Rangecast FAQ
[FAQ-1166] Configuring a VOX source to feed into Rangecast

Page Type: REFERENCE

BACKGROUND

VOX senders record audio from audio sources other than Uniden scanners

[FAQ-1020] What is a VOX sender?

A "VOX sender" is the Rangecast feed site software operating in a special mode used for bringing audio content into Rangecast from any audio source other than a Uniden radio scanner that supports data communications with a PC. Examples include audio streams obtained from the internet, microphones, radio scanners that lack the ability to communicate with a PC, or non-Uniden radio scanners (the software only knows how to communicate with Uniden scanners). In addition, VOX is sometimes used temporarily for technical analysis of audio from a radio scanner normally used in non-VOX mode.

METHOD

1 -- PREPARATION

To add a VOX source or channel into Rangecast, you must know this information:

a) What feed site number will be used by the sender providing the content.

This feed site number (two digits, range 01 to 98, leading zero if below 10) must be dedicated to a single VOX source. Do not combine multiple VOX senders under one feed site number, or also operate normal scanners under the same feed site number.

b) What Rangecast channel ID will be used to report transmissions on this channel.

This is a code that begins with the characters CX followed by five digits (e.g. "CX12345"). The code must be unique within Rangecast. To select a number, you can request from Rangecast an allocated block of custom channel IDs for use in your hub.

c) What name you want to have shown on the Rangecast player, for transmissions on this channel.

d) On the PC, which audio input is used for this VOX source.

Usually this is the PCs default or built-in audio input, and the setup process is simplest in that case. However, on occasion an external or additional sound card may be used. In this case, it is necessary to determine which audio input is used.


With this information:


2 -- PROGRAMMER (FOR THE HUB ORIGINATING THE AUDIO)

a) In the Rangecast HTML5 programmer, go to Save Options and choose Hub Overrides in the drop-down menu. This opens a text box where you may enter (or edit) custom channels

b) Enter a line describing the channel, as illustrated below.

CX10330:f=vox,r=59,u=J1,n=FORT WORTH POLICE-FIRE DISPATCH,g=TX0301,s=FW DISP

The format of the line is described here:

"CX10330:" This is the Rangecast channel ID chosen for this channel (followed by a colon, indicating the rest of the line contains information about this channel). The following fields are comma separated, as shown in the image.

"f=vox" This specific text is needed to configure as a VOX sender

"r=59" This is the receive feed site where the channel is recorded.

"u=J1" This is the agency type of the content, according to the standard codes

[FAQ-1029] Reference list of Agency Codes used by RadioReference, HPDB, RCHAN

This is a list of the Agency Codes used by RadioReference, and in the Home Patrol Database (HPDB), and in Rangecast RCHAN files.



"n=FORT WORTH POLICE-FIRE DISPATCH" This is the name that will be shown for the channel. The length may be up to 64 characters.

"g=TX0301" This is the geocode used to associate the channel with a geographic jurisdiction. Channel codes may be found in the programmer, or the online geocode database.

"s= FW DISP" This is the "short name" for the channel, which may be used to identify the channel on small buttons inside the player.

(optional) In addition, you may specify additional information about the channel, including placement into a system/group/channel hierarchy.

c) When done, press Apply Changes, then Save.


3 -- FEED SITE SOFTWARE (ON THE RECORDING PC)

a) On the feed site PC, go to the Configuration screen

b) Enter the feed site ID for your sender onto the line marked Unlinked Sender with V to identify the particular source (e.g "example 59 V" in the three text boxes) and press the checkbox to activate the line.

c) If the correct audio input is not the default sound card, enter a special setting such as "11:vox=3" to select audio input 3 for site 11. Change the numbers for the feed site and audio input as appropriate. It may be possible to determine the correct audio input using the METER option on the Rangecast launch page, and observing audio levels during transmissions. About Special Settings:
[FAQ-1091] Special Settings parameter on PC feed site configuration screen

Special Settings is a field on the PC feed site configuration screen for customizing various aspects of software features and performance. Commands entered here may affect all audio sources on the PC, or be directed to a specific scanner or audio source.



d) When finished, press Save. Then close the software, and launch normally.


4 -- MAINTENANCE (ADJUSTING CUSTOMIZABLE PARAMETERS)

Three customizations are available for VOX senders -- the audio level at which the VOX system activates to start a recording, the length of quiet time allowed before ending a recording, and whether a "notch filter" is used when sampling the audio.

In most cases, none of these customizations are needed, and the default settings for the VOX work well.

If you want to adjust these parameters, on the feed site PC, edit the Special Settings box. To alter the response time or level, use the special settings commands "voxms" or "voxlevel" in a similar manner (e.g. 11:voxlevel=45). Valid values for voxlevel are 25, 30, 35, 40, or 45. Valid levels for voxms are 1000, 2000, or 5000 (these are in milliseconds, and correspond go 1, 2, or 5 seconds of silence.)

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