Cover Story
Connecting Your PBX to Hams Over IP
Understanding IAX2 trunks, what they are for, and when a system-level connection makes more sense than another phone registration.
By WH6AV — Gescio “Jesse” Alpuro
A single Hams Over IP extension is a natural fit for a desk phone, softphone or other individual endpoint. But what happens when the operator already runs an Asterisk-based PBX, a gateway, a club system or another communications platform?
That is where an IAX2 trunk can become useful. Instead of treating every device as an isolated endpoint, a trunk creates a system-to-system path between compatible infrastructure and Hams Over IP.
Your PBXAsterisk or another compatible system
→ IAX2 Trunk →One logical interconnection between systems
Hams Over IPReach permitted network destinations and resources through the configured dialplan
Extension or trunk?
Think of a personal extension as an identity for an individual endpoint. A phone or application registers using that extension's credentials and behaves like a telephone on the network.
An IAX2 trunk, by contrast, is intended to interconnect systems. Your local PBX decides what its users may dial, applies its own routing rules, and sends matching calls across the trunk. Inbound calls arriving over the trunk can likewise be routed by your PBX to the destination you choose.
Why IAX2?
IAX2 was designed with Asterisk system interconnection in mind. It can carry signaling and media through a single protocol association, making it a practical choice for many Asterisk-to-Asterisk applications. For Hams Over IP, the important point is not that IAX2 is universally “better” than SIP; it is that it solves a different problem well: connecting compatible systems rather than registering a single telephone.
Where hams might use it
- Home PBX: allow several local phones to use routing you control.
- Club communications: connect an existing Asterisk installation without replacing the club's internal numbering plan.
- RF and gateway projects: provide a controlled system-level path where the project architecture calls for PBX interconnection.
- Experimentation: build dialplan logic, routing and integrations on your own system while using Hams Over IP as one of its communications paths.
What the trunk does not do
A trunk is not a shortcut around network policy, licensing requirements or good dialplan design. It also does not automatically decide how your local extensions should route. The PBX administrator remains responsible for the local dialplan, access control and security.
The practical takeaway
If you simply want a Hams Over IP phone, start with a normal personal extension. If you operate a PBX and want the PBX itself connected to Hams Over IP, an IAX2 trunk may be the cleaner architecture.
In a future hands-on guide, we will walk through an actual trunk configuration and inbound/outbound routing example so operators can see the pieces working together.
Technical Corner
PJSIP vs. IAX2: Which Should You Use?
Start by asking one question: are you connecting a phone, or connecting a system?
By Hams Over IP Editorial
PJSIP and IAX2 are not interchangeable labels for the same job. On Hams Over IP, a PJSIP extension is normally what an individual SIP phone or softphone registers to. An IAX2 trunk is better thought of as an interconnection between compatible systems.
Choose a personal PJSIP extension when…
- You are configuring a desk phone, ATA or softphone.
- You want a straightforward endpoint registration.
- The device itself should have its own Hams Over IP extension.
Consider an IAX2 trunk when…
- You already operate an Asterisk PBX or compatible gateway.
- You want your PBX dialplan to decide which calls use Hams Over IP.
- You are integrating multiple local endpoints behind your own system.
The choice is architectural, not a contest between protocols. Use the resource that matches the thing you are connecting.
Network Update
Around the Hams Over IP Network
Premium management, phonebook performance and a new Weather Center project.
By Hams Over IP Editorial
Development around Hams Over IP continues beyond the PBX itself. Here are several areas receiving attention as Issue No. 2 goes to draft.
Premium & PBX Resource ManagerAdministrative and self-service tools continue to be consolidated so extensions, RF Links, IAX2 trunks, support and operational controls are easier to manage.
Live PhonebookPerformance and presentation work continues as the directory grows, with an emphasis on keeping the core phonebook fast and useful.
Weather CenterA new Hams Over IP Weather Center project is being developed as another useful information resource for the community.
We will cover these projects in more detail as they mature and become ready for broader use.
Gear Desk
On Our Radar: Xiegu G90
A compact 20-watt HF SDR with a built-in tuner remains an interesting bridge into portable HF operation.
By Hams Over IP Editorial
This week’s Gear Desk looks at a radio that remains relevant to operators interested in portable HF and digital-mode experimentation: the Xiegu G90.
The G90 is a compact 20-watt HF transceiver covering 160 through 10 meters, with a 24-bit SDR architecture, spectrum/waterfall display, detachable control head and a built-in wide-range automatic antenna tuner. Radioddity also published a fresh Field Day test in August 2026, making it a timely product to revisit rather than simply repeating a catalog listing.
Why it caught our attention: the combination of a built-in tuner, portable form factor and 20-watt output makes it interesting for field stations and operators moving beyond handheld/mobile VHF-UHF equipment into HF.
View the Xiegu G90 at Radioddity →
Editorial disclosure: This is an editorial mention, not a paid endorsement. If Hams Over IP later uses compensated or affiliate links, those relationships will be clearly disclosed.
Sustaining the Network
Keeping the Infrastructure Running
Community participation and optional support both help Hams Over IP continue to grow.
By Hams Over IP Editorial
Hams Over IP remains a community-focused service, while servers, connectivity, monitoring, storage and continued development carry real operating costs. Contributions are optional, but they help offset the infrastructure that keeps the network available.
Just as valuable is participation: use the network, test new capabilities, document what you learn and help another operator get connected.
Support Hams Over IP
Next Issue
Coming in Issue No. 3
A practical SIP endpoint setup and troubleshooting guide.
By Hams Over IP Editorial
For Issue No. 3, we plan to move from concepts to the endpoint: setting up and troubleshooting a Hams Over IP SIP phone. We will look at registration basics, credentials, codecs, NAT and the checks that help separate a phone problem from a network or PBX problem.
