Remote Base: Doug Hall RBI-1

The Doug Hall Electronics Model RBI-1 is frequency agile multi port remote base. It was originally created for direct use in a PC. It is possible to interface the RBI-1 to AllStar.

Connections

The RBI-1 uses the first 3 pins of the parallel port and can not be changed. There is no other interface method built into the app_rpt software. If you have been using the pins for anything else, you will need to migrate them to higher pins than the first 3. See Parallel Port GPIO

Parallel port pinout is as follows:

PP1 = data

PP2 = clock

PP3 = reset

No buffering is required. Attach directly to the RBI-1's DB9 interface on the correct PP pins.

AllStar Settings

In rpt.conf you will need to set lines in the nodes stanza:

[29285]                            ; replace 28295 with your node number 
iobase=0x378                       ; (for lpt1)
remote=rbi                         ; Doug Hall RBI-1
functions=funtions-remote29285     ; Function list from link (a list of agile working commands) - use your node number
memory=memory29285                 ; 'system stored' radio presets, not required - use your node number

[funtions-remote29285] ;for rbi-1   use your node number

0=remote,1             ; Retrieve Radio Stored Memory Channel
1=remote,2             ; Set freq. VFO MMMMM*KKK*O   (Mhz digits, Khz digits, Offset)
2=remote,3             ; Set tx PL tone PL Tone HHH*D*
3=remote,4             ; Set rx PL tone         HHH*D*

40=remote,100          ; Rx PL off
41=remote,101          ; Rx PL on
42=remote,102          ; Tx PL off
43=remote,103          ; Tx PL on
44=remote,104          ; Low Power
45=remote,105          ; Medium Power
46=remote,106          ; High Power

51=remote,5          ; Long status query
52=remote,140        ; Short status query
67=remote,210        ; Send a *
69=remote,211        ; Send a #


;Not Required but noted:

[memory29285]          ;Stored presets for radio, 
                       ;Tuning a agile remote base has a unchangeable prefix of (star 5) *5
                       ;Format: (recall# xx) = (Freq 6 digits and decimal) (TX PL Tone )  ( CTCSS Tone )  (ofset + - S ) ( power l m h )
init=224.660,100.0,-l  ;initial freq/mode on start-up/boot - choose something safe in case of error. Not required. Can be remarked out.
00=224.560,100.0,-l
01=224.460,114.8,-l
02=224.580,131.8,-l
03=223.980,100.0,-l
04=146.940,114.8,-lt
10=442.175,162.2,+l
11=444.475,114.8,+l
12=444.150,100.0,+l
;13=446.500,100.0,sl

It is more than convenient and desirable to put all of the control functions on a published node, such as 1999, and secure the node/audio on a private node you can disconnect. This makes it dis-connectable for periodic use and prevents you from the need to connect to the node in 'command mode' ie *4xxxxx to control it's agile interface. That can allow you to set it before connecting the node for audio as well. Always review and test macro/scheduler initiations of this before leaving it to run from it unattended.

Note : There is a security log-in function for remote base control. The is not yet documented in the wiki Remote Base section.