In release 0.8.2 (which is currently being tested) there will be some new features:
- it is now possible to run it headless/no GUI (maybe even daemonized) and control it remotely using a telnet client.
- support for mixed mode repeater (Codec2/FM or viceversa or any combination of modes like wideband Opus/Codec2/FreeDV/SSB etc.).
- The repeater can be connected to a VOIP server using the low latency Mumble voice protocol (known especially for high-performance gaming). So it is possible now to connect multiple repeaters together by putting them on the same VOIP channel (this can be controlled via telnet as well, although it’s stil work in progress). It operates in full duplex mode, so a VOIP user can talk at the same time as a radio user and the two audio streams will be mixed together and broadcast. The FreeDV/Codec2 radio frames are transcoded to Opus at very high bitrates (~48 kbit/s) for VOIP transport. This, along with multiple stream mixing may cause some small delays.
- USB FTDI (FT232) relay control for automatically operating RF switches, power amplifiers and filter boards (two relays supported currently, up to 8 planned).
Right now the test target is Pluto’s Zynq while waiting for the LimeNet Micro and LimeRFE to hit the market. The goal here is portable low power repeater using the LimeNet’s four core ARM CPU.
Bugs are still being identified so no date set in stone for final 0.8.2 release.