Communications > Comm Discussion
so this is likely a kind of dumb question on packet radio -
mfitzy111:
I'm likely just doing too much with the toshiba toughbook...trying to run ARPS/PACKET and FLdigi all at once is likely just not going to work- I'm gald I asked about it. Packet for my area is kind of an experiment -at this point I'm thinking about how to get detailed info -like the AIBs over it. using outpost OPP you can send/receive messages just like via email. it's limited, and slow, but seems to work pretty well so far.
who am I talking to...so far just 1 person like 90 miles away that's been helping me get setup. I hope others in Susquehanna co will get interested in it, as I think it has BBS capabilities built in to the TNC. So if you can reach it, you can get messages over it. for preps it might be really useful at some point in the future.
my sons just started Karate Tue/Thrus so another issue on when I'm going to have time to get on radios- tonight he's not going due to the storm, so I guess I will try and figure out what is stopping my TX issues /shut off both packet station and APRS while I play with Fldigi to get it working.
*maybe* I've got some work to do that is going to keep me chained to the PC (that's why I'm on here...waiting for my bids to end so I can figure out if I'm running this Friday on day trip to pick up military surplus. since other posts have said buy tangibles... last friday I picked up about 400 lbs of gear. I scored a few nice patrol sleeping bags, air mats, bug nets for cots, poncho liners...and spent most of the weekend washing all that stuff to sell.
this is why I worked to get a packet station up...
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=preppers+using+packet+radio+video&docid=608047355478680480&mid=42E401D6B50A8B1F00A142E401D6B50A8B1F00A1&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
~Fitzy
Sir John Honeybucket:
What ??? Missing karate due to snow? Karate and snow are made for each other... (joke)
Obh:
--- Quote from: mfitzy111 on February 19, 2023, 07:55:14 PM ---a few years ago I signed up and joined Amrron ( I even paid a little and bought their PDF SOI -seems this would be an easy setup to sell an SOI (digital PDF document via etsy)) -I like what they were doing and still do. I made a few check ins on their digital nets- downloaded AIBs a few times, and since my system is dated I actually accidently disrupted their nets also. My ongoing issue is I have an old junker laptop from 2012, and I could get FLdigi to run, but when I ran that app and Js8Call the system would basically flip out and transmit until I killed the radio. With out knowing what they are saying via Js8 call because I never could get that app to function on windows 7/ I sent requests over requests not realizing I was crushing them trying to TX while I was stepping all over them...I know it sounds as bad as it was. I don't really have funds to replace a laptop for this one issue, and it works on most other apps - (like APRSIS- tx/rx APRS packets using a TNCX.) lesson learned on digital tx, and only talking when it's your turn.
so moving along about packet radio ...I'm moving in to packet radio and even ordered cables and should have at least one 2 m rig on packet this week (goal is having two TNCs/radios/one PI and one PC/ BBS and email on both units...- I'm taking my ARPS radio out of service and jumping over to packet radio, I have HF on a signal link/or USB sound modem and can get on HF packet on the 14.105 network. so here comes my question - since I don't have a lot of people to actually contact I'm wondering would there be any people out there willing to get AIBs or any automated systems that I can get them via packet radio -over the packet network???
-that is if I am able to get on the packet networks (the nearest one I can hit and get on BBS is about 93 miles away - I'm located at Elk mtn, and that station is the MRN node near Danville, Pa. I can talk to other stations as I was able to hear them using the TNCX and software, but I had issues making connections.
I want to setup BBS, and email on the kentronics KPC+3 and I'm slowly researching videos on how-to get on other BBS systems. my end goal is finding info like those amrron AIBs, weather or some other info that I couldn't get locally -using the packet radio network. I can already just bring up message in APRS - type: wxbot - weather...and it will take your location info, and spit out today's weather...I doubt packet radio can do the same. so I'm questioning if it's really going to be useful in finding useful information.
I've seen some clubs online using packet, I've seen some online videos of preppers using packet radio at retreats on solar power backup systems, I think that EOCs sending text messages during an emergency would be smarter then going to voice -since lists of info would be easy to read vs hoping you heard it right as you copied down items for the list...so it makes sense.
I guess I need to get back on winlink, get updated versions of software for HF, outpost ect...and figure out how to config it once I've got all cables to get the kentronics KPC+3 hooked up and setup. I got derailed back in 2019 when my little brother passed so things like winlink need to be setup again.
Mfitzy111 - (Mike)
--- End quote ---
Honestly, I wouldn't worry about JS8 call. CORPs member and NCS here. FLdigi is the way to go for AmRRON on the east coast. I am assuming you are using FLrig for rig control to run fldigi and js8call concurrently. If thats not the case, that is the issue.
mfitzy111:
--- Quote from: Sir John Honeybucket on March 14, 2023, 02:27:20 PM ---What ??? Missing karate due to snow? Karate and snow are made for each other... (joke)
--- End quote ---
nice! lol.
--- Quote from: Obh on March 14, 2023, 04:09:03 PM ---
--- Quote from: mfitzy111 on February 19, 2023, 07:55:14 PM ---a few years ago I signed up and joined Amrron ( I even paid a little and bought their PDF SOI -seems this would be an easy setup to sell an SOI (digital PDF document via etsy)) -I like what they were doing and still do. I made a few check ins on their digital nets- downloaded AIBs a few times, and since my system is dated I actually accidently disrupted their nets also. My ongoing issue is I have an old junker laptop from 2012, and I could get FLdigi to run, but when I ran that app and Js8Call the system would basically flip out and transmit until I killed the radio. With out knowing what they are saying via Js8 call because I never could get that app to function on windows 7/ I sent requests over requests not realizing I was crushing them trying to TX while I was stepping all over them...I know it sounds as bad as it was. I don't really have funds to replace a laptop for this one issue, and it works on most other apps - (like APRSIS- tx/rx APRS packets using a TNCX.) lesson learned on digital tx, and only talking when it's your turn.
so moving along about packet radio ...I'm moving in to packet radio and even ordered cables and should have at least one 2 m rig on packet this week (goal is having two TNCs/radios/one PI and one PC/ BBS and email on both units...- I'm taking my ARPS radio out of service and jumping over to packet radio, I have HF on a signal link/or USB sound modem and can get on HF packet on the 14.105 network. so here comes my question - since I don't have a lot of people to actually contact I'm wondering would there be any people out there willing to get AIBs or any automated systems that I can get them via packet radio -over the packet network???
-that is if I am able to get on the packet networks (the nearest one I can hit and get on BBS is about 93 miles away - I'm located at Elk mtn, and that station is the MRN node near Danville, Pa. I can talk to other stations as I was able to hear them using the TNCX and software, but I had issues making connections.
I want to setup BBS, and email on the kentronics KPC+3 and I'm slowly researching videos on how-to get on other BBS systems. my end goal is finding info like those amrron AIBs, weather or some other info that I couldn't get locally -using the packet radio network. I can already just bring up message in APRS - type: wxbot - weather...and it will take your location info, and spit out today's weather...I doubt packet radio can do the same. so I'm questioning if it's really going to be useful in finding useful information.
I've seen some clubs online using packet, I've seen some online videos of preppers using packet radio at retreats on solar power backup systems, I think that EOCs sending text messages during an emergency would be smarter then going to voice -since lists of info would be easy to read vs hoping you heard it right as you copied down items for the list...so it makes sense.
I guess I need to get back on winlink, get updated versions of software for HF, outpost ect...and figure out how to config it once I've got all cables to get the kentronics KPC+3 hooked up and setup. I got derailed back in 2019 when my little brother passed so things like winlink need to be setup again.
Mfitzy111 - (Mike)
--- End quote ---
Honestly, I wouldn't worry about JS8 call. CORPs member and NCS here. FLdigi is the way to go for AmRRON on the east coast. I am assuming you are using FLrig for rig control to run fldigi and js8call concurrently. If thats not the case, that is the issue.
--- End quote ---
I was using FLrig for rig control, I think - but js8call never would work- it would TX and hang, I was real worried I was going to smoke my radio using that software, and I'm not sure if it was a win7 (old laptop) issue or some hidden setting that i messed up somewhere...- the more I think about it, the more I'm thinking I should just pick up a $99 laptop just for the HF rig.
I'm also considering how things work, and what I have laying around - right now, HF rig -SCU17, an Extra Kantronics KPC3+ that I don't have the cable yet to hook the FT450D up to...the Toshiba Toughbook is a tank from 2012 early 5G and all- and I have another laptop laying around that I retired and loaded up with Linux mint (or some other variant) one of my main issues is not really having anyone close using packet (nearest station is MRN about 90 miles west of my QTH), so it's hit and miss as it is- I can hear packets being seen via mheard so it's working - but what am I doing really using this for some kind of survival reason...what's my purpose aside from saying I did something different. what info does it give me?
I know I can rig up the HF unit using winlink and use it to send/receive mail over the TNC.
honestly I'd rather figure out a way to get current AIBs from Amrron to get real information that would be more helpful to survival -what options would I have? is there another way to get information via HF over a TNC, because that might be a better use of the HF rig. idk - there is a reason I'm here weighting all my options.
APRS has a purpose for me using my main radio- tnc3 from fmj (USB), it gives me visual feedback on moving radios, storm info, weather updates, ability to send and receive texts/emails over packet. ...packet radio with out APRS so far has been real disappointing, I can hook into other nodes, and people can hit mine and leave me a message -the lack of network is kind of the issue I'm seeing. I was hoping to re-purpose an old HT and use it with the second TNC, set it up about 30 mins drive southwest of my QTH and see if I can hit Carbondale -link to it, and get down in to the WB folks who have a network in play.
so far I'm thinking maybe I'll buy the cable for the HF rig to hook up to the TNC, config it up for HF and see what it does. winlink was good using vara over that SCU17 -would it work even better using a real TNC?
maybe i need to totally rethink my thinking about packet - but I know there is a WB packet winlink station at 29.000 -again who am I reaching out to for info in WB that won't be in the same issues i'm in here also in PA...
I like the idea of using packet to send info to a group in the background, but honestly right now i don't have the help or luxury of reaching out to link minded people in other states that would be able to help either.
ok- so I need to take a break from this and get back to reading the civil defense manual I'm almost on vol2...
maybe the answer is to just move APRS and packet radio rig to the linux rig, and just only run the SCU17 another detail that I just thought of is the USB hub is a passive hub, might be I need a powered hub or shielding on the USB wires off the system/tncs.... -try try again. limited time to play daily, so I need a better plan.
~Fitzy111
mfitzy111:
and a little side note- those kantronics KPC+3 only work for VHF, I thought it would cover HF but that's not an option. I'm going to secure another laptop and move that packet 2m stuff off the laptop and just do HF on that toughbook...seems like the right way to go.
~Mfitzy111
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