Radio over IP. ROIP, Hytera. Asterisk . Vocality

1. Alberto Sagredo Castro
RadioVozIP
@albersag
@voipnovatos
www.voipnovatos.es

2. ¿Why Radio?
❖ It is the first system that
humans created to
communicate between large
distances without using
pidgeons.
❖ Communication media fast and
no delay.
❖ Mobile phones has not killed
Radio yet :) .
❖ TV also could not kill Radio.
TV did not kill the radio star
www.voipnovatos.es

3. Radio Systems Benefits
❖ No cables needed.
❖ We could cover large distances.
❖ Less cost that cable solutions.
❖ Faster deployments
❖ Better way to run radio on some scenarios.
❖ Mobile devices and less cost than Radio station.
❖ Ability to increase coverage using repeaters.
❖ Broadcast System. One to many
❖ Ham Radio
❖ Battery duration higher than other “wifi” devices.

4. Radio Systems disadvantage
❖ What we transmit could be intercepted
❖ Systems are Electromagnetic sensitive
❖ People are worried about waves
❖ Traditional propietary and disconnected systems
❖ Complex integración with other systems
❖ Half Duplex. TX, RX,PTT
❖ Radio spectrum really occupied
❖ Free Bands not available. (Except PMR 446 Mhz)
❖ Traditionally Analog

5. Digital Radio Systems
❖ Radio has now digital systems,
lot of modulations : GMSK,
TDMA, FDMA, OFDM, 4-FSK,
…
❖ Lots of standars: TETRA, P25,
DPMR, DMR, DSTAR, NXDN,
…
❖ When we think about Voice
over IP not only think in SIP
protocol. Its not the “swiss
army knife” for everything.
www.voipnovatos.es

6. Digital Radio tendency
❖ Hardware is not the clue > Software Defined Radio
❖ RTL-SDR (Opensource project to get lot of features from a
DTT usb.
❖ HackRF ( Kickstart HW / SW platform to Gigahertzs! )
❖ DMR
❖ DSTAR used by ham radio operators
❖ DSTAR/DMR Hotspots with AMBE 2200 / 3000
(DVMEGA)

7. Hotspots
❖ When there is no repeater
coverage the solution is to run
a local personal hotspot.
❖ Several options: DVMEGA,
DVAP, DVRPTR.
❖ Cheap and interesting
alternative I could be connected
when power and internet
connection is available.
❖ Raspberry pi images to flash
and run.
www.voipnovatos.es

8. DMR
❖ ETSI standar for personal digital radio.
❖ Analog radio systems evolution.
❖ Better spectrum efficency (6.25 Khz instead 12,5 Khz).
❖ ISDN of radio ( 2 communications when one before).
❖ Better Signal to Noise
❖ DTT on radio ( You could hear or not.. no noisy comms :)
❖ TDMA
❖ Encryption. Information protection
❖ More Battery duration
❖ Several levels.
❖ TIER 1 : dPMR (446 Mhz)
❖ TIER 2 : DMR (66- 960 Mhz) Typical
❖ TIER 3 : Trunking. Full Duplex. Data applications

9. D-STAR
❖ Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio
❖ FDMA & GMSK.
❖ Protocolo made by JARL (“Spanish joke here :)” )
❖ “Controlled” by radio manufacturer ICOM.
❖ System with large deployments (almost a decade on production)
❖ Earth Network interconnections Reflectors, Gateways, Repeaters
❖ Opensource projects to be connected to the network. G4KLX (Dstarrepeater,
ircddbgateway)
❖ Low data transmission (1200 bps).
❖ Open Hardware. DVRPTR, DVMEGA GMSK, Dutch Star and more…

10. Voice over IP Radio networks
❖ Ham radio operador uses Echolink network. Several opensource projects to connect to it.
(Thelinkbox, SVXLINK, Asterisk). Network closed to only ham radio legal callsigns. Only
voice.
❖ Some other networks used in USA( Allstar, IRLP, EchoIRLP) that uses Asterisk to
interconnect
❖ Dplus, ircddb Networks
❖ DMR-SPAIN , DMR-MARC
❖ Im real world digital and most used network for Police, firemans etc.. is TETRAPOL.
Closed Network encrypted, secure and not cheap.
❖ Come local councils take part of this network but it has high mantainment cost s (> 60000
euros anuales) are making DMR networks interesting. (http://www.santapola.es/
perfilcontratante/licitaciones/plan-e2/sum-2010-02-ptecnicas-criterios.pdf)
❖ Any network we could create as personal use.

11. Manufacturers
❖ DSTAR world has only one manufacturer (ICOM). Its a ha radio
network, not to be used by professional radio . We could convert
any transceiver to DSTAR using AMBE coces and GMSK
modems.
❖ In professional world we have several brands , Kendwood, Yaesu,
Motorola (MOTOTRBO), Hytera.
❖ Motorola most used in USA . Hytera (China) with European
headquarters (German) mostly used in european market.
❖ They are interoperatble. ETSI estandar. Some features are not
compatible.Hytera radios more ETSI compatible

12. Ham Radio operators
❖ Strange people that covers
houses with antennas.
❖ Restless minds that want to
communicate with martians
❖ Worried about some earth
atmosphere layers
❖ Professionals with same hobbie
❖ Lot of ha radio operador in
countries where
communication networks are
not common.
www.voipnovatos.es

13. Integration
❖ If we use a proprietary system we would have APIs to
do it.
❖ We could always take analog “local loop” to play with.
❖ Radio trasceivers used in base or repeaters usual have
integración port with several out porta we could use.

14. Signals needed
❖ We would need at least this signals
❖ Speaker
❖ Microphone
❖ Squelch
❖ PTT

15. Voip translation
❖ Look for other options. Voip is not SIP or IAX.
❖ So many tools to transmit voice over IP paths.
❖ Multicast, Unicast .
❖ Lot of pensource projects we could use. MAST,
SVXLINK, Asterisk(app_rpt, chan_oss,jack_audio..)
❖ On first slide, if you have been reading, radio is fast,
Multicast is a “MUST”.

16. Radio without Asterisk
❖ Asterisk is good as protocol converter.
❖ If we do not have any compatible device with app_rtp we have to
think about other options (Signalink USB, Rigexpert).
❖ Let Asterisk speaks SIP and use Multicast, Unicast using a device ->
Vocality
❖ Freeswitch
❖ HackRF (Interesting )
❖ SVXLINK
❖ IP DECT PTT (Polycom Propietary)

17. Radio with Asterisk
❖ Echolink support for Asterisk(echolink.conf)
❖ app_rpt But only compatible with interfaces (CM108 (http://
images.ohnosec.org/usbfob.pdf) , URI (http://dmkeng.com))
❖ Centos recommended, more test and projects to run with it
than Debian.
❖ DTMF used to interact with radio world and phone world.
❖ We always have chan_alsa (no sólo sirve para el console dial),
y cmd_jack (https://wiki.asterisk.org/wiki/display/AST/
Asterisk+12+Application_JACK).

18. CM108
❖ USB device that cost
only one euro.Chipset
with Epoxy that does
not help to handle and
solder components.
❖ app_rpt compatible
❖ You could build a
controller by yourself
but you have to be
patient.
www.voipnovatos.es

19. URI
❖ Interface with CM108 build
and ready to be used.
❖ About 100 $
❖ app_rpt compatible
❖ “Same” than USB FOB but
if you do not have so much
time its the solution.
❖ If you need a cable, you can
build it or buy at
uricables.com
www.voipnovatos.es

20. Vocality
❖ Easy way
❖ Strong Device with large
experience to radio
interconnection.
❖ No so cheap. But works really
good
❖ You can translate SIP, Multicast
RTP, Unicast andVocality-Vocality
link.
❖ Web and telnet interface.
❖ Military oriented. Encryption.
www.voipnovatos.es

21. Vocality
❖ PTT activated by voice
detection
❖ PTT activated by DTMF
❖ Full Duplex or Half Duplex
❖ Bandwith optimization
❖ Silence supression
❖ From 2 to 64 ROIP channels
❖ Multicast. Unicast
www.voipnovatos.es

22. Demo I Vocality-SIP-Asterisk
MADRID
ALICANTE
INTERNET
ALICANTE
DTMF
DTMF
DTMF DTMF
CABLE
DB26

23. Demo I Vocality-SIP-Asterisk
❖ In this demo we show radio interconection between
DMR (Hytera MD 785G) and Asterisk.
❖ We make a call on radio side, and i receive a call on SIP
side. We need to use DTMF codes.
❖ We make a call to vocality sip extension and to change
between RX ant TX we would use DTMF or voice
detection.

24. Demo II Vocality-Multicast
❖ In this demo we show radio interconection between
DMR (Hytera MD 785G) and Multicast Platform.
❖ We make a radio call and we receive it on Phone
attending to multicast address. Asterisk not capable to
receive multicast.
❖ If we send to vocality multicast IP we are able to
transmit to radio.G711 used.
❖ Fast , clean and effective. I love it :)

25. Other options
❖ PSTN gateway for Radio.
❖ Hall Duplex
❖ Could records radio calls
❖ Ear radio on other
location
❖ Many more…
www.voipnovatos.es

26. RTL_SDR
❖ Universal.
❖ Cheap
❖ “Simple”
❖ Only for RX
❖ Tx with HACKRF or similar hw
❖ Not physical connection between
radio and gateway
❖ Able to decode DMR or DSTAR
with DSD software
❖ ADS-B
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27. More options
❖ Use RTL-SDR to receive
and use GPIO on
raspberry to TX (http://
www.icrobotics.co.uk/
wiki/index.php/
Turning_the_Raspberry_
Pi_Into_an_FM_Transmit
ter) ).
www.voipnovatos.es

28. Signalink USB
❖ Intentared Sound card for any radio
brand.“RJ45” cable with
configurable pinout (http://
www.tigertronics.com/
sl_wirebm.htm)
❖ In linux USB sound card is shown.
❖ In asterisk we could integrate with
salsa (chan_console) or JACK Audio.
❖ PTT control is made by device.
❖ If i play , signaling TX and PTT
activated. Be careful with Mute
function on phone.
www.voipnovatos.es

29. Signalink USB con Asterisk
❖ exten => _1XXX,1,Answer()
❖ exten => _1XXX,n,Set(CONFBRIDGE(user,admin)=yes)
❖ exten => _1XXX,n,Set(CONFBRIDGE(user,marked)=yes)
❖ exten => _1XXX,n,Set(CONFBRIDGE(user,startmuted)=no)
❖ exten => _1XXX,n,Set(CONFBRIDGE(bridge,record_conference)=yes)
❖ exten =>
_1XXX,n,ConfBridge(1000,test_bridge,test_user,test_user_menu)
❖ exten => _1XXX,n,Hangup()

30. Signalink USB con Asterisk
❖ #!/bin/sh
❖ asterisk -rx "console dial radio@extensiones”
❖ cat > /home/pi/888.call <<EOF
❖ Channel: Local/888@extensiones
❖ MaxRetries: 2
❖ RetryTime: 60
❖ WaitTime: 30
❖ Context: extensiones
❖ Extension: 888_ice
❖ Priority: 1
❖ EOF
❖ mv /home/pi/888.call /var/spool/asterisk/outgoing

31. Rigexpert USB
❖ USB Radio Transceive with DB25
pinout (http://
www.rigexpert.com/index?
f=making_cables)
❖ Several devices. Not Only USB
audio. PTT control
❖ In Asterisk we could use ALSA
(chan_console) or JACK Audio.
❖ To TX , open serial port.
❖ I would need some application
maps to handle TX and RX.
(features.conf)
www.voipnovatos.es

32. RigExpert USB - Asterisk
❖ [applicationmap]
❖ transmitir=> 88,peer,System,sh /root/tx.sh
❖ We could use some GPIO ports in Raspberry.
❖ Problems found. If i TX to be able to RX, had to close
call.

33. Mumble Server
❖ Gamers use servers with low
audio latency and rooms
where all participants can ear
and talk.
❖ Mumble allows that and we
would use mumble server as
central server and mumble
client for mobile devices.
PTT is done by Signaling
device, so we do not care
about this.
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34. Demo III: RadioVoip con Mumble
MADRID
ALICANTE
INTERNET
MÁLAGA
RX
RX
TX TX

35. Demo III: RadioVoip con Mumble
❖ In this demo i show a mueble server and sigilan
installation.
❖ If anyone wants to connect to mumble server with its
mobile phone you are able to do.
❖ Hytera radio is conecten to mumble server using
signalink. If anyone speaks audio is sent to radio.
❖ We cold mute some user to do not allow them to speak
to radio.

36. VLC multicast
❖ We could use VLC to
transmit multicast
❖ Also if we receive
multicast on some address
we play back to radio (TX
on radio)
❖ If we have audio signaling
has PTT activated so not
be able to RX.
www.voipnovatos.es

37. VLC
❖ Options to be used for example in VLC are:
❖ cvlc -vvv alsa://hw:0,0 --sout
“#transcode{acodec=ulaw,ab=64,scale=1,channels=1,ar=80
00}:rtp{dst=239.255.255.254,port-audio=6666}"
❖ arecord | cvlc stream:///dev/stdin --sout
“#transcode{acodec=ulaw,ab=64,scale=1,channels=1,ar=80
00}:rtp{dst=239.255.255.254,port-audio=6666}"
❖ cvlc -vvv udp://@239.255.255.254:6667 | aplay -D
plughw:0,0

38. Icecast & Darkice
❖ We could use icecast2 as server to have several audio traces.
❖ Darkice will open alsa device and TX icecast server.
❖ Using Raspberry pi you have to compile alsa, lame, ogg-vorbis
support.
❖ Link recommend http://www.t3node.com/blog/live-streaming-
mp3-audio-with-darkice-and-icecast2-on-raspberry-
pi/
❖ We need to create an darkice.xml file

39. Icecast y Darkice
# see the darkice.cfg man page for details
# this section describes general aspects of the live streaming session
[general]
duration = 0 # duration of encoding, in seconds. 0 means forever
bufferSecs = 5 # size of internal slip buffer, in seconds
reconnect = yes # reconnect to the server(s) if disconnected
# this section describes the audio input that will be streamed
[input]
device = hw:1,0 # Alsa soundcard device for the audio input
sampleRate = 44100 # sample rate in Hz. try 11025, 22050 or 44100
bitsPerSample = 16 # bits per sample. try 16
channel = 1 # channels. 1 = mono, 2 = stereo
# this section describes a streaming connection to an IceCast2 server
# there may be up to 8 of these sections, named [icecast2-0] ... [icecast2-7]
# these can be mixed with [icecast-x] and [shoutcast-x] sections
[icecast2-0]
bitrateMode = vbr # variable bit rate
format = mp3 # format of the stream: mp3
quality = 0.6 # quality of the stream sent to the server
server = localhost # host name of the server
port = 8000 # port of the IceCast2 server, usually 8000
password = SOURCE_PASSWORD # source password to the IceCast2 server
mountPoint = raspi # mount point of this stream on the IceCast2 server
name = RasPi # name of the stream
description = DarkIce on RasPi # description of the stream
url = http://localhost # URL related to the stream
genre = my genre # genre of the stream
public = no # advertise this stream?
localDumpFile = recording.mp3 # Record also to a file

40. Demo IV: Radio Streaming
MADRID
ALICANTE
INTERNET
MÁLAGA

41. Demo IV: Radio streaming
❖ We will connect to http://10.0.1.90:8080 and we will
play back radio audio
❖ We could use it for call recording for example using
asterisk meetme.

42. Zello
❖ Well know PTT application.
❖ You can créate private channels freely for 5 users. For
more you have to pay
❖ Cloud platform. Only Zello client needed. Only
windows software
❖ Mobile application easy to use
❖ For 10 ser 612 $/year
www.voipnovatos.es

43. Thanks
❖ Avanzada 7 S.L for
inviting me
❖ Vocality for equipment to
be shown on this talk
❖ Luis for STAGSA for help
on Hytera DMR Radios
❖ To you for being here this
year again :)
www.voipnovatos.es

44. THE END
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