[aprssig] APRS Voice?

[Robert Bruninga]

Maybe it is time to add Voice to APRS!

For now 12 years I have been trying to get the authors of Echolink, IRLP,
ALLStar, DSTAR, Yaesu, STARS, etc to add  APRS call-setup to their VOIP
programs with no success.

How hard would it be for APRS authors instead to add VOIP connections to
their IGates?   Just a little software and adding an extra UHF voice radio
to the sound card.  The software would not need a full all-to-all
capability like those other ham VOIP systems, but could simply place a VOIP
connection between IGates for the duration of a call.  The call is
established as always proposed in http://aprs.org/avrs.html

1)  Caller sends an APRS message to CALLEE asking for AVRS QSO

2) IGATE nearest CALLEE delivers message and ALSO sends message to CALLEE
with FREQ object to QSY his radio to local IGate VOIP channel

3)  IGATE nearest CALLEE sends ACK message back to CALLER saying (CALLEE
heard last X minutes) or (CALLEE not heard in over XX minutes)

3+) Optional, CALLEE replies to CALLERS original message as confirmation
that he/she is a real live human responding.

4) IGATE local to CALLER sends message to CALLER with QSY object to its
local RF VOIP channel

4+)  Option: Kenwood or Yaesu radio auto-qsy's to IGATES RF VOIP channel.
Otherwise, operator has to push TUNE or QSY button.

5) CALLER QSY's to the IGates RF AVRS channel and by voice, CALLS CALLEE.

6) If CALLEE hears the call, then QSO ensues.

Its all there.  How hard can it be for two IGates to set up a VOIP link for
the duration of the call?

See the original concept on http://avrs.html

Afterall, that has been what ALL of the last decade of APRS development has
been about, getting the APRS network ready for APRS voice calling:

a) FREQ objects to show voice freqs
b) FREQ field in APRS posits to see how to contact operator
c) QSY and TUNE buttons in Yaesu and Kenwood radios
d) FREQ OBJECT-in-MESSAGE construct so QSY info can pass thorugh existing
APRS-IS

*** Notice, this last one, (d) would have required changes to all IGATES
and all clients to pass through the OBJ-in-msg format.  BUT!!!! If the
IGates implement this system internally, then they can interpret the QSY
Freq message into a LOCAL OBJECT which then would be delivered as currently
designed!  And all exiting radios could act on it.  Nothing to wait for.
It can work NOW!

And, as a vertically integrated within-the-IGate, system, one author can
get this whole ball rolling!

Bob, WB4APR
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