World of Ham Radio 1994 January/AMSOFT_1994.iso/packet/docs/pd198912.doc

Text File | 1993-12-31 | 76.1 KB | 1,794 lines

1-Dec-89 11:22:19-MST,9140;000000000000
Return-Path: <[e-mail]>
Date: Fri,  1 Dec 89 11:15:27 MST
From: [e-mail]
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 #256
To: [e-mail]

PACKET-RADIO Digest         Fri,  1 Dec 89       Volume 89 : Issue 256

Today's Topics:
              9600 packet modems
            Calling Beurg's LIST from BM?
             Dial-up SLIP and NET
            gateway 11/17/89 (correction)
             New Bmailer Utility!
           overcome hidden stations problem
            TCP-IP On OS-9 Systems
               What PID do people use ?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 28 Nov 89 14:24:07 GMT
From: mitel!sce!cognos!dgbt![e-mail]  (Barry Mclarnon DGBT/DIP)
Subject: 9600 packet modems
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

From article <[e-mail]>, by [e-mail] (Barry Mclarnon DGBT/DIP):
> From article <[e-mail]>, by [e-mail] (Mark Bramwell, VE3PZR  TEL:[phone]):
>> Has anyone used the pac-comm 9600 baud modems?
>>
>> I was interested in how easy it is/isn't  to hook it up to a radio?
>
> There is an article in the latest (Dec 89) 73 Mag which gives some details
                     ^^^oops, make that Nov 89!
--
Barry McLarnon    Communications Research Center    Ottawa, ON   Canada
UUCP: ...utzoo!bnr-vpa!bnr-rsc!dgbt!barry   INTERNET:  [e-mail]
Compu$erve: 71470,3651     Packet radio:  VE3JF @ VE3JF

------------------------------

Date: 1 Dec 89 01:20:08 GMT
From: [e-mail]  (Pat Davis kd9uu)
Subject: Calling Beurg's LIST from BM?
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Not being a programmer, I am wondering how hard it would be to call an
external viewer from BM??  Beurg's popular LIST program comes to mind.
I use LIST now against the xxxxx.txt files in \spool\mail.  The thing
with that is that you can't point-and-shoot at the various mail items
for selective viewing..  If you could call LIST to view that text which
resides between pointers which delimit mail items, you'd (I'd) have it
made..  LIST is kinda nice since it lets you save chunks of a LISTed
file to another file e.g., a text file.. It allows FWD/reverse
scrolling, keyword searches, hex dumps and MANY other things..

I was thinking that since Bdale allowed US to call an external editor,
why not a viewer??  (Whaddaguy Bdale!)

------------------------------

Date: 28 Nov 89 19:48:41 GMT
From: mitel!sce!cognos!dgbt![e-mail]  (Barry Mclarnon DGBT/DIP)
Subject: Dial-up SLIP and NET
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

As anyone who has attempted to use the dial-up SLIP support in KA9Q NET
has discovered, the text in this section of the user manual is garbled.
Although the reference to similarities to the L.sys file used for UUCP
was sort of helpful, I still wasn't able to come up with an attach command
that would make anything good happen with my modem.  Could someone who
knows this stuff please post a mini-tutorial on making it work?

Yours in eternal (well, at least till next Thursday :-) gratitude...

Barry VE3JF

--
Barry McLarnon    Communications Research Center    Ottawa, ON   Canada
UUCP: ...utzoo!bnr-vpa!bnr-rsc!dgbt!barry   INTERNET:  [e-mail]
Compu$erve: 71470,3651     Packet radio:  VE3JF @ VE3JF

------------------------------

Date: 29 Nov 89 15:52:04 GMT
From: mitel!sce!cognos!dgbt![e-mail]  (Barry Mclarnon DGBT/DIP)
Subject: gateway 11/17/89 (correction)
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

>                         UoSAT-D PCE PLANS ANNOUNCED
>
> A ground station for the PCE must have a G3RUH-compatible, 9600- bit/sec
> PSK modem.  This modem should be connected to a Mode-J satellite station:
  ^^^
> existing ground-based PBBS network.  (The standard PACSAT protocols will
> also be implemented on the AMSAT-NA Microsats, although not using
> 9600-bit/sec PSK modulation.)
           ^^^
This is an error.  There is, as far as I know, no 9600 bps *PSK* modem from
G3RUH.  UoSAT D and E will use 9600 bps *FSK* on both uplink and downlink.
The required modem should really be termed "K9NG compatible", since Steve
Goode, K9NG, established the de facto standard for 9600 bps FSK modems used
in amateur packet service.

Picky, picky, picky...   :-)

Barry VE3JF


--
Barry McLarnon    Communications Research Center    Ottawa, ON   Canada
UUCP: ...utzoo!bnr-vpa!bnr-rsc!dgbt!barry   INTERNET:  [e-mail]
Compu$erve: 71470,3651     Packet radio:  VE3JF @ VE3JF

------------------------------

Date: 1 Dec 89 02:09:34 GMT
From: [e-mail]  (Pat Davis kd9uu)
Subject: New Bmailer Utility!
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

FYI, my friend Bryan, N9GBJ has allowed me to post release 1.0 of
FIXMAIL for use with files created/handled by Bmailer.  FIXMAIL is a
handy utility for managing mail, especially mail for people who don't
get on alot (and end up clogging your mail queue).  I have NOT used it
yet, but have perused the DOC file and of course chatted with Bryan
about the program..  From everything I'm told, EVERYONE should have
this.

Bryan, N9gbj has written a preliminary DOC file and has graciously
supplied the .C code for the program along with the .EXE file.  As I
write this, I am FTPing FIXMAIL to: pgd.adp.wisc.edu 128.104.198.22 .
Interested parties should be able to GET  Fixmail from \PUBLIC
on pgd.adp.wisc.edu  via Anonymous FTP.
If it is "worthy", somone can PUT it on FLASH, or Hp.xx.xx.com ..

Postive, upbeat comments (kudos) can be sent to:
[e-mail] 128.104.198.22 ..  If there's somthing
you don't like about FIXMAIL, maybe intimate it on a forum first, and
see if anyone has a similar problem..  Like many programmers I know,
Bryan DOES work for a living and MUST concentrate the bulk of his
efforts on making a living..

FIXMAIL.ZIP is stored under PKZ102, Paul Katz's file compression utility.
If you do NOT have PKZ102.exe, you'll find it on PGD as well.
PKZ102.exe is a self-extracting ZIP file.  I'd run it the first time in
it's OWN subdirectory, as it will expand out into 10-20 files!
PKZIP is Shareware, as in you like it, you send him some nominal
registration fee..  (I don't wanna get flamed by Katz).

[e-mail] 128.104.198.10, KD9UU

------------------------------

Date: 1 Dec 89 15:54:03 GMT
From: jupiter![e-mail]  (Phil R. Karn)
Subject: overcome hidden stations problem
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

ka9q:3. The receiving station returns a Clear to Send (CTS) packet to the
ka9q:sender.

dk4eg:after it executed another p-persistance routine |?

No. The p-persistence algorithm is invoked only before the original RTS
packet is sent. Once you've begun the RTS/CTS/data "dialog" (to use the
Apple Localtalk term) you use small, fixed delays between the frames.

DK4EG:I'd prefer another way that reduces (p-persistance) delays to maximize
DK4EG:throuput of  a channel.
DK4EG:This could be managed  by a centralized station by means of a DAMA
DK4EG:methode...

The idea behind a scheme like CSMA/CA is precisely to avoid a
centralized node. Not that the centralized schemes don't work, but they
are vulnerable to failure of the node and I wanted to explore schemes
that are more "survivable", as the military puts it.

Phil

------------------------------

Date: Fri 1 Dec 89 08:30:32-EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: TCP-IP On OS-9 Systems
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Has anyone ported TCP-IP onto an OS9 system?  OS9 is Unix-like and can run
on small computers such as Radio Shacks Color Computer III.  I was thinking
of trying to port it to the COCO III running OS-9 Level 2.  Has anyone any
experience in this area?  What problems will I encounter?

WF2V @ WA2TVE
[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 1 Dec 89 16:00:52 GMT
From: jupiter![e-mail]  (Phil R. Karn)
Subject: What PID do people use ?
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

>Could anyone tell me what PID is used (Protocol Identifier) for
>packet radio ? Please tell me the bit sequence of that octet.
>Many thanks,
>
>Olivier Crepin-Leblond, Computer Systems & Electronics,
>Electrical & Electronic Eng., King's College London, UK.

I assume you are referring to the 8-bit PID field in the AX.25 Level 2
protocol header. Here are several defined values that are currently
in use:

80 - Level 2 segmentation/reassembly protocol
C3 - TEXNET Network Layer Protocol
CC - DoD Internet Protocol (IP)
CD - DoD Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)
CF - Net/Rom Network Layer Protocol
F0 - no upper layer protocol, send data directly to terminal

--Phil

------------------------------

End of PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 Issue #256
*****************************************
 2-Dec-89 22:26:30-MST,9171;000000000000
Return-Path: <[e-mail]>
Date: Sat,  2 Dec 89 22:15:10 MST
From: [e-mail]
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 #257
To: [e-mail]

PACKET-RADIO Digest         Sat,  2 Dec 89       Volume 89 : Issue 257

Today's Topics:
            9600 bps packet modems
              Data Compressioon
            Dial-up SLIP and NET (2 msgs)
            how do I access ax25 mailbox?
             ka9q on Microport SV/AT 2.X
                MBBIOS source?
             PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 #142
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 1 Dec 89 10:43:08 -0800
From: Doug Faunt N6TQS 415-688-8269 <[e-mail]>
Subject: 9600 bps packet modems

As I understand it there are at least two types of 9600 bps packet
modems in use.  Which are compatible with which, and of the various
implementations of each type, which is best?

------------------------------

Date: 29 Nov 89 21:03:00 GMT
From: mnetor!tmsoft!masnet!canremote![e-mail]  (CLINTON EVANS)
Subject: Data Compressioon
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

In general, I don't think telephone BBS & modem technology transfers
very well to Packet Radio.  There is one idea, however, that makes a
lot of sense to me.  When OPUS, FIDO, QuickBBS, etc swap their
conferences, they pack the messages into a file and run a data
compression program on it.

This process reduces the size of the file by more than 50% and saves
telephone charges.  Why can't packet BBS systems do the same?  There
are several good data compression programs out there, some public
domain.  Also, there are file transfer protocalls that will work in a
packet environment.

Halving the size of the transfers will improve the throughput by at
least a factor of 2, and probably more by reducing collisions and
congestion.

In addition, a compressed file is no more a "secret code" than ASCII,
and the beaurocrats, if they notice, should not get upset.

(Relpies to [e-mail].)

Clinton
---
 ~ DeLuxe 1.11a10 #1716

------------------------------

Date: 2 Dec 89 00:56:09 GMT
From: ucsdhub!hp-sdd!hp-pcd!hpcvmb![e-mail]  (Ron Henderson)
Subject: Dial-up SLIP and NET
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

>Corvallis without difficulty.  The computer was the Portable Plus.  The
>modem was a MultiTech 224E.

I should have said that I used the Portable Plus with it's internal modem
at 1200 baud.  The Multitech was used with the Vectra ES/12 (AT clone) at
2400 baud.  The routines have *not* been tested at higher baud rates.

(This testing was performed before I modified my Portable Plus to run at
8 MHz with a V30 in place of the Harris 80C86 at 5.33 MHz.  I have not
checked the dialing routines with the V30, but I'd expect the operation to
be without problem.)

Ron WA7TAS
[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 2 Dec 89 00:48:39 GMT
From: ucsdhub!hp-sdd!hp-pcd!hpcvmb![e-mail]  (Ron Henderson)
Subject: Dial-up SLIP and NET
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

>As anyone who has attempted to use the dial-up SLIP support in KA9Q NET
>has discovered, the text in this section of the user manual is garbled.
>Although the reference to similarities to the L.sys file used for UUCP
>was sort of helpful, I still wasn't able to come up with an attach command
>that would make anything good happen with my modem.  Could someone who
>knows this stuff please post a mini-tutorial on making it work?

I wrote the dialing routines.  Here is the manual entry as it should
have appeared.  I've used it to dial the call-back system at HP here in
Corvallis without difficulty.  The computer was the Portable Plus.  The
modem was a MultiTech 224E.

I've also used it, to test out the standard PC version, using the following
attach command:

attach asy 0x3f8 4 slip sl0 2048 256 2400 - ATX1DTxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;\r OK \d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\dATDTxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;\r OK \d\d\dATH\r RING \dATDT*\r "CONNECT 2400" \d\d\r IRED? \d\r IRED? \dx\dx\dx\dx\r GO \d\r IRED? \dx\dx\dx\dx\dx\dx\r\d\d\d\N\Nx\d ogin24: \dxxxxx\r assword: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx\r

Where:

attach asy 0x3f8 4 slip sl0 2048 256 2400 --- Standard attach command
-                                         --- Use debug mode
ATX1DTxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;\r                   --- Dial the number
OK                                        --- Wait for an 'OK' from modem
\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\dATDTxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;\r --- Wait several
                        seconds than send access code
OK                                        --- Wait for OK from modem
\d\d\dATH\r                               --- Hang up modem
RING                                      --- Wait for modem to indicate RING
\dATDT*\r                                 --- Modem command to answer phone
"CONNECT 2400"                            --- Wait for connect indication
\d\d\r                                    --- Wait a couple of secs and send CR
                        To announce our presence
IRED?                                     --- Expected string from system
\d\r                                      --- Do it again to
IRED?                                     ---   ensure we're in sync
\dx\dx\dx\dx\r                            --- Access correct port
GO                                        --- Wait for go ahead from system
\d\r                                      --- Let second system know we're here
IRED?                                     --- Wait for response
\dx\dx\dx\dx\dx\dx\r\d\d\d\N\Nx\d         --- Select correct port and announce
                        our presence
ogin24:                                   --- Wait for login prompt
\dxxxxx\r                                 --- Send our account name
assword:                                  --- Wait for password prompt
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx\r                       --- Send password and we're on

The account I used automatically scheduled 'net', so at this time the two
systems were ready to go.  Crude, but functional.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

     7.3.5.2.  SLIP Modem Dialing

     An extension to the attach command allows the syntax:

    attach <hw type> <I/O address> <vector> <mode> <label> <bufsiz> <mtu>
      [<speed>] [[optional '-' for  debug]  <send>  <expect>  <send> [...]]

     for slip connections only. The send/expect sequences allow you to dial a
     modem  on  the  slip  port, and negotiate a remote login to setup a slip
     link.
           \d  -  delay 1 second
           \n  -  send newline          \t  -  send TAB character
           \r  -  send carriagedreturn  \N  -  send a NULL (0x000)
           \E  -  send control-D        \s  -  send  space
           \\  -  send backslash        \b  -  send backspace

     Note that an expect does not have to follow the last send.  Those  fami-
     liar  with UUCP will recognize the expect/send paradigm as being similar
     to that used in the L.sys or Systems file.


>Yours in eternal (well, at least till next Thursday :-) gratitude...

Think nothing of it....

>Barry VE3JF

Ron WA7TAS
[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 01 Dec 89 16:23:12 GMT
From: watmath!ria.ccs.uwo.ca!HAMSTER.business.uwo.ca![e-mail] (IP address: 129.100.22.100)
Subject: how do I access ax25 mailbox?
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

I am using the 891108A version of NOS.  How do I access the AX25 mailbox?
A few versions back, I was able to Connect to the IP node, and it would
come back with prompts.  Now it no longer does that.  I have MBOX ON
Post replies to the digest or to my work location:   [e-mail]



------------------------------

Date: 3 Dec 89 00:13:43 GMT
From: rochester!kodak!swamps![e-mail]  (Val Christian)
Subject: ka9q on Microport SV/AT 2.X
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

I am in the process of setting up the net-unix code on my Microport 2.3
system, and would appreciate a brief note from anyone also running on a
Microport SV/AT system.  It would be nice if you could include  a
brief comment on how you are using the software on your system.  I'm
looking for contacts as I run into difficulties.

I am also wondering if anyone is running XOBBS on a SV/AT system.
Thanks.

Val Christian
...attctc!swamps!val
...rochester!kodak!swamps!val

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 2 Dec 89 16:14:13 PST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: MBBIOS source?
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Just wondering if anyone has a recent source code for the MBBIOS serial
port handler by AA4RE.  I sent him a SASE and floppy several weeks ago
then discovered that his QTH was very near the epicenter of the California
quake...I'm guessing that's why I haven't seen anything from him.  I hope
everything is OK with him.  I thought I'd try this route incase anyone
has it laying around.  I want to add XON/XOFF handshaking to the package
to modems can be used on MBBIOS supported ports too.  73,  Chris  N0JCF
---------
[e-mail]
N0JCF @ WB0GDB

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 01 Dec 89 12:16:09 CST
From: michael <[e-mail]>
Subject: PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 #142
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>


------------------------------

End of PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 Issue #257
*****************************************
 3-Dec-89 13:26:39-MST,10045;000000000000
Return-Path: <[e-mail]>
Date: Sun,  3 Dec 89 13:15:34 MST
From: [e-mail]
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 #258
To: [e-mail]

PACKET-RADIO Digest         Sun,  3 Dec 89       Volume 89 : Issue 258

Today's Topics:
                AX.25 headers
          Callsign server - need information
            Net on Microport (2.4)
               PK-232 -> KW-440
              Pueblo West vs. Ham Radio
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 2 Dec 89 16:49:53 GMT
From: shlump.nac.dec.com!shodha.dec.com!elvira.cxo3.dec.com![e-mail]  (Hans Ridder)
Subject: AX.25 headers
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

This has probably been talked about before, so replies could be sent
directly to me.  Unless this is of general interest....

I was wondering, why are the characters of the callsign in an AX.25
header shifted left one bit?  There must be some reason, perhaps
historical?  Thanks!

-hans
========================================================================
  Hans-Gabriel Ridder                   Digital Equipment Corporation
  [e-mail]            Customer Support Center
  ...decwrl!elvira.enet!ridder          Colorado Springs, CO

------------------------------

Date: 3 Dec 89 19:36:55 GMT
From: zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sunybcs![e-mail]  (Devon Bowen)
Subject: Callsign server - need information
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

In article <94:[e-mail]>,
[e-mail] (Ralf Werner) writes:
> Hello out there. I just read a brief note about a sort of callsign database,
> I think it was something like "marvin.cs.buffalo.edu". I am new to this list,
> so would anybody be so kind and send me information about this service?

Marvin is an Internet server that anyone (except and CMS user) can connect
to with a telnet. The IBM problem is being worked on and should be fixed up
sometime this month.

To connect to the server, connect to marvin.cs.buffalo.edu (128.205.32.4)
port number 2000. This is usually done with a

    telnet 128.205.32.4 2000

but could be different on your OS. Help and info is available and the system
are pretty much self-explanatory.

I keep saying I'm working on new features, and I am. But they're coming along
a bit slow. Right now I'm trying to compress the data files so that the system
will take less disk space. It will then uncompress as it reads the info. It
will soon have to be moved from marvin to another machine here since marvin
is headed for the great bit-bucket in the sky in the near future. But I need
to get the data compressed before the move...

Devon

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 3 Dec 89 9:43:40 PST
From: Pete Carah <ghsvax!puffin![e-mail]>
Subject: Net on Microport (2.4)
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

I'm running net on microport 2.4 (should be no difference from 2.3
except that 2.3 will sometimes panic with a serial port at 9600).

I've done several fixes:
  One was posted shortly after 890421.1 appeared, and needs to be
   applied.  (I may have a backed-up copy).

  The code to handle environment variables to find the various home
   directories was badly broken (in sys5unix.c or sys5io.c) but easily
   fixed.

  The XOBBS hooks were written without regard to memory models so there
   are several places (most notably msgget(x,...) where x is supposed to
   be a long, and execl(..., 0) where the 0 should be (char *)0) that
   need fixing.  Also, the xobbs hook code loops through his control
   blocks looking for a matching axcb or nrcb where those blocks contain
   a pointer back to the xobbs struct.  I have fixed these and owe a
   diff file to w2xo.  I also added telnet support (fixed to socket 31).
   However, I never fixed up the forwarding driver, since I didn't use it
   for the database application that I ran using these hooks.  (Support
   for a 100 mile running race, to track runners for the search & rescue
   folks).

  Also, the malloc() that comes with microport is badly broken for this
   purpose.  Neither the malloc in -lc or in -lmalloc will handle net
   properly.  One needs a buffer-pool type of malloc for the rather high
   frequency of mbuf allocs and frees.  I wrote one but haven't posted it.

  I also changed deliver() in smtp to use rmail(1), (I'm running smail
   here) but disabled delivery if there is a ! or @ in the address, since
   I don't want to get into the uucp <-> packet can of worms yet.

  I can send all of these mods to whoever deserves them in the form of
   cdiffs (or whole files), but can't figure out who that is (except for
   w2xo).

  The unix coordinator for net is supposed to be rbh@pitt.  I've never
   gotten mail through to him in several tries.

-- Pete ([e-mail])  ...!{ghsvax|hacgate|vortex}!puffin!pete
    packet: k6jrr@k6iyk  (who then forwards directly using smtp)

------------------------------

Date: 3 Dec 89 14:30:26 GMT
From: cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!lad-shrike![e-mail]  (R M Kriss)
Subject: PK-232 -> KW-440
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

s posting is for a friend (KA5AMP) who is having problems with low drive
out of the PK-232 to his Kenwood 440. He has the AFSK pot on the PK-232 at
100% and has the 232 interfaced to the imput on the back of the 440. Has
anyone had to modify the PK-232 to work with the 440. His seems to work FB
with his two meter rig. AEA should have included a trimmer for both radio
ports. Please reply by E-mail or packet.

73 de Dick, KD5VU (Austin, Texas)

~r sign

------------------------------

Date: 3 Dec 89 08:31:51 GMT
From: cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!stjhmc!f1.n234.z1.fidonet.org![e-mail]  (Jim Grubs)
Subject: Pueblo West vs. Ham Radio
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

There have been a number of rather confusing messages posted about the
situation in Pueblo West, Colorado. To see if I could sort things out a little
more clearly, I called Chris Knight, N0IJK. The story as he related it to me
is this:

First, we are definitely dealing with a situation involving a homeowners'
association architectural committee attempting to sue in court to get a real
estate deed restrictive covenant enforced against an amateur, Mr. Charles
Landers, W5QZS, and order him to dismantle his Butternut HF6V antenna and
remove his transmitting equipment from the premises.

The removal of the antenna is being sought on the grounds that it is an ugly
eyesore. The removal of the equipment is being sought as apparatus that
creates a nuisance by causing interference with telephones and entertainment
devices.

The amateurs of Pueblo West (12 in number) have all been ordered to submit
applications for covenant restriction variances. Mr. Knight stated that the
W5YI Report statement that all 12 have already been ordered to take down their
antennas and get rid of their equipment is in error. Two of them have already
knuckled under and removed their antennas and radios. Mr. Landers is so far
the only one legal action has been initiated against. This is because he
announced he would refuse to submit an application, which later may prove to
have been a tactical error.

Mr. Landers and Mr. Knight have been in contact with ARRL HQ and the League's
counsel, Chris Imlay. The latter is reported to have stated that the situation
is very grave because in the case of deed covenants the homeowner is presumed
to have read the covenant and agreed to its terms before purchasing the
property. Landers and Knight have also been supplied with the League's "PRB-1
Kit".

Mr. Landers is reported to be willing to spend up to $15,000 in his own legal
defense. However, preliminary estimates of legal fees and other costs have
been set at approximately $65,000. Mr. Landers is therefore willing to accept
donations. The details of when, where, and how to make donations will be
announced later. Mr. Landers has also been quoted by Mr. Knight as stating
that he will donate a portion of any damages he may receive from any
countersuit to the ARRL Legal Fund.

During my conversation with Mr. Knight he stated that the home owners'
committee is being used by one of its members to settle a personal grudge
against Mr. Landers. Three dogs owned by the committee member and roaming at
large attacked Mr. Landers' dog while he was walking it near the
committeeman's home. Mr. Landers reported him for violation of the leash law,
and the vendetta ensued. Since the committee member apparently realizes he
can't get away with selective enforcement, he is converting it into an attack
against all hams living in the subdivision.

The committeeman is also charging that Mr. Landers' radio equipment interferes
with his telephone. However, he refuses to permit tests by the telephone
company, and even his wife is reported by Mr. Knight to have denied the
interference story. Mr. Landers is not without his local supporters. More than
360 of his neighbors have signed a petition stating that they do not consider
the antenna to be an eyesore and that they have suffered no interference.

How this all will turn out, I do not know, but I will try to keep you up to
date. I have urged Mr. Knight and/or Mr. Landers to acquire DIRECT access to
Fidonet/Usenet for the purpose of providing more direct and more timely
contact with us. I hope they will be able to do so soon.

73 de Jim Grubs, W8GRT

--
Uucp: ...{gatech,ames,rutgers}!ncar!noao!asuvax!stjhmc!234!1!Jim.Grubs
Internet: [e-mail]

------------------------------

End of PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 Issue #258
*****************************************
 4-Dec-89 18:23:48-MST,8972;000000000000
Return-Path: <[e-mail]>
Date: Mon,  4 Dec 89 18:15:16 MST
From: [e-mail]
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 #259
To: [e-mail]

PACKET-RADIO Digest         Mon,  4 Dec 89       Volume 89 : Issue 259

Today's Topics:
         16550 Turn-on Program?????? (2 msgs)
                AX.25 headers
           Basic info (how to get started)
           Getting into Packet Radio on VHF
               MFJ-1278 and Net
             Ok, where can I get a 16550?
           QC4 Z80 Compiler info needed, Puleeeze!
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 3 Dec 89 20:07:25 GMT
From: [e-mail]  (Pat Davis kd9uu)
Subject: 16550 Turn-on Program??????
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

>From the sound of it I could use 16550's with the 871225 NET, which
has the interrupt sharing driver..  The thing is, you'd have to
throw the fancy new UARTS into their proper mode, to get any good out
of them..

Who-da-ya-know  has any utility or small program to POKE my UARTS??
I'll bet even a stand-alone program could be used before starting
NET??

Tnx..Pat, KD9UU

[e-mail] 128.104.198.10
[e-mail] 128.104.198.22

------------------------------

Date: 4 Dec 89 23:36:10 GMT
From: jupiter![e-mail]  (Phil R. Karn)
Subject: 16550 Turn-on Program??????
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

KD9UU asks about 16550 chips:
>Who-da-ya-know  has any utility or small program to POKE my UARTS??
>I'll bet even a stand-alone program could be used before starting
>NET??

There are some subtle differences between standard 8250 operation and a
16550 in FIFO mode. While enabling the FIFOs shouldn't actually *break*
existing 8250 code, depending on how it is written it may or may not
be able to benefit from the presence of the FIFOs.

The receiver FIFO "does the right thing" once the FIFO has been enabled.
It sets the "receive data available" flag whenever the FIFO is
non-empty, and it interrupts the CPU when either a settable threshold
(currently 4 in my NOS code) is reached or a hardware timeout expires
with unread characters in the FIFO. So *assuming* that the 8250 receiver
code has already been written to loop repeatedly on the input register
as long as incoming data is available, it should benefit automatically
from the addition of the FIFO; no changes here are needed.

However, the 16550 transmitter FIFO design is a little strange. The
"transmitter ready to receive a character" status flag is set only when
the transmit FIFO is completely empty, not, as you might expect, when
there is one or more slots available in the transmit FIFO. I suppose
this was done with the notion of always loading the transmit FIFO with
16 characters at a time in order to minimize the output driver overhead.
Unfortunately, there is no way to tell whether the transmit FIFO is
completely or only partially full. This makes it difficult to keep the
line fully utilized when your interrupt latencies are long (which is why
you're using a FIFO buffered device in the first place!)

A stock 8250 transmit routine should therefore still work correctly with
a 16550 in FIFO mode, but it will be unable to benefit from the presence
of the transmit FIFO; it will send only one character per interrupt.
Code written to take advantage of the 16550 will always try to load 16
characters at a time into the transmitter, thus reducing the transmit
interrupt CPU overhead by a factor of (almost) 16.

Phil

------------------------------

Date: 4 Dec 89 17:06:46 GMT
From: shlump.nac.dec.com!delni.enet.dec.com![e-mail]
Subject: AX.25 headers
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Hans Ridder) writes...
>I was wondering, why are the characters of the callsign in an AX.25
>header shifted left one bit?  There must be some reason, perhaps
>historical?  Thanks!

Historical, but explainable.  It has been a while so I'll say it here.

AX.25 is a member of the HDLC family of data link protocols.  The HDLC
rules (ISO 3309) say that the frame begins with an "address" field,
followed by a "control" field.  The address field is delimited by the
low-order bit; when it's a 0, the address field continues onto the next
octet; when it's a 1, that's the last octet and control is next.

So callsigns are left-shifted to make room for the continuation bit.
It makes AX.25 nominally HDLC-compliant.  Personally I'm not sure it's a
great idea in the first place to base a packet radio protocol on HDLC,
but if you start with that premise, this is one of the consequences!
     fred k1io

------------------------------

Date: 4 Dec 89 17:28:39 GMT
From: mailrus!b-tech![e-mail]  (Jon Zeeff)
Subject: Basic info (how to get started)
Message-ID: <9|[e-mail]>

I know nothing about packet radio, etc.  Can someone give me some info
on how to get started?  Things like:

how to get a license
how hard is is to pass the license test (ie, how much time practicing)
minimum cost of radio (for ~5 miles) + modem (preferably 9600 bps)

--
Jon Zeeff               <[e-mail]>
Branch Technology       <[e-mail]>

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 03 Dec 89 14:44:08 PST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Getting into Packet Radio on VHF

I'm not new to the list, but rarely do I truly comprehend what goes on on this
list. I'd like to get into packet radio. I have a Kenwood TH-215A handheld
(2 meter gear.) and an IBM-Xt with a free serial port. I know I need a "tnc".
Will this connect to the IBM and the audio ports of the TH and I'll be in
business, or do I need still other equiptment? DO I have to run special
software, or will my IBM modem software (QMODEM) work? What will a TNC for
VHF cost me? Any help would be appreciated. Feel free to send info to me
directly. Thanks in advance.
Kevin Savetz
KC6GWQ

 +----------------------------------------+  DISCLAIMER: I assume no
 : KEVIN M. SAVETZ - KC6GWQ               :  responsibility for any messages
 : Bitnet: [e-mail]          :  that I post, expressed or
 : Internet: [e-mail]     :  implied. Opinions expressed
 : FishNet: [e-mail]   :  by me are not necessarily
 +----------------------------------------+  my own.

       "Hey, if you're not gonna eat that parsley, pass it my way."



------------------------------

Date: Mon, 04 Dec 89 18:26:02 EDT
From: Joseph Skoler <[e-mail]>
Subject: MFJ-1278 and Net

Has anyone had any problems running an MFJ-1278 with Net?
Specifically, any problems running in KISS mode?

It seems Net is sending certain characters to the TNC wwhich pops
it out of KISS mode.  If only I could figure out what those characters
are...... I'd be back on the air.  Oh well....

Thanks,  Joseph Skoler,   kc2yu,   skohc@cunyvm

------------------------------

Date: 4 Dec 89 17:33:16 GMT
From: zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!stda.jhuapl.edu![e-mail]  (Marshall Jose)
Subject: Ok, where can I get a 16550?
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Please, will somebody please tell where I can obtain the NS16550, the
16-byte-FIFO UART which allows XTs to run NOS?  I have looked through
all my catalogs but haven't found it in any of them.  Also, the
mercenary NS distributors around here demand a $50 minimum.

Desperately,
Marshall Jose  WA3VPZ
[e-mail]  ||  ...mimsy!aplcen!aplvax!mjj

------------------------------

Date: 4 Dec 89 01:44:30 GMT
From: [e-mail]  (Pat Davis kd9uu)
Subject: QC4 Z80 Compiler info needed, Puleeeze!
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

My buddy Dave, KV9P needs a doc file, or some help with a cross
compiler he found on Wb3ffv BBS.. Anyone with ANY knowledge can drop
me a line here, or at my INTERNET address.

DAve's last memo to me:

***************************************
From: [e-mail] (David Reinhart, KV9P)
To: pat@kd9uu
Subject: query??

Could you put out a message on the infoham or where ever is right
asking for information on the command line format to use on the qc4
cross-compiler. I got a copy from the wb3ffv landline bbs but need to
know the correct command line to use.  It is a z-80 cross compiler.
   tnx de dave
****************************************

Responses to:
[e-mail] [128.104.198.22]
or
[e-mail] [128.104.198.10]

Thanks...Pat

------------------------------

End of PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 Issue #259
*****************************************
 5-Dec-89 04:19:44-MST,11624;000000000000
Return-Path: <[e-mail]>
Date: Tue,  5 Dec 89 04:15:18 MST
From: [e-mail]
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 #260
To: [e-mail]

PACKET-RADIO Digest         Tue,  5 Dec 89       Volume 89 : Issue 260

Today's Topics:
                AX.25 headers
             kiss on heath pocket packet?
             NET checksum error Xenix 286
           Packets in Star Trek IV decoded!
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 89 01:53:12 GMT
From: jupiter![e-mail]  (Phil R. Karn)
Subject: AX.25 headers
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

>In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Hans Ridder) writes...
>>I was wondering, why are the characters of the callsign in an AX.25
>>header shifted left one bit?  There must be some reason, perhaps
>>historical?  Thanks!

This subject is one of my all-time "hot buttons".

The simple answer is that there is absolutely no reason for this
practice. It was only sheep-like, unquestioning adherence to irrelevant
standards on the part of a group of hams in 1982 who (not knowing any
better) thought that ISO and CCITT actually knew something about
networking protocols. Although I was a member of that original group
I've since learned otherwise. But a few *still* don't know any better.

There, that sure felt good.  :-)

As Fred mentioned, the ISO "standard" for HDLC says that address fields
consist of bytes (sorry, I just can't say "octets") in which the low
order bits of all but the last byte are set to zero. The last byte of
the address field is set to one.

The idea was to provide for variable-length addresses in some standard
fashion, but this was a typically half-baked ISO idea because unless
there is agreement at both ends about what the variable length addresses
mean, there's no point in agreeing how they're encoded! Conversely, if
the two ends can agree privately on the meaning of the address field,
then they're just as capable of agreeing on their own way of encoding
those addresses.

The HDLC chips don't care; they only recognize flags, stuff and remove 0
bits as necessary, and compute and check CRCs. The rest, including the
parsing of the address fields, is all done in software. (Several chips
have an optional "address recognition" feature that can be used to
filter out frames except those beginning with a certain byte, but this
feature is not exploited by AX.25.)

A year or so ago, during discussions about a new link protocol
tentatively called "AX.25 Version 3" that would remove the current
limitation on addresses to 6 characters, I had one particularly, uh,
frank discussion with the advocates of address byte shifting. I
challenged them to give me one good reason other than "ISO said so". The
only one they could come up with was that one of them happened to have a
commercial protocol analyzer that could read and display the LAPB
control fields from an AX.25 frame as long as the address field ahead of
it was encoded using byte shifting. Hardly a good reason for wasting
12.5% of the bits in the address field and making a royal nuisance for
those debugging packet radio software or tracing on-the-air packets.

By the way, the name "AX.25" was a most unfortunate choice, because it
suggests that it's a form of X.25. It's not. AX.25 and X.25 may both use
HDLC framing, and AX.25 may use a (modified) form of LAPB, X.25's link
control protocol, but the two protocols are NOT compatible. The address
field in AX.25 is actually a datagram header that is unique to amateur
radio, and it serves an entirely different function than the so-called
"address field" in X.25. (I say "so-called" because there's little need
for an "address" field on the point to point phone links X.25 was
intended for. What X.25 calls an "address field" is actually used as a
1-bit extension to the LAPB control field to encode the "command/
response" indication. (The other 7 bits in the X.25 "address" field are
wasted.) The "C-bits" that were added to AX.25 Version 2 restored the
command/response indication by burying them in the address field. This
was a truly ugly hack that I must take full blame for.)

Phil

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 89 04:55:30 GMT
From: attcan!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!ria!uwovax![e-mail]  (Mark Bramwell 1-519-661-3714)
Subject: kiss on heath pocket packet?
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

I was wondering if there is a way to get KISS running on a Heath
pocket Packet?  Has anyone seen/used the Pac-comm battery operated TNC?
The heath will not accept a normal TNC2 rom.  Will the pac-comm pocket tnc
support a normal ROM?--


..........................................................................
.  Mark Bramwell,    VE3PZR                                              .
.                                                                        .
.  The University of Western Ontario           Bitnet:  [e-mail]  .
.  School of Business Administration           Packet:  VE3PZR @ VE3GYQ  .
.  London, Ontario, N6A 3K7                    Phone:   (519)  661-3714  .
..........................................................................

------------------------------

Date: 4 Dec 89 19:39:56 GMT
From: cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!texbell!ark!lrark!argate![e-mail]  (Unet PBBS Administrator)
Subject: NET checksum error Xenix 286
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Ok, I have gotten net compiled and my bbs interfaced into it using
the queues like w2xo.  I have been unsuccessful in getting a connect
or sending a connect request for telnet or ftp.  When I send a request
to the system [44.78.6.2] I get the following:

AX25: WD5B->WD5B-2 UI pid=IP
IP: len 44 44.78.6.3->44.78.6.2 ihl 20 ttl 5 CHECKSUM ERROR (48450) prot TCP
TCP: 1001->23 Seq x61a9 SYN Win 400 MSS 216 CHECKSUM ERROR (6)

I have tried calling with two different systems and get the same results. Has
anyone else run into this problem on a Xenix 286 system?  I have also been
unable to the Xenix system to send a request out ax0.

[Don't let the IP fool you in that 78 is assigned to Oklahoma.  They
let us borrow a block until our assignment came through.]
:------------------------------------------------------------------:
: Richard Duncan  WD5B           Packet:  WD5B @ WD5B.AR.USA.NA    :
: Little Rock, AR                BBS:     501/568-6809 (2400/1200) :
: UUCP:    ...!texbell!ark!lrark!argate!{richard|unetadm}          :
:------------------------------------------------------------------:

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 89 03:50:10 GMT
From: jupiter.bellcore.com![e-mail]
Subject: Packets in Star Trek IV decoded!
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Posted: Mon, Dec  4, 1989   5:14 AM GMT              Msg: FGIJ-4109-8426
From:   BMCGWIER
To:     amsat, arrl, tclark, hprice
Subj:   STAR TREK IV PACKETS

Several months ago, Harold Price, NK6K, challenged me to demodulate what he
thought might be HF packets in Star Trek IV.  During the scenes where Scotty
is valiantly trying to beam both Chekov and Uhura back from the U.S.S.
Enterprise, where they have been stealing Nuclear vessel high speed photons,
Scotty is having a hard time hearing them.  One of the sources of
interference is what appeared to Harold to be HF packet.  Always being one
to rise to a challenge, I took on the job of doing some fancy Digital Signal
Processing footwork.  Almost from the first I was certain that it must be an
HF packet since my very first demodulator attempt clearly revealed flags
before the start of a frame and end of frame  was also clear.  I knew it was
HDLC of some variety.  Several things impeded the effort, including Scotty's
voice on top of the packets, some SSB from 20 meters was also nearly on top
of the signal.  All of this had to be filtered out.  I spent an hour of time
on the Cray-2 at work and used the fanciest FSK demodulator I could write
and I finally had noisy baseband signal plotted on paper in front of me.  I
did my best to get an integral number of samples per baud as the signal was
very noisy, and though the bits could be made out by eye, I could tell that
it was going to take another hour of Cray-2 time to get the clock recovered
and to make good bit decisions.  In a couple of places, HDLC showed me what
were clearly bit errors, and these could be done by eye as well.  After the
filtering, and building a demodulator for the badly mistuned signal (it was
almost 900 Hz below `normal'), I took the bits to Phil Karn, KA9Q and he
decoded the NRZI data and proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was
indeed an HF amateur radio packet.  It was WA8ZCN-0 sending an RR for NR-3
to N6AEZ on 20 meters.  I got Bill Harrigill, WA8ZCN on the phone and he
agrees that it was probably him.  Thanks Harold for the challenge and Phil
for the help.
Bob N4HY


[I should comment here that what Bob gave me was 9 pages of hard-copy
waveform plots, representing about 360 bits at 300 baud, or about 1.2
seconds of real time. These waveforms showed the raw, unsliced output of
his software FM demodulator. Using pencil, paper, ASCII chart and a copy
of the AX.25 protocol spec, I first recovered the bit clock using a
manual method similar in principle to that used in the WA4DSY 56k modem
demodulator. That is, I marked off sampling points where the waveform
slope went rapidly through zero, ie., at the center of an alternating
mark - space - mark or space - mark - space sequence. From these I could
extrapolate the proper sampling points on the other nearby bits
consisting of mark-mark or space-space sequences.

Then I was ready to "slice" the data into digital bits, perform the NRZI
decoding, and decode the bit stream into an AX.25 frame.  The only
really hard part of the job was discovering that Bob had printed page 3
of his waveform plots offset by about 5/8 of a bit time from the other
pages; this really screwed up my clock recovery until I recognized and
corrected for the jump from the A/D sample numbers Bob had printed
underneath each bit cell.

One could actually write a fairly educational piece about the principles
of "maximum likelihood decoding" from this exercise. For example,
knowing that each byte of an AX.25 address field except the last always
had bit zero set to 0, that the callsigns themselves always contained
capital letters, digits or spaces (but never lower case letters,
punctuation or control characters) and so on helped me to determine when
I had probably made an error in decoding a particular bit, or if I was
off in the bit count. Even the online callbook came in handy - I could
determine if a particular callsign was valid and whether the operator
was authorized to transmit packet on HF. All this illustrates the key
role of redundant information in encoding information to tolerate noise
and interference. (And before somebody points out that I just wrote a
flame about the inefficiency of the AX.25 address field encodings, I
should point out that there are *much* more efficient ways to improve
performance through redundancy than by sprinkling zeros into the data in
fixed locations. :-) --KA9Q]

------------------------------

End of PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 Issue #260
*****************************************
 6-Dec-89 09:31:16-MST,10530;000000000000
Return-Path: <[e-mail]>
Date: Wed,  6 Dec 89 08:59:26 MST
From: [e-mail]
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 #261
To: [e-mail]

PACKET-RADIO Digest         Wed,  6 Dec 89       Volume 89 : Issue 261

Today's Topics:
          220Mhz xverter order being placed
             MFJ-1278 KISS mode.
         Multi-MegaBaud Microwave Data Link Questions
            NET/ROM for IP packets -- How?
               New BBS Software
             PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 #259
         packet station software for XENIX??
              Star Trek IV packet update
              TAPR 9600 RAdio/Modems???
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 5 Dec 89 23:00:01 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: 220Mhz xverter order being placed
Message-ID: <[e-mail]6>

 Is anyone interested enough in the WA4DSY modem to be in the market for
a 220Mhz <> 28Mhz transverter?
When we built our DSY modems last year we bought 4 xverters for $250 each
from a guy in Toronto. I think he might be interested in building some
more units, *if* he though he was going to be able to sell them. I expect
that any production run of less then 10 units is not really worth his time.
These units put out 10 watts and seem to be based on the Microwave
Modules design.
I will be contacting him about buying some units with the order being
placed by the end of Jan. 89. Is anyone interested?
Please note, I am NOT soliciting for orders! I would only like to give him
some indication of how many he *could* sell.
Please respond to me and I will post a summary for the group early in
the new year.
--dy
Doug Yuill, VE3OCU@VE3JF, Ottawa, or [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 05 Dec 89 07:09:35 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Pat Davis kd9uu)
Subject: MFJ-1278 KISS mode.
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

My friend Chris has the same problem with the 1278 jumping out of KISS
mode..  I am of the impression that it should jump out **IF** it
receives a @255 or 00 ff, somthing like that..  Chris's jumps out with
just "@F" (00 Fx  he says)..  He (Chris) has called MFJ.  MFJ is trying
to get ahold of their 'part-time' programmer who goes to college somwhere.
Apparently, MFJ had RX'd a few calls on the matter.  I'd like to see
it resolved, I sold him the 1278 :-) !   I guess the 1270's run well.

[e-mail] 128.104.198.22     Good Luck!



------------------------------

Date: Tue, 5 Dec 89 22:31:01 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Multi-MegaBaud Microwave Data Link Questions
Message-ID: <[e-mail]6>

  I hope every one has read Glenn Elmore N6GN & Kevin Rowett's Dec Ham
Radio Mag construction article on how to build an inexpensive high speed
packet radio link @10Ghz. Those of you who have and who want to try
duplicating the work may have questions like the following:

1. Did I miss the parts list in my photo-copy? What is a "SRA-1"?
   Who makes it? Can I order it from Digi-key?

2.What is a "MAR-6"? Who makes it? Can I order it from Digi-key?

3. Should it be possible to replace the pre-amp with something like a
   single stage 75Mhz-105Mhz pre-amp from Advanced Receiver Research?
   If not, why not?

Glenn? Kevin? Anybody got any answers?
No more urgent questions right now. I would like to say that this the
kind of construction article that really makes being a Ham interesting.
I heard Bdale talk about this project at Dayton last spring and
it really is as easy and inexpensive as he said it would be, ie: less then
$150/end node. I would be happy to hear from anyone else who is going to
try a hand at 10Ghz packet radio. 10 megabaud or bust!
--dy
Doug Yuill, VE3OCU@VE3JF, Ottawa, or [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 89 14:46:00 GMT
From: silver![e-mail]
Subject: NET/ROM for IP packets -- How?
Message-ID: <21800008@silver>

Am I the only person who has had a hard time understanding
exactly how to use the W9NK written Net/Rom emulation
facility in NET?  I hear people saying how it allows them to
use the existing NET/ROM network to send IP packets, but I
can't seem to figure out how to do it.

Could someone with some experience give me a shout?  Thanks.

   -- Pat Barkey
      WA8YVR

------------------------------

Date: 4 Dec 89 09:48:13 GMT
From: eru!luth!sunic!mcsun!ukc!axion![e-mail]  (Brian Lloyd)
Subject: New BBS Software
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Some new BBS software is now being distributed. The G1NNA BBS software has
the following facilities :
 * MBL/RLI/BB forwarding compatible
 * Handles up to 16 users at once in one program
 * Hierarchical forwarding
 * MIDs
 * Compression of messages when forwarding to compatible systems
All the normal features are there as well.
Could any software writers please note that the letter S is used in the SID
by this software to indicate mail compression capability (ie [NNA-1.02-HMS$]).
Details of how this is implemented are available.
If anyone is interested in a copy of the software, please either email me
or send a disk with IRCs/stamps to:
 B.Lloyd (G1NNA),
 9.Hornbeam Walk,
 Witham,
 Essex.
 England.
 CM8 2SZ

***************************************************************************
Brian Lloyd,                           # Via e-mail : [e-mail]
RT3152, Rm G44, SSTF,                  # Via Packet : G1NNA @ GB7NNA.GBR.EU
British Telecom Research Labs,         # By Phone   : [phone]
Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, Suffolk. IP5 7RE
Brian Lloyd,                           # Via e-mail : [e-mail]
RT3152, Rm G44, SSTF,                  # Via Packet : G1NNA @ GB7NNA.GBR.EU
British Telecom Research Labs,         # By Phone   : [phone]
Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, Suffolk. IP5 7RE

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 5 Dec 89 10:30 CDT
From: "FEROZ GHOUSE, N9FJL/4S7FG" <[e-mail]>
Subject: PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 #259
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

IT IS SAD TO NOTE THAT THIS NET DOES NOT OFFER HELP TO ANYBODY WANTING
TO START OUT ON PACKET. INSPITE OF MANY MESSAGES FOR HELP, I HAVE NOT SEEN
A SINGLE MAIL MESSAGE OFFERING THE NEEDED ADVICE. IT SEEMS THAT THE MEMBERS
OF THE NET ARE ENGROSSED IN THEIR OWN LITTLE "PET" PROJECTS AND POSSIBLY
CONSIDER THE APPEALS FROM "NEWCOMERS" AND "NO-NOTHINGS" NOT WORTH THEIR
WHILE.

I APPEAL TO YOU FOLKS TO IF TIME PERMITTING, TAKE A MOMENT AND HELP BRING
SOMEONE NEW INTO THE FOLDS OF NOT ONLY PACKET RADIO BUT ALSO INTO THE
FOLDS OF HAM RADIO. BEING SELFISH WOULD NOT NECESSARILY WORK IN OUR FAVOR!

FEROZ GHOUSE, 4S7FG/N9FJL

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 89 07:52:29 GMT
From: cs.utexas.edu!natinst!rpp386!puzzle!khijol![e-mail]  (Edwin R. Carp)
Subject: packet station software for XENIX??
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Can anyone point me to a good packet software package that runs on XENIX?
Something that would allow for BBS-type operations, as well as
usenet <-> packet access would be nice.  Thanks!
--------------------------- discard all after this line ------------------------
Ed Carp N7EKG/5 (28.3-28.5) erc@puzzle!khijol Austin,  Tx; (home) [phone]
Snail Mail:  1800 E. Stassney  #1205 Austin, Tx  78744

"You may think you're smart, Pierce, but you're STUPID!  But, you've met your
 match in ME!"  - Col. Flagg
"Good tea.  Nice house."  -- Worf

------------------------------

Date: 6 Dec 89 00:04:39 GMT
From: jupiter.bellcore.com![e-mail]
Subject: Star Trek IV packet update
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

An update on the "Star Trek IV" packet decoding project:

Last night I finished decoding the second half of the graphs N4HY gave
me. I had made an earlier mistake in the interpretation of the control
field. The actual control field was that of an I frame with N(S)=1,
N(R)=1, P/F=0. The Level 3 protocol ID was F0, which means "no upper
layer protocol" (a very common value). My first attempt at decoding the
text field yielded the following:

    >Qt takes 4 program

(At that point, Scotty started talking over the packet, so I was unable
to decode any further.) Since this didn't look quite right, I looked at
the second byte a little closer. I found that if I flipped one
weak-looking bit, I got

    >It takes 4 program

which makes much more sense.

As reported earlier, the sender of the packet was WA8ZCN and the
destination N6AEZ. Bob, N4HY, has confirmed that WA8ZCN was indeed very
active on 20m packet until he moved to Arkansas a few years ago, but he
has been unable to reach N6AEZ for confirmation as yet. Bob reports that
Mr. Harrigill (WA8ZCN) was quite tickled to learn of our discovery, and
that he would run right out to rent the videotape again so he could hear
his callsign immortalized in the Final Frontier. :-)

Phil

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 89 03:21:05 GMT
From: cs.utexas.edu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!censor!becker![e-mail]  (Bruce Becker)
Subject: TAPR 9600 RAdio/Modems???
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Jay "you ignorant splut!" Maynard) writes:
|[...]
|I don't mean to deride Phil's herculean efforts: far from it. The KA9Q
|package is a monumental effort, and one that I couldn't duplicate in
|years. Despite all that, it's not a production program: it's a hack. A
|neat hack, to be sure, but a hack.
|
|We don't need hacks. We need production systems.

    Whaddya expect from a guy who thinks JCL
    is God's gift to information systems.

    Next time anyone sez something this dumb
    I'm going to email something offal directly
    to their mailbox, but this time I'm protesting
    publicly...

Cheers to Phil et al.,
--
   ^^    Bruce Becker   Toronto, Ont.
w \**/   Internet: [e-mail], [e-mail]
 `/v/-e  BitNet:   [e-mail]
_/  >_   Ceci n'est pas une |    - Rene Macwrite

------------------------------

End of PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 Issue #261
*****************************************
 6-Dec-89 21:23:44-MST,10062;000000000000
Return-Path: <[e-mail]>
Date: Wed,  6 Dec 89 21:15:05 MST
From: [e-mail]
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 #262
To: [e-mail]

PACKET-RADIO Digest         Wed,  6 Dec 89       Volume 89 : Issue 262

Today's Topics:
             16550 Turn-on Program??????
              Data Compressioon
             Dial-up SLIP and NET
              How old WE are....
            I'm ready to help beginners!!
              TAPR 9600 RAdio/Modems???
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 6 Dec 89 20:01:28 GMT
From: sceard![e-mail]  (M.R.Murphy)
Subject: 16550 Turn-on Program??????
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Phil R. Karn) writes:
>KD9UU asks about 16550 chips:
[...]
16550A. Use 16550A. 16550 has broken FIFO implementation. So says NS. Don't
know firsthand, I've only bought the 16550A parts :-)
--
Mike Murphy  Sceard Systems, Inc.  544 South Pacific St. San Marcos, CA  92069
[e-mail]        {hp-sdd,nosc,ucsd,uunet}!sceard!mrm      [phone]

------------------------------

Date: 6 Dec 89 08:53:33 GMT
From: mcsun!ukc!axion![e-mail]  (Brian Lloyd)
Subject: Data Compressioon
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

From article <[e-mail]>, by [e-mail] (CLINTON EVANS):
> This process reduces the size of the file by more than 50% and saves
> telephone charges.  Why can't packet BBS systems do the same?  There
> are several good data compression programs out there, some public
> domain.  Also, there are file transfer protocalls that will work in a
> packet environment.
>
> Clinton
My new packet BBS software (see earlier posting) compresses messages
before forwarding them to compatible systems. I am also intending to add
the ability to compress mail and text files for sending to users. I use
the standard SQueeze code (Huffman coding technique), so anyone with a copy
of USQueeze can uncompress it. The method has been published so I wouldn't
have thought it could be classed as a secret code or cipher!

    Brian

Brian Lloyd,                           # Via e-mail : [e-mail]
RT3152, Rm G44, SSTF,                  # Via Packet : G1NNA @ GB7NNA.GBR.EU
British Telecom Research Labs,         # By Phone   : [phone]
Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, Suffolk. IP5 7RE

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 89 23:05:10 GMT
From: hp-pcd!hpcvmb![e-mail]  (Ron Henderson)
Subject: Dial-up SLIP and NET
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

This is for [e-mail].  (Mail to him bounces.) I'm
posting it here because others may have the same question.

>Hi,
>I've read you have written the code to allow ka9q to dial to a slip line.
>I have ka9q v891022A NOS, but it doesn't seem to recognise your commands.
>Does the code need to be inserted into the original code ? And recompiled?
>Can you send me the patches ? Or a functional copy of net.exe (preferred) ?

The dialing code was first added to the 890421.1 release of net.exe.  I have
not added it to NOS at this time.  It was pretty simple to add to net, but
I've not started using NOS yet and am not sure when I will.  I am in the
process of modifying NOS to work on my HP Portable Plus, and when I complete
the conversion I'll look at adding the dial capability.  It was a crude hack
in net, and I'd like to make it a bit more elegant (and trustworthy) for NOS.

Ron  [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 6 Dec 89 12:56:21 GMT
From: usc!wuarchive!texbell!attctc!mjbtn![e-mail]  (Mark J. Bailey)
Subject: How old WE are....
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

I got to thinking the other day about Ham Radio and the guys and gals here
in rec.ham-radio.*.  With all the talk (by supposed experts) that the
majority of Ham's are getting older and that there are severe shortages in
the newer generations of Americans coming into the hobby, I started pondering
the question of just who WE are in terms of the age distribution.

Since many of the sites on Usenet are academic sites, one can quickly determine
that there has to be a certain degree of young adults.  But when you start to
examine sites that represent companies, and sites that are public access in
nature, it gets really hard to tell from that line of thinking.  Also, the
obvious know-how to operate computers and software is really no solid indication
either since it seems that most Hams (young and older) are technical (to some
degree) to begin with, and the computer has been mostly more a friend than an
enemy.  It appears that older Hams have adapted very well to using the computer.

Well, I pondered on it some more (not all at once :-) ), and I decided to post
this message here.  What I would like to do, is to take a quick little survey.
The 2 questions are VERY simple.  You can just do a direct email reply.  Here
they are:

    1) How old are you?

    2) How many years have you been a Ham Radio Ooperator?

I have done no prior investigation on this; this is just some spur of the
moment curiosity.  What I would like to do is perform some simple (yet
informative) statistics on the results I get back and post them back here
to the group.  I will keep all responses confidential, ie., no one will know
who is what age, etc. :-)

I just thought it might be interesting to find out who WE are and to see if
the rec.ham-radio.* naturally attracts younger people due to the nature of
its underlying environment (the computer net).  Some of you may not give a
hoot.  Well, that is fine.  I will be taken up very little public bandwidth
(I hope!).  But it seems to me that it IS an important question since there
are reports that do show (I don't have them here, but recall seeing it before
somewhere) Hams as a whole are getting older.  If this median we have here is
condusive to bringing in today's generation, then we should recognize it as
such.  I am not attempting to do that now, just get an idea of where we fall.

Any and all reponses welcome!  Please use direct email as net bandwidth
can be used for better things.

Thanks for your cooperation!

73's,

Mark.

--
Mark J. Bailey, N4XHX                             "Ya'll com bak naw, ya hear!"
USMAIL: 511 Memorial Blvd., Murfreesboro, TN 37129 ___________________________
VOICE:  [phone]                            |         JobSoft
UUCP:   ...!{ames,mit-eddie}!attctc!mjbtn!mjb      | Design & Development Co.
DOMAIN: [e-mail]        CIS: 76314,160 |  Murfreesboro, TN  USA
<KA9Q-UNIX-USERS Mailing List - Subscribe: [e-mail]>

------------------------------

Date: 7 Dec 89 03:13:34 GMT
From: unsvax!arrakis.nevada.edu![e-mail]  (Mike Storke (N7MSD))
Subject: I'm ready to help beginners!!
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

  Well, I for one am ready to help beginners.  Since we are all not so
fortunate to have 9600 and 56K baud packet units and gunnplexers available to
us so easily, we all have to start somewhere, so why don't we start helping
those just getting started, and use what we DO have right now!  Just because we
don't have all digital lines entering into our home doesn't mean we don't use
modems to communicate with BBS's and such.  Let's not waste what we have, and
start helping the beginners.  I'll be here to help ANYONE who wants to begin
in packet with as much of my limited knowledge as I have (I'm afraid I am
pretty much limited to VHF right now, but I will expand as soon as I have $$$).
Send all mail/net messages to [e-mail].  Sorry, but due to
the UNLV winter break, this offer expires on Thursday night, December 14th, as
I am leaving for home on either the 15th or 16th, and won't be back until mid-
January.  That's it for now, 73's, and help someone with something during this
holiday season!!
*******************************************************************************
Mike P. Storke, N7MSD NOTICE: Use my HOME QTH address until mid January.
Inet: [e-mail]  Packet: KF7TI @ LAS:K7WS-1 or VEGAS:P0TOSI
Snailmail: Box 6 Minden, Nv 89423:HOME QTH.  And I claim EVERYTHING I SAY!!
"Pascal: The Handcuff of the programmer.  I WANT MY C!!!!!!!!!!!!"

------------------------------

Date: 6 Dec 89 11:20:55 GMT
From: zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!texbell!splut![e-mail]  (Jay "you ignorant splut!" Maynard)
Subject: TAPR 9600 RAdio/Modems???
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Bruce Becker) writes:
>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Jay "you ignorant splut!" Maynard) writes:
>|We don't need hacks. We need production systems.
>       Whaddya expect from a guy who thinks JCL
>       is God's gift to information systems.

I've let most of the replies to my comment slide, but couldn't pass this
one up.

In its place, JCL is indeed a Good Thing. There are places where an
interactive timesharing system just isn't the right way to do things.

I completely fail to see what that has to do with the need for TCP/IP
systems that don't require a guru to set up.

>Cheers to Phil et al.,

Amen. Now, let's finish the job.

--
Jay Maynard, EMT-P, K5ZC, PP-ASEL   | Never ascribe to malice that which can
[e-mail]       (eieio)| adequately be explained by stupidity.
{attctc,bellcore}!texbell!splut!jay +----------------------------------------
 "...when hasn't gibberish been legal C?" -- Tom Horsley, [e-mail]

------------------------------

End of PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 Issue #262
*****************************************
 7-Dec-89 16:26:20-MST,11145;000000000000
Return-Path: <[e-mail]>
Date: Thu,  7 Dec 89 16:15:26 MST
From: [e-mail]
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: PACKET-RADIO Digest V89 #263
To: [e-mail]

PACKET-RADIO Digest         Thu,  7 Dec 89       Volume 89 : Issue 263

Today's Topics:
         Multi-MegaBaud Microwave Data Link Questions
          NOS 891022 bug/problem with shell (2 msgs)
             Ok, where can I get a 16550?
             Search for TNC code
              TAPR 9600 RAdio/Modems???
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 7 Dec 89 20:42:21 GMT
From: zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!stda.jhuapl.edu![e-mail]  (Marshall Jose)
Subject: Multi-MegaBaud Microwave Data Link Questions
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

In article <[e-mail]6> you write:
>1. Did I miss the parts list in my photo-copy? What is a "SRA-1"?
>   Who makes it? Can I order it from Digi-key?
>
>2.What is a "MAR-6"? Who makes it? Can I order it from Digi-key?

Sorry I can't answer the third question, but I know that the
first two items you ask about are Mini Circuits products:

SRA-1:  500 MHz double balanced mixer
MAR-6:  2 Ghz broadband monolithic amp, gain=19 dB

from:   Mini Circuits
    POB 350166
    Brooklyn, NY  11235
    [phone]

Disclaimer:  I have no financial interest in Mini Circuits.  As if anybody
         cares.


Marshall Jose  WA3VPZ
[e-mail]  ||  ...mimsy!aplcen!aplvax!mjj

------------------------------

Date: 7 Dec 89 00:14:07 GMT
From: cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!mcdphx!mcdphx.phx.mcd.mot.com![e-mail]  (3726)
Subject: NOS 891022 bug/problem with shell
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Greetings.

Recently I switched to NOS and got the sources for 891022 from "flash".  The
conversion from NET to NOS wasn't very difficult (will gladly share my notes
on how to do this if anyone wants them).

The problem I am having with NOS is in using the "shell" command.  I first
"shell-out" of NOS to command.com, and then run BM to create out-going
mail to someone.  After maybe 20-30 minutes, when I exit BM (and the DOS
shell) back into NOS, the net code seems to go nuts with the mail sitting
in /spool/mqueue and begins establishing multiple sessions to the destination
based on that one piece of outgoing mail.  When I do "tcp resets" on some of
those sessions, it usually gives me a lot of "freeing garbage" messages.

I have had this happen a number of times when I have "shelled out" to create
mail for a few people all at once.  Even with "SMTP MAXCLIENTS" set to 5,
NOS will cheerfully start up 7 or 8 sessions to each person!  For the same
message!  I'm guessing that the NOS timers are still ticking, even though
none of the NOS tasks are being serviced while COMMAND.COM is running, and
upon return to NOS, those tasks are all trying to "catch-up".  Interesting
that one of the tasks can't get the lock file written before the others find
that no lock exists.  (By the way, I'm using an 8Mhz XT, 640k, MS-DOS v3.3,
30MB HD (80 ms), and one KISS attach @ 1200 bps to MFJ-1270).

In looking through the JA_BITS NOS code, I noticed that in "pc.c" under the
"doshell()" function, the call to "spawnv" is surrounded by calls to some
assembly code that restores the original timer-tick vector before the spawn,
and then sets it back to NOS after the spawn (resvsync() & setvsync()).
In 891022, those calls to change the timer vector are missing.

IN JA_BITS NOS:
    ioctl(fileno(stdout), 1,  .  .  .  .
    if((command = getenv("COMSPEC")) == NULLCHAR)
        command = "/COMMAND.COM";
>>      resvsync();     /* Restore original timer tick vector */
    putenv("PROMPT=(NOS)$p$g");
    ret = spawnv(P_WAIT,command,argv);
>>      setvsync();
    ioctl(fileno(stdout), 1,  .  .  .  .

IN 891022 NOS:
    ioctl(fileno(stdout), 1,  .  .  .  .
    if((command = getenv("COMSPEC")) == NULLCHAR)
        command = "/COMMAND.COM";
    ret = spawnv(P_WAIT,command,argv);
    ioctl(fileno(stdout), 1,  .  .  .  .

It appears that the missing calls to the asm functions have been revamped in
891022 NOS and the equivalents (?) are now called "uchtimer" and "chtimer".
The big question is, should these calls be put back in to "doshell"?

Any input on this would be greatly appreciated.  We would really like to
convert everyone over to NOS here, but this one bug is a real show-stopper.

73, and thanks in advance . . . Dave
--
Dave Fritsche (wb8zxu)
. . . !noao!asuvax!mcdphx!dlf

------------------------------

Date: 7 Dec 89 22:14:54 GMT
From: ka9q.bellcore.com![e-mail]  (Phil Karn)
Subject: NOS 891022 bug/problem with shell
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Regarding the problem with "shelling" out of NOS for long periods of time:

While you're in the subshell, the PC's clock continues to interrupt the
system at its usual 18.2 Hz rate and the NOS timer interrupt handler
continues to count these ticks. However the NOS code has been suspended so
the main timer task (which is woken up by the timer interrupt handler) is
unable to process the ticks as they occur. In effect, they "pile up" in the
interrupt handler. When you exit the subshell, the timer task wakes up and
begins processing the backlog very rapidly.  Even if no timers were active,
you'll at least see a momentary "freeze" in the system as the timer
processes all the ticks. If there were timers active (e.g., the outgoing
mail queue was non-empty) all these timeout events will happen very rapidly.
This almost certainly explains the behavior you're seeing.

I think I have an idea that'll alleviate this problem. I'll have the timer
process give up the CPU each time it processes a tick, even if there are
unprocessed ticks left. This should eliminate the momentary "freeze" problem
and also avoid triggering all of the timers' completion routines at what is
logically the same time.

The difference between the JA and NOS versions is due to my having rewritten
the timer interrupt hook between the original NET and NOS versions. The NOS
code links itself into a chain of timer interrupt handlers, and there's no
need to take it out when going into a subshell; all of the other handlers
still get called properly.

Phil

------------------------------

Date: 6 Dec 89 22:19:49 GMT
From: sceard![e-mail]  (M.R.Murphy)
Subject: Ok, where can I get a 16550?
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

In article <[e-mail]> @aplvax.jhuapl.edu:[e-mail] (Marshall Jose) writes:
>Please, will somebody please tell where I can obtain the NS16550, the
>16-byte-FIFO UART which allows XTs to run NOS?  I have looked through
>all my catalogs but haven't found it in any of them.  Also, the
>mercenary NS distributors around here demand a $50 minimum.
>
>Desperately,
>Marshall Jose  WA3VPZ
>[e-mail]  ||  ...mimsy!aplcen!aplvax!mjj

"mercenary distributor" is, of course, redundant, however... :-)

Jameco Electronics
1355 Shoreway Road
Belmont, CA  94002
[phone] (24-Hour Order Hotline)
FAX [phone] * TELEX 176043
FAX [phone]

I've no connection with Jameco except as a satisfied customer.
That was std.disclaimer(3).
BTW, they sell lots of other stuff, too.
--
Mike Murphy  Sceard Systems, Inc.  544 South Pacific St. San Marcos, CA  92069
[e-mail]        {hp-sdd,nosc,ucsd,uunet}!sceard!mrm      [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 07 Dec 89 09:20:07 EDT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Search for TNC code

Search for TNC source code.

I would like to do som experimental work with my TNC (MFJ 1278), but
I do not want to start from scratch. Therefore I wonder if I could get
my hands on some source code (in C) which implements the basic AX25.

If this is possible, let me know where to get it by FTP, and let me
also know where to obtain a cross C-compiler hosted by MS-DOS, generating
code for the Z80. If a public domain C-compiler is available, let me
know. It would be nice if I could get that one as well by FTP.

Per Froysa, LA5CQ.
Bitnet: PFROYSA at NORUNIT.