EchoLink Guide: Talking to Repeaters Worldwide Over the Internet

EchoLink is one of the most widely used ways of connecting amateur radio stations to each other over the Internet. With it, a handheld radio on a local repeater can talk to a station on the other side of the world, and a licensed amateur with nothing but a phone or a computer can join a conversation on a distant repeater. It does not use any special mode on the air. The radio side is ordinary FM voice, and the Internet carries the audio between the two ends.

That simple idea has made EchoLink popular for nets, emergency exercises, club meetings and everyday chatting with friends in other countries. This guide explains what EchoLink is, how validation works, the difference between user mode and sysop mode, how to connect from a handheld using DTMF, how it compares with IRLP and AllStarLink, and the etiquette that keeps linked repeaters pleasant to use.

What EchoLink Is

EchoLink is a computer-based system, distributed free of charge, that allows licensed amateurs to communicate using voice over IP for at least part of the path. As the overview of EchoLink explains, it was designed by Jonathan Taylor, K1RFD, and it works like other voice-over-IP applications with one important addition: it can link to an amateur radio transceiver. The EchoLink website says that the software runs on Microsoft Windows, with editions for Android, iOS and web browsers, and that all editions are free of charge.

The system has grown into a large network. The EchoLink site currently reports more than 350,000 validated users in 159 countries, with about 6,000 online at any given time. Those figures change, but they show how much traffic the network carries.

One point that surprises newcomers: EchoLink is not a digital mode. The EchoLink FAQ is explicit that it is an extension of conventional voice modes, particularly FM. The audio travels digitally over the Internet, but no digital signals are transmitted over the air. It is also not an Internet chat room. It is designed as a set of VoIP gateways for repeaters and simplex stations, and the rules of amateur radio apply on the radio side.

Validation: Proving You Are Licensed

Before you can use EchoLink, your call sign has to be validated. Each new user must provide proof of license and identity, which keeps the system restricted to licensed amateurs and ensures that each user is using a call sign he or she is authorised to use. The process is free, and the options vary a little between countries. The validation page lists the ways to submit proof.

In outline, getting started goes like this:

1. Install the software. Download the Windows edition from the EchoLink website, or install the mobile app from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Run it once. Starting the program registers your call sign with the system.
3. Submit proof of license. Follow the instructions on the validation page for your country. The validation FAQ says that an all-volunteer team processes a large number of requests every day, but it is still a manual step, so allow some time.
4. Set a password and log in. After validation, each user logs in with a call sign and password, and the servers verify both the sender and the receiver before any connection is made.

Plan to complete validation before you need it. If you want to try EchoLink at a club meeting or during a net, do not leave the registration until the last minute.

User Mode and Sysop Mode

EchoLink software can be run in two ways, and understanding the difference is the key to understanding the system.

• User mode. You use a computer or phone with a microphone and speaker to connect to other EchoLink stations over the Internet. You are effectively a participant with no radio involved. This is the easiest way to try EchoLink and to reach a repeater when you are away from your radio.
• Sysop mode. You connect a VHF or UHF transceiver to an Internet-connected computer using a radio interface. Another amateur within radio range of that station can then talk through the link to any other EchoLink station in the world. This is the unique feature of EchoLink. The Windows edition has a single version that can run in either mode, while the iOS and Android editions do not have sysop mode.

A sysop-mode station can be a simplex node, which links a single frequency to the Internet, or it can be attached to a repeater, which makes the repeater available to the whole network. Operators of such nodes are responsible for them like any other station, including following the rules of their license and the policies of the repeater owner.

Nodes, Node Numbers and Naming

Every EchoLink station that is online appears in a directory, and sysop stations are called nodes. Each node has a call sign and a node number. Sysop stations use a call sign with a -L or -R suffix, which is how you can tell them apart from ordinary users in the station list. From EchoLink’s point of view each variation counts as a separate call sign, so a station that wants to run sysop mode has to be validated for that suffix as well, and a club or repeater call sign is validated only for sysop mode. Node numbers are what you key in with DTMF tones from a radio, and the software also supports connecting by call sign.

The EchoLink site also offers conference servers, which let many stations join a single room for a net or a round table. Conferences are a common way to run a net where participants join from radios, computers and phones, all in the same session.

Using EchoLink From a Handheld

If you are within range of an EchoLink-enabled repeater or simplex node, you do not need any software at all. You use your radio’s DTMF keypad to tell the node what to do. The EchoLink FAQ explains that the software supports a basic and an extended set of DTMF commands, such as keying in either the node number or the call sign of the station you want to connect to. The details vary by node, so check the local repeater’s published instructions before you try them.

1. Listen first. Make sure the repeater is not in use, and listen for announcements that identify it as an EchoLink node.
2. Identify yourself. Give your call sign as you would on any repeater.
3. Send the DTMF command for connecting, followed by the node number. The node will announce the connection.
4. Wait for the connection tone or announcement before speaking, and then call the station or net you want.
5. Disconnect when you are done. Send the disconnect command, so the link is free for others.

If you are new to repeaters in general, our guide to VHF and UHF simplex and repeater operating covers the basics, such as offsets, tones and how to make a first call. A reliable local signal matters here, because poor modulation or a weak link is carried to everyone on the network.

EchoLink, IRLP and AllStarLink Compared

EchoLink is not the only system that links radios over the Internet. The two others you will hear about most are the Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP) and AllStarLink. The table summarises the differences based on how each project describes itself.

The IRLP project describes itself as a system in which all end users communicate through a radio rather than directly through a computer. AllStarLink positions itself as a network of repeaters, remote base stations and hotspots linked through VoIP. EchoLink sits in between: it is the easiest to start with, because any validated amateur with a phone can join, and the same software can run a node. Many repeaters offer more than one system, and some nodes bridge them, so a single station might be reachable from all three.

Building a Simple EchoLink Node

If your club or your station wants to offer EchoLink, a sysop node needs only a few components: a transceiver, an Internet-connected computer, a radio-to-PC interface and the software. Several points deserve attention:

• Audio levels. Set the transmit and receive levels carefully. Overdriven audio sounds poor to everyone on the network, and distortion is hard to fix at the other end.
• Push-to-talk and carrier detection. The software needs a reliable way to know when to key the transmitter and when someone is transmitting. Interface designs differ, so follow the instructions for your hardware.
• RF immunity. A transmitter next to a computer and interface cables can cause RF to get into the audio or the USB cable. Ferrite chokes on the cables help, as described in our guide to common mode chokes.
• Access policy. The EchoLink FAQ explains that you can accept connections only from certain types of stations and can ban specific call signs. You can also block or accept connections by call sign prefix, which helps you comply with your country’s rules on reciprocal operating and third-party traffic.
• Not a private network. The FAQ is clear that EchoLink is offered for simplex and repeater links that other EchoLink users can access, and that it is not intended for closed or private systems.

Remote and linked stations also have much in common with the setups described in our guide to remote ham radio stations, including the attention to reliable connectivity and safe unattended operation.

Etiquette and Responsibility

A linked repeater is a shared resource, and your audio reaches stations far from your own area. A few habits help:

• Pause between transmissions. Internet delay means that other stations cannot break in as quickly as on a local repeater. A longer gap lets them join.
• Identify properly. Give your call sign according to the rules of your license, and remember that other countries may have different requirements.
• Keep conversations suitable for an open channel. Anyone can monitor a linked repeater, and the content travels across borders.
• Know the local rules. Third-party traffic, reciprocal operating and permitted content differ between countries. A call that is acceptable in one country might not be in another, which is why EchoLink provides prefix-based access controls.
• Do not tie up the link. Keep transmissions short, and disconnect when you are finished.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

• Cannot log in. Check that your validation is complete and that you are using the right call sign and password. The validation page has tools to reset a password or change a call sign.
• Connects but no audio. Check your microphone and speaker settings, and in sysop mode check your interface and levels.
• Connection failures. A firewall or router may block the traffic. The EchoLink site has guidance on routers and firewalls.
• Choppy audio. Poor network quality causes dropouts. Wired connections are generally more stable than weak Wi-Fi.
• DTMF commands ignored. Make sure your radio sends clean tones, and check the node’s own instructions, because commands and timing differ between nodes.

The Bottom Line

EchoLink gives local FM stations a global reach and gives people without a radio a way into the repeater network. You need a validated call sign, the free software for your computer or phone, and, if you want to run a node, a radio interface. Use user mode to try it, sysop mode to share your repeater or simplex link, and DTMF commands to connect from a handheld. Compare it with IRLP and AllStarLink if you plan to build a node, follow the local rules and the network’s etiquette, and EchoLink becomes a dependable part of your station.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is EchoLink?

EchoLink is a free system that lets licensed amateur radio operators communicate using voice over IP. It can connect computers and phones to each other and to radio nodes, so a local FM station can reach distant repeaters.

Is EchoLink a digital mode?

No. EchoLink is an extension of conventional voice modes, especially FM. It carries audio digitally over the Internet, but no digital signals are transmitted over the air.

Do I need a radio to use EchoLink?

No. In user mode you can connect from a computer or phone with a microphone and speaker. A radio is needed only to use a node by radio or to run a sysop-mode node of your own.

How do I get validated?

Install and run the software to register your call sign, then provide proof of license and identity as described on the EchoLink validation page. The options vary somewhat by country, and the service is free.

What is the difference between EchoLink and IRLP?

EchoLink allows direct access from a computer or phone as well as through radio nodes. IRLP is built around radio nodes with dedicated hardware, so all users communicate by radio rather than directly through a computer.

Can I use EchoLink to build a private network?

EchoLink is designed for links that other EchoLink users can access, and its FAQ says it is not intended for closed or private systems. You can limit access to a node, but the system as a whole is open to validated amateurs.