Autopatch
Encyclopedia
An autopatch, sometimes called a phone patch, is a feature of an amateur radio
(or other type of two-way radio
) repeater
to access an outgoing telephone
connection
. User
s with a transceiver
capable of producing touch tones (DTMF signals) can make a telephone call
, typically limited by settings in the autopatch module to be only to toll-free numbers, such as local calls or toll-free "800" numbers.
This feature is primarily used by radio amateurs to provide emergency telephone connectivity to places that have lost their telephone network access. An Amateur Radio Operator with a transceiver installed in their vehicle may provide telephone network access from dozens or hundreds of miles away, depending on the frequencies of the involved repeater, the power of the transceiver, and the gain of the antennas on both ends.
In the United States
, autopatch users are required to hang up if music
is played while on hold
, as the Federal Communications Commission
regulations prohibit any kind of music (even if incidental, unless part of an audio transmission from a Space Shuttle
mission) on amateur radio frequencies.
Amateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
(or other type of two-way radio
Two-way radio
A two-way radio is a radio that can both transmit and receive , unlike a broadcast receiver which only receives content. The term refers to a personal radio transceiver that allows the operator to have a two-way conversation with other similar radios operating on the same radio frequency...
) repeater
Repeater
A repeater is an electronic device that receives asignal and retransmits it at a higher level and/or higher power, or onto the other side of an obstruction, so that the signal can cover longer distances.-Description:...
to access an outgoing telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
connection
Telecommunication circuit
A telecommunication circuit is any line, conductor, or other conduit by which information is transmitted.A dedicated circuit, private circuit, or leased line is a line that is dedicated to only one use...
. User
User (telecommunications)
In telecommunications, a user is a person, organization, or other entity that employs the services provided by a telecommunication system, or by an information processing system, for transfer of information....
s with a transceiver
Transceiver
A transceiver is a device comprising both a transmitter and a receiver which are combined and share common circuitry or a single housing. When no circuitry is common between transmit and receive functions, the device is a transmitter-receiver. The term originated in the early 1920s...
capable of producing touch tones (DTMF signals) can make a telephone call
Telephone call
A telephone call is a connection over a telephone network between the calling party and the called party.-Information transmission:A telephone call may carry ordinary voice transmission using a telephone, data transmission when the calling party and called party are using modems, or facsimile...
, typically limited by settings in the autopatch module to be only to toll-free numbers, such as local calls or toll-free "800" numbers.
This feature is primarily used by radio amateurs to provide emergency telephone connectivity to places that have lost their telephone network access. An Amateur Radio Operator with a transceiver installed in their vehicle may provide telephone network access from dozens or hundreds of miles away, depending on the frequencies of the involved repeater, the power of the transceiver, and the gain of the antennas on both ends.
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, autopatch users are required to hang up if music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
is played while on hold
Hold (telephone)
In telephony, a call may be placed on hold, in which case the connection is not terminated but no verbal communication is possible until the call is removed from hold by the same or another extension on the key telephone system. Music on hold or On Hold Messaging may be played for the caller while...
, as the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
regulations prohibit any kind of music (even if incidental, unless part of an audio transmission from a Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
mission) on amateur radio frequencies.