CONTENTS:(Paula's Technical Topics and Richard's Winpack Corner will appear again in the next issue)
Welcome to the fourth issue of WyrePak Newsletter - I hope you will find something of interest. The recent monthly meetings at the Sutton Arms have been quite lively affairs - nothing formal, just an interesting evening talking about Packet, radio and associated topics, with a few gems from Paula. One of the purposes of WyrePak is to enable users to learn from the Sysop, and this has certainly been happening at the meetings. Why not come along?
Many thanks too to those of you who commented favourably on the last edition of the Newsletter. Clearly, WyrePak members are people with rare taste! Any comments, criticisms, corrections (thanks, Richard!) and suggestions will always be welcome, via e-mail to g4spz@aol.com or Packet to G4SPZ @ GB7PZT - Phil G4SPZ (Ed)
G0ESR - Silent Key
It is with regret that we have to start this issue with the report of the sudden death on 19th February 2002 of Don Owen G0ESR. Don was 80 years old and had been an active radio ham right up to his death, being a WyrePak member, the Fourpack packet radio group's Auditor and having recently enrolled on a CLAIT course at his local college. Our condolences go to Don's widow Kenyon and their family.WyrePak Meetings for 2002
Meeting dates for your diary (all Tuesdays) are: 21st May, 18th June, 16th July, 20th August, 17th September (AGM), 15th October, 19th November, 17th December.Website News
WyrePak has a presence on the Communigate community website. See www.communigate.co.uk/worcs/kdars and click on the Packet Radio Page within the Kidderminster and District Radio Society's signpost website. Links from other parts of this site will also take you to our main WyrePak website.The January 22nd Meeting...
Present: G4SPZ, G8PZT, G0HTF, G0EWH, G0MBG, G3KFD
Apologies: G8BKL, G4YUD, M0BRUThe Treasurer reported that all but one of the 12 original members had renewed their membership and Richard would chase G1STL. The budget was healthy, totalling £107 after the purchase of the new node antennas. It was felt worthwhile inviting G3MRC to join - G3MRC is logged on to the node virtually continuously to access the DX Cluster. Secretary to draft an invitation.
The Winter 2001/2002 Newsletter had been distributed by e-mail. Phil G4SPZ intends to publish three editions a year from now on, subject to sufficient contributions being received. Richard G0EWH agreed to contribute a column on WinPack.
Paula G8PZT presented her regular update on the local Packet network.
(To avoid repetition, the reports presented by Paula at WyrePak meetings have been summarised in the "News" section - Ed.)
The February 19th Meeting...
Present: G4SPZ, G8PZT, G0HTF, G0EWH, G0MBG, G3KFD
Apologies: G8BKL, G4YUD, M0BRU, G1DYCRichard G0EWH reported the sad news of the sudden death on 19th February of Don G0ESR, WyrePak member.
Richard set up his laptop computer and handheld radio and provided a demonstration of TCPIP over Packet radio. Once good RF signals were established with GB7PZT on 2 metres, the BBS menus were clearly displayed as HTML web pages on Internet Explorer.
The principle is as follows. Recent versions of AGW Packet Engine software provide the option to use "TCPIP over Packet Radio" and this program, running in conjunction with a web browser, provides the necessary interface between the browser and the PC sound card. The sound card feeds the rig using a suitable adaptor (see later). The user simply loads a standard web browser, such as Internet Explorer or Opera, and types in the IP address for GB7PZT - http://44.131.91.2/cgi-bin/menu.pz - and presses the "go" button. Apart from the delay inherent in the 1200 baud packet radio link, the system now behaves as a conventional web link, although, of course, with no actual Internet involvement at all. The use of HTML provides such well-known features as text which changes colour when read, and the "hand" cursor. Pages are cached by the PC and can be accessed quickly using the "forward" and "back" buttons. The BBS menus are displayed as a web page, and, using mouse selection, all the standard BBS features were easily utilised.
The major disadvantage is the speed limitation of the 1200 baud Packet connection. 9600 baud Packet would provide an eight-fold speed increase, and it is hoped that there will be an upsurge in interest in high-speed Packet as a result of this development.
Many thanks to Paula for developing this facility on the BBS and to Richard for the demonstration.
Richard G0EWH also demonstrated his home constructed fully isolated interface unit, designed to connect a PC sound card to a Packet radio transceiver. The circuit uses a pair of 600/600 ohm audio isolating transformers for TX and RX audio and an opto-isolator to couple the RTS output from the computer COM port to the transceiver PTT line. Many of the components had been obtained from scrap equipment. Interest was expressed in a repeatable design for home construction, or alternatively, a ready-built unit which could be marketed to help raise funds for the Group. Richard agreed to look into the possibility of such a design.
Phil G4SPZ had had some success with a simpler unit using a diode and transistor PTT switching circuit, but with no isolation it was possible that operation could be inhibited by earth loops and other problems.
Paula mentioned that the number of Packet bulletin board systems in the UK had fallen from 220 to 74 in the last two years. BBS activity was clearly declining, although overall Packet activity was static. It was suggested that BBSs cannot compete with such developments as Internet newsgroups, although with the possibility of TCPIP access this trend may be halted or reversed.
The Fourpack AGM is on the 24th April. Phil G4SPZ will be attending and can provide transport back from Upton on Severn if required.
The March 19th Meeting...
Present: G8BKL G0HTF G8PZT G4SPZ G0MBG G3KFD G0EWH
Apologies: G4YUD M0BRUEric G8BKL has a spare PK88 TNC for evaluation by Paula to see if it would be of any use to the group.
There will be a Packet Conference on Saturday 13th April in Coventry (see Richard's report later in this issue - Ed) Paula's organising it. This is open to packet sysops, users etc and will feature cutting edge demonstrations. One of these should be a demo of wireless LAN cards on 2.3GHz providing 11Mbit/s packet! These cards have a basic range of 200 metres but with an external antenna, greater range can be obtained. They operate within the amateur 13cms band, so hams are licenced to fit PAs etc to enhance the range. (A report of similar work done by FRARS in Dorset appears in RadCom, April 2002, page 93 - Ed)
Richard G0EWH, Treasurer and Membership Secretary, reported that 14 members were currently paid-up, and the total account balance stood at £137.66.
Paula G8PZT gave her regular update on the local Packet scene.
News... News... News..
The intention of this section of the Newsletter is to summarise the relevent information which is made available at the WyrePak meetings. I have tried to avoid duplication and to omit items which are out-of-date, whilst providing readers with a good impression of what happens in a typical three or four month period - generally quite a lot! - Ed.Problems
The 432.675MHz port at KIDDER was off the air for a few days in January. The fault was eventually traced to a broken conductor in the mic cable to the radio and service was restored. However, the same port has played up again recently. The fault this time was traced to a synthesizer fault in the Kenwood 8400 radio which was causing a loud buzz on received signals. Another rig was modified and put into service, and normal operation is now restored, although with the elderly Tait radio now in use, the receive sensitivity is down. Apologies to distant users for this - repairs are in hand (see the minutes of the April meeting, due out soon - Ed) Repairs to the 8400 may be difficult due to the design of the rig which comprises two back-to-back PCBs.The cold snap in January caused problems for the node and BBS, both of which are in unheated external buildings. The node stopped working completely when temperatures of -8ºC were recorded. Hard disk drives are only rated to operate down to 0ºC. The node PC is known to run cool normally, so as a temporary measure the node software has been transferred to the spare BBS computer, and so far, the problem has not recurred. The cold weather also caused retry rates to rise dramatically on one link. This was traced to frequency drift in the associated link radio, and a temporary 100W heater (a light bulb) was installed in the equipment cabinet to correct the problem. A permanent thermostatically controlled heater has been donated by G0HTF and will be installed in time for next winter.
Link News
The link from KIDDER to WV, the Wolverhampton node operated by Maxpak, has been very unreliable up till recently due to a fault in Maxpak's WV-end link radio, which caused it to reset and change frequency. Maxpak have now repaired their radio at WV12 and the link is back in use.The link to GLOS seems unreliable and this is thought to be due to a hardware problem at either GLOS or KIDDER's end of the link - being investigated.
Links to the DX Cluster via BAA and DXC are running slowly at peak times. Try GB7IPT-6 (DXCTEL) on 144.925MHz as a faster alternative. As an example, round trip times of about 3 seconds were recorded on 22nd January, compared with 68 seconds on the original link. Commands for DXCTEL can be found in the 2001 Fourpack Guide.
The new Severn Bridge node GB7RC ("river crossing") is still off air but due to be QRV soon. Work has been delayed by the strong winds high above the River Severn.
Wolverhampton node WV now has IP routing installed too, so there are more IP routes available from KIDDER through WV to Coventry, where there is a gateway linking to GB7MIP at Solihull, at which point the Internet linking packets arrive. Routing to KIDDER from the Internet now goes to W7NTF at Tacoma in the USA. There is also still an Internet gateway at Telford. Packet over Internet Protocol seems to be the way forward for the mode.
Developments
Unproto transmissions are now being made by the BBS via the node. Every time a new bulletin is received, the BBS broadcasts the headers in unproto format (ie. without a connection being made to another station) to enable Winpack-equipped packet stations to capture the information and build up a bulletin list off-line. The idea is to avoid channel congestion caused by dozens of stations logging on to the BBS every evening and downloading the same list of new bulletins. However it does rely on users leaving their TNCs and PCs running 24 hours a day.The BBS now has a web server which can be operated using IP from your web browser over Packet Radio. AGW Packet Engine is required. The full details appear elsewhere within this edition of WyrePak Newsletter.
New software at KIDDER will shortly permit dial-up access to the Internet - the node PC has a phone line connected to it (one of four lines at G8PZT) so users will be able to dial into the node over the phone, then go out over the radio ports. The number to dial will be advised as soon as it is connected and working. Otherwise, Paula can set up a user with "gateway" access rights, so that by dialling in to the telephone port on the BBS and typing "G", the same telephone/radio gateway can be used. Contact Paula direct if you would like to be considered for this privelege.
A new link from KIDDER to Wenlock Edge, which will provide a direct route to the Wirral, is the next to be set up. This is a future development which depends on the repair of a Kenwood 8400 transceiver (any ideas? Ed.) and the acquisition of a TNC - more news later.
The aerials at G8PZT are now improved, as reported elsewhere. However, one antenna which is supposed to point to GLOS needs some adjustment to its angle. GLOS still needs some work to equipment at their end. The rear mast at G8PZT needs some work, to be done by WyrePak members during the spring. The old 48 element Tonna will be cleaned up and re-mounted on the third (garage) mast at G8PZT for experimental purposes.
A new APRS digipeater on Cleeve Common is operational on 144.800MHz, run by Fourpack, and should be a good signal here.
STOP PRESS... The Telford node is no longer available due the link being taken off-air, and therefore the internet-linked nodes are no longer available via Telford. Look out, however, for Paula's latest software development which will enable internet linking direct from KIDDER.
(That's the end of the news, and now here's the weather forecast. The weather on the evening of all forthcoming WyrePak meetings will be wet! Guaranteed - Ed.)
Fourpack Meetings
The Fourpack Radio Club meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Old Anchor, Upton on Severn at 8.00pm. The Agenda concerns the whole Fourpack network and its links to other groups outside the four Counties. The meetings are attended by most local node and BBS Sysops and visitors are also welcome. Fourpack's AGM is on April 24th. (The Old Anchor serves a good range of real ales too - Ed.)Packet Clinic
One of the most critical components in a Packet station is, of course, the transceiver, but it is also the part of the system subject to the most variation. We have in previous issues of WyrePak Newsletter discussed such things as deviation, pre-emphasis and de-emphasis, but even the humble PTT function can cause problems.A rig used for Packet duty gets plenty of exercise, switching from transmit to receive and back again rapidly. Perhaps only AMTOR is more taxing of the rig's PTT switching circuits. Older rigs generally employed one or more relays to accomplish this function, whereas more modern radios use solid-state (diode or transistor) devices as switches.
At G4SPZ, the radio used for Packet for over two years was a mark one Yaesu FT290R. The rig is well over ten years old, although it had not been heavily used prior to going into service at the Packet station. All was well until one day late last year when, in the middle of a BBS session, received signals were completely lost.
Tests showed that the transmitter was still working perfectly, but the receiver was stone dead. No noise on open squelch, no green LED, no movement of the S-meter... it all pointed to the loss of a supply rail. Sure enough, a quick look at the circuit diagram and a check with the multimeter revealed that the +6.8 volt receiver supply was missing. This supply is switched off on transmit by the "back contact" of the PTT relay, and the voltage was not being restored when the relay dropped back to receive. Careful removal of the relay cover and the application of a drop of Servisol to clean up the contacts restored the receiver to life and the rig to perfect health.
To avoid a repetition, the 290 is being given a rest from Packet, and my even older spare IC2E hand-held is now in service!
Antenna News - Nick, Paula... and "Simon"
In a message to G4SPZ on 2nd March 2002, Paula G8PZT wrote:"Nick G6AWT and a friend came today with a Simon hydraulic lift, to do some antenna work on the main mast. Despite my dread of heights they insisted I went up in the basket to direct operations (well, not really a basket, it's a very open frame you could easily fall through!) So, there I was, hard hat, freezing cold, hoist swaying several feet side to side in the strong wind, with my feet 10 feet above the apex of the roof, holding on for dear life for 11/2 hours! People in the next street were standing in their gardens watching :-( (Obviously waiting for one of you to fall to a painful death. Ghoulish folk, these Kidderminster people - Ed.)(Thanks for the news Paula. Rather you than me in that basket! How many of us wish we had access to equipment like that Simon hoist? Nick G6AWT is clearly a useful man to know. I shall drop him a line on behalf of the Group to thank him for his help - Ed.)Anyway, they managed to get the old 48 ele down and replace it with the new Tonna, and swung another Tonna round to point at Wenlock Edge. The feedpoint of the 48 ele was full of water and the braid had corroded off, so that's why it wasn't working. Although it's got a lot less gain, the new Tonna is mechanically much better, and has far less windloading and a nice waterproof feedpoint... I cheekily asked Nick if he'd mind replacing the bent C5 while he had the hoist, and he would have done it but we ran out of time (and it started pouring with rain)..."
Report from Packet Conference of 13 April 2002
Those who look at Packet Bulletins and Internet Amateur newsgroups will have seen reference to this conference. It was held at the Marconi Sports & Social Club in Coventry and 40-50 people attended. This conference had been arranged for anyone interested in Packet Radio, not just Sysops as in the past and I am pleased to report that it was a most enjoyable day. There were a number of presentations and talks as well as time to meet others and talk about common interests.Jim Andrews, G1HUL, gave the first presentation on APRS, giving an overview, components of APRS, mapping, the Internet, real world users and resources. It was interesting to note how APRS can be use to monitor propagation.
Paula G8PZT, gave two presentations on her XROUTER network infrastructure software, detailing the main components, reasons for the development, features and benefits, compatibility and typical uses. This software also gives TCP/IP access. The second on her PZT AX25/IP BBS software took a similar format.
Roger Harris, G3ZFR, gave his presentation on AX25/IP integration experiences. Roger has written software for a TNC which makes the TNC "look like a modem" whereby you can set up a "Dial up Network" to access the TNC for TCP/IP packet routing. Using this protocol allows users to use programs such as Outlook Express for sending and receiving packet mail and Internet Explorer for browsing where TCP/IP access exists.
Robin Gilks, G8ECJ, from the Thames Valley IP group gave an illustrated talk on some of their projects, such as their G4XYW 9k6 modem, regen controller, full duplex linking and 4 port controller. He also had a quantity of motherboards from a particular previous usage that had 8 ports available that could be used for packet, which were being given away.
Chris Roberts, G0CNG and Joe Jacobs, G4VYA, from MAXPAK gave a talk on their local area network and the MAX02 packet modem. This modem is based on the YAM and can be used for 1200baud and 9k6baud operation.
Mike Wager, G7RAZ, who had been taking comprehensive notes of the conference, gave details of the instructions he had written for Using AGWPE's TCP/IP driver for RF packet operation and had copies to give out. This is a very useful document for anyone who wishes to try out this mode and is easy to follow.
Many thanks to all involved with the organisation of the excellent event that had been sponsored by the RSGB DCC. - Richard Newton, G0EWH
That's all for this edition, folks. Thanks for reading!
WyrePAK Newsletter is compiled and published by Phil Harris MIEE G4SPZ, 22 Bramley Way, Bewdley DY12 2PU 01299 403025. E-mail: g4spz@aol.com or by Packet to G4SPZ @ GB7PZT.
©G4SPZ 2002
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