Hi sarah and all, I like to call Echo Link a marage between ham radio and
the internet.  If you just use your PC, it isn't any different than any
other voice over the internet program, except the fact that you might be
connected to a station that is connected to a radio, either on simplex,
or through a repeater, wich is why you must be licensed to run the
program.  On the other hand, I have my Echo Link computer connected to a
Kenwood TW4000, so I use amateur radio to work through echo link and it
makes it convenient not to be tied down to the computer.  I have set up
shortcuts, so I can connect to repeaters that I use often by pressing a 2
digit code on my touch tone pad on my HT!  I also move my TW4000 from the
UHF simplex frequency that it normally sits on, to the local club
repeater on Wednesday nights, when I run the local net, so that people
can check into the net via Echo Link if they want!

73 and 88 whare appropriate:
J.
John Jacques
Amateur Radio Station: KG7FA
"Where Cat Is,  Is Civilization!"