AllScan UCI120 USB Communications Interface

AllStar EchoLink DVSwitch Radio-less Node Audio/PTT Interface Module

The UCI120 is a professional-grade yet low cost USB Audio/PTT communications interface that sets a new standard for AllStar and other PTT communications applications. The UCI120 is designed and optimized for use with communications microphones, speakers and other audio equipment, and is not intended to directly interface to radio transmitters or receivers.

Features

• Comprehensive LED status indicators for USB host status, Mic PTT (ASL COS), Mic Signal & Clip, and RX (ASL PTT). The mic signal and clip LEDs make it quick and easy to set mic input levels while minimizing any risk of ADC clipping
• Standard Mic Gain Adjust and Mic Boost controls provide a 50dB gain adjustment range, supporting a wide range of communications microphones and dynamic mics. An internal 10Ω–1mF filter on the analog power supply ensures the lowest possible noise, particularly with older preamplified mics that do not have good supply voltage filtering or mics that combine audio and power on one line
• TRRS Line Out jack supports stereo TRS line out and an external mic in on the R2 pin with switchable bias voltage to power electret mics and headsets
• Insert I/O Jack supports the use of external audio processors. channel strips, mixers, and other audio systems. 3.5mm Tip=Send (from AGC out) Ring=Return (to ADC in)
• Internal trimmer potentiometers and DIP switches enable adjustment of nearly all mic preamp and AGC parameters. Over a dozen interior header and test point pads support easy access to all audio, power, GPIO and LED lines
• Extruded aluminum enclosure with ferrite and bypass cap filtering on all I/Os maximizes durability and EMI/RFI resistance. Optimized PCB layout with separate analog and digital power supplies and ground planes ensures extremely low noise and clear audio
• 6dB/octave bandpass filters ahead of the AGC mic preamp, ADC, and speaker amp reduce ADC clipping and AGC gain-pumping, and minimize thumps, clicks and other background noise. These filters have a smooth response curve supporting extended frequency response for other audio applications.
• Supports full-duplex audio with no dependence on PTT or COS. Works as a standard USB audio interface on Win, Mac & Linux in addition to fully supporting AllStarLink and HamVOIP

Overview

The UCI120's primary application is for use in Radio-less AllStar nodes but it can be also used with any other PC / smartphone / embedded / VOIP application that would benefit from a simple high-quality interface to amateur and commercial radio communications microphones and speakers.

AllScan ANR100 Radio-less AllStar Nodes are built using a MiniPC and a Radio-less audio+PTT interface module. Initially the audio module was named the ANR100-A but it later became clear that such a module could be used for any PTT communications app, remote rig control application, ROIP app, etc. Within AllStar and EchoLink, Audio+PTT interfaces are most commonly referred to as URIs (USB Radio Interfaces), but because an ANR100 does not connect to a radio, USB Communications Interface (UCI) is a more appropriate name. The AllScan ANR100 model name now refers to an integrated MiniPC and UCI120, configured and tested with ASL3.

The UCI120 works with any Mini PC or RPi, is inexpensive, compact and portable, and delivers excellent audio quality and dynamics. Note however that a high-quality microphone is an essential part of any radio-less node. The Products page has a detailed list of mic recommendations, and this is discussed in more detail below.

For those who want to assemble their own node any MiniPC or RPi can be used, loaded with ASL3 and set up in as little as an hour. I do not recommend using anything with less than 2GB of RAM or 8GB of eMMC/SSD as it would likely not hold up well to years of use. Dell Wyse 3040's use only 2-3 Watts of power on average, are fanless yet run very cool and can be left running 24 hours a day for years with no noticeable effect on your electric bill.

Product Page / Brochure / Demo Video / Ham Radio DX Review Video / The Repeater Magazine Review

• AllStarLink.org has excellent documentation and support making it easy to build your own node on Intel/AMD or RPi platforms. ASL is 100% open-source and supported by a large ham community including many experts who have used it for years with complex interlinked repeater systems.
• Dell Wyse 3040 and other Thin Client / Mini / Nano PCs are widely available for $25 or less on ebay, and have the same low power consumption as an RPi3/4 but with more features, including a power button so they can be turned on or cleanly shut down simply by pressing a button, a Real-Time-Clock IC that enables powering on and off on a schedule, built-in eMMC SSD memory, a shielded case with excellent EMC performance, better thermal management, and fanless silent operation. These are full-featured FCC-Certified PCs rather than just bare-bones Single-Board Computer modules. Dell Wyse 3040's are 4"x4"x1.1" in size, barely larger than an RPi.
• There's no longer any good reason to settle for nodes with noisy audio (< 50dB SNR), substandard RF performance, or closed-source software. ASL3 brings AllStar up to the latest Debian Linux and Asterisk versions while making a number of other major improvements and fully supporting both x64 and RPi platforms.
• Radio-less nodes automatically support Full-duplex, enabling more interactive and more efficient communications, preventing doubles, and improving situational awareness. Full-duplex smartphone VOIP/IAX apps and SIP phones can also be used with the node.
• The DVSwitch ASL distribution supports bridging to digital modes such as P25, D-STAR, YSF, DMR, etc. and is also fully open-source.
• AllStar nodes also support EchoLink with a simple cfg setting. If there are repeaters you know that support EchoLink but not AllStar I recommend asking the owners to also support AllStar.

The UCI120 has been tested and confirmed working perfectly with the EchoLink Windows app (in SysOp mode with RX Ctrl Carrier Detect set to "URI" and "Invert Sense" Checkbox checked). Note: A new version of EchoLink was made available in Oct. 2024 that supports the CM108B IC, thus you may need to update your EchoLink app.

Radio-less AllStar Node Benefits

• Radioless nodes are ideal for use cases where WiFi or wired ethernet are available but the additional range provided by an HT or mobile radio is not needed, such as for a desk or table at your home QTH / office / shack, for vehicles or RVs where you have a WiFi hotspot, and for 2nd offices, hotels, etc. Radio-less nodes are the simplest, easiest and most cost-effective way to get on AllStar with your own node, and are more portable than even the smallest radio-based node and radio needed to access it.
• For a node that's sitting a few feet away on a desk it makes more sense to use a radioless node than to have multiple radios on transmitting 100's of milliWatts of RF. Radio-less nodes are more energy efficient, using generally less than a few Watts, vs. a node with radios plus other radio(s) to access it is easily 3 times the energy consumption.
• Radio-less nodes also support Full-Duplex by default. This is a powerful feature, as described in the Full-Duplex Communication Benefits section below, and makes a properly designed radio-less node much nicer to use than any half-duplex node.

Includes a fully assembled & tested unit and short USB-A to USB-C cable, ready to plug into any RPi or MiniPC running ASL, HamVOIP, DVSwitch, or other PTT communications apps. No mic or speaker is included.

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