Autopatch

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An autopatch, sometimes called a phone patch, is a feature of an amateur radio (or other type of two-way radio) repeater to access an outgoing telephone connection. Users with a transceiver capable of producing touch tones (DTMF signals)can make a telephone call, typically limited by settings in the autopatch module to be only to toll-free numbers, such as local calls or toll-free "800" numbers.

This feature is primarily used by radio amateurs to provide emergency telephone connectivity to places that have lost their telephone network access. An Amateur Radio Operator with a transceiver installed in their vehicle may provide telephone network access from dozens or hundreds of miles away, depending on the frequencies of the involved repeater, the power of the transceiver, and the gain of the antennas on both ends.

In the United States, autopatch users are required to hang up if music is played while on hold, as the Federal Communications Commission regulations prohibit any kind of music (even if incidental, unless part of an audio transmission from a Space Shuttle mission) on amateur radio frequencies.