dna@dsd.UUCP (David Altekruse) (04/11/85)
C2977 CC5 JEFF WARD (ARRL,2977) 4/10/85 9:45 PM L:396
KEYS:/GATEWAY/VOLUME 1/ISSUE 17/APRIL 9/1985/
Gateway: The ARRL Packet-Radio Newsletter
Volume 1, Issue 17
April 9, 1985
Published by:
American Radio Relay League
225 Main Street
Newington, CT 06111
Editor:
Jeffrey W. Ward, K8KA
FOURTH ANNUAL NETWORKING CONFERENCE
The Fourth ARRL Amateur Radio Computer Networking Conference,
cosponsored by the ARRL and the Pacific Packet Radio Society
(PPRS), was a complete success. More than half of the twenty
four papers published in the proceedings were presented at the
conference, with attendance around 100 throughout the six hour
meeting. The PPRS/ARRL booth at the West Coast Computer Faire,
including on-the-air demonstrations of packet radio at 1200 and
9600 bauds, generated a lot of interest. Several hundred
handouts were given to interested Faire-goers, and a lot of radio
amateurs who didn't know about packet radio stopped by the booth
to see the TNCs in action. Congratulations to Hank Magnuski, KA6M
and the PPRS for coordinating a successful conference.
The Proceedings of the Fourth ARRL Amateur Radio Computer
Networking Conference are available from the ARRL for $10. See
Gateway issues 14 and 15 for abstracts of the papers of the
papers in this 109-page volume of proceedings. Proceedings for
the first, second and third conferences are also available for
$8, $9 and $10, respectively. These publications provide a
valuable record of the history of packet radio, what packet-radio
experimenters expect from the future and diverse points of view
on many technical issues.
TRENTON COMPUTERFEST
For those on the East Coast, there will be a large packet-radio
meeting at the Trenton Computerfest, on April 20th.
1000 Opening remarks - Harold Winard, KB2M.
1010 ARRL remarks - Jeff Ward, K8KA.
1020 Introduction to packet - Jon Pearce, WB2MNF.
1115 Regional summaries of packet activity.
1245 Comparisons of packet-radio TNCs.
1345 Introduction to the W0RLI MailBox - Dick Kutz, KS3Q.
1430 Packet-radio expert-panel discussion with Tom Clark, W3IWI,
Phil Karn, KA9Q and Mike Bruski, AJ9X.
1600 End of forum.
The room-number for the forum is not available at this time; just
ask at the Computerfest administration booth or look for posters.
If you would like to make a presentation during the "regional
summaries," contact Jon Pearce, WB2MNF, at 609-953-1566, or
Harold Winard, KB2M, at 201-361-6478.
Via WB2MNF.
DAYTON HAMVENTION
Packet-radio will be well represented at the Dayton Hamvention,
April 26, 27 and 28. The Dayton packet forum will be held on
Friday, April 26th from 2:30 P.M. until 5:30 P.M., in room 1.
Six speakers will make presentations and answer questions from
the audience.
1430 Introduction to the packet forum - Bob Neben, K9BL
1440 Telecommunications and the Amateur in the 21st Century -
Rick Whiting, W0TN.
1500 Packet Primer, 1985 - Pete Eaton, WB9FLW.
1530 Report on the ARRL and packet-radio technology - Jeff Ward,
K8KA.
1600 Update on TAPR - Lyle Jonhson, WA7GXD.
1630 PACSAT update - Harold Price, NK6K.
1700 Networking, bulletin-board systems, and the Xerox 820
computer - Terry Fox, WB4JFI.
There will also be display booths for each of the major packet
radio TNC manufacturers, including TAPR, GLB, Heathkit, AEA and
Kantronics.
Packeteers are encouraged to use 145.01 MHz (voice) as a
coordination frequency.
Via K9BL.
KANTRONICS TNC
Kantronics, makers of several RTTY and AMTOR software/hardware
packages, have announced the availability of a TNC, the
Kantronics Packet Communicator. An early production model of the
Packet Communicator was displayed at the recent Computer
Networking Conference in San Francisco. The TNC is small, housed
in a 2 X 6 X 8-inch cabinet, much like the cabinet for the
Kantronics UTU.
Although Kantronics "took some cues from the TAPR TNC," the
Packet Communicator is a new hardware design. The internal modem
uses switched-capacitor filters and can be switched by software
to provide either Bell 103 or 202 tones, with or without receiver
equalization. Also, the Packet Communicator can be used as a
Bell 202 modem, bypassing all packet-radio functions. The TNC
can send and receive packets at 300, 400, 600 and 1200 bit/s,
half duplex.
The Packet Communicator serial port can provide RS-232C or TTL
signals, at 300, 1200 or 9600 bauds. Special packet-radio
terminal programs for many computers will be available soon from
Kantronics.
We welcome the Packet Communicator to the growing list of
commercially-available TNCs. The Kantronics packet-radio motto?
"Packet Made Easy!"
Via Computers and Amateur Radio.
PACKET RADIO AND FIELD DAY
Due to a letter to Gateway from Thomas Clements III, W1ICH, the
ARRL Contest Advisory Committee (CAC) has approved a Field Day
packet-radio bonus. Field Day rules will now read: "An
additional 100 points can be earned by completing at least one
QSO on packet radio during the Field Day period. The repeater
provision is waived for packet-radio QSOs. A packet station does
not count as an additional transmitter. On the summary sheet,
show packet radio as a separate 'band.'" This new bonus is in
effect this year, thanks to quick action by the CAC.
Field Day, always a day of high visibility for Amateur Radio, is
now a good time to show the public and the members of your Field-
Day group the advantages of packet radio, Amateur Radio's newest
mode. Show them that packet radio is no longer an experimental
mode, but a valuable emergency communications tool. This Field
Day bonus might also encourage some investigation of low-power
portable packet stations. TNC, two-meter rig and portable
computer might all be run from solar, wind or human power.
Mr. Clements suggests that "the annual Field Day message be sent
to the section manager by packet radio if possible. Perhaps some
traffic handling nets could arrange to pick up messages from
packet-radio bulletin boards."
If you have any interesting ideas for using packet radio during
Field Day, send them along to Gateway. Also, be sure to take
some pictures of your portable packet station for the QST Field
Day summary.
Ed.
TRANSCONTINENTAL PACKET
At the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Pacific Packet
Radio Society (PPRS) on March 21st, 1985, the following
resolution was passed:
Whereas the PPRS was one of the first societies formed
specifically to encourage the growth of computer networking via
radio using all digital concepts and techniques, and whereas the
San Francisco area was the site of the nation's first amateur
digipeater, and whereas an even greater challenge faces the
amateur radio community to establish a transcontinental link, the
Pacific Packet Radio Society has decided to establish a unique
award to encourage the completion of the first terrestrial
transcontinental network link. This one-time award shall be
known as the "Golden Packet" [Like the golden spike that
completed the transcontinental railroad. - Ed.] and the
regulations relating to it are listed below:
1. A transcontinental link must be established, with each
terminus located within 100 kilometers of either the Atlantic or
Pacific Ocean.
2. The system must consist of fixed terrestrial digital store-
and-forward radio links using VHF (greater than 144.1 MHz), UHF
or microwave frequencies. Use of HF, satellite, tropo, meteor-
scatter or moonbounce channels is prohibited.
3. A valid two-way transmission and acknowledgment of previously
unknown information (256 characters or more) must occur in less
than ten minutes.
4. This competition is open to licensed North American amateurs,
and no commercial links or services may be used in the path.
Club stations are permitted.
5. Proof of the exchange must be submitted to the PPRS. Proof
must include a list of the stations in the link, their locations,
frequencies used and a copy of the text exchanged.
6. The reward shall consist of a suitably engraved plaque with
the names of all participating stations listed which shall be
presented to the ARRL. Each participating station shall receive
either a plaque or a certificate.
7. Final decision on the award is subject to review and approval
by the Board of Directors of the PPRS.
From KA6M.
WESTNET MEETING
The second "official" meeting of WESTNET was held in conjunction
with the Fourth ARRL Computer Networking Conference last week.
The networking plans set forth at this meeting illustrate how
most amateur packet-radio networks will advance. Several groups
within EASTNET are making plans similar to the WESTNET plan. The
following notes on WESTNET plans and the reasoning behind them
come from Harold Price, NK6K.
"The primary purpose of the first WESTNET meeting was to put in
place the best network possible with the technology then
available. It was hoped that linking San Diego through Los
Angeles to San Francisco would help generate interest at the
endpoints and in the less populous areas between, and that the
increased number of users would supply the resources to build a
more sophisticated network. We are now ready to proceed with the
first in a series of improvements: a 9600-bit/s network backbone.
"WESTNET decisions have been based on two concepts. First, use
the best technology that is available, but don't wait for the
next innovation that is coming 'real soon now.' Second, don't
build anything that will make transfer to the next level of
technology difficult.
"What technology is there to use now? There is still no
agreement on network-layer protocols. There aren't even any
working prototypes of network software. There is, however, a
9600-bit/s modem design, the ARRL lab's multi-port digipeater
software, hundreds of users running 1200 bauds on two meters and
a chain of seven digipeaters between southern and northern
California. Unfortunately, a frequency translation from 145.01
MHz to 145.35 MHz is now necessary between north and south.
"Phase I of WESTNET's 1985 plans is to install 145.01 MHz
repeaters in southern California. This will remove the need for
frequency translation, reducing the maximum number of digipeater
hops to five, with only three hops between L.A. and San
Francisco. This will result in an immediate improvement in
network service.
"Phase II is to install multi-port digipeaters, 220-MHz radios
and 9600-bit/s modems at each of the digipeater sites. Each
digipeater will be linked to its neighbors at the higher speed
and frequency, providing user access to that link via 145.01 MHz
at 1200 bauds. This will avoid collisions between local traffic
around each digipeater with traffic on its way to a more distant
point. While not as good as a true network protocol, this will
be much better than current, single-frequency linking.
"Since the multi-port digipeater is implemented on surplus Xerox
820 boards, WESTNET can switch to a true layer-three network when
one becomes available. The Xerox 820 was designated as the
target hardware for the first prototype layer-three network
software.
"Once in place, WESTNET will allow a user to use the network as
if it were a simple chain of digipeaters. The user will transmit
and receive on 145.01 MHz. If he specifys more than one
digipeater, his packet will be repeater between digipeaters at
9600 bauds on 220 MHz. The packet will be transmitted on 145.01
MHz by the last digipeater in the list. Standard digipeaters can
be used on 145.01 MHz as far as necessary for a user to access a
multiport digipeater site.
"It is expected that by 1986 and certainly by 1987, there will be
a true network-layer protocol in place, and that the backbone
network will move toward 1.2 GHz at 56 kbits/s. We also suspect
that 145.01 network-access and digipeater capability will always
be needed to handle entry-level users, as a redundant path for
network resilience in case of emergency and to handle users in
extreme outlying areas.
"It was agreed that the 220-MHz link frequency is 220.950 MHz.
The modem standard is the K9NG 9600-bit/s modem. The controller
is the Xerox 820 running the KE3Z multiport digipeater software.
WESTNET technical coordination will take place on the W6IXU
mailbox."
If you are interested in schematics of the K9NG modems, they are
published in the proceedings of the Fourth ARRL Computer
Networking Conference. The mulitport digipeater software is
available for an 8" disk to Gateway at the ARRL. I hope that
Harold's report provides some insight into how packet radio is
changing in areas where the activity is overflowing a single
1200-bit/s channel.
Via DR NET.
EASTNET GROWING
The addition of several new stations to EASTNET has connected the
network from Ottowa, Canada, to Washington, D.C. The "missing
link" in northern New Jersey has been filled by WA2SNA-2,
installed by the Ramapo Mt. Amateur Radio Club. Now, mail can be
forwarded from the W3IWI MailBox in Washington, through WB2MNF in
southern New Jersey, and on up the network to WA2RKN in Hyde
Park, NY, W1AW in Newington, CT, or any of the W0RLI MailBoxes in
the Boston, MA area. Because of high local activity at many
places in the network, real-time, long-distance connections often
are impossible or slow. W0RLI-type store-and-forward messages
traverse the network relatively well, though.
The W0RLI MailBox and GateWay software for the Xerox 820 has is
providing much of EASTNET (and beyond) with packet-radio message
service. All of the following stations are linked in this store-
and-forward network:
W0RLI - Westford, MA
K1BC - Lexington, MA
KE1G-1 - Goffstown, NH
N1DKF - Cranston, RI
KA1T - Harvard, MA
W1AW-4 - Newington, CT
WB1DSW - Manchester NH
WA2RKN-2 - Hyde Park, NY
WB2MNF - Medford, NJ
W3IWI - Clarksville, MD
KS3Q - Baltimore, MD
AK3P - Hummelstown, PA
K7PYK - Scottsdale, AZ
WA4SZK - Florence, SC
A message placed on any of these PBBSs for a user of any of the
others will eventually be forwarded from node to node to the
proper MailBox. Routing tables are maintained (by hand) at each
node.
To the north, the the Plattsburgh Amateur Packet Radio
Association, a division of the Champlain Valley Amateur Radio
Club, has installed some stations that link the Mt. Ascutney,
Vermont, digipeater to Ottowa, Ontario. This path allows EASTNET
stations to access a BBS run by Wayne Bruce, VE3FXI. For those
of you on EASTNET who want to try out the path to Ottowa, use
WA1TLN-1, KD2AJ, W2UXC-1 and VE3PAK. All of these digipeaters
are on 145.01 MHz.
Via W0RLI, Ed.
DIGITAL COMMITTEE MEETING
The ARRL Ad Hoc Committee on Amateur Radio Digital Communication
met at the Networking Conference in San Francisco. The most
important issues discussed by the committee were protocol
standards for TNC control possible standards for message format.
Doug Lockhart, VE7APU, is investigating the use of CCITT X.3,
X.28 and X.29 protocols in amateur TNCs. Doug's paper in the
conference proceedings outlines the need for a standard set of
commands and messages on amateur radio TNCs. If TNC programmers
used standard commands and messages, a single article could
describe how to operate all amateur-radio TNCs. If standards
were adopted and adhered to, applications programs like the W0RLI
MailBox would could use any TNC. The Committee expressed its
appreciation for the research that Doug had done and requested
that he deliver a draft of a proposed standard as soon as
possible.
Hank Magnuski, KA6M, and several other PBBS operators discussed
how difficult it is to move messages from one network to another,
because there is no standard format for presenting subject,
destination, source and distribution information in a message
header. The committee agreed to study the X.400 series of
message protocols and attempt to develop a subset of these
standards that would meet the needs of amateur packet radio.
From W4RI.
PACKET FREQUENCIES
The CVRA-Southeastern Repeater Association, Inc. coordinates
repeaters in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tenessee, Virginia
and West Virginia. CVRA has established 145.01, 145.03, 145.05,
145.07 and 145.09 as packet-radio frequencies.
From K4ARO.
REPRODUCTION OF GATEWAY MATERIAL
Material may be exerpted from Gateway without prior permission,
provided that the original contributor is credited and Gateway is
identified as the source.