Is there anyone that can point me in the right direction on how to properly set up a calls node? I’ve tried to search online but found very little info
TACN Calls Node
- Thread starter Bhicks97
- Start date
There is an alarming lack of cohesive documentation on this topic!
The first step in the Calls Ingest Application Process assumes the node is already set up: "Confirm that you have an installed and configured supported calls ingest application ready and receiving calls."
The list of "Supported Calls Ingest Applications" appears on the same page, and they are almost exclusively SDR-oriented. When combined with the earlier Feed prerequisites, the definition of a Calls Node is implied.
The first step in the Calls Ingest Application Process assumes the node is already set up: "Confirm that you have an installed and configured supported calls ingest application ready and receiving calls."
The list of "Supported Calls Ingest Applications" appears on the same page, and they are almost exclusively SDR-oriented. When combined with the earlier Feed prerequisites, the definition of a Calls Node is implied.
- Radio system of interest identified as target
- Dedicated host computer, broadband internet, electrical power, configured for 24x7 operation
- One or more SDRs, sufficient to cover the target system, with any needed device drivers installed on host OS
- Supported calls ingest application (trunk-recorder, SDRTrunk, RTLSDR-Airband, etc) installed and configured for target system
- Approved Calls application with corresponding System ID and API Key
Is there a talkgroup limitation per sdr? I would like to add 10 or so talkgroups and a couple of conventional channels as well. I’m willing to buy multiple sdrs if need be
jtwalker
Member
No TG limit with SDR, but RR terms/conditions limit which TGs are made publicly available.
Sounds like you'll need at least two SDRs: one for the trunking system, and one for conventional channels.
For the trunking system, put the site frequencies from the RR database into an online calculator to determine the number of SDRs required. Each site will require a separate Calls application and associated System ID/API Key. Also, when purchasing SDRs, it's always nice to have one or two (or more) spares!
There are several online calculators, but I tend to check this one first: iCAD TR Config Generator
First, what tower or towers are you planning on setting up in SDRT? That will determine how many sdr's are needed for SDRT, the number of alias doesn't matter.
What conventional channels are you planning on using by frequency. That will determine how many sdrs you need for conventional.
When setting up Alias List for a trunked system, you import the entire alias list, and only turn on Listen for the tgids you want to hear. If you don't import the entire list, then you will have just the tgid number showing up and audio along with it, for any tgid not in the list.
Posting which towers and the conventional frequencies would help to determine how many sdr's are needed by someone here on RR, and maybe help setup your playlist.
After setting up SDRT, then you submit a request for a Calls feed, listing the System and TGIDs you want to feed.
www.broadcastify.com
Follow the instructions here:
github.com
Also suggest you use the latest Nightly release as the Final release is very out of date.
github.com
What conventional channels are you planning on using by frequency. That will determine how many sdrs you need for conventional.
When setting up Alias List for a trunked system, you import the entire alias list, and only turn on Listen for the tgids you want to hear. If you don't import the entire list, then you will have just the tgid number showing up and audio along with it, for any tgid not in the list.
Posting which towers and the conventional frequencies would help to determine how many sdr's are needed by someone here on RR, and maybe help setup your playlist.
After setting up SDRT, then you submit a request for a Calls feed, listing the System and TGIDs you want to feed.
Broadcast a Feed to Broadcastify
Information about Broadcasting a Feed to Broadcastify
www.broadcastify.com
Follow the instructions here:
Playlist Editor
A cross-platform java application for decoding, monitoring, recording and streaming trunked mobile and related radio protocols using Software Defined Radios (SDR). Website: - DSheirer/sdrtrunk
github.com
Also suggest you use the latest Nightly release as the Final release is very out of date.
Releases · DSheirer/sdrtrunk
A cross-platform java application for decoding, monitoring, recording and streaming trunked mobile and related radio protocols using Software Defined Radios (SDR). Website: - DSheirer/sdrtrunk
github.com
Last edited:
I’ve got 4 sites that I pick up near me
Site 75 Arnold AFB
Site 77 Lynchburg
Site 33 Hippie Town Farm
Site 70 Winchester 800
But I usually only get consistent traffic on Arnold AFB and Hippie Town farm so those are the main two that I would focus on
I would also like to add 5-6 Conventional Frequencies For Franklin County Public Saftey, they are a mix of vhf and uhf frequencies
Site 75 Arnold AFB
Site 77 Lynchburg
Site 33 Hippie Town Farm
Site 70 Winchester 800
But I usually only get consistent traffic on Arnold AFB and Hippie Town farm so those are the main two that I would focus on
I would also like to add 5-6 Conventional Frequencies For Franklin County Public Saftey, they are a mix of vhf and uhf frequencies
Arnold and Hippie Town would take two dongles. Add Lynchburg and Winchester800 would be 3 dongles total needed.
Conventional would depend on the span of the frequencies you intend to listen to, without a list no way to determine how many dongles for it. But at least one for vhf and one for uhf.
Conventional would depend on the span of the frequencies you intend to listen to, without a list no way to determine how many dongles for it. But at least one for vhf and one for uhf.
First, to figure out exactly how many dongles you'll need to monitor TACN sites, use one of these tools:
iCAD TR Config Generator
https://alertapi.alertpage.net/sdr/
sdrtrunk Center Frequency Planner
Enter all of the frequencies from the site(s) you want to monitor, set the bandwidth (usually 2.4) and calculate. For most TACN sites, two dongles minimum are needed. Assuming 01-75 Arnold AFB and 02-33 Hippie Town Farm (which appears to be missing 2 freqs from the FCC license), (by these calculations) you're going to need 3 SDRs to properly cover both of those sites. The good news is, assuming the other sites you can occasionally pickup are 700 MHz, you can likely also monitor them with the same 3 SDRs. But if you want to monitor Winchester 800, you would need 1 additional SDR.
Once you have your SDRs, be sure to set their serial numbers to different values using the RTL_EEPROM tool. Caution: this tool can mess up your SDR, be sure to find a guide online and carefully follow it.
Download SDRTrunk (I also recommend the nightly version, as the mainline 0.6.1 version hasn't been updated in quite a while). You can download site (channel) information directly from RRDB inside of SDRT. Get SDRT going so that you can hear the 'fire hose' from one (or each) TACN site. Once you have SDRT running, then apply for a BCFY Calls Ingest Node API Key. Be sure to list the system (TACN), Site (number and name), and the county from which you're monitoring. The approval usually takes less than a day. When you get yor approval and API key, add a streaming destination to the Calls server ( SDRT has a setup info page for BCFY Calls: Playlist Editor ).
As others have mentioned, BCFY would like you to send them the fire hose - everything! Their site then figures out what is allowed by the TOS and limits broadcasting to those TGs. As a calls feeder, you can listen to all of your calls feed for monitoring/testing purposes.
---
Serving a conventional ingest is much the same, without the trunking channel setup. You'll need a separate SDR for each band (VHF/UHF/700/800) and any conv channels would need to be within 2.4 MHz of each other to share a single SDR.
---
SDRs: most of the cheaper stick SDRs are limited to 2.4 MHz of bandwidth, meaning if the lowest freq it is locked on is 769.000 then the highest freq it can simultaneously lock onto is 771.400. There are SDRs that can do higher bandwidths (6 and even 10 MHz), like the AIRSPY. Their cost is commiserate with their functionality, and you'll also need a computer with the ability to manage a SDR with additional processing needs. YMMV, but for the cost of one AIRSPY (10 MHz) you can usually get 3 or 4 stick type SDRs.
---
Several others above have also posted links to specific setup tutorials, all of which are excellent information sources. As someone else mentioned, there are just too many variables out there (computers, antennas, amplifiers, multicouplers, SDRs, etc.) for a single documented setup page to adequately account for every possibility. You can make your setup as simple or complex as you (and your wallet) can stand.
iCAD TR Config Generator
https://alertapi.alertpage.net/sdr/
sdrtrunk Center Frequency Planner
Enter all of the frequencies from the site(s) you want to monitor, set the bandwidth (usually 2.4) and calculate. For most TACN sites, two dongles minimum are needed. Assuming 01-75 Arnold AFB and 02-33 Hippie Town Farm (which appears to be missing 2 freqs from the FCC license), (by these calculations) you're going to need 3 SDRs to properly cover both of those sites. The good news is, assuming the other sites you can occasionally pickup are 700 MHz, you can likely also monitor them with the same 3 SDRs. But if you want to monitor Winchester 800, you would need 1 additional SDR.
Once you have your SDRs, be sure to set their serial numbers to different values using the RTL_EEPROM tool. Caution: this tool can mess up your SDR, be sure to find a guide online and carefully follow it.
Download SDRTrunk (I also recommend the nightly version, as the mainline 0.6.1 version hasn't been updated in quite a while). You can download site (channel) information directly from RRDB inside of SDRT. Get SDRT going so that you can hear the 'fire hose' from one (or each) TACN site. Once you have SDRT running, then apply for a BCFY Calls Ingest Node API Key. Be sure to list the system (TACN), Site (number and name), and the county from which you're monitoring. The approval usually takes less than a day. When you get yor approval and API key, add a streaming destination to the Calls server ( SDRT has a setup info page for BCFY Calls: Playlist Editor ).
As others have mentioned, BCFY would like you to send them the fire hose - everything! Their site then figures out what is allowed by the TOS and limits broadcasting to those TGs. As a calls feeder, you can listen to all of your calls feed for monitoring/testing purposes.
---
Serving a conventional ingest is much the same, without the trunking channel setup. You'll need a separate SDR for each band (VHF/UHF/700/800) and any conv channels would need to be within 2.4 MHz of each other to share a single SDR.
---
SDRs: most of the cheaper stick SDRs are limited to 2.4 MHz of bandwidth, meaning if the lowest freq it is locked on is 769.000 then the highest freq it can simultaneously lock onto is 771.400. There are SDRs that can do higher bandwidths (6 and even 10 MHz), like the AIRSPY. Their cost is commiserate with their functionality, and you'll also need a computer with the ability to manage a SDR with additional processing needs. YMMV, but for the cost of one AIRSPY (10 MHz) you can usually get 3 or 4 stick type SDRs.
---
Several others above have also posted links to specific setup tutorials, all of which are excellent information sources. As someone else mentioned, there are just too many variables out there (computers, antennas, amplifiers, multicouplers, SDRs, etc.) for a single documented setup page to adequately account for every possibility. You can make your setup as simple or complex as you (and your wallet) can stand.
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