[arm-allstar] How to use *4 Remote Command mode?

[John Wagner]

Hello, I’ve been trying to get the *4 remote command function working between two repeaters, and I’m not having much success. I’m hoping someone can point out the error in my ways.

We’ve built a 6 repeater network in our area at 4 physical sites. My goal is to be able to enter a DTMF command or run a macro on one of our Allstar nodes, and have it execute the repeater enable / disable commands on a second node. Basically using one repeater as an alternate control channel for the other for cases when we can’t get into the second repeater’s normal receiver because of a stuck mic, etc.

I’ve been testing trying to get the remote repeater to say the time. Once I get this working I’ll go forward with issuing COP codes.

Node 1: 42757 - Where I’m entering the command preceded by *443258
Node 2: 43258 - Where I want the command to execute

Assuming I’m coming in on node 42757, and would like to execute a command on 43258, I think I would:
Key up on node 42757 and enter *443258*81  <unkey> . 

When I do this, the time announces on the node 1 I’m coming in on, 42757 which appears to ignore the *443258 part and just execute the command itself. Nothing happens on the node 2,  43258. The two nodes can see each other, they’re two router hops from each other on our network, and I can link between them with no problem in both directions. On the first node 42757 I see successful DTMF decode for all my digits when in "asterisk -r”.   *81 works as expected when entered directly via DTMF on node 2, 43258. I don’t see anything in node 2’s /var/log/asterisk/messages  either.

/etc/allstar/rpt.conf on node 1 has the default *4 function setup:
[functions42757]
...
4=ilink,4
...

and the rpt.conf on node 2 has the stock:
[functions43258]
...
81=status,12    ; Time of Day (local)
...

Is there something I have to do to enable remote command capability on one or both of the nodes, or am I doing something else wrong? 

I’ve read through these pages which seem pretty good, but haven’t found what I’m missing yet:

http://www.qsl.net/w2ymm/allstar1.html <http://www.qsl.net/w2ymm/allstar1.html>
https://www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/Asterisk+config+rpt.conf <https://www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/Asterisk+config+rpt.conf>
and of course: https://hamvoip.org/ <https://hamvoip.org/> 

Thanks, 
  - John, N8CD