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Reviews For: Echolink

Category: Ham Software/Apps - Other than logging

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Review Summary For : Echolink
Reviews: 68MSRP: Free
Description:
Software enabling a link between a radio or repeater to the internet for a licensed radio amateur.

NOTE: These should be reviews for the EchoLink software package - not the mode.

Product is in production
More Info: http://www.echolink.org
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00683.6
DL7ISA Rating: 2008-09-08
Possibilitys Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Echolink does not replace a Transceiver (for me) but there are some Lowband Receivers available from different Areas on this Planet and once in a while I like to conect them to hear what is going on thousands of miles far away from me. The most diffiuclt about this Software can be to get it work with those Port Settings, Firewall Setting etc. but once those Settings are made correctly, there is no Problem with them anymore. What I find a bit odd is that sometimes in a Conference the Number of conected Stations is bigger than the Stations wich are indeed shown by their Callsign in the Conference. What I didnt rate here is the visible appearance but I wish there were some different Skins available to customize the look of my Echolink.

73 to all Friends
NT9M Rating: 2008-08-06
Useful and free Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I understand the frustration that others have faced with the software. Most of us have been there. I've learned quite a bit about computers because of Echolink and other ham applications that required me to do more than just click an icon and go. Can the learning curve be maddening ? Yes. But ham radio requires me to learn things I didn't know before, and computers are no different. That being said, I consider Echolink very useful. It allows me to pick up my HT or my mobile's mic within 15-20 miles of home, punch in some numbers and bring up a repeater in my hometown so I can talk to family members on their repeater. Once you work out the port forwarding issues, it really does work well and sound great. And on top of that, it's FREE. Hard for me to complain about that.
KC8ZEV Rating: 2008-08-05
Pong is a better written program!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Terrible software!! Port issues galore. Save your self alot of trouble and don't waste your time with this!! Echolink, as a mode, has it's place. True, it is not real Ham Radio in my book. You need to cook your own RF for that. But, there is much fun to be had with it, just don't use this software to do it!
Don't throw the baby (Echolink as a mode) out with the bath water (Echolink the software). A configuration nightmare! Don't believe me??? Go ahead and waste your time. I am done with it!!

73
KC8ZEV
W9JCM Rating: 2008-08-05
forget it Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I used to use this program with dial up but as soon as I switched to high speed it sucked. I had to do the whole port forward deal and its just a pain. I will stick to EQSO for this sort of thing. And I do believe that there are lots of little "groups" whom are not to friendly anymore when you drop in on there system. Fix the port issues I will come back. To bad nice system from back in the I Link days.

----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by W9JCM on 2003-08-20

Great software as compared to the Ilink stuff. Here is a great way to spice up your repeater operations. Its a heck of allot of fun. But please dont ask me to qsl you you wont be getting a card VIA VIOP. Other wise good stuff.
KT4WO Rating: 2008-07-07
Works ..But Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I didnt have the "Lock-Up's" that some have had...If they would just find a way to make the "Port" issue go away it would be great.
and YES..I know how to forward ports and it worked fine..but...most guys out there are not gona fool around with port forwarding to make the software work. Change that and its a 5/5 for me.

KT4WO
KB3Z Rating: 2007-12-02
Installation can be a challenge Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Downloading the software is easy and installing it isn't too bad. But if you are using a wireless router look out. It will tell you that it can't find udp 5198 or 5199. It will lead you to believe that it is your firewall. Don't believe that at all. It is your wireless router. You will need to login into your wireless router and make sure that it will forward not only tcp but udp 5198 to 5200. Just a fair warning!
KD8DEY Rating: 2006-08-01
Nice but needs work Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have SBC DSL Pro and a 2.6ghz dell and still have problems with out of sequence packets, dropped packets, missed parts of conversations.
Tried changing the assigned key for TX and couldnt TX anymore. had to re install.
had to turn the buffers to max which gives almost a 3 sec delay. Maybe if the code was "streamlined" for a better compiler??

Set up was pretty easy on the dell. had a little problem setting up the router (my fault) till I figured out the settings to allow me to use echolink on the laptop or desktop without having to change settings. (DHCP)

Still a good idea for keeping in contact with your local buddies while out of town .
K1HPD Rating: 2006-03-15
works well Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using echolink for almost two years now and enjoy it. I know it's not "real radio" but it is a fun added tool in my shack. I have it set up on 2 PCs and a laptop. The PCs are P4's and run windows XP, the laptop a P2 w/98SE and it runs cleanly on all. I intially ran dial up and had no issues and now am on hi-speed cable, again with no problems once I configured the firewall on the router. The only downside (and it is the router not echolink) is that the firewall only allows me to route to one computer at a time. If I change computers I have to change the firewall settings (not a problem as you leave all three set up on the firewall list as allowed and move the computer that you want to use to the top of the list). It allows me to stay in touch at home in NH when I travel (I like to fish and go to Virginia and NY). It also allows me to stay in touch with friends who winter out of state. I also enjoy randomly pulling up repeaters and talking with hams in other areas (I work second or third shift and it is always daytime somewhere)!
N0FPE Rating: 2006-03-13
Pass Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Had nothing but trouble getting it set up to work thru my router and firewall. Then what a bore. Uninstalled it faster than windoze can lock up. If I want to chat via computer I will use Yahoo or AIM. Back to the HF rig and real DX, not the fake stuff on Echolink. Oh and I might even scare up a FM simplex conversation on 52 with NO computer!!! what a concept!!!
It might be ok for the folks that want to pretend to work DX but I will PASS

N1FFF Rating: 2004-11-24
Works great after fixing port forwarding, need better mic Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I'm a recent convert to Echolink. Install was easy, has a great user interface, well documented, there is a great diagnostic utility on the Echolink web site that helped me identify the need to tweak my Linksys 54G router to set up port forwarding, which was well documented in accompanying help file.


Picked up an inexpensive dynamic mic from Radio Shack (Clip-on Computer Microphonepart# 33-3026, $11.95)to use w/ my PC's built-in sound card (IBM 2.2GHz w/ XP home).

The only problem I have is that I have to be very carefull with mic position and my speaking level to avoid overmodulating the sound. Does anyone have recommendations for a better mic?

The first night I had the software running I had QSO w/ Fred VE7EYI in Vacouver, BC Canada. The next day heard from I8IUD near Rome, and that night joined a conference in Birmingham, England for QSO w/ Peter G4KQU, PJ G7KNP, and Mark G4EID.

This internet linking has expanded my ham world dramatically! Have also used my HT to access both a local echolink repeater node and IRLP to talk to some guys in the Cincinatti area. All with my little 5 watt Yaesu HT!