Receive congratulations from radio listeners for listeners

Good day to all.
We decided on our radio station (I already wrote about it) to arrange a New Year event.
Call, leave the voice New Year's greetings and on New Year's Eve it will be aired, such are greetings from your own listeners.

It was an advertising text, but for those who want to know some details of the implementation, welcome:

I think those people who are engaged in Internet radio, it will be useful, and not only in the new year.

A small digression, even though I am a supporter of nix systems. but under the niks I did not get a stone flower, and the main motivation was “it was necessary yesterday” (the idea came to mind on the 30th, 2 were already launched)
Software selection:
Windows 2008 R2 in the form of VDS in Azure , well, I do not have the opportunity to keep a home computer for 24 hours for this business
Skype - for every second person has it.
Pamela for Skype - answering machine, free version supports recording up to 15 minutes
U-Serv - FTP server, with which we pick up records. Trial version of 30 days. Yes, you can use others, but there was no time to look. put what I remember.
Virtual Audio Cable - to create a "sound device" in the system. Trial supports a maximum of 3 cables, and puts a message into the connection. It does not bother us, because in fact, the sound does not pass through it. And you need only "what would have been"
LogMeIn - for remote control.
')
Originally planned only Windows, ftp, Skype and answering machine. The rest is all spilled out because of some features of the operating system in the virtual machine.

So. Let's go this short and fascinating journey together.

We get VDS (tried WIndows 2012 at the same time, but stayed too surprised and got over 2008), put Skype, set Pamela, ftp, set up (Minimal actions everywhere: Pamela automatically hooks on running Skype, so you only need to set what conditions keep a record of what to lose (I hope you did not forget to find a girl with a good goal, in order to make her a “girl in the phone”) and where to store the recorded files. In Skype, you must receive calls from everyone. FTP only looks at the directory where records and sun e in autoload).
The time of testing comes, and the first difficulties begin.
We dial the number, do not pick up the phone, we are surprised and we climb to watch what is happening on that side.
And then comes the enlightenment. “No audio playback device was found,” yes, you understood correctly, Skype will not receive calls if there is no sound card (by the way, he will not speak without an input device).
Virtual Audio Cable comes to mind quickly. In addition to the useful function, mixing the inputs and outputs of various sound devices (in particular, we used it when the master is separated from the sound technician (that is, one (two, three) people are spoken, and one specially trained combines them into a single whole and imposes music). VAC actually creates a virtual audio device. Remember, done, and here comes the second surprise associated with the implementation when running RDP, if you don’t use standard rpd, then you are lucky. If you manage the server through it, you will see the same picture VAC supplied ene, in Device Manager, you can see it, not in the recording and playback devices, you will not see it (on Skype too).
For several hours, Google was tormented by various requests, various variants of virtual sound cards were checked, but everywhere the result was the same. For example, the recommendation on one forum to use VAC 3 versions did not help at all, because it refused to be placed.
Deep at night, solutions were still found on an unknown Portuguese forum, which said something like the following: “dudes, it’s all about RDP, namely the implementation of audio redirection from a remote host (and back), do not use RDP, use Logmein”
The eyes were open, the only thought sitting in the brain was little censorship, but still used the advice.
Registration, installation of software. reboot, log in via the web interface, and yes. Skype happily sees VAC and says that he is happy with everything.
With a trembling hand, the number is dialed, and the metallic voice of the answering machine is heard in the ears, a man with a clear conscience and a long-faced face goes to sleep.

The next day, a greeting message is recorded, and advertising is sent to the thematic forums.

Just written a simple script on the pearl, which through sftp pulls out the recorded greetings and stores on the server where the stream is formed.

Ahead remains the pre-moderation of messages and setting up a liquidsoap for the New Year broadcast.

Well, for those who want to leave their New Year greetings, here's Skype: wasteland.radio
Congratulations are accepted 24 hours, until December 30.