Colin, 

Thank you for presenting the other side of the Echolink issue. I find it
useful to be more fully informed. I think we both have some key points. To
my knowledge, my audio is just fine using my laptop with Echolink, but I
have also tested my audio in an attempt to determine how to best modulate
it for the highest quality I can produce. 

Got to run to get ready for Jose's Tech Talk Net tonight! <Smile> Yes, I'll
be on with Echolink!

Ron, K8HSY

 
At 04:03 PM 5/2/2013 -0600, you wrote:
>I hear what your saying Ron and it's not very good net control operating 
>procedure to do that.
>That said, I get why they do it though.
>Echolink is noisy, choppy, extremely poor quality compared to FM audio etc. 
>It cuts in and out, there is usually a significant delay on each end of the 
>transmition not to mention some systems require that the repeater tail drop 
>out before echolink can come into the repeater.  If the repeater has a long 
>tail on it, this adds literally minutes to taking echolink check ins.  Most 
>people aren't going to stick around and listen to that, so I can see why he 
>would want to take echolink check ins at the end of the net.
>It's a priority thing.  Same reason why mobile check ins are typically 
>prioritized above all other check ins.
>The echolink system, while it does offer methods of getting access to other 
>hams that a guy might not get otherwise, is really a rather poor 
>communications system for all the reasons I mentioned above.  If it's all 
>you got, then of course, use it and enjoy it.  But it's actually quite 
>disruptive to the repeater for the regular FM style users.
>Everyone is welcome, I think most hams would agree with that, but when you 
>are bombarded with noise, delay, bad hard to understand audio, you tend to 
>try and avoid it.  Remember, this is FM communications, it's not HF where 
>you know you have to deal with all those things to make communication work 
>sometimes.  The whole reason FM repeaters are popular is because they're 
>quick, clear, clean and easy to communicate on.
>It's worse now that allot of people are using their IPhones and IPads on 
>echolink.  They use the built in microphones which are muffled and unless 
>you have the presence of mind to speak right up close to the units mike, 
>it's hollow and distorted most of the time.
>I don't mind talking with guys who are using a headset on their computers, 
>or have some kind of decent quality microphone on their PC or mack.  But I 
>too tend to ignore or avoid repeaters where some guy is trying to come in on 
>echolink and his audio is so garbled and distorted that you can't carry on a 
>decent conversation.
>If I use echolink to get into a repeater or node, or even talk to a fellow 
>ham via VOIP, i make an effort to make my audio clean and easy to 
>understand.
>One of the other really negative things about echolink, and IRLP is that 
>people troll repeaters.  This means they connect to various repeaters, and 
>if they don't instantly hear traffic, they disconnect.  So you get people 
>connecting, then disconnecting very quickly over and over.
>Everytime they connect their repeater, node or personal callsign is spoken 
>on the repeater or node, and the same happens upon disconnect.  It's 
>frustrating and anoying because they're not operating in a manner that 
>allows you to communicate with them.
>I've even called IRLP nodes back who have connected and disconnected a few 
>times and no one is willing to talk even though they connected to the 
>repeater I was on.
>So, I guess it's important to bear in mind that if you have to use echolink, 
>that you understand how you are being perceived and heard and how that is 
>going to effect the response you will get.
>Remember, if your running around in a mobile with vehicle noise and wind 
>noise and all that, the last thing you want to try and deal with is poor 
>quality audio and studders or drop outs during your conversation.
>Just my two cents I guess.
>
>73
>Colin, V A6BKX 
>
Dr. Ronald E. Milliman, retired Professor Western Kentucky University
Ph: 270-782-9325 
Email: [log in to unmask]

Chair, American Council of the Blind Public Relations Committee

Chair, American Council of the Blind's Monthly Monetary Support Program
(MMS) Committee

President: South Central Kentucky Council of the Blind (SCKCB)