Fox Valley Packet Radio Node / BBS

[kc9uhi]

Working on building up a vhf packet node running linBPQ.

Got a handful of NinoTNC (http://tarpn.net/t/nino-tnc/n9600a/n9600a_info.html).

Current plans involve using a Maxtrac, however I'm considering finding a Syntor of some kind.

More to come...

[kb9mwr]

Handful? One for each band, then channel bond them?

I might be interested in putting something on the air at some point.

[kc9uhi]

System is 'functional' on the test bench.

Local AXIP/UDP (internet) links to Racine and La Crosse. Those remote nodes offer multiple IP/RF connections elsewhere. Full service local BBS, Winlink RMS gateway functionality as well.

Syntor X should be here next week. Need to tune and program, build interface cable, and build TNC. Haven't decided if it'll go on the X300NA at the top of the tower, or the X50NA just below.

Initially RF will only be on VHF/1200. Might add UHF/9600 in the future, but UHF coverage from here kinda sucks.

[kc9uhi]

The KC9UHI-6 packet node is on-air.

Connect with 1200 baud ax.25 to KC9UHI-6 or the node alias of WIKAUK on 145.030 MHz.
(Common syntax of node alias and node callsign looks like ALIAS:CALL, for example WIKAUK:KC9UHI-6. Typically sending a connect request to either the node alias or callsign results in the same thing)

Once connected to WIKAUK:KC9UHI-6, connect to KAUNOD:KC9UHI-7. From here, connections to nodes worldwide, the full service BBS, and a local chat server are available.


[click picture for larger]


KAUBBS:KC9UHI-3 hosts a full-service BBS with worldwide bulletins and message forwarding/delivery. I'd be happy to help you set up forwarding for your BBS if you'd like to configure your own. The BBS HA is KC9UHI.#ECWI.WI.USA.NOAM. (more on Hierarchical Addressing can be found here -- http://www.choisser.com/packet/part07.html)

KAUCHT:KC9UHI-11 hosts a local chat server - allows for keyboard<->keyboard communications between all connected stations.

Both the WIKAUK:KC9UHI-6 and KAUNOD:KC9UHI-7 nodes run the BPQ32 software. A breakdown of all the commands is available here -- https://cheatography.com/gcremerius/che ... -commands/

Direct connection to KC9UHI-12 for Winlink is also available.


Hardware:
WIKAUK is using a raspberry pi B (really old) with a NinoTNC (http://tarpn.net/t/nino-tnc/nino-tnc.html) interfaced to a Motorola Radius M120 set to 42W with a cooling fan mounted to the rear. After N connectors, RG-8 coax, polyphaser IS-50-NX-C0 lightning arrestor, and DIamond x300NA antenna are taken into account, the system has approximately 115W EIRP. Antenna is mounted about 38' AGL.
KAUNOD is inside an Ubuntu 16.04 virtual machine, with AMPRNet access (https://www.ampr.org/). This system has several AXUDP connections to nodes worldwide.

Drop me a message at KC9UHI@KC9UHI.#ECWI.WI.USA.NOAM

[KC9YGK]

Is this still active? I'm getting my shack setup in the next week or so and would like to see if I can connect this this.

[kc9uhi]

Yes, it's up and running.

Drop me an email (callsign at gmail) if you run into issues.

[kc9uhi]

Anticipated coverage map, calculated based on a home station using a simple vertical omni antenna at about 20 feet elevation. Actual results may vary.

[kb9mwr]

Are you running anything like this in Arizona? Has anyone from Wisconsin said they miss what you had going in Kaukauna?

If its missed then maybe thats enough reason to put something at my house, the BS of building it all is somewhat off putting though. But I'd think about it.

[kc9uhi]

System Update

The Kaukauna RF node (WIKAUK) is off-air as I have moved to Arizona.

The BBS and core switch (KAUNOD/KAUBBS) have moved to a cloud environment and are functional.

The Green Bay / DePere node (WIGRB) now has an IP connection to KAUNOD, and is on-line. Winlink gateway (KC9UHI-10) is operational.

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I only had a few people try out the packet side of things, and they didn't stick around long. There are a handful of stations connecting into the Winlink gateway on a routine basis.
The KB9BYP-10 gateway can be hard to hit from parts of GB. I know that EC Resources is in the process of relocating their repeater, so the winlink gateway may or may not move also (currently co-located).

For being the 'home' of modern packet radio, there's a lot of nothing when it comes to packet here in town. There is a packet repeater on one of the major mountains, but from what I can tell only has one station (a winlink gateway) on frequency.


Simply spinning up a packet node is quite simple with BPQ. Adding in the BBS services and message forwarding is the difficult part. A combo platter node with APRS, BBS access, HF/VHF ports would be cool. How useful it would be is another question.

Physical space is an issue here, as our entire property here is the size of what the back yard was in Kaukauna.

I've got some NinoTNC kits yet, and will happily send one to anyone that wants to get into packet.