introduction
Introducing to WIRESTM-II
WIRESTM began as an experimental Internet linking project in the United States (California), and the initial Beta testing led to the development of an expanded and enhanced protocol, known as WIRES-II.

WIRESTM-II is a system of using the Internet's voice-communication capability as a bridge between distant stations. Where simplex- and repeater-based communication was basically limited to a local coverage area, with WIRES-II it is now possible to use the Internet as a long-distance link, allowing city-to-city, country-to-country, or continent-to-continent contacts from your hand-held or mobile rig. With WIRESTM linking, the distance between mobile or hand-held units becomes irrelevant, and the world becomes a much smaller place!

WIRESTM uses DTMF signaling to establish a bridge, using the Internet, from your repeater or home station to another WIRES-equipped station anywhere in the world. No proprietary tones or connection formats are used, so any manufacturer's radio (equipped with a DTMF encoding keypad) may be used to bring up the Internet link.

The heart of a WIRESTM-II node is the HRI-100 Interface Box. At the repeater site, a personal computer is connected to the HRI-100 Interface Box, which serves as a command and audio-patching controller for the Internet bridge to your computer. Either a dial-up connection, or a high-speed line such as a DSL or ISDN line, may be used for connecting to the Internet.



Basic WIRES-II Features
Two basic configurations of WIRES exist in the WIRES-II format: SRG and FRG.

SRG
In the SRG (Sister Radio Group) configuration, you operate within WIRES-II in a small-ten-node (maximum) network that is ideal for closed-group operations (such as that between locations that have a Sister City relationship, for example). Within the network, all nodes operate using the same repeater node list, so you can link only to stations within this ten-node network. Because there are only ten nodes maximum, access to any of these nodes is possible using a single DTMF tone when calling. At the beginning of each transmission, this single DTMF tone locks communication between the calling node and the called node, but local (non-linked) transmissions are also possible, simply by omitting the DTMF tone at the beginning of the transmission.

Transceivers like the VX-7R and FT-8900R include hot keys for access to a WIRES node, for convenient SRG operation.

WIRES-II SRG System Diagram

FRG
When operating in the FRG (Friends' Radio Group) configuration, you may call any repeater registered with the WIRES-II FRG server. In the case of FRG operation, a six-digit DTMF code is required for access, and once the link is established this code need not be sent again (this is called the LOCK mode), unless the operator wants the ability to make non-linked transmissions (UNLOCK mode), in which case the six-digit code must be sent at the beginning of each transmission (using the DTMF Autodial feature of the transceiver, for example). Group calling to pre-set ten-repeater B, C, and D lists is also possible.

Disconnection of a WIRES-II link is accomplished by pressing the [#]-[9]-[9]-[9]-[9]-[D] or, alternatively, the [#]-[9]-[9]-[9]-[9]-[D] DTMF keys. And, if no manual disconnection command is received, a time-out timer feature will automatically drop the link after a user-defined period of inactivity.

WIRES-II FRG System Diagram

SRG LOCK and UNLOCK Modes
LOCK:
In the LOCK mode, the calling command (a single DTMF tone in the case of SRG) need be sent only once, and thereafter the Internet link will be maintained until the cutoff command (#99999 or #9999D) is sent; if no cutoff command is sent, the link will time out based on the configuration of the TOT (Time Out Timer) setup on the General Setting page. (Note: FRG always operates in the LOCK mode).

UNLOCK:
In the UNLOCK mode, the aforementioned single-tone SRG DTMF command must be sent at the beginning of each transmission; if no DTMF tone is sent on the second transmission of a series, in the UNLOCK mode, the link will not be maintained. The UNLOCK mode allows both linked and local communications to be interchanged, on the fly, without the need to wait for the Time-Out Timer to bring down the link. Also, when communicating with Node 4 on your SRG list, you can instantly change to a link with Node 3 by just pressing the [3] key on your radio's DTMF pad; if you were operating in the LOCK mode, you first have to drop the link to Node 4, then send the [3] DTMF digit to open the link to Node 3. Or you may quickly jump to a group call by sending the [A] DTMF code, if desired.