The "Who Cares" Reflector is a meeting place for hams (mostly in detroit area). It started out as an experiment, and has grown into a micro-hub of technical minded folks who enjoy Ham Radio, Electronics, and solving techincal challenges.
Evolution and Iteration of the Who Cares Hub.
We've successfully merged the Allstar Hub 594950 and URF239 reflector onto a new cloud infrastructure at 40% of the cost. Only the digital transcoding is done offsite now thanks to changes in URF design that allow for remote transcoding.
We are excited for this change as it means we don't have to depend on a home internet connection. We are only at risk of the transcoding going down during any outages, which is acceptable since Allstar is our main mode.
We've fully embraced ASL 3.0 in the infrastructure after months of testing and evaluation and excited for it's future.
Hams Over IP (HOIP) continues to be a group favorite and our link on extension 15068 is a popular choice for lurkers.
We've turned off Echolink for now since it was rarely used.
Similarly we are no longer linking to AmComm as the link kept on breaking randomly. We don't know if intentionally by admins or what. It wasn't use very much if at all.
TGIF link may be re-established at a later date, but is also offline until further notice. We kept the talkgroup (70777) in case anyone wants to have DMR group conversations on TGIF.
If you want to connect via DMR. I would read up how to connect your pistar, wpsd, or openspot to XLX239 Module A. Or simply use DMR2YSF to reflector 70777.
We have migrated the hub to ASL 3.0 - checkout our new dashboard at https://whocaresradio.com/monitor
Note: We have removed the M17-WHO reflector, if you want to listen over M17 you should use our URF239 reflector.. URF239 Module A.
We have added Hams Over IP (HOIP) extension 15068.
We have added DMR connection to AmComm at talkgroup 31262
The HUB used to be linked to local repeater system. We tried it as an experiment for a while, and it was causing too many issues. We may revisit in the future, but for now it will remain an independent system. If you want to use RF it will be through someone's personal node, either your own or a shared node you are local to. You can see the diagram and links below for how to connect.
We added Node 594955, which is a Hamvoip install, for anyone having trouble connecting to 594950, try 594955 as alternative.
Here is all the information you may need if you are already familiar with Allstar and the Digital Modes. The sections below this quickstart will go more in depth in explaining the technology behind the Who Cares Reflector.
Please read at least the ettiquite section below before joining the reflector, if you don't agree with it then please don't connect.
URF239 is the name of the reflector and supports DMR (via DMR2YSF), YSF (Yaesu System Fusion), along with DSTAR and M17.
The dashboard for the URF239 is located here: https://urf239.whocaresradio.com
We value open communication and the exchange of ideas among our community. Our reflector serves as a platform for users to engage in respectful and productive discussions within the guidelines of our community standards. We appreciate your active participation in our community and want to ensure that everyone's experience remains positive and enriching.
To maintain the integrity and quality of our reflector, we have established a set of criteria for temporary or permanent bans from the reflector. These criteria are meant to foster a welcoming and harmonious environment for all users. It is important for all users to familiarize themselves with these guidelines and adhere to them to continue benefiting from our platform. The following criteria may lead to temporary or permanent bans:
Lurking: We define lurking as just listening and never participating in conversations for an extended period. In the spirit of community engagement, we encourage all users to actively contribute to discussions. If we notice extended periods of inactivity, where a user is only listening and not engaging, we may disconnect their node from the hub.
Interference: Causing interference, such as a node keying down or disrupting normal communication, is strictly prohibited. Users should be considerate of others and avoid actions that hinder effective communication.
Transmission Breaks: Users are expected to leave adequate breaks between transmissions and avoid excessive quick keys. This ensures that the reflector remains an open and inclusive space for all participants.
Discussion of Politics or Religion: Engaging in discussions related to politics or religion for more than a few exchanges is discouraged. While we encourage diverse viewpoints, we believe it's best to approach these subjects with caution to maintain a harmonious atmosphere.
Respectful Behavior: It is imperative that all users treat others with respect. Disagreements are natural, but personal attacks or disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated. Differences in philosophies and opinions should be discussed in a courteous and constructive manner.
Long-Winded Conversations: Prolonged one-on-one conversations that could be more appropriately conducted as a private exchange, especially between users who are strangers to the group, are discouraged. Our reflector should not be used as a platform for lengthy personal discussions.
Known Reputation as a Bad Actor: Individuals with a known reputation in the community for being disruptive or engaging in harmful behavior may also face temporary or permanent bans from the reflector. We prioritize maintaining a positive and respectful atmosphere, and those who consistently act as bad actors are not conducive to our community's well-being.
Poor Audio Quality or Refusal to Address Technical Issues: Users are expected to maintain a reasonable audio quality and promptly address any technical issues that may affect the clarity of communication. Refusing to address problems such as buzzing, microphone gain settings, or poor vocoded audio that disrupt the quality of discussions may result in temporary or permanent bans from the reflector.
Failure to adhere to these criteria may result in temporary or permanent bans from the reflector, depending on the severity and frequency of the violations. We believe these criteria are essential to maintaining a positive and productive community for all users.
We encourage all reflector users to review these criteria and uphold our community standards to ensure a respectful and enjoyable experience for all. If you have any questions or concerns about these guidelines, please do not hesitate to contact our support team.
A reflector is simply a computer server that is hosted in the cloud or possibly in someone's basement. In this case, it connects one or more nodes together for the purpose of communications.
A node can be a repeater, another reflector, someone's personal node (usually a raspberry pi). A node can have and RF (radio frequency) interface or simply a usb headset/mic (radioless node), your cell phone, etc.
Many hams like to build little personal nodes with an RF module so they can use their walkie talkies (HT - handheld tranceiver) or any other radio around their property. Nodes are usually simplex nodes, meaning it listens on one frequency and can only receive or transmit, but not both. This is a little different than a repeater which is usually duplex in that it can be transmitting on a diff frequency and recive on another simultaneouly.
The technology we use for personal nodes usually involves a computer (commonly a raspberry pi) and an RF Module (commonly a SHARI or other type of device).
Take a look at the Allstar page for more information
In addition to the analog modes, if you already have a dmr, fusion, dstar handheld you can build / purchase a digital hotspot and connect. I encourage people to explore the Allstar route as it sounds much better and you can use ANY radio.
The connection information is located in the quickstart at top of this page. In order to link the digital world to the analog world, we use a technology called the Universal Reflector (URF). It is a software developed by a few individuals for the single purpose of bridging all the modes together. If you want to know more about URFd: https://github.com/n7tae/urfd
Some resources about Digital Hotspots:
You have heard the term used in previous sections. Bridging is the term we use for mixing unlike networks together. The Who Cares reflector bridges the digital networks together with the analog networks. Also it bridges hamshack hotline, echolink together. As mentioned we prefer Allstar as its the "root or hub" in the system and you have the best experience. There can be lost transmissions on the bridges if people quick key etc.