AllStarLink Node and GRENADA Amateur Radio

Amateur Radio Operator Licence

What is Allstarlink :  
AllStarLink is a network of Amateur Radio repeaters, remote base stations and hot spots accessible to each other via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).    AllStarLink runs on a dedicated computer (including the Rasperry Pi) that you host at your home, radio repeater site or computer center.

Allstarlink node are the small box that connect devices together using VoIP.  This is needed to connect the North and South repeaters on the island of Grenada. 

Background.   I wanted to have an allstar, echolink and irlp all in one box being able to crosslink them internally.  So the testing started 3/2020 and over a few months now have a working model.

1/2021

(2nodes) Grenada AllstarLink Nodes (completed)

Search/Filter :    GRENADA
https://www.allstarlink.org/nodelist/

Development history - More details to follow :
Hardware working Proof of concept 1/2021
Code development completed 9/2020
Started testing 3/2020

Hardware used is (2) nodes - RaspberryPI model 4B /8gb

Amateur Radio - About Call Signs

About Call Signs
Every licensed Radio Amateur is given a call sign that is used to identify them and their location of license. Each country that has Amateur Radio status is allocated a range of call signs by the International Telecormunications Union (ITU).

Call signs consist of a prefix and a suffix. The prefix is usually composed of one or two letters and a number such as VE4 in Canada for the province of Manitoba or K9 in the U.S. for the states Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Some countries have prefixes that are composed of a number and a letter such as 4X for Israel or 9K for Kuwait. If this sounds confusing tables of call sign allocations will be given later in Materials section to make things clear.

While the prefix is unique and identities a country the suffix is unique for the individual. In Canada a call sign such as VE3ABC has VE3 (Ontario) as the prefix and ABC as the suffix. In the U.S. the call sign K6XYZ has a prefix of K6 (California) and suffix of XYZ U.S. hams may also have a two letter prefix thus AB2Z is a valid call. Suffixes may also be less than three letters so you have call signs such as VE7AB in British Columbia and KH6Y in Hawaii. Some countries, e.g. Russia may have suffixes showing more exact location of the ham station, thus serving as addition to the prefix. So, RA6LO, for example, gives the following information: RA - country Russia; 6 - Nothern Caucasus; L - Rostov region; O - individual part of suffix. Two letter after a call sign in Russia, mean the high category of the operator, lower categories have three characters in suffix.

Grenada What is Allstarlink

What is Allstarlink :
AllStarLink is a network of Amateur Radio repeaters, remote base stations and hot spots accessible to each other via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). AllStarLink runs on a dedicated computer (including the Rasperry Pi) that you host at your home, radio site or computer center.

AllStar is a digital linking network used to link standard analog repeaters, or nodes, over the Internet to other repeaters or nodes. It uses modified, open-source PABX, software that treats radio nodes like telephone numbers and allows users to ‘dial-up’ other nodes and/or make temporary or permanent ‘conferences’ of connected nodes.

This is a MUST needed to connect two repeaters without RF, connect using internet to link two repeaters together.

https://grenadaamateurradio.blogspot.com/p/repeaters-in-caribbean.html

1/2021

(2) Grenada AllstarLink Nodes (setup completed)

example repeater and allstarlink box

The AllstarLink Node device 

Using a RPI3b+ to drive everything

HAMVOIP Asterisk Allstar on the Raspberry Pi 2/3/4

https://grenadaamateurradio.blogspot.com/p/repeaters-in-caribbean.html

GRENADA - MAURICE BISHOP INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

GRENADA - MAURICE BISHOP INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Amateur HAM Radio (hobby). J35V :  linktr.ee/J35V

Travel Grenada :  linktr.ee/Covid19_Grenada

https://gaa.gd/

VHF / UHF Repeaters

VHF / UHF Repeaters in IARU Region 2 | International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)

Since its formation in 2017, the Region 2 Band Planning Committee has worked to not just keep the band plans current, but also to determine the level of activity on the bands. This information has been especially valuable for the VHF and UHF bands, where it is often used to defend Amateur allocations from others who would like to take our frequencies.

One of the primary operating modes on the higher bands is repeaters. It’s probably safe to say that almost every Ham has used a repeater at some point. Just how many repeaters are there in Region 2 however? Wonder no more! As part of its work, the Band Planning Committee has consulted a number of online databases, and compiled the numbers. They are included in the table attached below.

It’s evident from the numbers that repeaters are a very popular communication mode for Hams. There are 25,307 VHF and UHFrepeaters throughout Region 2, on all bands from 6M (50 – 54 MHz) to 23cm (1240 – 1300 MHz). Most are FM, but there are increasing numbers of digital mode repeaters, as well as some Amateur Television (ATV) repeaters. There are also a number of 10M repeaters, not included in the table.

It’s no surprise that the countries with larger Amateur populations and land area generally have greater numbers of repeaters. There are some interesting observations that can be made however. The United States is unique in having more repeaters on the 70cm band than the 2M band. This may be because there are no 2Mrepeater frequencies available in densely populated areas, necessitating the move to 70cm. As well, despite its relatively small population and land area, the Dominican Republic has 102 repeaters, on 2M, 1.25M and 70cm.

https://grenadaamateurradio.blogspot.com/p/repeaters-in-caribbean.html

https://grenadaamateurradio.blogspot.com/p/repeaters-in-caribbean.html

Grand Anse Beach Grenada Drone Footage

Grand Anse Beach Grenada Drone Footage

GRENADA linking repeaters together 2020

GRENADA linking repeaters together 2020

Setting up and testing code for the linking of Repeater(s) together in Grenada using Allstar.
- June 30 2020 i am testing.

Grenada Repeater :   https://www.qrz.com/db/j32v

Check the Allstar Node List and search :  Grenada
https://www.allstarlink.org/nodelist/

https://grenadaamateurradio.blogspot.com/p/repeaters-in-caribbean.html

Grenada Caribbean Discussion Group

Grenada Caribbean GRENADA@groups.io

Grenada Caribbean 

https://groups.io/g/GRENADA

A discussion group for topics related to Grenada 🇬🇩 Caribbean.

Grenada on the Amateur Radio Satellites

Looking for Grenada on the Amateur Satellites

Hello Andre!

This is Hector, W5CBF. I am working on my Satellite DXCC and I would love to contact Grenada on any of the Ham radio Satellites.

Amateur radio Satellites are really easy to work. All that is needed is a 2m/70cm Analog HT or mobile radio and a small yagi antenna for both bands.

Amateur Radio International World Call Sign Prefixes

Amateur Radio International World Call Sign Prefixes

Callsigns for the world’s nations are determined by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the United Nations agency that co-ordinates radio activity for all spectrum users. The prefixes used by a country for both commercial and amateur radio purposes are determined from one or more ITU allocation blocks issued to that country. Callsigns use combinations based on those prefixes.

The list below shows amateur callsign prefixes currently in use.

Note:  The ITU has not authorised any 1x and Qx series callsigns. Therefore entities such as 1B (North Cyprus), 1S (Spratly Archipelago)  etc, which may be heard,  may not be recognised for DXCC purposes, nor valid under UK licence conditions.

Useful Links:-

• Full ITU International Callsigns Table
• RSGB Shop for Amateur Prefix and IOTA guides

World Amateur Callsign Prefixes list

Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) EXPLAINED

Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) EXPLAINED

Despite the growth of the Internet, ham radio is still a popular hobby. How does it work, and how is it still relevant in the digital era?

Link here to share :  bit.ly/HamEXPLAINED

Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) EXPLAINED

Kenwood TKR-750 VHF Repeater fo Grenada

I am now in talks to acquire another repeater for the Amateur Radio group in Grenada.

Grenada Amateur Radio Society

This Kenwood TKR-750 unit to be added to the Yaesu DR-1X also to be sent down to Grenada from Canada.

Kenwood TKR-750 VHF Repeater Station

Grenada W.I. Amateur Radio - contact ZELLO

Grenada W.I. Amateur Radio - contact ZELLO

Grenada Amateur Radio Society

ZELLO app (Android or IOS) - voice chat - voice contact :: Local conversations

- http://zello.com/Grenadaradio

- http://zello.com/GrenadaHAM

- http://zello.com/HAMgrenada

Repeaterbook.com Caribbean Repeater(S) update

Completed ... see updates.

https://grenadaamateurradio.blogspot.com/p/repeaters-in-caribbean.html

Hello Repeaterbook.com Repeater update
My name is ...... and I was in the process of adding a repeater(S) for the Country :: Grenada 🇬🇩 West Indies (Caribbean).

We need to correct the REPEATERBOOK database.   The “Caribbean” (REGION)  includes many islands / Countries.

Description: The Caribbean is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands and the surrounding coasts.

Many islands fall under the Region :  Caribbean.

YAESU DR-1 144/430 Dual Band C4FM/FM Digital Repeater.

YAESU DR-1 144/430 Dual Band C4FM/FM Digital Repeater
The YAESU DR-1 is a digital/conventional FM dual mode

Own :   J32V Andre

https://grenadaamateurradio.blogspot.com/p/repeaters-in-caribbean.html