05/10Applications
EchoRoom
Digital bridge for a ham radio repeater allowing for audio and text exchange.
Idea
It quickly became clear that a bridge was needed to connect walkie-talkie users with those who don't have any transmission-receiving devices. This led to the idea of the EchoRoom app, which enables conversations and the exchange of short text messages between walkie-talkies and, for example, mobile phones.
Plans
In my plans, I want to modify this application to make it more global. Currently, there aren't many alternatives for hobbyists to create repeater networks; most options are either commercial solutions or outdated and unsafe. Thanks to the lightweight nature of the protocol, we can finally forget about dedicated computers managing connections—just a small, energy-efficient microcontroller like the ESP32 is sufficient. Adding the ability to create rooms and manage user permissions is a goal for the near future.
Technology stack
13
React
React Router
React Query
Socket.IO
shadcn/ui
Sass
TypeScript
JavaScript
Arduino
C++
Eagle
GitLab
FreeBSD
The application is divided into three layers. A Socket.IO server serving as the real-time communication hub between users and devices. A web client built with React 19 using Shadcn, and an application on an ESP32 microcontroller written in C/C++. Audio transmission has been reduced to 8 kHz in mono. The original design was based on WebRTC, but I abandoned it as it was an overcomplication.
APRS
A very large number of professional receiving and transmitting devices designed for amateur radio operators have the capability to receive and send APRS messages. It would be a missed opportunity not to integrate the AX.25 protocol and enable the transmission of short text messages through the system. I have also added the identification of correspondents using this protocol. Before each transmission, the sender's call sign is sent. In the future, I plan to enable the system to receive APRS messages.