Changes

==The History of App_Rpt

==The History of App_Rpt==

'''By Jim Dixon WB6NIL'''<br/>

'''By Jim Dixon WB6NIL'''<br/>

<p>Once upon a time, there was [http://www.asterisk.org Asterisk PBX]. I was heavily involved in its initial practical implementation (<font size="-1">if interested, see link below <i>(The History of the Zapata Telephony Project as it relates to the Asterisk PBX</i></font>).</p>

<p>Once upon a time, there was [http://www.asterisk.org Asterisk PBX]. I was heavily involved in its initial practical implementation (<font size="-1">if interested, see link below <i>(The History of the Zapata Telephony Project as it relates to the Asterisk PBX</i></font>).</p>

<p>My first big hurdle was to design a radio interface that cound interconnect with a PC internally and the typical interface signals of a two-way radio. In the interest of keeping the technology simple and inexpensive, I designed a board (the ARIB board) which interfaced 2 analog FXS ports (either on a multiport analog card, like the [http://www.digium.com Digium] [http://www.digiumcards.com/tdm400p.html TDM400P], or a channel bank connected to the PC through a T1 card, that is already part of an existing phone switch) to the Radio signals (and provide buffering, level control, etc).</p>

<p>My first big hurdle was to design a radio interface that cound interconnect with a PC internally and the typical interface signals of a two-way radio. In the interest of keeping the technology simple and inexpensive, I designed a board (the ARIB board) which interfaced 2 analog FXS ports (either on a multiport analog card, like the [http://www.digium.com Digium] [http://www.digiumcards.com/tdm400p.html TDM400P], or a channel bank connected to the PC through a T1 card, that is already part of an existing phone switch) to the Radio signals (and provide buffering, level control, etc).</p>

===Analog Radio Interface

===Analog Radio Interface===

[[File:AnalogRadioInterface.jpg|left|Rev. C. Analog Radio Interface Board]]

[[File:AnalogRadioInterface.jpg|left|Rev. C. Analog Radio Interface Board]]

<p>This interface <i>did</i> work well to allow me to do the initial development of the software, and first half a dozen deployments, since most of us that had it first already had <a href="http://www.asterisk.org">Asterisk</a> phone switches already in opertion, with spare ports on our channel banks.</p>

<p>This interface <i>did</i> work well to allow me to do the initial development of the software, and first half a dozen deployments, since most of us that had it first already had Asterisk phone switches already in opertion, with spare ports on our channel banks.</p>

<p>The systems were originally deployed in Northern California (<a href="http://www.city-data.com/city/Oakhurst-California.html">Oakhurst</a> area) at a couple of locations, and in San Diego by Steve, WA6ZFT.</p>

<p>The systems were originally deployed in Northern California ([http://www.city-data.com/city/Oakhurst-California.html Oakhurst] area) at a couple of locations, and in San Diego by Steve, WA6ZFT.</p>

<p>With Steve's greatly appreciated help, we were able to debug the thing and add many new and interesting features.</p>

<p>With Steve's greatly appreciated help, we were able to debug the thing and add many new and interesting features.</p>

<p>After a few months of the system running stably (despite new additions all the time), we decided that better system integration was appropriate, so we (along with help from David Kramer) designed and produced the Quad PCI Radio Interface card. This allows interface between the PC and 4 separate radio systems simultaneously, via 8 pin modular connectors.</p>

<p>After a few months of the system running stably (despite new additions all the time), we decided that better system integration was appropriate, so we (along with help from David Kramer) designed and produced the Quad PCI Radio Interface card. This allows interface between the PC and 4 separate radio systems simultaneously, via 8 pin modular connectors.</p>

<p><img src="/drupal/sites/default/files/pictures/pci-front-small.jpg" /><br />

<p><img src="/drupal/sites/default/files/pictures/pci-front-small.jpg" /><br />