INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO

By Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ

This series of eighteen articles was originally written in 1988
to appear in Nuts & Volts, the newsletter of the San Francisco
Amateur Radio Club. The series has been widely distributed
since then, with revisions issued in 1991, 1993, and 1995.
Occasional revisions were made to this version on the web
thereafter, in the late 1990s.
The author is no longer active in packet radio and is unable to
provide up to date information on packet radio; however he
has left this material on the Internet for access by those who
might find it helpful.
CONTENTS
art 1.........What 1s acket kadio

art 2.........6etting on the Air With acket

art 3.........1NC Commands - art 1 o1 3

art 4.........0igipeaters and Nodes - the basics

art 5.........1ntroduction to the 8ulletin 8oard System

art 6.........88S Commands - 0sing the acket 88S

art 7.........acket Message Addressing

art 8.........1he acket Message - A 0etailed Look

art 9.........acket kadio White ages 0atabase

art 10........0sing the Node Network - art 1 o1 2

art 11........0sing the Node Network - art 2 o1 2

art 12........National 1ra11ic System and acket kadio

art 13........1NC Commands - art 2 o1 3

art 14........1NC Commands - art 3 o1 3

art 15........1ips 1or 8etter acket 0peration

art 16........acket kadio keview - guiz

art 17........acket kadio keview - Answers

art 18........W89L02's arting Comments
INDEX
Sub]ect art Sub]ect art
A L
Awlen.................13 List Commands.........5,6
Ax25L2v2..............13 M
8 Mall..................3
88S...................5,6 Maxirame..............14
8eacon................13 Mcon..................3
8ye Command...........6,11 Message Nomenclature..8
8ulletins, Send.......6 Message Structure.....6
C Miilter...............14
Check.................13 MHeard................14
Cmsg..................13 Monitor...............2,3,6
Connect...............2 Mrpt..................3
Converse Mode.........2,3 Mstamp................3
Cg Command............11 Mycall................2
0 N
0igipeaters...........4 National 1ra11ic Sys..6,12
0isconnect............2 Node Commands.........10,11
0ownload Command......6 Node Network..........4
0wait.................3 Nodes Command.........4
5
5cho..................3 acket Message arts..8
i acket 1est...........16
iile 0irectory Cmds...6 acket 1est Answers...17
irack.................3 acket 1ips...........15
6 aclen................3
6ateways..............7 arameters, 1NC.......13,14
H arms.................11
Headerln..............3 k
Help..................5,6 kead Commands.........5,6
Hierarchical Address..7 ketry.................3
1 koutes................11
1dent.................11 S
1n1o Command..........6,11 Send Commands.........6
1ntroduction..........1 Status Command........6
l 1
l Command.............6 1NC...................1,2
k 0
kill Commands.........5,6 0nproto...............3
kiss..................13 0pload Command........6
0sers.................11
v
via...................2
W
White ages...........9
8
1ndex by Hal 6od1rey, N6AN 8bitconv..............13
COPYRIGHT AND MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
The eighteen parts of this "Introduction to Packet Radio" are not copyrighted. They
may be copied, printed, duplicated, distributed, and published in newsletters without
further permission from me. I, however, request the following:
that I be given credit for writing the material
that none of the content, including callsigns, be changed
that it be stated that the latest edition of the series is available in its entirety at
this website (http://www.choisser.com/packet/)
that on the Web, links be made to this site rather than posting copies (so the latest
edition will be read by packet users).
This material is no longer actively updated, although corrections to outdated
information are welcome.
73, Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
Write Larry
Main Packet Radio Page
First Part
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 1
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
WHAT IS PACKET RADIO?
A Short History - How it all began
It was in March, 1980, that the Federal Communications Commission approved the
transmission of ASCII for Amateur Radio in the United States. That was a year and a half
after Canadian hams had been authorized to transmit digital "packet radio", and the
Canadians had already been working on a protocol for it. Doug Lockhart, VE7APU, of
Vancouver, British Columbia, had developed a device that he called a terminal node
controller (TNC). It worked with a modem to convert ASCII to modulated tones and convert
the demodulated tones back to ASCII. Doug had also formed the Vancouver Amateur
Digital Communications Group (VADCG) and named his TNC the "VADCG board".
Hams here in the U.S. started experimenting with the VADCG board, but in December,
1980, a ham from the San Francisco Bay Area, Hank Magnuski, KA6M, put a digital
repeater on 2 meters using a TNC that he had developed. A group of hams interested in
Hank's TNC started working together on further developments in packet radio and formed
the Pacific Packet Radio Society (PPRS). AMRAD, the Amateur Radio Research and
Development Corporation, in Washington, DC became the center for packet work on the east
coast, and in 1981 a group of hams in Tucson, Arizona, founded the Tucson Amateur Packet
Radio Corporation (TAPR).
Working together these groups developed a modified version of the commercial X.25
protocol called Amateur X.25 (AX.25) and in November, 1983, TAPR released the first
TNC in kit form, the TAPR TNC1. In 1984, a great deal of packet experimentation was
done, software for packet bulletin board systems was developed, and packet radio started
becoming more and more popular all across the U.S. and Canada.
Packet Radio was one of the major developments to hit the world of Amateur Radio and
thousands of hams soon caught the "packet bug". If you're wondering what it's all about and
why so many people got so excited about it, continue reading. You're about to find out.
Packet Radio - What It's All About
Packet seems to offer something different from other facets of Amateur Radio, yet it can be
used for everything from a local QSO to a DX contact thousands of miles away, for
electronic mail, message transmission, emergency communications, or just plain tinkering in
the world of digital communications. It presents a new challenge for those tired of the QRM
on the low bands, a new mode for those already on FM, and a better, faster means of
message handling for those on RTTY. Packet is for the rag chewer, the traffic handler, the
experimenter, and the casual operator.
A ham can get involved very easily with relatively small out-of-pocket expenses. All you
need is a transceiver, a computer, and a TNC or special packet modem and software. A two-
meter rig is preferred, since that's where most of the packet activity is located. You probably
already have the rig and the computer, so all you need to buy is the TNC, which costs just
over $100, or the special modem and software, which sell together for about $50.
The TNC, the Terminal Node Controller, is a "little black box" that's wired between the
computer and the radio. It contains software for controlling the outgoing and incoming
transmissions for your station and a modem that converts the data from the computer into
AFSK tones for transmission and changes the tones that are received by the radio into data
for the computer. The TNC modem works much like a modem that's used to connect your
computer to the telephone lines. It's a simple matter of wiring up a plug and a couple of jacks
to become fully operational on packet. If you prefer to use the small modem instead of a
TNC, you'll need special software for your computer to replace the software in the TNC.
Either method works equally well.
Packet is communications between people either direct or indirect. You can work "keyboard
to keyboard" or use electronic mailboxes or bulletin board systems to leave messages. Due
to the error checking by the TNC, all of it is error free, too. (That is, as error free as the
person at the keyboard types it!) As the data is received it's continuously checked for errors,
and it isn't accepted unless it's correct. You don't miss the information if it has errors,
however, because the information is resent until it is correctly received.
The data that is to be transmitted is collected in the TNC and sent as bursts, or packets, of
information, hence the name. Each packet has the callsign or address of who it's going to,
who it's coming from and the route between the two stations included, along with the data
and error checking. Since up to 256 characters can be included in each packet, more than
three lines of text can be sent in a matter of a couple of seconds. There is also plenty of time
between packets for several stations to be using the same frequency at the same time.
If all of this sounds confusing, don't let it bother you, because the TNC or special packet
software does everything for you automatically. Packet radio might seem very confusing at
first, but in a day or two you'll be in there with the best of them. In this series I'll be telling
you all about packet radio - how you get on the air and how to use it. We'll talk about the
little black box, the TNC, and tell you about all its inner-most secrets. We'll discuss
mailboxes, bulletin board systems, and the packet networks that allow you to work stations
hundreds, even thousands, of miles away using just a low powered rig on 2 meters, 220 or
450. The world of packet radio awaits you!
Part 1 last revised February 8, 1997.
Part 2
Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 2
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
GETTING ON THE AIR WITH PACKET
In the first part of this series I told you, in general terms, what packet radio was all about.
Now I'm going to tell you how to get on the air, make a QSO, and become familiar with your
packet station. Whether you're new to packet, have been involved for just a short time, or are
one of the "old timers", this series should help all of you. Even if you don't yet have
equipment to get on the air, you should keep this series of articles handy for future use. I'll
bet you'll be joining us soon!
The equipment that's needed to get on the air with packet is a transceiver, a computer or
terminal, and a TNC - a terminal node controller - the little black box I talked about in part 1.
Or, if you're using a computer, not just a terminal, you can use special software and a small
packet modem instead of a TNC. You need a special modem, though, not one that's used to
connect your computer to the telephone line. The tones used for packet are different than
those used on the phone.
I highly recommend that you start with a 2 meter transceiver. There is packet activity on
220, 440 and HF, but 2 meters is where most of the action is and that's the best place to start.
When you buy a TNC or packet modem and take it out of the box, you'll find a cable
supplied for connecting it to the radio, but you'll have to attach the appropriate mic and
speaker jack connectors for the radio you're going to use. You'll have to furnish the cable
that connects the TNC to your computer or terminal. In most cases, the TNC or modem is
connected to the standard RS-232 communications port of the computer. On a PC this port is
called a serial or COM port. On other systems it may be referred to as a telecommunications
port or telephone port. You can make up the cable that goes between the TNC and computer
yourself, or you can purchase it at a local computer store. As an option, you may be able to
purchase one or both of the needed cables from the manufacturer of your TNC with the
appropriate connectors factory installed for your particular radio and computer. The
operating manuals that are supplied with TNCs and modems have a good description of the
cabling needed for the various computers. Please read the introduction and set up procedures
for your particular TNC or packet modem very carefully. Most companies have supplied
excellent manuals, and you shouldn't have any trouble figuring out your particular set up
from the information supplied in the manual.
Once you have everything connected as described above, you've completed the hardware
phase of the installation. Now you need to turn your attention to software. If you're using a
TNC, you'll need a terminal or communications program for your computer. Any software
used for a telephone modem, such as Procomm or the Windows Terminal program, will
work well for packet. There are also many special programs that have been developed
specifically for packet radio use, such as PC PACRATT, MFJCOM, PAKET, PacketGold,
TPK, etc. If you're using the small modem instead of a TNC, you'll need to use the special
packet software written for the modem, such as Baycom. Read the instructions carefully for
setting up the program on your computer.
No matter what software you use, you'll have to specify the communications port you'll be
using and set the baud rate (data rate) and data parameters for that port. (Note: There are two
baud rates associated with your packet station: 1-the baud rate between your computer and
TNC and 2-the baud rate of the packets on the air. Here I am discussing the first of these
baud rates. The second will be discussed in part 3 of this series.) Refer to the manual or help
information for the specific program you've chosen, to set the baud rate and data parameters.
The baud rate of your computer must match the baud rate of your TNC. Some TNCs will
automatically set their baud rate to match the computer. Other TNCs have software
commands or switches for setting the baud rate. Again, you'll need to refer to your manual
for specific instructions. When setting the data parameters, 8-N-1 is normally used: 8 data
bits, no parity, 1 stop bit. But like the baud rate, the computer and TNC parameters must
match.
Now I need to point out the various levels of communicating you can do from the keyboard.
First, you can communicate with your computer for setting up your software program;
second, you can communicate with the TNC or packet software; and third, you can send data
over the radio. It's very important that you know which level you're in when working packet.
You need to know where your keystrokes are going! If you're not using a TNC, you will
have to figure out the difference between software set up and software usage. This is
explained in the program instructions.
Once you have your communications program or packet software up and running, you can
move on to the next step. If you're using a TNC, you now need to set it up. First, turn it on.
You should get a "greeting" or sign on message from the TNC on your screen showing the
manufacturer's name, the software version, a date, etc. If you see a bunch of gibberish, such
as &tf$d.h#sxn, it means that the parameters of the TNC and computer don't agree and you'll
have to make adjustments. If you don't see a "greeting" or the gibberish, check your cables
and connections. Make sure that you have everything connected properly, that the right wires
are on the right pins, and so on.
Next, do a "control C" (press the CNTL and the letter C simultaneously); this puts the TNC
in COMMAND mode, the level where you communicate directly with the TNC from the
keyboard. You should see "cmd:" on your screen. Enter:
MCALL ----
with your callsign in place of the dashed lines, such as:
MCALL W89L02
followed by a carriage return <CR>. (The carriage return key is labeled "Enter" or "Return"
on most keyboards.) All commands must be followed by a <CR>. This sets into the TNC
memory the call that you're going to use on the air. Now if you type:
MCALL <Ck>
it should respond with your callsign. If it does, you've proven that the computer to TNC link
is working fine. If you do not see anything on the screen when you type, blindly enter the
following:
5CH0 0N <Ck>
If you see two of everything that you type, such as MMYYCCAALLLL, enter:
5CH0 0ii <Ck>
Now enter the following commands:
M0N110k 0N <Ck>
Mk1 0N <Ck>
For those using packet software and a modem instead of a TNC, you should have already
entered your callsign in the configuration file during the set up procedure. If you have not,
refer to the software instructions for preparing the configuration file for your station. Also
note that with this software, you don't enter Control C to go into command mode. You
simply use the ESC (Escape) key prior to entering each command.
You're now ready to go on the air! Turn on your radio, make sure the volume is turned up
about a third of a turn (about the "10 or 11 o'clock" position) and make sure the squelch is
set. It should be at the point where the background noise disappears, just as it would be set
for a voice QSO. Tune the receiver to any odd numbered frequency between 144.91 and
145.09 or 145.61 and 145.79 MHz and set the rig for simplex operation. You might have to
tune around for a frequency with activity in your area. Watch your screen. You should soon
be seeing the packets that are being sent over the air by other stations.
Let's look at what you might see. You should see something similar to this:
WB9LOZ > W6PW-3: The meeting will be held at :00 pm.
This shows a packet being sent by WB9LOZ to W6PW-3. Watch for callsigns with asterisks
next to them in packets that look like this:
WB9LOZ > W6PW-3,W6PW-1*: The meeting will be held at :00 pm.
The asterisk indicates that you're receiving the packet from W6PW-1, not the originating
station, WB9LOZ. The packets are being digitally repeated, or digipeated, by W6PW-1. The
station that's doing the digipeating is called a digipeater. You'll also note that some stations
are using names or a series of letters rather than callsigns. You might see something like
SFW, BERKLY, or BLUE. These are packet stations set up to operate as nodes. The stations
are usually located in higher locations, and they're installed to make connections to other
stations easier. They often use a name or letters, called an alias, that identify their location.
They send both their alias and callsign at 10 minute intervals to identify themselves and to
be legal. (Both digipeaters and nodes will be discussed in detail in a later part of this series.)
You'll also notice that some callsigns have a trailing number attached to them. On packet
you can have up to 16 different stations on the air at the same time using the same callsign.
That's where the numbers at the end of the callsign come into play. The calls W6PW,
W6PW-1, W6PW-2, W6PW-3, W6PW-4 and W6PW-5 are all individual stations operating
under the same station license. A callsign without a number is the same as -0. These
numbers are called Secondary Station IDs or SSIDs, and are used to differentiate between
the various stations. There should never be more than one station using the same callsign and
SSID on the air at the same time.
Now that you're familiar with what you might see on packet, you're ready to make your first
packet QSO! If you're using a TNC, make sure it's still in command mode. (Remember, it's
Control-C.) Watch for a familiar call on the screen or note calls you see frequently. Be sure
to note whether or not a digipeater is being used. When the station you want to contact is
finished with his QSO, enter the command:
C ---- or
C ---- v ----
(depending on whether or not a digipeater is needed) followed by <CR>. Replace the dashed
lines after the "C" with the call of the station you want to contact and the dashed lines after
the "V" with the digipeater call, if needed. Don't forget the SSID if the call has one. The C
means CONNECT and the V means VIA. Example:
C W89L02 v W6W-1
means connect to WB9LOZ via W6PW-1. If you're successful, you should soon see "***
CONNECTED TO (callsign)" on your screen and your first packet QSO is underway!
You have now entered the third level of communications, called CONVERSE mode, and this
is where you communicate from the keyboard to the radio. Anything you type on the
keyboard will be transmitted over the air as a packet every time you hit a <CR> and it will
appear on the other station's screen. Anything sent by the other station will be transmitted to
you and will appear on your screen.
When you're finished with your QSO, be sure to do a CONTROL C to get back into
command mode on your TNC, or hit the ESC key if using the packet software, then enter 0
to disconnect from the other station. You'll see "DISCONNECTED" on the screen. If you
get connected to a station but you don't receive a response, you might have reached an
unattended station or a node. Don't despair, disconnect and try someone else.
You're on the way now to lots of packet fun and adventure! If you are still having problems
at this point, contact a friend that has some experience on packet and ask for help. The initial
set up of the computer, TNC, software and radio is probably the biggest stumbling block in
packet. Any experienced packet operator will be happy to help you get through this process
to get you on the air.
Part 2 last revised February 7, 1997.
Part 3
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 3
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
TNC COMMANDS - PART 1 OF 3
In part 2 I talked about how to get on the air and make your first QSO. Now let's take a look
at some of the commands that are available in your TNC or packet software to help improve
your station operation.
The TNC (Terminal Node Controller) has more than 100 different commands available for
you to use. You're able to customize your packet operating with these commands and turn on
and off various features as you wish. Not all TNCs are exactly alike, but all have pretty
much the same set of commands. I'll be using the command set in the TNC2 and clones in
my examples. You might want to check the command list in your TNC operating manual to
see if your TNC uses the commands as I indicate here.
For those of you who are using the packet software and modem instead of a TNC, you'll find
a list of the commands in your help documentation. You will find that some of the
commands cannot be modified while the software is running. Some have to be changed with
the program's configuration file. Check the help document for instructions on how to change
these commands in your particular software.
We covered a few of the commands previously: C0N1k0L C for entering command mode,
MCALL, M0N110k, 5CH0, C0NN5C1, and 01SC0NN5C1. (Refer to part 2 if you need information on
these commands.) Now let's discuss a few that will affect the way your station functions on
the air.
C0Nv (converse mode): Your TNC will automatically switch to this mode when you connect
with someone, but you can also switch to this mode by entering C0Nv <Ck> at the Cmd:
prompt. When you're in converse mode and are NOT connected to another station, anything
you type will be transmitted via the path you set with the 0Nk010 command. (See the next
paragraph for 0Nk010.) Packets sent via 0Nk010 are sent only once and are not
acknowledged, so there is no guarantee that they'll get through. This mode is used frequently
for sending CQ's.
0Nk010: Designates the path used when you send BEACONS or when you're in converse
mode and NOT connected to another station. The default is CQ, but you can enter a series of
digipeaters if you wish, or a specific group or club name. Some examples:
Cg v W86S0S-2,W6S6-1,Al7L
SiAkC v W6W-1,W6W-4
If you include digipeaters in your 0Nk010 path, you will have to change the information for
each frequency you use. (BEACONS will be discussed in a later part of this series.)
ikACk: Determines how long your TNC will wait for an acknowledgement before resending a
packet. It shouldn't be set too low, or you'll simply clutter up the frequency, yet it shouldn't
be too high, or you'll spend too much time waiting. I use ikACk set to 7, and have found that
to be a good overall value.
0WA11: Used to avoid collisions, 0WA11 is the number of time units the TNC will wait after
last hearing data on the channel before it transmits. I have 0WA11 set to 16, and have found
that to work well.
ACL5N: Indicates the number of characters in the packets you transmit, ranging from 0 to
255. (A value of 0 equals 256.) The more characters you send per packet, the longer it takes
to transmit the information and the greater your chances are of noise, interference or another
station wiping it out. I've found a ACL5N of 80, which is the length of one line, to be a good
value. When working a station nearby, ACL5N can be increased. When working a distant
station, it should be decreased.
k51k: Your TNC will retransmit a packet if it doesn't receive an acknowledgement from the
station you're working. k51k indicates the number of times the TNC will try to get the
packet through before giving up and disconnecting. This can be set from 0 to 15, but I've
found 8 to 10 to work well. Less than that causes an unnecessary disconnect if the channel
happens to be busy, but more than that clutters up the channel. Do NOT set k51k to 0. That
means infinite retries, and serves no useful purpose. It simply clutters up the frequency
needlessly.
The following commands affect "monitoring", which is what you see on your screen from
stations you're NOT connected to.
M0N110k: This must be ON for you to monitor anything. When ON, you see packets from
other stations on the frequency you're tuned to. What packets you see is determined by other
commands from the list below. If M0N110k is OFF, you only see the packets that are sent to
you while you're connected to another station.
Note: On some TNCs, such as the AEA PK-232, monitoring functions are selected by a
number after the M0N110k command, such as:
M0N110k 3 or
M 3
Refer to your TNC operating manual for details.
MALL: If MALL is ON, you receive packets from stations that are connected to other stations, as
well as packets sent in unproto (unconnected) mode. This should be ON for "reading the
mail". If MALL is OFF, you receive only packets sent in unproto mode by other stations.
MC0M: If ON, you see connect <C or SABM>, disconnect <D>, acknowledge <UA> and busy
<DM> frames in addition to information packets. If OFF, only information packets are seen.
MC0N: If ON, you see packets from other stations while you're connected to someone else.
This can get very confusing, but is useful when your path is bad and you want to see if your
packets are being digipeated okay. If OFF, the monitoring of other stations is stopped when
you're connected to another station.
Mk1: If ON, you see a display of all the stations used as digipeaters along with the station
originating the packet and the destination station. If OFF, you see only the originating and
destination stations. For example, if you have Mk1 ON, you might see a transmission such as
this:
K9AT>WB6QVU,W6PW-*: I'll be leaving for the meeting at about :30.
If Mk1 was OFF, the same transmission would look like this:
K9AT>WB6QVU: I'll be leaving for the meeting at about :30.
In the first case, you can see that the W6PW-5 digipeater was being used. The asterisk
indicates which station you were hearing the packet from. In the second case you have no
idea if digipeaters are being used or what station you were receiving.
H5A05kLN: If you have this turned ON, the header of each packet is printed on a separate line
from the text. If OFF, both the header and packet text are printed on the same line.
MS1AM: The date and the time the monitored packets are received is indicated if the MS1AM
command is ON. If it's OFF, the date/time stamp is not shown. NOTE: The date and time
must be entered into your TNC memory using the 0A11M5 command before the MS1AM
command will function.
I run my station with all of these commands, except MC0N, turned ON so that I can really see
what's happening on the frequency I'm monitoring. Try various combinations of these
commands and then decide on the combination you like best for your station.
MORE COMMANDS - The commands discussed here are a few of the basic TNC
commands. I'll discuss many of the other commands available to you in parts 13 and 14 of
this series.
Part 3 last revised February 13, 1997.
Part 4
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 4
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
DIGIPEATERS AND NODES - THE BASICS
DIGIPEATERS:
Digipeater is the term used to describe a packet radio digital repeater. Unlike the FM voice
repeaters, most digipeaters operate on simplex and do not receive and transmit
simultaneously. They receive the digital information, temporarily store it and then turn
around and retransmit it. Your TNC can be used by others as a digipeater if you have the
command DIGIPEAT turned ON.
You use a digipeater by entering its callsign after a V or VIA in your connect sequence. Here
are some examples of proper connect sequences:
C W6W-3 v W89L02-2
C N62x v WA6iS-1,W06508-3
C W6A8-4 v k6Mx,N2WL-2,A86x0
In the first example, the sequence shown means: Connect to W6PW-3 via the WB9LOZ-2
digipeater.
Your TNC will allow you to enter up to eight digipeaters in your connect sequence or in
your UNPROTO path, but using more than 3 usually means long waits, lots of repeated
packets and frequent disconnects, due to noise and other signals encountered on the
frequency.
When entering the list of digipeaters in your connect sequence, you must make sure that you
enter them in the exact order that your signal will use them. You must separate the calls by
commas, without any spaces, and the EXACT callsigns must be used, including the SSID, if
any. That means you need to know what digipeaters are out there before you begin randomly
trying to connect to someone. Turn MONITOR ON and watch for the paths that other
stations are using.
Something to remember when using digipeaters is the difference between making a
connection and sending information packets. If the path isn't all that good, you might be able
to get a connect request through, but will have a difficult time with packets after that. The
connect request is short so it has much less of a chance of being destroyed by noise or
collisions than a packet containing information. Keeping information packets short
(PACLEN set to 40 or less) can help keep retries down when the path is less than ideal.
NODES:
Net/Rom, TheNet, G8BPQ packet switch and KA-Node are names that refer to a device
called a packet node. This is another means of connecting to other packet stations. Later on
in this series you'll find a complete review of node operation, but for now we'll cover the
basics so that you can begin to use the node network. The difference between a digipeater
and a node that you should note here is that you connect to a node rather than using it in a
connect path as you do with a digipeater. Some packet stations are set up so that they can be
used as a digipeater and as a node.
First, you need to determine what nodes are located close to you. You can do this by
monitoring and watching for an ID, or by watching to see what other stations in your area
are using. It is most common for a node to have an alias ID in addition to its callsign. Once
you determine the callsign or alias of a local node, you connect to it the same way as you
connect to any other packet station. You may use either the callsign or the alias to make the
connection. For example, the node I operate has the alias ID of BERKLY and the callsign of
WB9LOZ-2, so you could connect to it using:
C 85kkL or
C W89L02-2
Either one will work.
When you connect to a node, your TNC automatically switches to converse mode, just like
when you connect to any packet station. Anything you now type is sent to the node as a
packet, and the node acknowledges each packet back to your TNC. For the remainder of
your connection your TNC works only with this one node.
To use the node network to connect to another local station, you simply connect to the node
and then enter a connect request to the other station. Say you wanted to connect to K9AT
using the WB9LOZ-2 node. You first connect to WB9LOZ-2:
C W89L02-2
and then, while you ARE STILL CONNECTED TO THE NODE, you enter the connect
request to K9AT:
C k9A1
The node will then retransmit your connect request and you'll receive one of two responses:
"Connected to K9AT" or "Failure with K9AT". Once you are connected you hold your QSO
just as if you had connected direct or via a digipeater. When your QSO is finished, go to
command mode on your TNC (Control C) and enter:
0 <Ck>
and you will be disconnected from the node and the station you were working.
Some nodes have a 85 command available for disconnecting. You can get a list of available
commands from any node by sending a question mark. All of the node commands will be
covered in detail later in this series.
NOTE: If the node you're using is a G8BPQ packet switch, it might have several frequency
ports. You'll have to enter a port number between the C and the callsign in your connect
request to indicate the frequency you want to use, such as:
C 2 k9A1
Enter 0k1S for a list of the frequency ports available.
NODE NETWORK:
The packet nodes work together to form a packet node network. Once an hour each node
transmits a list of other nodes that it knows about. The neighboring nodes use this
information to keep track of the other nodes in the network. We will discuss how all of this
works later on in the series.
When you're connected to a node you can enter:
N005S <Ck> or
N <Ck>
and you'll receive a list of other nodes that you can reach on the network from the node
you're using. You'll note that the node list will vary in length and in the calls listed as you
move from frequency to frequency, since all frequencies are not linked together. The list
gives both an alias ID and a callsign for each node. The alias ID often gives you a hint as to
where the node is located, but not always. To find out for sure where a node is located you'll
need to get a copy of the descriptive node listings that are available on most packet bulletin
board systems. These complete lists give the alias, callsign, location, frequency and other
information on each node in the network.
To connect to a station in another area using the node network you first must determine
which node is closest to the station you want to work. For demonstration purposes, let's say
we want to connect to N6XYZ. He's told you he uses the W6ABC-3 node, so you check the
node list and see that GOLD:W6ABC-3 is listed. WHILE YOU ARE STILL CONNECTED
TO YOUR LOCAL NODE you connect to the distant node by sending a normal connect
request, in this case:
C 60L0 or
C W6A8C-3
Your TNC will send this as a packet to your local node and your local node will
acknowledge it. The network will then go to work for you and find the best path between
your local node and the one you're trying to reach. Remember, with digipeaters you needed
to know the exact sequence of stations. With nodes you don't. The network does that for you.
You might have to be a little patient here, since it sometimes takes a few minutes for the
connection to be completed. Don't type anything while you're waiting for a response because
any new information received by your local node will override any previously entered
information. When the network has completed its work you'll receive one of two responses:
"Connected to W6ABC-3" OR "Failure with W6ABC-3". If it can't connect for some reason,
try again later. It could be that W6ABC-3 is temporarily off the air or the path has decayed
and is no longer available. We're going to be positive here and say we received the first
option and got connected to the node.
Once you're connected to W6ABC-3, enter:
C N6x2
Again, your TNC will send this as a packet to your local node and the local node will
acknowledge it and send it down the path to W6ABC-3. W6ABC-3 will then attempt to
connect to N6XYZ. Here again you'll get one of the two responses: "Connected to N6XYZ"
OR "Failure with N6XYZ". If you get connected, you hold your QSO just as you normally
would, but there's one BIG difference -- your TNC is receiving acknowledgements from
your local node, and N6XYZ is receiving acknowledgements from W6ABC-3. The
acknowledgements do not have to travel the entire distance between the two end stations.
Each node in the path handles the acknowledgement with the next node in line. Because of
this, retries are greatly reduced and your packets get through much faster than when using a
similar number of digipeaters.
When you're finished with the QSO, you disconnect in the normal manner. Use the 85
command, if available, or go to Command Mode on your TNC and enter:
0 <Ck>
Using either method, the entire path will disconnect for you automatically.
Nodes offer a variety of other features besides allowing you to connect to other stations.
We'll look at those and go into much more detail on the packet network in parts 10 and 11 of
this series.
Part 4 last revised February 13, 1997.
Part 5
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 5
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
INTRODUCTION TO THE BULLETIN BOARD SYSTEM
In this part of the series I will introduce you to the basics of bulletin board system (BBS)
use; in part 6 I will discuss BBS commands in detail. There are now dozens of different
packet radio bulletin board system programs available to the packet community. You might
find a few minor differences in the commands used, but for the most part they are the same.
If you find that a command does not function as I describe here, use the or H - HELP
command to get more specific details for the BBS program you're using.
You connect to a BBS exactly the same way as you connect any other station. Don't forget
the SSID for the BBS callsign if one is required. Once you're connected, you will receive a
welcoming message, information for that particular BBS and some basic instructions. Read
the information and the instructions carefully. The first or second time you connect you
might receive a request to enter your name, QTH, zip code and home BBS for the system's
user file. Some systems will simply ask you for the information, while others will ask you to
"register". On some systems, the software will not allow you to use any of the commands
except HELP until you have entered this information.
After you receive the welcoming message and information from the BBS, you should note
that the last line ends with a >. This is known as the PROMPT. When the BBS sends the
prompt it is telling you that it has finished sending you information, and it is waiting for you
to tell it what to do next. You do this by sending it a command. You must follow each
command by a carriage return <Ck>, just like on your TNC, which you send by hitting the
"Enter" or "Return" key.
When checking in to a BBS for the first time, you should become familiar with the
commands available to you. Enter a or H and read the general instructions for the BBS
you're using. It should tell you how to get a list of the commands that are available. Review
the command list to see what features the BBS offers.
When entering a BBS command, you must be careful to enter it exactly as the program
requires. Some commands are just a single letter, while other commands require added
information. Computers are not very forgiving and expect things to be entered in proper
form. Enter only one command at a time, and be sure to read the information that is sent to
you by the BBS. Take your time, check out the various features that the BBS offers and
enjoy yourself. There's no need to feel rushed or intimidated. If you get to a point where you
don't know what to do next, don't give up and disconnect. Enter a or H again for further
assistance. That's what the help information is there for! Remember this important point:
whenever you're using a BBS and you don't know what to do next, enter a or H for the
HELP instructions. I suggest that you make a printed copy of the complete help document so
that you have the information available as a reference when using the BBS.
Now let's go through the basic procedures you should follow when checking into a BBS.
After you connect and receive the welcome message, you will receive a list of your mail if
there are any personal messages addressed to your callsign. Enter the command kN to read
your mail. If that command isn't available, note the message numbers and then enter: k
followed by the message numbers, separating each by a space. Example:
k 24112 24174
If there were messages addressed to you, you should erase or "kill" them once you've read
them. You can do this with the kM command, which means "Kill Mine". This command will
erase all messages that are addressed to you that have been read. You can also kill each
message individually by entering:
k xxxx
where the X's are the message number.
After reading your mail, the next thing I recommend that you do is list the new messages, by
entering L. The BBS program updates the user file each time you check in, logging the latest
message number. The next time you check in, only the new messages that have been
received by the system are included in your list. The first time you check in, you might want
to avoid using L by itself. Many systems have more than 1000 active messages available, and
since you haven't seen any of them, the L will list all of them for you. As an alternative, I
suggest that you use the LL (LIST LAST) command. You enter LL followed by a space and
then the number of messages you'd like to see. Example:
LL 30
will list the last 30 messages that were received by the BBS. When you receive the list, you'll
note that each message has a number, and that the size of the message, the topic, the
originating station, a date and time, the subject, and other information are given. I will
discuss each of these parts later in the series. For now, note the numbers of the messages
you're interested in reading - that's the number to the far left of the screen.
Some BBS programs have a paging feature that will send just enough information to fill your
screen and then stop. You simply enter a <Ck> by hitting the "Enter" or "Return" key to tell
the BBS to continue. When listing the new messages, you might have the option of reading
the ones you're interested in before continuing with another page from the message list. As
mentioned earlier, be sure to read the information that is sent to you by the BBS program
before you proceed with your next operation.
To read the messages you're interested in, enter:
k xxxx
where the Xs represent the message number(s). Example:
k 14521 14528
Note that there is a space between the command and the number. If the paging feature is not
available or not turned on, it's best to "capture" your messages or have your printer turned on
when reading messages. They're apt to come in faster than you're able to read them. (By
"capture" I mean using your communications program to save incoming data to a file. You
can read it later after you've disconnected from the BBS.)
Once you've read all the messages you're interested in, you have several options. You can
look back at old messages, send messages to other stations, see what's available in the file
directories - the BBS library, download a file, upload a file, check the list of stations that
have recently checked in to the BBS or stations that have been heard on the BBS frequency,
check the status of the BBS to find out what other stations are connected and who has mail
waiting for them, or a variety of other things. We look at the BBS commands in detail in part
6 and explain how to do all of these things and more.
Oh, so that we don't leave you connected forever, when you're ready to leave the BBS, enter
a 8. You should always use the 8 command rather than just disconnecting so that the system
updates your user file.
Part 5 last revised December 3, 1996.
Part 6
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 6
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
BBS COMMANDS - USING THE PACKET BBS
In part 5 I discussed the basics of using a packet bulletin board system. Now let's look at the
commands you use on a BBS. As previously mentioned, some of the commands on your
BBS might vary slightly from the information I'll be presenting to you here. Remember, all
of the commands you enter must be followed by a carriage return <Ck>.
or H (Help) - Every BBS has help available for the user. When you don't understand how to
use a command, the help documentation will give you the details. For help on a specific
command enter: or H followed by the letter of the command you'd like more information
about. Either or H will work on some BBSs. On others, only one of them will work.
Example: L or HL will give you details on how to use the LIST command and its many
variations.
A or an H, by itself, will give you general help information and specific instructions on how
to use the help documentation on your BBS.
MESSAGE COMMANDS:
LIST: One of the commands you will want to use when connecting to a BBS is the LIST
command. There are many variations available, but L, by itself, is the one used most often:
L (List) - Lists all new messages that have been received by the BBS since you last
logged in, except for other users' personal messages. This command will show you all
of the bulletins and NTS messages on the BBS that you haven't seen, plus any
personal messages that are to or from you.
If you want to list specific messages, you may use one of the following variations of the L
command:
LM - (List Mine) - Lists all messages addressed to you.
LL #- Lists the last # messages. Example:
LL 30 will list the last 30 messages received at the BBS, excluding others'
personal messages.
L> callsign or category - Lists all messages TO the callsign or the category indicated.
Examples:
L> N6x2
L> SAL5
L< callsign - Lists all messages FROM the callsign indicated. Example:
L< N6x2
L designator - Lists all messages that have that "designator" in the @ BBS column
of the message header. Example:
L NCA will list all messages with NCA in the @ BBS column.
There are several other variations depending on the type of BBS you're using. Enter: L for a
complete list.
READ: To READ a message, you enter an k followed by a space then the message number.
Examples: If you wanted to read message 25723, you would enter:
k 25723
To read several messages, such as numbers 25723, 25726 and 25730, you'd enter:
k 25723 25726 25730
Note that you separate the numbers with a space, not commas.
You may also read messages in a way that will give you all of the forwarding headers in
detail, rather than giving you just the callsigns. The forwarding headers show the list of
BBSs that handled the message to get it from the originating BBS to the one you're using,
along with the date and time it was received, the BBS address and other information.
Depending on the BBS software being used, either the kH or v command replaces the k.
Examples: To read message 25723 with the full headers, you'd enter either:
kH 25723 or
v 25723
There is another variation of the READ command that you'll find very useful, and that's kM.
Entering kM by itself will give you all of the messages addressed to you that have not yet
been read.
ERASING MESSAGES: Once you have read a personal message, please erase it. The sysop
will appreciate your help in clearing out the "dead" messages. You use the k - KILL
command to do this. You can enter:
k #, such as k 25723, which will erase that particular message, or you can enter:
kM, which will erase all of the personal messages you have read.
If you use the kM command, the BBS will list the message numbers for you as they're killed.
THE S COMMAND(S): You'll find the S command used for SENDing messages on all
BBSs, and on some systems the S is also used for STATUS. On W0RLI-type systems, the
letter S by itself will give you a reading of the BBS status, showing the callsigns of stations
using the system, the time that they connected, the ports and tasks they're using, etc. It will
also show you information on the mail waiting for users and on the messages waiting to be
forwarded to other bulletin board systems. S, by itself, on other systems will either prompt
you for further information on sending a message, or it will give you an "illegal command"
error message. (STATUS on an FBB BBS is obtained by entering ! - an exclamation point.)
SENDING A MESSAGE: The S command is mainly used for sending a message, but it
should always be used with another letter specifying the type of message you're sending.
There are three types of messages found on packet bulletin board systems: Personal,
Bulletin, and Traffic.
S is used for sending a personal message to one other station,
S8 for sending a bulletin (a message available to all), and
S1 for sending a message that's going to be handled by the National Traffic System.
You're able to send a message to one particular person, to everyone on the local BBS, to
everyone at every BBS in your area, in the entire state, all across the country or around the
world. It all depends on how you address the message.
Each message has three parts to it: The ADDRESS, the SUBJECT and the TEXT. I'll discuss
each part separately.
THE MESSAGE ADDRESS:
Personal messages: To send a personal message you enter S followed by a space and then
the callsign of the person you want to receive the message. Normally, that's all that's needed.
A database of user information called the White Pages will fill in the address if it's known.
(I'll discuss the White Pages later on in this series.) If the callsign is not known, you must
then enter the full packet address, known as the hierarchical address. This address consists of
the callsign of the BBS where you want the message to be delivered, the local area, state or
province, country and continent. The local area is usually preceded by the # sign, and is
optional in some areas. However, it helps deliver the message to its final destination more
directly, so use it if you know what it is. The state or province is the two-letter abbreviation
used by the post office; the country is the three-letter country code and the continent is the
four-letter continent code. You should find a list of these codes on your BBS either in the
help file or in the files section.
Here are some examples of some correctly entered addresses for a personal message:
S W89L02 W6W.#NCA.CA.0SA.N0AM - That's how you would address a message to me
in San Francisco.
S WM20 WA2N0v.#NL1.N.0SA.N0AM - WM2D uses the WA2NDV BBS located in the
Northern Long Island (#NLI) area of New York state.
S 688g 630A0.#32.68k.50k0 - Note that BBSs in Great Britain, Japan and some
other countries use numbers for the local area and do not use the state part of the
address.
The hierarchical address will be discussed in detail in part 7 of this series.
Bulletins: A bulletin is addressed to a CATEGORY. The category is limited to six characters
and should indicate the nature of the message, such as PACKET, INFO, SALE, WANTED,
DEBATE, ARES, etc. To send a bulletin to more than just the local BBS, you must add a
forwarding designator that will specify the area where you want the message distributed.
This can be the local area, the entire state, a region, all of the US or the world. Each state
uses different designators, so you'll need to check your local BBS for this information. Try
entering S or S8 for a list.
These are some examples of how you would address a bulletin:
S8 1Ni0 - This bulletin is offering "information" (on a topic that would be given in the
"subject") and it would be available only to users of the BBS where it was entered
since no distribution is specified.
S8 SAL5 CA - This bulletin lists an item that's for sale, and it will be sent to all BBSs
in the state of California. (Note: CA is used in California, but the designator used in
your state might use a different format.)
National Traffic System (NTS) messages: NTS messages require special addressing and a
prescribed format. They're entered:
S1 21C005 N1Sxx
where the zipcode is that of the person the message is going to, and the XX is the two-letter
state abbreviation. NTS messages can be sent to the US and possessions and Canada only.
Examples:
S1 03452 N1SNH
S1 60626 N1S1L
S1 v7L1l3 N1S8C
THE MESSAGE SUBJECT:
When you have the address line of your message complete, you enter a carriage return <Ck>.
You'll then receive a prompt asking for the SUBJECT or TITLE of the message.
For a personal message you may enter anything you wish, but you're limited to a maximum
of 30 characters. I usually indicate what I will be discussing in the message.
For a bulletin, you should enter a brief description (again, 30 characters or less) describing
what the message will be about. Lots of bulletins are received everyday, so your SUBJECT
should help the one listing messages to determine whether or not your message is to be read.
You should attempt to describe the contents of your bulletin briefly but with detail. For
SALE or WANTED messages, be specific about the equipment and include the brand and
model. If you used INFO as a category, indicate what the information is about. For a
personal message, the subject entered is really not important, since people will read any
message directed to them. For a bulletin, though, the subject is critical. It is in these thirty
characters that you must "sell" your message to potential readers.
An NTS message requires a specific format for the subject: City, State, Telephone Area
Code and Prefix. Example:
8oston, MA 617-267
MESSAGE TEXT:
Next, you'll be asked to enter the TEXT of the message. This is where you enter the actual
message information. When entering the text, you should insert carriage returns at the end of
each line, as if you were typing a letter. A normal line has a maximum of 80 characters, so
when you have 70 to 75 characters typed, enter a carriage return and continue on the next
line. This will prevent words from wrapping around to the next line and the program
inserting an unnecessary blank line in the text. Some programs require the carriage return or
anything after the first 80 characters will not be able to be read.
An NTS message requires you to use the ARRL message format for the text. I will tell you
more about the National Traffic System and NTS messages in part 12 of this series.
When you have completed the text, you end the message with a CONTROL Z (you send a
CONTROL Z by holding down the CONTROL key and hitting the Z key) or with /5x at the
beginning of a new line. You must follow the CONTROL Z or the /5x with a carriage return
<Ck>.
Many BBSs will send you information about your message once it has been received
completely: the message identification, the size, and the fact that it has been saved, etc.
Some systems do not, so you have to make sure you receive the BBS prompt. Only when
you receive the prompt are you sure that the message has been accepted by the BBS.
FILE DIRECTORY COMMANDS:
The files on a BBS offer you a variety of information on a wide range of subjects. The file
section is often referred to as the BBS library. Each BBS has its own unique set of files as
determined by the sysop (the system operator), yet the libraries of many BBSs contain a lot
of the same information. The files are stored in directories according to subject and are listed
by file name.
To determine what directories and files are available on your BBS you use the W (WHAT)
command. Entering W, by itself, gives you a list of the directories available on the BBS along
with an associated letter or topic name and a general description of the subject for each
directory. To list the files stored in a specific directory you enter W followed the directory
letter or topic name that you received with the directory list.
Example: WA or W AkkL depending on the software used at your BBS. Enter: W to find out
which form is used on your system.
If you want to read a file you use the 0 (Download) command. You enter 0 followed by the
letter or topic name for the directory where it's stored and then the exact file name. Here are
some examples:
0i iCC5xAM.LS1 or 0 iCC iCC5xAM.LS1
0M 1S440S.M00 or 0 M00S 1S440S.M00
You can enter 0 to find out which form is used on your BBS.
To send a file to the BBS you use the 0 (Upload) command. The command must be used
with the letter or topic name for the directory you want to store the file in, followed by the
filename you're assigning to the file. The filename can have up to 8 characters preceding the
period and 3 characters following the period. (Normal DOS format.) Some examples:
06 iL5AMk1.1Ni or 0 65N5kAL iL5AMk1.1Ni
would upload a file named FLEAMKT.INF into the G or GENERAL directory.
0 88S11S.01 or 0 ACk51 88S11S.01
would upload the file BBSTIPS.01 into the P or PACKET directory. The BBS program will
not allow you to upload a file with a filename that already exists. Some directories are set by
your local sysop for downloading only, so they won't permit you to upload files to them.
Enter 0 for more information on uploading to your local BBS.
OTHER COMMANDS:
You'll find a variety of other commands available on your BBS, but which ones you find
depends on the software being used. Here is an explanation of some of the ones you might
find.
A - ABORT - Many systems offer the A (Abort) command, allowing you to stop the BBS
from sending you further information. If you want to stop receiving a message list, a
message, a file, or whatever is being sent to you, enter an A followed by a <Ck>. When the
TNC buffer is emptied, the flow of data will stop.
COPY - The COPY command is a C on some systems and SC (SEND COPY) on some
others. The command is used to make a copy of an existing message and send it to another
station. Enter C or SC for information.
C - CONFERENCE - Some BBS software offers a conference mode. This lets BBS users
engage in a round-table QSO. Enter C on systems where this feature is available to get
specific information.
0 - DOS - The FBB BBS offers FBBDOS for listing, downloading, uploading and copying
files, along with some other features. If you're using an FBB system, enter 0 for specific
information.
5 - EDIT - If you enter a message and then notice that you made an error entering the
addressee's callsign, home BBS or address or decide you want to change the Subject of the
message, some BBSs offer the EDIT command to make the desired changes. You can only
change the message type, TO, BBS, address and subject. You cannot edit the message text.
Enter 5 for details.
i - SERVERS - The FBB software offers several servers which you access by entering i, by
itself. Enter i on an FBB BBS for an explanation of the servers available.
6 - GATEWAY - A gateway feature is available on some BBSs, allowing you to connect to
stations on a different BBS port than the one you're using. Enter 6 for details on how to use
the gateway.
1 - INFO - This command can give you details on the location of the BBS, the hardware,
software and RF facilities of the system you're using, or on some systems, a page of
upcoming events, helpful hints, or other useful information.
On W0RLI and F6FBB type BBSs, there are several other variations of the 1 command:
1 callsign - gives you the name, QTH, zip code and home BBS of the person with
that callsign, if they're listed in the local "White Pages" database. Example:
1 k1162
12 zipcode - gives you a list of all active packet stations in the specified zip code that
are stored in the local "White Pages". An asterisk may be used in place of the end
numbers to give you a wider area. Examples:
12 94114 would give you stations listed in the 94114 zip code only.
12 941* would give you the stations in all zip codes that begin with 941.
1 88S - lists all callsigns in the "White Pages" having the specified BBS as their home
BBS. Example:
1 W6W
1H location - lists all callsigns in the "White Pages" having the specified location.
Examples:
1H CA
1H 68k
Enter: 1 for more detailed information on using this command.
l - Displays a listing of stations that were heard by the BBS or that connected to the BBS.
The command must be used with a port identifier, such as lA, l8, etc. If entered by itself, l
will list the ports for you or give you an error message. You'll find several variations of the l
command depending on the type of software being used. Enter: l for details.
M - On MSYS BBSs M, by itself, will give you the message of the day.
N - The N command has several variations that are used for entering your name, QTH, zip
code and home BBS. To enter your name you type the letter N followed by a space and then
your first name, such as:
N Larry
Your QTH is entered using Ng followed by a space then your full city name and two letter
state abbreviation, such as:
Ng San irancisco, CA
You enter your zip code with N2 followed by a space and your five-digit zip. NH is the
command for entering your "home BBS". This is the system that you plan to use regularly
and want all of your personal messages delivered to. Make sure that it's a full service BBS,
not a personal mailbox, since only full service systems are included in the message
forwarding network. You enter your home BBS by typing NH followed by a space and then
the callsign of the BBS, such as:
NH W6W
Note: SSIDs are not used with BBS operation except for when making the initial connection.
Most BBS software ignores all SSIDs.
REBBS type systems will ask you to register and you'll then be prompted for your name and
other information. FBB type systems will automatically ask for your name and other
information the second time you connect. On both of these BBSs, you will only need to use
the N commands to change your user information.
This user information is stored at the local BBS and is also sent to a central database known
as the "National White Pages Directory". The information can be accessed by anyone. You
can use it to find the name, QTH and home BBS of your friends. How to use the "National
White Pages" will be discussed in part 9 of this series.
0 - OPTIONS - FBB systems offer several user selectable options - the language used by the
BBS, paging, mail listing and base message number. Enter 0 for an explanation of how to
use these options if you're using an FBB BBS.
- PATH - On MSYS BBSs, followed by a callsign will give you the path last used by that
station to connect to the BBS. Example:
W6W
8 - BYE - When you're finished using the BBS, enter a 8 to disconnect. You should always
use the 8 instead of disconnecting with the TNC DISCONNECT command. On most BBSs,
your user file is updated only when you leave the BBS using the 8. If you don't use the 8, the
update doesn't occur, so the L command will not have the correct information for the next
time you use the BBS.
Remember, you won't find all of these commands on the BBS you're using, but you might
find others available that aren't listed here. Check your local BBS help document for a
complete list of the commands available to you.
Part 6 last revised December 3, 1996.
Part 7
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 7
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
PACKET MESSAGE ADDRESSING
Messages are directed throughout the worldwide BBS network using a scheme called
HIERARCHICAL ADDRESSING. The format for a hierarchical address is:
addressee-call @ BBS-call.#local-area.state-province.country.continent
For example: My hierarchical packet address is:
WB9LOZ @ W6PW.#NCA.CA.USA.NOAM
It might look complicated, but it's not. First, note that each section of the format is separated
by a period. State and province codes are the recognized two-character codes established by
the US and Canadian Post Offices. These may be found in the Callbook, your phone
directory, or any zip code listing. Don't guess on the state and province code if you aren't
sure what it is, and make sure you use only the two-letter abbreviation. You could send the
message to the wrong state or province or keep it from being forwarded altogether.
The codes used for the countries and continents are standards, now accepted throughout the
world. You should be able to find a list of them in the help document or file section of your
BBS. The country code has three letters and the continent code has four letters. (An older
version of the continent code, still used by some BBSs, has only two letters.)
The code for the local area is optional. Since you probably have no idea what code is being
used in upper New York state or in Iowa City, IA, for example, you don't have to enter it. If
you do know the local code, please use it, because it will help get the message closer to
where it's going more directly.
For messages going outside of the US or Canada, the state-province section is not always
used.
Using the hierarchical format, here are some examples of packet addresses:
KB6LQV @ N6ZGY.#CCA.CA.USA.NOAM
KC6NVL @ K6VE.#SCA.CA.USA.NOAM
KC3XC @ NQQ.MD.USA.NOAM
VE3XYZ @ VE3RPT.ON.CAN.NOAM
JA1ABC @ JA1KSO.#.JPN.ASIA
You'll note that the local area code is preceded by the octothorpe (now, how's that for a $5
word?), better known as the number or pound sign. The reason is that in Great Britain,
Japan, and possibly other areas, they use routing numbers for the local area, which could get
confused with zip and postal codes. Using the # on all local area codes will eliminate
forwarding problems.
We need to emphasize two very important points: hierarchical addressing DOES NOT
indicate a forwarding PATH, and ONLY ONE BBS call should be included in the address. A
list of BBS calls separated by periods will not get your message to its destination. In fact, it
can cause your message to loop between BBSs and your message probably won't be
delivered. The addressing scheme is said to be one area inside another area. Using my
hierarchical address as an example, WB9LOZ @ W6PW.#NCA.CA.USA.NOAM, here's how you would
describe the address: "WB9LOZ at W6PW which is in Northern California which is in
California which is in the USA which is in North America".
USING THE HIERARCHICAL ADDRESS: This section explains how the BBS software
uses the hierarchical addressing scheme. For an example, let's say that I send a message to
my friend Richard, KA7FYC, who uses the KD7HD BBS in Missoula, MT as his home
BBS. I would enter:
S kA7iC k07H0.#MSL.M1.0SA.N0AM
All BBSs have a routing list called a "forward file". Like your local postal sorter, it "knows"
about local routings in detail, but as the destination grows more distant, it knows only about
larger geographical areas. If the only items in my BBS's forward file are other California
BBSs plus a list of state abbreviations, country and continent codes, let's see how this
message would be forwarded. The BBS software will attempt to find a match between the
items in the BBS forward file and the various parts of the hierarchical address starting with
the left-most item in the address field. In our case, it would not find a match for KD7HD. If
there isn't a match, it then moves to the next section to the right. It wouldn't find a match for
#MSL, so it would again move to the right. Since all of the state abbreviations are listed in
the forward file, it would find MT and that match would allow the message to be forwarded.
The forward file would indicate the call of the next BBS in line to receive a message
addressed to MT. Once the message is received at the next BBS, the process would start all
over again until the message is finally delivered to its destination.
Part 7 last revised December 3, 1996.
Part 8
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 8
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
THE PACKET MESSAGE - A DETAILED LOOK
The following is an example of what you see when listing messages on a BBS. On some
systems the information is displayed in a different order, but the same information is given.
MSG# STAT SIZE TO FROM @ BBS DATE/TIME SUBJECT
13 PN 10 WDTLQ WA6XYZ NSLE 060/10 Software working great!
11 B$ 1 PACKET WB9LOZ WUSA 060/11 INTRO TO PACKET-Part of 0
11 BF 3 EXAMS W6NLG NCA 0603/100 FCC Exams: March - June
11 TN 911 W1AAR 060/099 San Francisco 1-1
11 BF 1663 DEBATE NDEQ WW 060/31 CW REALLY NEEDED?
11 BF 91 INFO N6ZYX NCA 0603/1 9600 BAUD DEMONSTRATION
The MESSAGE NUMBER is assigned by the BBS program when the message is received
and it cannot be changed. The numbers are assigned sequentially.
The STATUS of the message includes several different bits of information. The first letter of
the STATUS indicates the TYPE of message: B for Bulletin, P for Personal, or T for Traffic
for the National Traffic System. Bulletins are messages of general interest to all users, and
they can be read by everyone using the system. Personal messages are listed only for the
sender, the addressee and the sysop, and they're the only ones who can read them. The list
above would have to have been requested by WD5TLQ, WA6XYZ or a sysop. Can you see
why? It lists an outgoing personal message. (NOTE: Although personal messages can't be
read by everyone using the BBS, anyone in monitor mode can see a personal message as it's
being sent over the air, of course.) Traffic messages, type T, are listed for everyone and can
be read by anyone. In fact, all users are encouraged to participate in the delivery of NTS
messages addressed to your area. (Refer to part 12 of this series for information on NTS
messages.)
STATUS also shows whether or not the message has been read, has already been forwarded
to all designated stations, or has not been forwarded. You might see one of these letters: N -
no, it hasn't been read, Y - yes, it has been read, F - it has been forwarded, $ - it has not been
forwarded, I - it's in the process of being forwarded right now.
The SIZE indicates the combined total of characters, including punctuation, in the message
text. The forwarding headers (explained below) are considered to be part of the text and are
included in the size. What starts out as a short message can grow in size as it's forwarded
from BBS to BBS.
TO is the callsign of the addressee for personal messages, the category or interest group for
bulletins and the zip code of the addressee for NTS messages. While you might find
bulletins addressed TO AMSAT, TO PACKET or TO SALE, they're actually messages
about AMSAT, about PACKET or about equipment for SALE. You're apt to see anything in
the TO column: ALL, USERS, EXAMS, CODE, SALE, WANTED, DEBATE, SAT,
PACKET, etc.
FROM shows the callsign of the station originating the message.
@ BBS is used for forwarding a personal message to someone at another BBS, for
forwarding NTS messages and for general distribution of a bulletin using a forwarding
designator. In the list shown above, the personal message would automatically be forwarded
to WD5TLQ at the N5SLE BBS. By entering a special designator, such as NCA, in the "@
BBS" column a bulletin may be forwarded to specific areas. (See parts 6 and 7 of this series
for details on the addressing of personal messages and bulletins and on using the forwarding
designators. Addressing of NTS messages is discussed in part 12.)
Next is the DATE and TIME showing when the message was received at the BBS you're
using, or when the message was written. (This varies depending on the type of software
being used at the BBS.) If the message originated at another BBS, the date and time when
the message was originally entered will be shown in the forwarding headers, as explained
below, and at the top of the message when you read it. The date and time indicated can be
either local time or GMT (Zulu time) depending on the time used by the BBS.
The SUBJECT (or TITLE) is a short description of the message content. For bulletins, this is
the information that determines whether or not someone is going to read your message when
he sees it in the message list. It should be brief, but it also should be informative. You need
to tell the other users what the message is about as clearly and concisely as you can with just
30 characters.
The parts of the message mentioned so far are all seen when you ask for a message list using
the L (LIST) command. On some systems, entering a semicolon after the list command will
give you more information about the message, such as the message ID, the full hierarchical
address, the number of times the message has been read, etc. Example:
LL 35
If a message has been forwarded from another BBS, forwarding headers are added at the top
of the actual message TEXT. This information is added by each BBS that is used to get the
message from its origination point to the destination. Each BBS adds one line showing the
time the message was received by that particular BBS, its callsign and address, and possibly
the QTH, zip code, message number and other information. If you use the kH or v command
(depending on your software), rather than just k, when reading a message, you'll receive
complete headers. With just the k, headers are reduced to a list of the BBS callsigns. The
complete headers are useful if you want details on the path a message took to reach you or
how long it took to be forwarded from system to system from the source to destination.
The TEXT of the message contains the information you want to convey to the reader. It can
be of any length. However, if the message will be going to a distant BBS and will most
likely be forwarded on the HF network, there is a 2.5K size limit. This limit has been set by
the HF gateway sysops to keep traffic moving smoothly despite poor conditions and QRM.
Extremely long messages can tie up the forwarding system unnecessarily, so users are
advised to break up long messages into parts.
As mentioned in part 6, when entering a message into a BBS, use carriage returns at the ends
of your lines, as if you were using a typewriter. The normal screen width is 80 characters, so
you should enter a carriage return prior to the 80th character on each line. A message entered
without the carriage returns can be very difficult to read as words are cut at improper points,
lines vary drastically in length, and blank lines are often inserted. On some terminal
programs and printers, any line exceeding 80 characters without a carriage return inserted
will not be seen or printed past the 80th character.
You should include your name, call and packet address at the end of the text so that the
person reading your message will be able to send a return message to you if he or she wishes
to do so. You end your message with a control-Z or a /ex at the beginning of a new line.
This will tell the BBS to save the message. Don't disconnect until you receive the prompt
back from the BBS. Otherwise you won't know whether or not your message was saved.
Part 8 last revised December 3, 1996.
Part 9
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 9
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
PACKET RADIO WHITE PAGES DATABASE
In this part of the series we're going to look at the White Pages. No, not your local telephone
directory, but the packet radio directory known as the "White Pages". You help supply the
information for "WP", and you can also use it to find the home BBS, QTH and zip code of
your friends on packet.
"White Pages" was initially designed by Eric Williams, WD6CMU, of Richmond,
California. Hank Oredson, W0RLI, later added a WP database to his packet bulletin board
software, and now most of the BBS software programs have some form of the White Pages
available. It's a database of packet users showing their name, home BBS, QTH and zip code.
It's updated and queried by packet message, allowing stations from all over the world to take
advantage of it.
When users enter their name and other information into their BBS user file, it gets included
in the WP database. The White Pages server at each BBS also scans the forwarding headers
of all messages received, extracts callsign information and adds that to the database. The
software automatically assembles an update once a day containing all of the new WP
information and any changes the database has received in the past 24 hours. This update is
then forwarded to the regional White Pages server. The regional server, in turn, takes all of
the information it has received from other BBSs and sends out updates to other BBSs in the
area, as well as to the N6IYA BBS in Fulton, California, the national White Pages server. As
a result, we have a large database of information on packet users world-wide. By querying
WP, you can easily find the name, home BBS, QTH and zip code of other stations on packet.
If your BBS is operating with its own WP database, you may make inquiries of it using
either the 1 or g command, depending on the software being used. Simply enter 1 or g
followed by the callsign you'd like information about. If you wanted information on
WB9LOZ, for example, you would enter:
1 W89L02 or g W89L02
Check the help information on your BBS to see which command is the one used there. Some
BBSs also offer commands that allow you to search the WP database for station lists using
location or zipcode information. Try 1 or g or W for details.
If your local BBS doesn't have the information you are looking for, it can be obtained from
your regional WP server or from the national WP server. Since query messages are read and
answered by the WP software, not by a person, you must use the correct format:
callsign
You address your query to WP @ the callsign of the server you want to use. The word
QUERY is entered for the subject. You may then may include as many requests as you wish
in the text of each message, but each must be on a separate line.
Here's an example of a message sent to N6IYA, the national White Pages server:
SP WP @ N6IYA.#CCA.CA.USA.NOAM The same format would be used
Enter subject of message: Query to send a query message to your
Enter text: regional WP database.
K9AT ?
WA6DDM ?
NGP ?
W1KPL ?
Control Z OR /EX
Capital and lower case letters may both be used within the message.
Just like all other packet messages, messages addressed to WP are forwarded from BBS to
BBS toward their destination. If a BBS operating with the W0RLI WP Server handles a
query message, it will respond with any pertinent information that it has available. As a
result, you might receive more than one response to your WP query.
If the information on a callsign in a WP database is not updated, it is deleted after a certain
length of time specified by the sysop. This time frame is normally 90 to 180 days, although
some systems retain information for up to a year.
It is important to note here that you should choose ONLY ONE BBS as your home BBS, the
one where you want all of your messages delivered. You should also make sure that it is a
full service BBS, not a personal mailbox, or mail will not be forwarded to you. Always enter
that callsign when you are asked to enter your home BBS, even if you are using another
system at the time.
When a message arrives at the destination BBS given in the "@ BBS" column, some of the
BBS software will check the White Pages information to make sure that the message has
been delivered to the right place. If it finds that a different BBS is listed as the addressee's
home BBS, it will insert that BBS callsign in the message and send it on its way. If you enter
different home BBS calls on several BBSs, your mail could easily end up being sent from
BBS to BBS and never reach you.
If you move or change your home BBS, you should then make sure that you update the
information for your call in the White Pages database. Use the NH, Ng and N2 commands to
update the information. Making sure that the information in the White Pages is correct will
help to get your messages delivered to the correct BBS.
Part 9 last revised December 3, 1996.
Part 10
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 10
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
USING THE NODE NETWORK - PART 1 OF 2
In this and the next part of the series we're going to take an in depth look at the packet node
network. In part 4 I explained how to use the network for connecting to another station. Now
we'll look at the other features a node offers.
Using the packet node network can make your operating time on packet more enjoyable and
it can greatly expand the area that you can reach. The network of NET/ROM, TheNet,
G8BPQ and KAM nodes is expanding very quickly and now covers most of the country.
New nodes are showing up almost daily. Thanks to all of these stations and the
interconnecting links, you can now connect to stations in many distant places using a low
powered 2 meter rig. Some nodes are set up for cross-banding, and with the introduction of
nodes on 10 meter FM, there's the possibility of working a station just about anywhere.
A packet node, in most cases, is still set up for digipeater operation, so you can still use it as
a regular digipeater, but for most of your connections you'll want to use the node features.
Why? When using a string of digipeaters your packets have to reach their destination parity
correct and the receiving TNC has to return an acknowledgement (ack) to your TNC for each
packet to be accepted. As you add more digipeaters to the path the chances of each packet
being accepted becomes less and less. Other stations on the frequencies being used and noise
along the route can be the cause of many retries. When using a node, however, your packets
no longer have to reach their destination before the acknowledgements are returned to your
TNC. Each node acknowledges your packet as its sent along the way toward its destination.
If you've been monitoring lately, you might have seen the nodes in action. You might have
wondered why they were sending all of those weird symbols like @fx/<~|. What you're
seeing is the nodes communicating with each other and updating their node lists. You also
might have noted callsigns with high numbered SSIDs, such as WB9LOZ-14, WA6DDM-
15, W6PW-12, etc. The nodes change the SSIDs of all stations that originate packets so that
the callsigns sent via the network are not the same as those sent directly. If you were to use a
node to connect to another station in the local area, there's the possibility of your packets
being received by this station both from you directly and from the node. If the callsign
through the node wasn't changed, the TNCs involved would be totally confused as it would
appear that two stations were connecting using the same callsign. The node automatically
changes the SSID using the formula 15-N, where N is your usual SSID. A call with -0
becomes -15, a -1 becomes -14, -2 becomes -13, etc.
The node network is very simple to use. As explained in part 4, to use the node network you
first connect to a local node. It should be one where you can connect to it direct with good
signal strength. Once you've connected, you then have several options -- connect to another
station within range of the node, connect to another node, connect to an associated BBS,
obtain a list of the nodes that are available, or check route and user status. On NET/ROM
and TheNet nodes you can also answer or call CQ.
There are several commands available on your local node. All have C0NN5C1, N005S, k0015S
and 0S5kS, and depending on the type of node you're using, you might also find the 88S, 85,
Cg, 1Ni0, MH5Ak0, AkMS or 0k1S commands available.
THE PACKET NODE COMMANDS:
C0NN5C1: The C0NN5C1 command (which can be abbreviated as C) is used just like you use the
C0NN5C1 command with your TNC. To connect to another local station using a node, first
connect to the node and then enter C followed by the callsign of the station you want to
reach. To connect to another node you can use either the callsign or the alias. For example,
to connect to the BERKLY:WB9LOZ-2 node:
you can use C W89L02-2, or
you can use the alias C 85kkL
Either one will work. Review part 4 of this series for more information on making
connections via the node network.
There's a special consideration when making connections from a node using the G8BPQ
Packet Switch software. Since these nodes are capable of having several different
frequencies operating from the one node, you have to indicate which frequency port you
want to make your connection on. The 0k1S command, abbreviated , will give you a list of
the ports available, such as this:
SF:WB9LOZ-1} Ports:
1 1.99 MHz
3.6 MHz
3 1.0 MHz
You then insert the port number between the C and the callsign to indicate which frequency
you want to use, in this case the port 1 frequency of 144.99 MHz:
C 1 W86gv0
N005S: The N005S command can be abbreviated as N and when entered without any other
information will give you a listing of other nodes that can be worked from the node you're
using. The list contains both the alias and the callsign of each node. The alias might give you
a hint of a node's location, but you'll need a list of the local nodes to be able to tell for sure
where each node is located. (You'll probably find node lists in the file section of your local
BBS.) As you move from node to node, the list of nodes you find will vary in length and will
contain different callsigns since all of the frequencies are not linked.
The N005S command has a feature that gives you a simple way to find out how easy it will be
to connect to another node in the list. All you need to do is enter N followed by either the
alias or callsign of the node that you want to reach, such as:
N ik5SN0 or
N W62iN-2
You'll receive a report showing up to three routes to the node you asked about, how good
these routes are and how up to date the information is. If there is no information available,
you will receive either "Not found" or the complete node list, depending on the type of node
or switch you're using.
Let's take a look at a typical report you would receive after entering N ik5SN0. If you were
connected to a NET/ROM or TheNet node the report would look like this:
SFW:W6PW-1} Routes to: FRESNO:W6ZFN-
10 6 0 WB9LOZ-1
6 0 W6PW-6
61 0 WADRZ-
If you were connected to a G8BPQ packet switch you would see one less column in the
report and it would look like this:
SF:WB9LOZ-1} Routes to: FRESNO:W6ZFN-
> 16 6 W6PW-10
6 W6PW-6
60 W6PW-1
Each line is a route to the node you asked about. The symbol > indicates a route that's in use.
The first number is the quality of the route. 255 is the best possible quality and means a
direct connect via hard wire to a coexisting node at the same site; zero is the worst, and
means that the route is locked out. 192 is about the best over the air quality you'll find, and it
usually means that the node is only one hop away. If you see a quality of less than 80, you'll
probably have a difficult time getting any information through via that route. The second
number is the one that tells you how up to date the information is; it's call the obsolescence
count. This number is a 6 when the information for the route is less than an hour old. For
each hour that an update on the route is not received, this number is decreased by one. A 5
means the information is an hour old, a 4 means that it's two hours old, and so on. The next
number, shown only on NET/ROM and TheNet nodes, indicates the type of port. A 0 is an
HDLC port; a 1 is an RS-232 port. You don't need to pay any attention to this figure. The
callsign is that of the neighboring node that's next in line on the route.
This quick check on a node that you want to reach can save you a lot of time. You'll know
immediately whether or not the node is available, and if it is, how good the available routes
are to it. You then won't have to spend time trying to connect to a node that isn't available or
is of poor quality.
If you find that there's a decent route to the node or switch you want to reach, it's normally
best to let the network make the connection for you. Simply enter a connect to the alias or
callsign you want rather than connecting to each individual node along the route yourself.
If a route exists but the quality is not very good, you might want to connect to the
neighboring node shown for the best route, then do another quality check, repeating this
procedure until you find a route with decent quality. You can actually get through to some
distant nodes using this method if you have the time and patience to work on it.
(We continue with more commands used on the packet nodes in part 11)
Part 10 last revised December 3, 1996.
Part 11
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 11
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
USING THE NODE NETWORK - PART 2 OF 2
COMMANDS
....continued from part 10
k0015S: The k0015S command (abbreviated as k) will give you a list of the direct routes to
other nodes from the node you're using. The direct routes are the ones where the node can
connect directly to the other node. The quality of each route is shown along with the
obsolescence count. (See the N005S command in part 10 for an explanation of obsolescence
count.) Any route marked with an exclamation point (!) means that the route values have
been entered manually by the owner of the node and it usually means that the route is not
reliable for regular use.
0S5kS: The 0S5kS command (abbreviated as 0) will show you the callsigns of all the stations
now using the node that you're connected to. There are five descriptions used by the node to
describe how users are connected:
UPLINK: The station indicated is connected directly to the node.
DOWNLINK: The node has made a connection from the first station to the second
station. Example:
DOWNLINK K9AT-1 N6UWK
would mean that the node connected to N6UWK at the request of K9AT.
CIRCUIT: Indicates that the station indicated has connected FROM another node
when the node and user callsign are on the left of the <--> and indicates that the station
has connected TO another node if node is on the right of the <-->. If you see dashes
between the arrows, the circuit is in use. If you see <~~>, the connection is in
progress. The alias and call of any other nodes being used are shown prior to the user's
callsign. Examples:
Circuit SFW:W6PW-1 WA6DDM <--> AA6ZV would mean that WA6DDM is using
this node, that he connected to it from the SFW node and is now connected to
AA6ZV.
N6PGH <--> Circuit DIA:WB6SDS- N6PGH would mean that N6PGH connected
direct to this node and has connected to the DIA node.
Circuit SSF:KA6EYH- KK6SD <~~> AMCYN:WZ6X- indicates that KK6SD
has connected to the node you're using from the SSF2 node and is now
attempting to connect to the AMCYN node.
CQ: See "Cg command" below.
HOST: The user is connected directly from the node terminal. This is seen when the
owner of the node is a user, or the BBS associated with the node is using it to forward
messages.
Cg: The Cg command is used both for calling CQ and for replying to the CQ of another
station. The command is available only in the latest versions of NET/ROM and TheNet.
Enter a when connected to a node to see if it's available there. The Cg command is used to
transmit a short text message from a node, and is also used to enable stations that receive the
transmission to connect to the station that originated it. The command is entered as:
Cg textmessage
The "textmessage" can be any information up to 77 characters long including spaces and
punctuation, and it's optional. In response to a Cg command, the node transmits the specified
textmessage in "unproto" mode, using the callsign of the originating user as the source and
"CQ" as the destination. As with all node transmissions, the SSID will be translated; that is,
the SSID will be 15-N, where N is the SSID of the original callsign. WB9LOZ-0 would
become WB9LOZ-15, WB9LOZ-1 would become WB9LOZ-14, etc.
Here is an example of how the node Cg command is used: If station W6XYZ-3 connects to a
node and issues the command:
Cg Anybody around tonight
the node would then transmit:
W6XYZ-1>CQ:Anybody around tonight?
After making the transmission in response to the Cg command, the node arms a mechanism
to permit other stations to reply to the CQ. A station wishing to reply may do so simply by
connecting to the originating callsign shown in the CQ transmission (W6XYZ-12 in the
example above). Note here that you connect to the station using the translated SSID. A Cg
command remains armed to accept replies for 15 minutes, or until the originating user issues
another command or disconnects from the node.
Any station connected to a node may determine if there are any stations awaiting a reply to a
CQ by issuing a 0S5kS command. An armed CQ channel appears in the USERS display as:
Circuit, Host, or Uplink <~~> CQusercall
The station may reply to such a pending CQ by issuing a C0NN5C1 to the user callsign
specified in the CQ(...) portion of the USERS display--it is not necessary for the station to
disconnect from the node and reconnect.
Here's what a typical transmission would look like: (bold text = entered by user)
cmd: C W6W-1
cmd: *** Connected to W6PW-1
0S5kS
{SFW:W6PW-1} NET/ROM 1.3 669
UplinkK9AT
CircuitLAS:KWS-1 W1XYZ <~~> CQW1XYZ-1
UplinkWB6QVU <--> CircuitSFBBS:W6PW-3 WB6QVU
C0NN5C1 W1x2-15
{SFW:W6PW-1} Connected to W1XYZ
Hello! 1his is 6eorge in San irancisco
Hi George! Thanks for answering my CQ. etc.
Users of the Cg command are cautioned to be patient in waiting for a response. Remember,
your CQ will remain armed for 15 minutes, and will be visible to any user who issues a
0S5kS command at the node during that time. Wait a few minutes before issuing another CQ
to give other stations a chance to reply to your first one! Don't be surprised, however, if you
don't receive a response. For some unknown reason, I've found that very few users take
advantage of the feature. When you connect to a distant node, the Cg command is a great way
to start a QSO with a station in that area, but more users need to be made aware of the CQ
feature before it will become very useful.
88S: The 88S command (which cannot be abbreviated) is available on nodes using the
G8BPQ software and having an associated packet bulletin board system. Entering 88S will
connect you to the associated BBS.
105N1: The 105N1 command (abbreviated as 1) found on NET/ROM nodes will give you the
identification of the node you're using. 1Ni0: The 1Ni0 command (abbreviated as 1) found on
TheNet nodes will give you information about the node, usually the alias, callsign and
location.
1Ni0: The 1Ni0 command (abbreviated as 1) found on G8BPQ nodes will give you the
identification of the node and a list of the commands available.
MH5Ak0: The MH5Ak0 command (abbreviated as M) found on TheNet and G8BPQ nodes will
give you a list of stations heard by the node. If the node has more than one port, you must
specify which port you want the listing for by entering a space after the M and then the port
number. Examples:
M 1 will give you a list for port 1
M 2 will give you a list for port 2
Use the 0k1S () command to get a list of the ports and the associated frequencies.
AkMS: The AkMS (Parameters) command (abbreviated as P) found on NET/ROM and
TheNet nodes is for the owner's use in determining how his station is working. It will give
you a list of the node's parameters.
0k1S: The 0k1S command (abbreviated as ) found on G8GPQ nodes will list the
frequencies of all ports available.
85: The 85 command (abbreviated as 8) is available on TheNet and G8BPQ nodes. It's used
for disconnecting from the node. If the node has other software, you must disconnect using
the 0 command in your TNC.
: Entering a will give you a list of the commands available on the node.
Remember, when you are connected to a network of nodes, any commands you send will be
directed to the last node you connected to.
Part 11 last revised December 3, 1996.
Part 12
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 12
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
NATIONAL TRAFFIC SYSTEM AND PACKET RADIO
The National Traffic System, known as NTS, is the ARRL sponsored Amateur Radio
message handling network. Packet radio is now playing a very important part in the network,
so let's take a look at the system and give you some tips on handling NTS traffic by packet.
Handling third party traffic is the oldest tradition in amateur radio. Nationwide, the National
Traffic System has hundreds of local and section nets meeting daily in order to facilitate the
delivery and origination of such messages. More and more of this traffic is being originated,
relayed, and delivered on packet. If you enjoy traffic handling, you can easily get involved in
NTS via packet. If you're on packet but know nothing about NTS, this part of the series will
get you off to a good start. At the end you'll also find some references for further information
on NTS.
Local packet BBSs have to be checked daily for traffic that needs to be delivered or relayed.
When you check into your local BBS, enter the L1 command, meaning "List Traffic". The
BBS will display a list of all NTS traffic awaiting delivery. It'll look similar to this example:
MSG# STAT SIZE TO FROM @BBS DATE/TIME SUBJECT
393 TN 6 606 KB6ZYZ NTSIL 1/01 CHICAGO, IL 31-6
30 TF 30 063 WB6DOB NTSCT 1/06 NEW HAVEN, CT
3 TF 933 KAYEA 1/06 CRESTON, CA 933
339 TN 1 911 KAUHL 1/0311 SAN FRANCISCO 1-1
31 TF 9 901 W1KPL 16/36 DALY CITY, CA 1-99
You might see traffic that is being relayed by your local BBS to some other part of the
country as well as traffic for your local area. The "Subject" or "Title" column of the listing
will show the destination of the traffic. If you see a message that is within your local area,
help out and deliver it.
RECEIVING A MESSAGE: To take a message off of the Bulletin Board for telephone
delivery, or for relay to a local NTS net, enter k followed by the message number. Using the
list above, entering the following would send you the message from KA8UHL for San
Francisco:
k 37839
You'll find the message in a special NTS RADIOGRAM format, with a preamble, address,
telephone number, text and signature, ready for delivery. After the message has been saved
to your printer or disk, the message should be erased from the BBS. Use the k command, as
you do for killing your own messages. To kill message 37839, for example, you'd enter:
k 37839
This prevents the message from being delivered again by someone else.
DELIVERING OR RELAYING A MESSAGE: Once you have received the NTS
Radiogram, it should, of course, be handled expeditiously. If it's for your immediate area,
you should deliver the message by telephone. If you took the message for delivery to the
local traffic net, you should make an effort to see that it gets relayed as quickly as possible.
If you're unable to deliver the message, due to an incorrect phone number, no answer after
several tries, or some other problem, send a return message to the originator advising him of
the non-delivery, and why.
SENDING MESSAGES: Any amateur can originate a message on behalf of another
individual, whether the person is a licensed amateur or not. It is the responsibility of the
originating amateur, however, to see that the message is in proper form before it's
transmitted. A special format is used for NTS traffic so that the messages are compatible
across the entire network. Each message should contain the following components in the
order given: number, precedence, handling instructions (optional), the station of origin,
check, place of origin, time filed, date, address, telephone number, text and signature. The
destination of all NTS traffic must be to a point in the US, its possessions, or Canada.
When the message is ready to be entered into your local BBS, you must use the S1
command, which means "Send Traffic", followed by the zip code of the destination city,
then @ NTS followed by the two letter state abbreviation. The form used is:
S1 21C005 N1Sxx
A message being sent to Boston, MA 02109 would be entered as follows:
S1 02109 N1SMA
and a message for Iowa City, IA 52245 would be entered as:
S1 52245 N1S1A
The message SUBJECT or TITLE should contain the destination city and state and the
telephone area code and exchange, if available. See the examples in the listing above. Only
one NTS message should be included in each packet message (no "book" messages). The
actual radiogram should be included entirely within the TEXT of the packet message,
including all of the components listed above. End the message with the usual Control-Z or
/ex.
IN TIME OF EMERGENCY: The National Traffic System functions on a daily basis as a
public service for both your fellow hams and the general public. It serves another function as
well. The NTS provides a well oiled and trained national system of experienced traffic
handlers able to handle large volumes of third party traffic accurately and efficiently during
disasters. Your participation now will help prepare you for that time of emergency.
Following the Loma Prieta Earthquake in October of 1989, over 7000 NTS messages were
handled by packet BBSs in the San Francisco Bay Area. We needed and used all of the help
we could get.
REFERENCE MATERIAL: The ARRL booklet "An Introduction to Operating an Amateur
Radio Station" offers detailed information on handling and preparing NTS Radiograms.
There are also many files with detailed information on NTS available for downloading from
your local BBS. They give a complete rundown on how to prepare and send an NTS
message on packet, how to deliver NTS messages, etc. Check your local BBS files section
for them if you want to get involved. Your help will certainly be welcome!
Part 12 last revised December 3, 1996.
Part 13
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 13
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
TNC COMMANDS - PART 2 OF 3
....continued from part 3
In this part of the series and the next we'll take a look at some of the TNC commands
available to you that we haven't covered previously. You might find that some of the
commands are not available in your particular TNC or that they're used in a slightly different
manner than what is presented here. Not all TNCs operate exactly the same. Please refer to
your owner's manual for specific details on how to use these commands if they don't
function as described here.
8811C0Nv: This command enables the transmission of 8-bit data in converse mode. Used with
AWL5N - see below. For normal packet operation, such as keyboard to keyboard transmissions,
use of bulletin board systems, and the transmission of ASCII files, 8811C0Nv should be OFF.
If you need to transmit 8-bit data, set 8811C0Nv ON and set AWL5N to 8. Make sure that the
TNC at the receiving end is also set up this way. This procedure is normally used for
transmission of executable files or a special non-ASCII data set.
AWL5N: This parameter defines the word length used by the serial input/output port of your
TNC. For normal packet operation, as described above, AWL5N should be set to 7. Set to 8
only if you're going to send 8-bit data.
Ax25L2v2: This command determines which level of AX.25 protocol you're going to use. If
OFF, the TNC will use AX.25 Level 2, Version 1.0. If ON, the TNC will use AX.25 Level 2,
Version 2.0. Note: Some early TNCs will not digipeat Version 2.0 packets. With Ax25L2v2
OFF, if your TNC sends a packet and the packet doesn't get acknowledged the first time it
was sent, it will send it again and again, until an "ack" is received or the TNC retries out.
With Ax25L2v2 ON, if your TNC sends a packet and doesn't receive an "ack" the first time, it
will send a poll frame to see if the other TNC received the packet. If yes, then it would
continue, if not then it would send the last packet again. The advantage here is that short poll
frames are sent, rather than long packets containing data. This can greatly reduce channel
congestion. For VHF/UHF operation, it is almost essential that every TNC have Ax25L2v2
ON. Many operators have suggested that Version 2.0 NOT be used on the HF bands as it
tends to clutter the frequency with poll frames. See the CHECK command below for related
information.
85AC0N: Used with EVERY or AFTER to enable beacon transmissions.
85AC0N 5v5k n - send a beacon at regular intervals specified by n.
85AC0N Ai15k n - send a beacon once after a time interval specified by n having no
packet activity on the frequency.
n = 0 to 250 - specifies beacon timing in ten second intervals: 1 = 10 seconds, 2 = 20
seconds, 30 = 300 seconds or 5 minutes, 180 = 1800 seconds or 30 minutes, etc.
Examples:
85AC0N 5v5k 180 (or 8 5 180): the TNC will transmit a beacon every 30 minutes.
85AC0N Ai15k 180 (or 8 A 180): the TNC will transmit a beacon after it hears no
activity on the frequency for 30 minutes.
8 5 0: will turn the beacon off.
The text of the beacon is specified by 815x1 and can contain up to 120 characters. The path
used for the beacon transmission is specified by the 0Nk010 command. YOU SHOULD USE
BEACONS INTELLIGENTLY! Beacons are often a point of controversy in the packet
community because they tend to clutter the frequency if used too frequently. You should
keep your beacons short and infrequent, and they should only be used for meaningful data.
Bulletin boards use the beacon for advising the community of who has mail waiting for
them, clubs use beacons for meeting announcements, and beacons are used for severe
weather warnings. In areas with heavy packet activity, beacons should not be used just to let
everyone know that you're monitoring the frequency, that your mailbox is ready, or that
you'd like someone to connect to you. You should monitor the frequency for activity and
make some connections yourself.
CH5Ck n: Sets a timeout value for a packet connection. When a connection between your
station and another seems to "disappear" due to changing propagation, channel congestion or
loss of the path, your TNC could remain in the connected state indefinitely. If the CH5Ck
command is set to a value other than 0, the TNC will attempt to recover the connection or
disconnect. The action taken depends on the setting of Ax25L2v2. The value of CH5Ck (n) may
be set from 0 to 250 and the timing is based on the formula of n * 10 seconds. (n = 1 is 10
seconds, n = 5 is 50 seconds, n = 30 is 300 seconds or 5 minutes, etc. A value of 30 is a
recommended value to use.) If CH5Ck is set to 0, it disables the command. If Ax25L2v2 is ON,
the TNC will send a "check packet" to verify the presence of the other station if no packets
have been heard after (n * 10) seconds. If a response to the "check packet" is received, the
connection will remain. If no response is received, the TNC will begin the disconnect
sequence, just as if the 01SC0NN5C1 command had been sent. If Ax25L2v2 is OFF, after no
packets are heard for n * 10 seconds, the TNC will not send a check packet, but will begin
the disconnect sequence.
CMS6: Enables the automatic sending of a connect message whenever a station connects to
your TNC. If CMS6 is ON, the TNC will send the message contained in C15x1 as the first
packet of the connection. C15x1 can contain up to 120 characters. Of course, you must have a
message in C15x1 for CMS6 to function. This feature is often used when the station is on but
the operator is not present. The connect message is used to advise the other station of that
fact, and often says to leave a message in the TNC buffer or mailbox. If CMS6 is OFF, the
C15x1 message is not transmitted.
k1SS: Enables the TNC to act as a modem for a host computer, allowing programs such as
TCP/IP, the G8BPQ Packet Switch, various BBS programs, and other programs using the
Serial Link Interface Protocol (SLIP) to be run. Before turning k1SS on, set the radio baud
rate and terminal baud rate to the desired values. Set k1SS to ON and then issue a k5S1Ak1
command.
(continued in Part 14)
Part 13 last revised December 3, 1996.
Part 14
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 14
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
TNC COMMANDS - PART 3 OF 3
....continued from part 13
MAxikAM5: Sets the upper limit on the number of unacknowledged packets the TNC can have
outstanding at any time. (The outstanding packets are those that have been sent but have not
been acknowledged.) MAxikAM5 also determines the maximum number of contiguous packets
that can be sent during one transmission. The value can be set from 1 to 7. The best value to
use depends on the frequency conditions. The better the conditions are, the higher the value
you can use. If conditions are poor due to frequency congestion, noise, or other variables,
(shown by lots of retries) MAxikAM5 should be reduced to improve throughput. The best value
of MAxikAM5 is determined through experimentation. MAxikAM5 of 1 should be used for best
results on HF packet.
Mi1L15k: This command allows you to enter up to four ASCII character codes, 0 - $7F, for
the control characters that you want eliminated from your monitored packets. Codes may be
entered in either Hex or Decimal. Here are the ASCII codes for some of the more
troublesome control characters found in monitored packets:
HEX DEC FUNCTION POSSIBLE RESULT
$0 0 Control G Rings your bell or "beeps" your speaker
$0C 1 Control L Form feed - could clear your screen
$13 19 Control S Can cause your screen to stop scrolling
$1A 6 Control Z Can clear your screen
$1B Escape Can cause your cursor to move to a random
point on your screen and can raise havoc
with printer control.
AEA has added a new code, $80, that will not allow ANY control characters to be displayed
on the user's screen from monitored packets.
MH5Ak0: An immediate command that causes the TNC to display a list of stations that have
been heard since the command MHCL5Ak was given or the TNC was powered on. This
command is useful for determining what stations can be worked from your QTH. Stations
that are heard through digipeaters are marked with an * on most TNCs. On the AEA PK-
232, the stations heard direct are marked with the *. (Check your TNC manual.) The
maximum number of stations in the list is 18. If more stations are heard, earlier entries are
discarded. Logging of stations heard is disabled when the ASSALL command is ON. (See
below.) If the 0A11M5 command has been used to set the date and time, entries in the MH5Ak0
list will show the date and time the stations were heard.
ASSALL: Causes the TNC to display packets that have invalid checksums. The error-
checking is disabled. If ASSALL is ON, packets are accepted for display, despite checksum
errors, if they consist of an even multiple of eight bits and are up to 330 bytes. The TNC
attempts to decode the address field and display the callsigns in standard format, followed by
the text of the packet. ASSALL can be useful for testing marginal paths or for operation under
unusual conditions. ASSALL is normally turned OFF.
5kS1S1: Used in conjunction with the SL0111M5 command (see below) to provide less clutter
on a busy packet frequency. As more and more TNCs are upgraded to include the 5kS1S1
and SL0111M5 commands, fewer and fewer packet collisions will occur. If you have these
commands available in your TNC, you should set 0WA11 to 0 and set these commands for use.
Note: On some TNCs, such as the PK-232, you have another command that determines
whether you use 0WA11 or 5kS1S1/SL0111M5. It's the 5kS1S1 command (with 2 P's). Set it
ON to use 5kS1S1/SL0111M5; set it OFF to use 0WA11. I strongly recommend that you set
5kS1S1 to ON.
5kS1S1 specifies a threshold value for a random-number attempt to transmit. The value
ranges from 0 to 255. 0 signifies a 1/256th chance of transmitting every SL0111M5; 255
allows the TNC to key the transmitter every SL0111M5. Through experimentation, it has been
determined that the best value for 5kS1S1 is in the 60 to 70 range.
SL0111M5: This command determines the time interval the TNC waits between generating
random numbers to see if it can transmit. This random number generation and the value of
5kS1S1 work together to provide smoother operation on a busy packet frequency. The
SL0111M5 value may be set from 0 to 250. Through experimentation it has been determined
that the best value for SL0111M5 is in the range of 10 to 20.
SCk55NLN n: This parameter determines the length of a line of text on your computer screen.
The value may be 0 to 255, and is usually set to 40 or 80 depending on the screen display
you have. A carriage return and line feed <CR/LF> are sent to the terminal in Command and
Converse modes when n characters have been displayed. A value of zero inhibits this action.
If your computer automatically formats output lines, this feature should be disabled.
1kANS: This is an immediate command causing the TNC to change from Command mode to
Transparent Mode. Transparent mode is used when you want to send data such as executable
programs where characters in the data would conflict with the operation of the TNC.
Characters such as "Control C", "Control R", "Control S", "carriage return", "linefeed", etc.
all effect the operation of the TNC when in Converse Mode. In Transparent Mode none of
the data characters affect the operation. All eight bits of each character are sent to the radio
exactly as they are received by the TNC from the computer or keyboard. Packets are
transmitted at regular intervals set by the AC11M5 command or whenever a full packet of
information is ready. The receiving TNC must also be in Transparent mode and nodes and
digipeaters cannot be used in the transmit path. Since the characters normally used for TNC
operation have no affect in this mode, a special procedure is required to exit Transparent
Mode and return to Command Mode. Refer to your TNC operating manual for details on
how this procedure is performed on your particular TNC. You should also check your
manual for information on the CM011M5, AC11M5, S1Ak1, S10, 1kiL0W, 1xiL0W, xiL0W, x0ii and
x0N commands before using Transparent Mode.
1x05LA n: This parameter tells the TNC how long to wait before sending data after it has
keyed the transmitter. All transmitters need some start up time to put a signal on the air.
Some need more, some need less. Synthesized radios and radios with mechanical relays need
more time, while crystal controlled radios and radios with diode switching require less time.
External amplifiers usually require additional delay. Experiment to determine the best value
for your particular radio. 1x05LA can also be useful to compensate for slow AGC recovery
or squelch release times at the distant station.
There are many additional commands available to you. Spend some time reading the owner's
operating manual that came with your TNC to discover some of the surprises the other
commands offer. New versions of the TNC software have added several commands that you
might find useful in your packet operating.
Part 14 last revised December 3, 1996.
Part 15
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 15
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
TIPS FOR BETTER PACKET OPERATION
Here are some tips to help make your packet operating more enjoyable. Whether it's while
making local QSOs, checking into a BBS or mailbox, or working DX, there are a few things
you should take into consideration that will help eliminate problems and waiting time,
increase your "throughput" and make packet a lot more fun. ("Throughput" is a word that has
come into common usage by packet operators and means the amount of usable packet
information transmitted or received.)
When connecting to another station, don't use a digipeater or node unless you have to. Each
digipeater you add to the path increases the time required to get your signal to its destination
and to get an acknowledgement returned. It also increases the chance for interference and for
collisions with other packets. You'll be amazed at the difference in throughput when
comparing a direct connect to one with just one digipeater in the path.
The packet node network, as discussed in previous articles in this series, does a great deal to
help you get your packets through, but you must remember that throughput there, too, is
affected by the number of nodes used and by the conditions between you and the destination
station. The big advantage of the nodes is that the acknowledgements do not have to return
all the way from the destination station before your TNC is satisfied. Packets are
acknowledged from node to node, so that eliminates a large part of the problems
encountered. Getting the original packet through, however, remains to be as much of a
problem for the nodes as it is for you when using digipeaters. It can take several minutes to
get a packet through when you're working a station some distance away. Have patience!
Dr. Tom Clark, W3IWI, has determined that for EACH HOP in a packet path the loss of
packets can vary anywhere from 5% to 50% depending on the amount of traffic. Remember,
each digipeater and node adds a hop, compounding the problem, and you have twice as
many hops as you might think, because of the acknowledgements. You can see how quickly
the path deteriorates as traffic increases and digipeaters and nodes are added to it.
If you have a choice, use a frequency that doesn't have a lot of other traffic on it. It makes
sense that the more stations there are on a frequency, the more chances there are for
collisions and retries. A path that will work perfectly without a lot of traffic, can become
totally useless under heavy traffic conditions. Just one additional station on the frequency
can decrease throughput by about half in many cases.
Another consideration, especially if working over a long distance, is atmospheric conditions.
You might not have experienced this before on VHF, but with packet's high sensitivity to
noise, a slight change in signal strength can mean the difference between getting your
packets through or not getting them through. Long paths between nodes are very susceptible
to these changing conditions. There are times, especially on a hot summer day, when it's
impossible to get a packet from one node to the other on what is normally a good path. At
other times, "thermals" can increase your range dramatically and you're able to use node
paths that normally don't exist. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the fog has a significant
affect on VHF signals. When a fog bank is moving in off the Pacific, it can act as an
excellent reflector. Signals that normally aren't heard or are very weak can reach signal
strengths of 40 over S9.
Multipath is another problem that can greatly affect your packet signal. Multipath is the term
used to describe the receipt of multiple signals from one source due to reflections off of
buildings, hills or mountains. The "ghost" in a television picture is a form of multipath. A
station with a very strong signal into a digipeater or node often cannot use that path if
multipath causes the signal to be distorted. Each packet is checked for 100% accuracy and is
not acknowledged unless it is. Multipath reflection can cause occasional bits to be lost so
you can end up with multiple retries and a poor path even with strong signals.
To sum up, for best results on VHF use the least number of digipeaters and nodes as
possible, use a frequency with low activity, and be aware of atmospheric conditions and
multipath problems. Remember, by decreasing ACL5N and MAxikAM5 in your TNC, you
improve your chances of getting packets through under poor conditions.
If you use packet on HF, remember to change your transmit baud rate to 300 and to use a
short ACL5N (a value of 40 seems to work quite well) and a MAxikAM5 of 1. The chances of
getting a short packet through the noise and QRM are much better than for a long one.
Part 15 last revised December 3, 1996.
Part 16
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 16
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
PACKET RADIO REVIEW - QUIZ
In this part of the series, let's do some reviewing. I'm going to present a short quiz on packet
radio covering the basics that I've presented in the past 15 parts of this series. Let's see how
well you can answer the following questions without looking back for the answers. In part
17 I'll discuss each question and give you the correct answers.
1. What are the three TNC modes of communication?
A. Connect, Converse, Terminal
B. Command, Converse, Terminal
C. Command, Converse, Transparent
D. Command, Connect, Transparent
2. What TNC command is used to set the transmit path for beacons and CQs?
3. What is the TNC command CH5Ck used for?
4. While you're connected to another station, what command is used to monitor other
traffic on the frequency?
5. If you saw one of the following lines on your screen when in monitor mode, what
would the asterisk indicate?
W6ABC-3>N6XYZ,W6PW-1*: Hi Bob
W6ABC-3>W6PW-1*>N6XYZ: Hi Bob
(Displays vary with various TNCs, so both common types are shown.)
6. Why does the packet node network improve communications compared to the use of
digipeaters?
7. If you're connected to a station in New Mexico using the node network, how do you
disconnect?
8. If N6ZYX-2 connected to you via a node, what would the SSID of the station become
at your end of the connection?
9. When you're connected to another station, what are the two most probable causes for
packets to NOT be received by the other station?
10. There are several basic commands used on a packet bulletin board system. Indicate
what you would enter to perform the following:
A. Receive a list of messages.
B. Read message 47134.
C. Download a file in the General (ID G) directory called FCCEXAMS.LST.
D. Enter a personal message to Jim, WA6DDM, who uses the W6PW BBS in San
Francisco, California.
E. Change your home BBS from W9ABC to W7XYZ.
11. To send an NTS message via packet addressed to Tom Smith, 123 Main Street, Keene,
NH 03431, telephone (603) 555-4321, what would you enter at the BBS prompt?
12. If a message has a STATUS of BF, what does that indicate?
13. When sending a bulletin, what is the most important thing to remember when entering
the SUBJECT?
14. If you wanted to send a message to your friend John, W4IP, but you didn't know what
the call of his home BBS was, what could you do to try to find out what the call is?
15. What is the maximum value for MAxikAM5? If you're working a station on 30 meters
and are sending a lot of retries, should you increase or decrease MAxikAM5?
Well, how did you think you did? We'll take a look at the answers to these questions and
more in part 17.
Part 16 last revised June 10, 1998.
Part 17
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 17
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
PACKET RADIO REVIEW - ANSWERS
How did you do on the review quiz in the previous part of this series? If you haven't taken it,
you might want to read part 16 and take the quiz now before reading any further.
Here are the correct answers and the series part numbers where you can read more about the
subject:
1. Answer C is correct. The three TNC modes of communication are Command,
Converse and Transparent. Command mode is for communicating with the TNC.
Converse mode is for normal QSOs, connects to a BBS or mailbox, etc. and
Transparent mode is used for binary file transfer. (Parts 2, 3 and 14)
2. The 0Nk010 command is used for setting the transmit path for both beacons and CQs.
(Parts 3 and 13)
3. The CH5Ck command is used for setting a timeout value in your TNC. If set to a value
other than zero, the TNC will attempt to recover a connection after a certain specified
time if nothing is received from the other station. This command is used in
combination with the Ax25L2v2 command. (Part 13)
4. The MC0N command (Monitor while CONnected) is used to monitor other traffic on the
frequency while you're connected to another station. (Part 3)
5. When monitoring, the asterisk indicates the station that you actually heard the packet
from. The Mk1 command must be ON for the monitor display to show digipeaters.
(Part 2 and 3)
6. The packet node network improves communications because packets are
acknowledged between your station to the first node, and then node to node to the
destination. A packet doesn't have to reach the destination before an ack is returned.
(Parts 4, 10 and 11)
7. When using the node network (no matter who you're connected to) you disconnect by
going to command mode on your TNC and entering a 0, just like at other times. Some
nodes have the 8 (Bye) command available, so a 8 might also work. The fact that
you're using several nodes or are connected to a distant station makes no difference.
The network will take care of disconnecting all stations and links. (Parts 4, 10 and 11)
8. N6ZYX-2 would appear as N6ZYX-13 if he connects to you using a node. The nodes
change the SSID using the formula 15-N. (Part 10)
9. The two most probable causes for a packet not to get through are collisions with other
packets on the frequency and noise due to weak signals. (Part 15)
10. BBS commands: (Parts 5, 6, 7 and 8)
A. To receive a list of messages you enter:
L
B. To read message 47134 enter:
k 47134
C. To download a file in the General (G) directory called FCCEXAMS.LST you'd
enter:
0 65N5kAL iCC5xAMS.LS1 or
06 iCC5xAMS.LS1
depending on the software being used by your BBS.
D. To send a personal message to Jim, WA6DDM, you would enter:
S WA600M W6W.CA.0SA.N0AM
If his callsign was known in the White Pages database on your BBS, you would
only have to enter:
S WA600M
E. To change your home BBS from W6ABC to W7XYZ you would enter:
NH W7x2
11. If you wanted to send an NTS message to Tom Smith, 123 Main Street, in Keene, NH
03431, you would enter the following at the BBS prompt >
S1 03431 N1SNH
(Parts 6 and 12)
12. A message with a STATUS of BF means that the message is a bulletin and that it has
been forwarded to all stations that are supposed to receive it from the BBS you're
using. (Part 8)
13. When entering the SUBJECT of a bulletin, you should give information that will help
users listing your bulletin to determine whether or not they should read it. If you're
entering a SALE or WANTED bulletin, tell what the item is and give the manufacturer
and model. For an INFO bulletin indicate what you're offering information about.
(Parts 6 and 8)
14. To find the call of the HOME BBS of your friends, use the White Pages database. If
the BBS you're using has the WP feature enabled, you'll find the 1 command (or g
command on some systems) to be useful, otherwise send an inquiry to your regional
WP server or the national WP server. (Part 9)
15. The maximum value for MAxikAM5 is 7. MAxikAM5 is the number of packets transmitted
by your TNC contiguously, and the number of unacknowledged packets the TNC can
have outstanding. You decrease MAxikAM5 when the conditions are poor. Your TNC
will send fewer packets at one time, so there will be less information to collide with
other packets on the frequency and less chance of information being wiped out by
noise. (Part 14)
There is no passing grade on the quiz. It was designed for you to check your general packet
knowledge, and you'll have to be your own judge of that. I hope you did well on it!
Part 17 last revised June 10, 1998.
Part 18
Back to Table of Contents and Index
INTRODUCTION TO PACKET RADIO - PART 18
by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
WB9LOZ'S PARTING COMMENTS
In the previous 17 parts of this series, I have attempted to cover all of the basics of packet
radio - from setting up your TNC and making your first QSO, to using digipeaters, the
packet node network, and bulletin board systems. Many of the TNC commands have been
explained, including the best settings for normal use, and I've offered some suggestions that
should make it easier and more enjoyable for you to use packet radio.
Now that you have the basics, you might want to continue with your study by investigating
some of the other facets of packet radio. There are several programs available that I haven't
covered in this series that you might find interesting. There's the Packet Cluster software
used by the DX Spotting Network for finding those rare DX stations, APRS-the Automatic
Packet Reporting System that's now very popular for station locating and for use with GPS,
the Global Positioning Satellites, J-NOS and T-NOS for use with TCP/IP, other networking
programs like Tex-Net and Rose, and new computer programs specifically written for packet
and the other digital modes. The list goes on and on. PAC-SAT, the amateur packet satellite
program, is growing in popularity as more satellites carrying packet radio equipment are
released. High speed modems running at speeds of up to 56 kilobaud are just around the
corner for general use on packet radio. What developments will be next?
To keep up with the latest developments in Packet Radio, join your local packet radio group
or digital communications club. Become a member of TAPR, the Tucson Amateur Packet
Radio Corporation, the national organization that is devoted to packet radio development and
education. TAPR has a quarterly newsletter and offers kits, publications, and a disk library
of software and information (including this "Introduction to Packet Radio" that you're
reading). You can contact them at (817) 383-0000. Read the packet columns in "QST",
"CQ", "73" and other ham magazines and look for bulletins on your local BBS offering new
information and discussions of developing systems, software and hardware. Packet Radio,
and digital communications in general, are still relatively new areas and I'm sure you'll be
seeing lots of changes in the years ahead.
I'd like to thank the following people for their help in preparing this series: Don Simon,
NI6A; Bill Choisser, K9AT; Don Fay, K4CEF; Scott Cronk, N7FSP; Roy Engehausen,
AA4RE; and Hank Oredson, W0RLI. Their help and their answers to my questions are
greatly appreciated.
If you have any comments on this "Introduction to Packet Radio" series or you would like to
correct or update any of the information contained in the series, please please contact me
through my web site, given below. I would enjoy hearing from you, and your comments
would be very much appreciated. I hope that you've found this series to be informative and
helpful in making packet radio more enjoyable for you.
73, Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ
http://www.choisser.com/hamradio/packet.html
Part 18 last revised June 10, 1998.
Back to Table of Contents and Index