I downloaded the echolink app to my android phone, in hopes of participating in the Friday night net (I think that's really the only way to participate, right? I haven't tried to hit nearest echolink 2m repeater, says its 24 miles away and I have no idea how to use echolink on it). Regardless, I want to get this to work on my phone.

- I have been verified (went FCC download route, approved in < 1 hour)
- I try to connect to echotest, I get a message that says Connect failed. and I am timed out. 
- I do get messages that say relay verified (I am set up as a relay, not direct)
- on time warner cable modem, full signal
- I connect to the KD2SLR repeater (the one that's 24 miles away), I can get connected.

What do I do now, how can I talk to someone? Transmit a test signal to via the app and see if I can hear me on the repeater? (Even if I cannot hit it with my 2m rig, I am sure I can hear it).

Why can't I seem to connect to other repeaters/ stations?

Sorry for the crazy list of questions. Any help appreciated?
KA2TVX

Update - I can hit the repeater with my 2m "base" station.
I can connect to it via echolink, and I can hear myself. 

So how do I talk or connect to someone else local or far away. I assume for local I would just announce I am monitoring the repeater like I would do for an on air QSO.

Select a repeater or conference from the lists and hit connect.

That worked for my local repeater - where there didn't appear to be anyone on at the time.

Is there a way to see what repeaters are active and I might be likely to reach someone?

For the net I just click into that repeater? (I was able to access it earlier today, assume I will be able to tonight when people are on it)?

I got the app working well enough to check into the net, and people could hear me. Odd feeling to be talking into my cell phone to guys all over USA. At the end I even discovered the secret texting mode - wondered how everyone else seemed to be having a slightly different conversation than me! 

The app on my phone does not shut down unless forced to do so for some reason - not huge deal but a little annoying. 

Still need to figure out how to randomly QSO with people instead of a prearranged net - bet youtube can help there. 

Hey penrod72,

Nice to hear you on the net yesterday.  Greg here in Indy.  I was the Goldschlager cinnamon schnapps-drinking guy talking about camping hammocks.

I'm not an expert on Echolink, but I have the same issue when I use it on my Android phone, ie: it not wanting to close when I disconnect when the net is over.  I usually have to force it closed and restart the phone to make it stay disconnected.

I have my own Raspberry Pi / IRLP node I built several years ago. That's how I was connected to the net yesterday, using my FT60 HT from the backyard into my node.  I was also using the echolink app on my phone to monitor the chat box you mentioned earlier.  There's usually some pretty entertaining side-net debauchery on the chat box.    

You can contact other IRLP nodes directly, when no net is currently active, just by typing in the node number, instead of the echolink conference number.  The specific node you're attempting to call must be a echolink/IRLP node for this to work from an echolink initiated call.  I haven't figured out how to do this with my node, yet.  But from another IRLP node, it's just typing in the node number.

Talk to you next week on the net.

BD