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Technical Information on the RLC Series of Repeater Controllers and Equipment Manufactured by Link Corporation, now known as Audio Test Solutions, Inc. Originally Compiled and Maintained by Mike Morris WA6ILQ Formerly Maintained by Robert Meister WA1MIK (SK) Currently Maintained by Mike Morris WA6ILQ I know next to nothing about this equipment so please ask on the RLC or Repeater-Builder mailing lists! |
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Contributions, comments / critiques / suggestions / corrections / updates for this page are welcome and appreciated.
Actually to any page at this web site! (even one that just points out a typo).
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The prior address (seen in many older manuals) was an industrial building at: 1407 4th Ave N, Billings, Montana 59101 at the same phone numbers. Another prior address was P.O. Box 1071 in Sidney, Montana 59270. An even older address was an apartment house at 306 South 20th Avenue in Bozeman, Montana 59715. |
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News flash: And no, it's not an April Fools Day joke.
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March 30, 2011: Amateur Radio RLC Product Line Acquired by ATSI:
Audio Test Solutions, Inc. Link Communications, Inc. has provided high-end repeater controllers to Amateur Radio operators for over twenty-two years. In that time our business has grown from one product line up to six different product lines. With this growth we have decided that more individual focus is needed in the RLC Product line. To further this focus, ATSI (Audio Test Solutions Inc.) of Billings, Montana has acquired the rights to the RLC Product Line from Link Communications, Inc. As of April 1, 2011, Link Communications will no longer be selling the RLC Product Line and it will no longer be featured on the Link Communications' web site. ATSI values your relationship and will be working directly with Link Communications, Inc. to insure a smooth transition for all of you in the Amateur Radio Community. For the immediate future the manufacturing aspect of the RLC products will continue to be done at the Link Communications manufacturing facility. All new sales, repairs and support will be done directly through ATSI's new web site. ATSI is very excited about the acquisition of the RLC product line and has designed a new web site which is designed and dedicated specifically for the Amateur Radio enthusiasts. Info on the products: http://www.rlccontrollers.com. |
Yes, there is an RLC mailing list! Like any manufacturer that has a group of enthusiasts there is
a mailing list at groups.io: rlc@groups.io The list covers all the Link products
EXCEPT the DSP series of controllers. To subscribe go to https://groups.io/g/RLC.
If you are at all serious about your Link/RLC repeater controller then you need to subscribe... You
can select to receive:
1) A copy of each posted message as they are posted... or...
2) A daily summary... or...
3) No email at all. You will have to log into the rlc@groups.io web site to read or reply to the messages.
The list has a large number of controller owners and if you post a request or comment you will get a response from someone.
The best way to get the newest documentation (manuals, schematics, and firmware are all kept in separate folders) is to start at https://www.rlccontrollers.com/, click "SUPPORT", then "FTP Files and Manuals".
Matt Lechliter W6XC has been using RLCs for over 25 years and suggested this:
The RLCs can have a input buffer over-run while uploading a file.
Set the audio routing variable for serial port responses to zero to reduce the processor
workload.
Use a 1 second line delay during uploads.
Tera-Term (a wonderful and free Windows serial program) has two Transmit Delay fields on the "Serial port setup and connection" menu, one for milliseconds between characters and a second for milliseconds between lines.
If you have problems, here are local (i.e. here at repeater-builder) copies of a few Link-Comm repeater controller manuals:
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RLC-1 Repeater Controller Manual ver 1.01 83 pages,
627 kB PDF dated 25 June 1993; No schematics included in the manual, but... RLC-1 Repeater Controller Rev A Schematics 154 kB PDF |
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RLC-2 V4.28 Repeater Controller Manual ver 4.28 365 pages, 1.62 MB PDF dated 14 March 1997; Has schematics. |
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RLC-2 V4.30 Repeater Controller Manual ver 4.30 366 pages, 1.57 MB PDF dated 18 Feb 1999; Has schematics. |
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Two notes on the RLC-2: 1) The RLC-2 Command 244 (on page 17-6 in the Version 4 manual) is provided to configure the serial port data rate. 9600 is the default, however you can select 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800 or 9600 baud. 2) The RLC-2 uses a regular DE-9 serial connector (9-pin female) but uses a a non-standard pinout. The normal 9-pin serial cable has pin 2 as the transmit data, pin 3 as the receive data, and pin 5 as ground. You will have to make an adapter or a custom 3-conductor cable to talk to the RLC-2 as it has pin 9 for transmit data, pin 4 for receive data, and pin 5 is ground. Do not connect any other pins on the RLC end, they are used as soft-pot connections. The RLC-2 is the only RLC that requires a custom cable or adapter. |
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RLC-3 Repeater Controller Manual ver 1.80 348 pages, 914 kB PDF dated 17 Sept 1998; No schematics. |
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RLC-4 Repeater Controller Manual ver 1.79 228
pages, 538 kB PDF dated 18 Sept 1998; No schematics included in the manual, but... RLC-4 Repeater Controller Rev A Schematics 239 kB PDF |
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RLC-5: There were two completely different designs / products and three different manuals
named RLC-5. The early RLC-5 was a linking board designed to connect to a single port repeater controller
and add two more link ports.
The other RLC-5 was a basic two-port controller with a command set similar to the RLC-4 (but only two ports).
Link sold it primarily for commercial applications with custom firmware, although an amateur version was available
for a short time. Early RLC-5 Repeater Link Controller 1.1 MB PDF Later RLC-5 Two-Port Controller 382 KB PDF Version 1.43 So if someone offers an RLC-5 for sale you need to ask "Which one?" |
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RLC-6 Four Port Repeater Link Controller 1.3 MB PDF This is a port expansion board that was designed for the RLC-1 prior to the RLC-4 but can be added to any controller to create additional link ports. |
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RLC-MOT Squelch Module - This board is no longer visible at the Link web site (you'd think they never made it).
It was a squelch board that had a Motorola Micor squelch chip on it along with the support components and a LED.
It took in discriminator audio and provided COR and squelch-muted audio.
The MICOR squelch chip was made by Motorola Semiconductor for Motorola Land Mobile Radio,
and when the MICOR radio production ended the chip was offered as a spare part for several years
and then discontinued. The RLC-MOT was retired when the Micor chips were no longer available. They are excellent boards and have a very clean squelch and audio mute, and do not "pop". They will work better if you remove R12 and replace it with a series RC combination of a 1/10 watt, 1K resistor and a ceramic .47µf capacitor (not a polarized electrolytic). RLC-MOT VER C board layout and schematic 40 kB PDF RLC-MOT Tech Specs and notes 37 kB PDF An alternative board is available until the supply of chips that are available is exhausted, however this board does not provide audio muting. Click here. |
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Tech Specs and notes for the RLC-ADM Audio Delay Module 73 kB PDF |
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Additional Digital Outputs for the Link RLC-4 Repeater Controller By Brad Andrews KB9BPF |
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Some RLC schematics call for a AD558 Digital-to-Analog converter, and the when you take the lid off of your unit you find an AD557. It's the same part, the AD558 is intended for industrial / military, the AD557 is commercial temp range. |
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This web page, this web site, the information presented in and on its pages and in these modifications and conversions is © Copyrighted 1995 and (date of last update) by Kevin Custer W3KKC and multiple originating authors. All Rights Reserved, including that of paper and web publication elsewhere.