3 and Solidtronic ST-RoIP2 . Not clear what is the difference between the two models. Ideas? Also they seem to be VOX not COR operation which sucks unless there is a buffer. Anyone have any experience with these? I am liking the concept of a Zello channel for my GMRS repeater, but if it doesn't work seamlessly.....
 

baltimorecs

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There is a ROIP-1 that plugs into a PC using a USB cable and it is around $150 or so. This is the one I was thinking of getting since whenever I would need it I would also have a PC and that would take care of internet access for it as well.

As for operating mode I don't know but for me it would be mostly to monitor event communications from afar.
 

RFI-EMI-GUY

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Prohibited by 95.1749, to the extent any of it uses the Internet and carries audio.
That is not at all what 95.1749 prohibits. 95.1749 prohibits telephone (PSTN) interconnection. See also 95.1745.

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Dantian

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The issue is the Internet, not the PSTN. And the rule covers other networks, not just PSTN. Because it says "or other networks". So why bring up the PSTN?

Your reference to 95.1745 proves my point, as that rule concerns operation by remote control, which as 95.1749 states, is the "sole purpose" (only purpose) for which GMRS stations may be connected to networks. No other purpose for networking is allowed, and because IP audio over the Internet is not operation by remote control, it is not allowed.
 

RFI-EMI-GUY

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The issue is the Internet, not the PSTN. And the rule covers other networks, not just PSTN. Because it says "or other networks". So why bring up the PSTN?

Your reference to 95.1745 proves my point, as that rule concerns operation by remote control, which as 95.1749 states, is the "sole purpose" (only purpose) for which GMRS stations may be connected to networks. No other purpose for networking is allowed, and because IP audio over the Internet is not operation by remote control, it is not allowed.

Here are the relevant sections in full context.

95.345
Remote control.

Operation of Personal Radio Services stations by remote control is prohibited, unless otherwise allowed for a particular Personal Radio Service by rules in the subpart governing that specific service. See e.g., §§ 95.945 and 95.1745.

95.349 Network connection.

Operation of Personal Radio Services stations connected with the public switched network is prohibited, unless otherwise allowed for a particular Personal Radio Service by rules in the subpart governing that specific service. See e.g., §§ 95.949 and 95.2749.


95.1745 GMRS remote control.

Notwithstanding the prohibition in § 95.345, GMRS repeater, base and fixed stations may be operated by remote control.

95.1749
GMRS network connection.

Operation of a GMRS station with a telephone connection is prohibited, as in § 95.349. GMRS repeater, base and fixed stations, however, may be connected to the public switched network or other networks for the sole purpose of operation by remote control pursuant to § 95.1745


==============

So...

1) GMRS stations may be operated by remotely control.

2) GMRS stations cannot be connected to a telephone (telephone interconnect). There is a longstanding prohibition of telephone interconnection by GMRS stations. This was to specifically to protect AT&T Long distance revenue.

3) GMRS stations may be remotely controlled by the PSTN (a new clarification) or the Internet ("Other networks")

This has been discussed and argued at length. There is even an e-mail response from the FCC stating "there is no prohibition on linking repeaters via the internet".

If you pay close attention to the FCC enforcement logs you will find there are ZERO NOV's for linking GMRS repeaters. I challenge you to find any enforcement action or official notice from FCC EB citing such prohibition. They don't exist.
 
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Dantian

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1) GMRS stations may be operated by remotely control.

That is true, and has nothing to do with the issue, which is not control of GMRS stations at all. The issue is connecting stations to the Internet for audio.

2) GMRS stations cannot be connected to a telephone (telephone interconnect).

That is also true, and has nothing to do with the issue, which is not connecting to the telephone network. The issue is connecting stations to the Internet for audio.

Two straw-man arguments so far.

3) GMRS stations may be remotely controlled by the PSTN (a new clarification) or the Internet ("Other networks")

True but irrelevant, because the issue is not remote control of a station. IP audio via GMRS is not control of a station, whether remote or otherwise.

Control means causing the station to transmit or cease transmitting -- the age-old official definition of control of a station -- which is not "messages" or "communications" as the FCC calls it.

How do you turn your repeater on and off? Do you do so with a switch on it, or is the switch somewhere else? That is remote control.

Interconnection is allowed for the "sole purpose" (only purpose) of remote control -- and for no other purpose.

This has been discussed and argued at length.

And people still reach the wrong conclusion.

There is even an e-mail response from the FCC stating "there is no prohibition on linking repeaters via the internet".

The e-mail response isn't worth the electrons it was written on. Even people who like that response concede that the FCC "doesn't understand the Internet."

The person who wrote that response is clueless, a fine example of why the FCC has repeatedly said that those who rely on informal staff interpretations do so at their own risk.

And for the record, while the e-mail makes a big deal out of ISP choice, the Enforcement Bureau (which did not write that e-mail) very likely doesn't give a hoot whether your ISP is a telco or a cable company.

If you pay close attention to the FCC enforcement logs you will find there are ZERO NOV's for linking GMRS repeaters. I challenge you to find any enforcement action or official notice from FCC EB citing such prohibition. They don't exist.

Another straw-man argument. There are probably thousands of rules that have had no enforcement against them. And GMRS is low in enforcement priority. I never asserted that the FCC is coming after Internet linked repeaters.

I simply point out that the rule does not say what some GMRS operators want to believe it says. Should there ever be enforcement on it, operators will have to cover themselves with that silly e-mail and hope it works.
 

RFI-EMI-GUY

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That is true, and has nothing to do with the issue, which is not control of GMRS stations at all. The issue is connecting stations to the Internet for audio.



That is also true, and has nothing to do with the issue, which is not connecting to the telephone network. The issue is connecting stations to the Internet for audio.

Two straw-man arguments so far.



True but irrelevant, because the issue is not remote control of a station. IP audio via GMRS is not control of a station, whether remote or otherwise.

Control means causing the station to transmit or cease transmitting -- the age-old official definition of control of a station -- which is not "messages" or "communications" as the FCC calls it.

How do you turn your repeater on and off? Do you do so with a switch on it, or is the switch somewhere else? That is remote control.

Interconnection is allowed for the "sole purpose" (only purpose) of remote control -- and for no other purpose.



And people still reach the wrong conclusion.



The e-mail response isn't worth the electrons it was written on. Even people who like that response concede that the FCC "doesn't understand the Internet."

The person who wrote that response is clueless, a fine example of why the FCC has repeatedly said that those who rely on informal staff interpretations do so at their own risk.

And for the record, while the e-mail makes a big deal out of ISP choice, the Enforcement Bureau (which did not write that e-mail) very likely doesn't give a hoot whether your ISP is a telco or a cable company.



Another straw-man argument. There are probably thousands of rules that have had no enforcement against them. And GMRS is low in enforcement priority. I never asserted that the FCC is coming after Internet linked repeaters.

I simply point out that the rule does not say what some GMRS operators want to believe it says. Should there ever be enforcement on it, operators will have to cover themselves with that silly e-mail and hope it works.
What part of the Rule statement "Operation by remote control" excludes or prohibits audio by the internet? Operation of a station includes PTT and audio.

Your argument is incorrect and ignores the fact that the rules do not prohibit Operation by remote control, an FCC representative has already stated by email that there is no prohibition to linking GMRS stations via Internet and the FCC enforcement bureau has issued no violations to any GMRS licensee for linking stations.

You are free to interpret the rules however you wish, no one is forcing you to link your station.

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Dantian

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Operation of a station includes PTT and audio

No, it does not, that is simply made up. Operation is manipulating the controls of the station to ensure compliance with the rules. Communicating messages is a different function as seen in 95.171. If they were the same thing there would be no reason to have two different operator duties in that rule; and there would be no reason to say interconnection is limited to remote control and no other purpose -- because what other purpose would there be?
 
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