How does the computer connect to the radios?
The most common EchoStation configuration is to connect a transceiver to the sound card and COM port of your PC. This configuration can be used either as a simplex repeater or as an announcement machine, since it is not necessary in either of those modes to transmit and receive simultaneously. Typically, the radio’s speaker jack connects to the Line-In port of the sound card, and the radio’s microphone input connects to the Line-Out port of the sound card. Optionally, the transmitter’s PTT line connects to one of the PC’s COM ports. For each of these connections, a device such as the RIGBlaster is recommended, since all of the necessary interfacing is built-in. If you prefer to “roll your own” interface, there are several useful sites on the Web with advice and diagrams. See the Links section for details. For detailed information about connections to EchoStation, please see the section “Connecting a Transceiver” in the online Help.
