I have found that when listening in the room CQ Canada i will get disconnected and moved to the YRC room. This happens mostly if there is a period of inactivity. I have also found that if there is activity in the former room it follows me into the YRC room. If I monitor YRC with another radio it sounds as though there is a lot of data traffic.
I guess the big question is if I am digital and wires x is this preventing others from using the repeater (hope this makes sense)
As for your comment on "end up hogging the repeater so nobody else can use it or worse breaking the thing". Just use it as you see fit. We are all new users on this system and ALL are in learning mode about what works and what doesn't work. Again, general Ham Radio protocols of use apply, gentlemanly conduct and listen before you transmit!
There is very low probability of you breaking anything.
As we learn more, we will put some guidelines in place, but not so sure we need anything at this time.
You have identified one problem we have with the current setup. When someone has connected a room where they are discussing the price of tomatoes, that is not relevant to York Region users and they do not leave time between transmissions, it is difficult to break in and change the room.
I will look into how this can be changed. I know I can do it directly from the system I have in the basement, but I am not monitoring 24*7.
I am trying to enable some other folks in the repeater group to have access to the software in my basement that runs the WIRES-X gateway.
Mike
Thank you for getting back to me. From what I can see on my radio once I enter the digital world i does not xfer information unless there is a break in communications ( did I get it right??) Is there a limit as to how many people can be digitally connected to the repeater? I know the other night two people in the states were on the Fusion room talking about water heaters. Their transmissions mic keyups were quite lengthy and I could not get the FTM 100 to get away until they broke communications. Just trying to figure all this out and not end up hogging the repeater so nobody else can use it or worse breaking the thing
73
Jim
VA3 EZN
James,
There is a timeout based on inactivity. So if you are connected to CQ-CANADA-VE1AO, which although it has lots of attendees, they do not say much, so there is no "voice" traffic, then yes, it will default back after 15 minutes to our local room VE3YRC-ROOM.
If another local user wants to use the repeater, they can do so with the usual protocols of ham radio. If there is nothing on that frequency/channel/room, then go ahead, pick up the mic and make your call. If the repeater is still connected to CQ-CANADA-VE1AO, then they will be heard by all in that room. If the repeater has moved back to the default VE3YRC-ROOM, then only local repeater users and anyone else in the VE3YRC-ROOM would hear.
You are not "preventing" other users from using the repeater when connected to another room, but their calls may go further than they expect.
The easiest thing to do is to use the WIRES-X button on your radio and let it "connect" to the repeater. That way you can see what ROOM the repeater is connected to, the local VE3YRC-ROOM or another from around the world.
Also, if there is no voice communication going on on the repeater and it happens to be connected to a room in RUSSIA or TEXAS-NEXUS for example, a local user is able to change it to whatever room they desire, though again, it would be prudent to make a call out to see if anyone is currently using the repeater or wait a short period of time to listen for other users before making such a change.
Hope that helps,
Mike