To our valued Hamshack Hotline community,

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the sunset of the Hamshack Hotline project, effective August 29th, 2025.

What began in 2018 as a simple idea in the humble closet of K1WIZ quickly grew into something none of us could have imagined - an expansive, global communications network built by and for amateur radio operators.

From those early beginnings, Hamshack Hotline evolved into a robust VoIP system supported by multiple servers around the world, with over 7,000 interconnections at its peak.

This incredible journey was made possible by the generosity of donors worldwide and the tireless commitment of the Hamshack Hotline Team, who volunteered their time and expertise to support and grow the network. Your trust and participation helped shape Hamshack Hotline into a valuable and widely respected resource for the ham radio community.

However, with success came scale - and with scale, came increasing demands. As the network grew, so did the workload on our small team. Balancing this effort with our responsibilities to family, careers, and life outside the shack has become increasingly challenging. WeâεTve always taken great pride in the reliability and service standards of Hamshack Hotline, and we recognize that we can no longer maintain those standards at the level our users deserve.

After much thoughtful discussion and reflection, the Board of Directors has unanimously voted to sunset the project, giving our community ample time to transition to other services by the end date.

This was not an easy decision. We know how much this network means to many of you - and it means just as much to us. Hamshack Hotline was built with love, run with dedication, and supported by an incredible community that made it all worthwhile.

In the spirit of giving back, the remaining cash reserves of Hamshack Hotline, after settling final operating expenses, will be donated to a charity that supports veterans. WeâεTll announce the recipient of this donation soon.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank each and every one of you for being a part of Hamshack Hotline. Whether you joined us on day one or just discovered the network, your involvement helped shape something truly special in the amateur radio world.

73,

The Hamshack Hotline Team

... TCOB1: https://binkd.rima.ie telnet: binkd.rima.ie

--- BBBS/LiR v4.10 Toy-7
* Origin: TCOB1: https/binkd/telnet binkd.rima.ie (2:263/1)

I never got a chance to get on HAMSHACK HOTLINE, though I have a VOIP phone for it, I just need to get a PPOE Power Injector.

Since HSHL is going away, are there any other similar systems I might be able to use my CISCO phone for?

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
Blog and Forums - www.catracing.org
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--- CNet/5
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Hello Rug!

24 Dec 70 02:51, you wrote to Sean Rima:

I never got a chance to get on HAMSHACK HOTLINE, though I have a
VOIP phone for it, I just need to get a PPOE Power Injector.

Since HSHL is going away, are there any other similar systems I
might be able to use my CISCO phone for?

HSHL always felt like a solution in search of a problem.

Mike
KD9QHQ

... When in doubt, follow the penguins.
=== GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20240309
--- SBBSecho 3.27-Linux
* Origin: War Ensemble - warensemble.com - Appleton, WI (1:154/30)

I never got a chance to get on HAMSHACK HOTLINE, though I have a VOIP phone for it, I just need to get a PPOE Power Injector.

Since HSHL is going away, are there any other similar systems I might be able to use my CISCO phone for?

Nothing that I am aware of, I had it for the last 2 years and never used it. My VOIP phone is now redundant

Sean

--- BBBS/LiR v4.10 Toy-7
* Origin: TCOB1: https/binkd/telnet binkd.rima.ie (2:263/1)

On Sat 12-Jul-2025 4:40p, Mike Miller@1:154/30.0 said to Rug Rat:

HSHL always felt like a solution in search of a problem.

On Sat 12-Jul-2025 11:28p, Sean Rima@2:263/1.0 said to Rug Rat:

Nothing that I am aware of, I had it for the last 2 years and never used it. My VOIP phone is now redundant

Judging by the two responses, it doesn't sound like there will be people chomping at the bit to replace it anyway.

That is too bad, I would have like to have played with it a little bit.

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
Blog and Forums - www.catracing.org
IMAGE BBS! 3.0 - bbs.catracing.org 6400
C-Net Amiga BBS - bbs.catracing.org 6840
--- CNet/5
* Origin: The Rat's Den BBS (1:135/250)

Rug Rat wrote to Sean Rima <=-

Judging by the two responses, it doesn't sound like there will be people chomping at the bit to replace it anyway.

That is too bad, I would have like to have played with it a little bit.

Yeah I think it is not that popular and costs got too high for them

Sean

... TCOB1: https://binkd.rima.ie telnet: binkd.rima.ie

--- BBBS/LiR v4.10 Toy-7
* Origin: TCOB1: https/binkd/telnet binkd.rima.ie (2:263/1)

On Wed 16-Jul-2025 10:45a, Sean Rima@2:263/1.0 said to Rug Rat:

Yeah I think it is not that popular and costs got too high for them

Probbably just to be too big of a time sponge, as I hear they will be returning donations. So, money did not seem to be an issue.

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
Blog and Forums - www.catracing.org
IMAGE BBS! 3.0 - bbs.catracing.org 6400
C-Net Amiga BBS - bbs.catracing.org 6840
--- CNet/5
* Origin: The Rat's Den BBS (1:135/250)

Re: Re: Hamshack Hotline Public Announcement
By: Rug Rat to Sean Rima on Wed Jul 16 2025 07:39:14

...I hear they will be returning donations.

According to the OP, the monies will be donated to a veterans-based charity. --- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
* Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (1:124/5016)

Sorry to be resurecting a zombie post.

I did finally get a chance to purchase a poE power injector and joined Hams over IP. It was an interesting 24 hours trying to get the old CISCO 7942 setup to use the account.

Was actually my first time using AI to solve a problem, which was a catch 22 of a solution.. 1) I never would have gotten as far into it as I did with my limmited knowledge of provisiong these devices, but I stumbled upon the "Wargames" problem. AI did not know when to give up, nor did it seem to be keeping tallies on the solutions it wsa giving out. Had I not called no joy and asked Hey! Is this even possible with this old of phone. I would have been casing my tail all weekend!

I decided to pick up a used SPA525G, and got it configured straight away!

So far I have used it on the ECR Trivia Net while flight simming, as even .5watts on 2M wreaks havok on my rudder pedals!

So I will see what kind of use I can get out of this, it is material for a good blog AT LEAST! If you have a HamsOverIP extension, give me a call sometime (I have mine in my signiture block..).

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
Blog and Forums - www.catracing.org
IMAGE BBS! 3.0 - bbs.catracing.org 6400
C-Net Amiga BBS - bbs.catracing.org 6840

Ham's Over IP - 104196
--- CNet/5
* Origin: The Rat's Den BBS (1:135/250)

Sorry to be resurecting a zombie post.

I did finally get a chance to purchase a poE power injector and joined Hams over IP. It was an interesting 24 hours trying to get the old CISCO 7942 setup to use the account.

Was actually my first time using AI to solve a problem, which was a catch 22 of a solution.. 1) I never would have gotten as far into it as I did with my limmited knowledge of provisiong these devices, but I stumbled upon the "Wargames" problem. AI did not know when to give up, nor did it seem to be keeping tallies on the solutions it wsa giving out. Had I not called no joy and asked Hey! Is this even possible with this old of phone. I would have been casing my tail all weekend!

I decided to pick up a used SPA525G, and got it configured straight away!

So far I have used it on the ECR Trivia Net while flight simming, as even .5watts on 2M wreaks havok on my rudder pedals!

So I will see what kind of use I can get out of this, it is material for a good blog AT LEAST! If you have a HamsOverIP extension, give me a call sometime (I have mine in my signiture block..).

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
Blog and Forums - www.catracing.org
IMAGE BBS! 3.0 - bbs.catracing.org 6400
C-Net Amiga BBS - bbs.catracing.org 6840

Ham's Over IP - 104196
--- CNet/5
* Origin: The Rat's Den BBS (1:135/250)

Brent,
I read a story on the Sprectrum webpage that IEEE has.
the story was about AI (LLM) can't play video games well.

Thank You for posting ARN here to be read.
73 Ed
--- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
* Origin: Capitol City Online (1:2320/107)