Hello again folks,

We have some exciting news to share regarding our Patriot BatPhone system. As some of you are aware, Mr Jessie Alpuro, the founder of Hams Over IP (HOIP), joined us as a member last month. He then graciously agreed to interconnect our Patriot BatPhone system with his HOIP system. It is now possible for people using the HOIP system to dial Patriot BatPhone extensions, and likewise, people who are using the Patriot BatPhone system may dial HOIP extensions.

To make a call to a HOIP extension from the Patriot BatPhone, you need only to dial the 6 digit HOIP extension of the person you are trying to reach. It is that simple. We are aware that there are some phones in use that have a programming issue and may hang once you reach the 5th digit of the number. A simple work around if you happen to have one of those phones, would be to leave the handset on hook, and do not press a line button just yet either. Dial the 6 digit HOIP extension you are trying to reach, then after entering the 6 digit extension number, you press the corresponding line button you have programmed in for the Patriot BatPhone. The call will then complete as dialed.

For a HOIP user to place a call to a Patriot BatPhone extension it is a bit more complicated for now, but it does function well, and we hope to possibly simplify it at a later date. For now, a HOIP user would dial 103612 to reach the Patriot BatPhone inbound trunk. You may hear a quick ring and a beep, or you may hear nothing, but a couple of seconds after dialing the trunk, you would then dial the 7 digit extension number of the Patriot BatPhone user you are trying to reach.

I encourage each of you to reach out to Jessie, WH6AV and let him know how much we all appreciate his doing this for us. Without Jessie’s willingness to allow it and tremendous amount of hands on help to set it up, we would never have achieved it.

73, and what Jessie would say Aloha!

Gene McDole, KK7GKO

Head Trustee – Patriot Radio Club