autopatch
- Thread starter skit
- Start date
gary in ohio
Explorer
No radio's come with a phone patch. You can make phone patches with many VHF/UHF if the local repeater is phone equipped and your permited to use the patch. You can setup your own patch using whatever radio you have at the location where the phone line is located and then you "call" in on the radio to your patch.
Its not a magic box that allows your radio to make a call out of thin air. Its a radio to phone interface. Not to common now adays with everyone having cell phones but still around on many repeaters and a few hams still have them attached to there HF radio to allow patching via HF.
mr r2fj
Adventurer
We're fortunate enough to have lots of them here in Arizona. If your radio can send DTMF tones (telephone tones) you can use your radio with a repeater that supports autopatch. There are ways around this, so if you don't have a radio like that let me know and we'll come up with other options.
First thing to do is find a repeater that does! Hopefully you know how to look up the repeaters for your area, if you don't let me know and I'll try to help. Find one that supports autopatch and make sure it's public (not all are). Dial up that repeater and make sure you can hit it. You can sometimes ask for help if it's a busy repeater and peopel will be more than happy to help you.
Most autopatches work like this, but not all! Say your call sign and that you intend on accessing the autopatch. Without stopping your tranmission dial *+the phone number and end your tramission. The repeater should let you know that you've accessed the autopatch and it will connect you. Talk to the person on the phone like you would any other person on the repeater. When you're done, say your callsign (helps to thank the repeater owner for use) and press #. # ends the call.
That's it! Not terribly difficult. Goodluck!
First thing to do is find a repeater that does! Hopefully you know how to look up the repeaters for your area, if you don't let me know and I'll try to help. Find one that supports autopatch and make sure it's public (not all are). Dial up that repeater and make sure you can hit it. You can sometimes ask for help if it's a busy repeater and peopel will be more than happy to help you.
Most autopatches work like this, but not all! Say your call sign and that you intend on accessing the autopatch. Without stopping your tranmission dial *+the phone number and end your tramission. The repeater should let you know that you've accessed the autopatch and it will connect you. Talk to the person on the phone like you would any other person on the repeater. When you're done, say your callsign (helps to thank the repeater owner for use) and press #. # ends the call.
That's it! Not terribly difficult. Goodluck!
DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Like Gary says, it's getting less common with cell phones. For the most part the repeaters I'm aware with auto patches have pretty much left in place for LiTZ and that's about it. The ARRL repeater handbook lists auto patch- and LiTZ-capable repeaters.
taugust
Adventurer
Here in So Cal, most autopatch is reserved for members of the club or organization that owns the repeater. Access codes are kept private so that only members can access. While they are not often used in the age of cell phones, remember that in remote areas, cell phones often will not have signal, but you can reach a repeater. You can still make a phone call when you have no cell reception or in a disaster when the cell system is knocked out or overloaded. It's another tool to have available.