Haliburton County Amateur Radio Club Ltd
POLICIES FOR OPERATING ON REFLECTOR # 9030
Haliburton Ontario
ONTARIO
PUBLIC SERVICE
REFLECTOR
These Policies are directed to node owners and node users who want to operate on the Ontario Public Service Reflector.
Node Owners are responsible, for indoctrination and training of node users. A form of these policies can be found on
www.Irlp.net and were adapted for specific applicability to the Ontario Public Service Reflector. The Reflector owner is
Russ VE3FI and the reflector operation is supported by the Haliburton County Amateur Radio Club, Ltd. This Reflector
is located in Haliburton County, Ontario, Canada.
Monitoring Requirments
Node operation on the reflector is, at all times, the responsibility of the node owner for the respective connected nodes.
All nodes connected to Ref 9030 are expected to be monitored by local node control operators at all time while connected
to the reflector. Remember you will be keying up several repeaters in Can where your audio will be heard. Please do not
disable inactivity time-outs and leave your node connected to the reflector for extended periods of time. Nodes connected
for 1 day or longer on the status page are suspect of operator inattention and could be blocked. CTCSS or DSC on your
repeater is required.
Repeater Hang Time and Ids
If your node is linked to a repeater, there must be no (zero) repeater hang time allowed to pass thru to IRLP nor anything
resembling a courtesy tone. This means zero tolerance, not 500 mns or less. If you use a CTCSS approach to solving
this problem, make sure your tone encoder/decoder combo drops as fast as possible. No repeater IDS or controller
messages are allowed to be played on the reflector at any time, unless they are during a user transmission. Any ID or
message may not key up the node. This requirement is very important on a busy reflector. Any time IDS or message leak
into the reflector or hang time, they all completely block the reflector from other users. If we had 30 nodes connected and
they are leaked into the reflector with IDS or messages every ten minutes the reflector would be captured totally.
No Cross Links Allowed To Other VOIP Systems. Cross Links are prohibited without permission from Russ VE3FI
On Being Blocked
All Reflectors have a management function that allow reflector operators to block a node that is causing a problem for
connected nodes on the reflector. This is a necessary function in order to have a reasonable clean place for nodes to
connect . Blocking is sometimes necessary to restore functionality of the reflector if a node brings pulsing, intermod ,
courtesy tones, or one way audio. Blocks are never personal and do not take it that way. All PTT across a reflector are
logged by node number. If something is heard that is not good, the node number will be sent an email stating that your node
has sent an erroneous transmission and will be blocked until it is fixed. You will have to email sysop to tell us what you have
changed and you will be unblocked. Send email to VE3FI@rac.ca or ve3kr@yahoo.ca
Sub Channels
9030.9039 Use of sub channels is encouraged. Current channel assignments below
9030-Inter County Canwarn Network
9031-Open and available
9032-Ontario Satern Group
9033-Extended & Mutual Aid Province Wide
9034-Open and available
9035-Ares nets
9036-Open and available
9037-Open and available
9038-Open and available
9039-Tactical & Emergency Communications Only
Whos who
Reflector Owner Russ VE3FI HCARC
Reflector Operators sysops, VE3FI VE3KR
IRLP System Designer: VE7LTD
TIPS ECT
LISTEN TO OTHERS USE THE IRLP SYSTEM TO GET THE HANG OF IT
Here Are A Few IRLP DO's and DON'Ts:
- DO pause between transmissions to let other in or others to enter DTMF command.
- DO hold your microphone PTT for one or more seconds before talking to allow all systems time to connect.
- DO pause for at least three to five seconds before talking after the node connects to a reflector to make sure you will not talk over a QSO in progress.
- DON'T try to make or break connections unless you are an authorized control operator. Those who control must identify themselves as controlling before sending DTMF command tones and return the node to the connection state you found it in, i.e., idle or connected to a node or reflector. Always ask if someone is using the connection before you change it.
- DON'T rag chew locally on a reflector or on a node connection. When the IRLP system is busy keep QSOs to 5 minutes or less.
- DON'T just kerchunk the repeater without saying your call (at least on the second kerchunk).
- DON'T say your, or the other person's, call sign every transmission (only your call is required once every 10 minutes).
- DON'T repeatedly say, "I hear that" or "roger that" or "QSL" in response to every transmission/comment.
- DON'T use 11 meter lingo when talking on the system. Speak normally.
- DON'T shout into your microphone.
- DON'T give one-word answers or comments.
- DON'T break in on an ongoing conversation unless you know who all is in it, and you have something meaningful to contribute.
- When in a QSO with more than two people involved, turn it over to someone by name (go ahead Jim).
- When you sign clear, turn it over to someone by name or call (DON'T just sign clear because no one knows who should pick up).
- DON'T TRY TO CONTROL IF NOT AUTHORIZED TO DO SO OR TALK ABOUT THE CONTROL CODES OR HOW TO CONTROL. That is the business of the node or reflector owner. He will tell who he wants to know. Always ask an owner if you can use his equipment. It should be noted that not all nodes use the same control commands - ask the owner. It is rude to try to control a node if you have not asked first. Just like some repeaters, some nodes are private. More and more node owners are installing passwords to discourage button pushers from trying to operate their node equipment. It is always safe to ask for a control operator when you are a visitor to a node. Vistors to the Ontario Reflector should e-mail Russ Ve3fi@rac.ca to inform him of your desire to operate its nodes and obtain permission and necessary information. Any reasonable request will be honored.
ERROR MESSAGES
From time-to-time you may receive error messages when attempting to connect with a node or reflector. The most common ones are:
- "The node you are calling is not responding." This is caused by a loss of internet connectivity to one end of the call attempt.
- "BEEP Error The call attempt has timed out, the connection has been lost". The node being called is OFF-LINE.
- "The Connection Has Been Lost". If the internet connection drops this error message will be heard.
Enjoy VE3FI