Project:Packet Radio/Bulletin/1806
From London Hackspace Wiki
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\ | / L O N D O N H A C K S P A C E June 2018 update
\|/ P A C K E T R A D I O to HACKRS@GBR
| ____________________________________________________________
.-"""-.
/ \\ \ We are working together to build and maintain an amateur
| \\,='\\ | radio packet network in and around London, UK.
\ \\ /
'-...-' Internet email: packet@m0hsl.org
__|__ AX25 email: HACKRS@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
=== Internet IRC: #lhs-radio on irc.freenode.net
= https://wiki.london.hackspace.org.uk/view/Project:Packet_Radio
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---===( NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY 19 JUNE 2018 AT 19:00 )===---
A get-together, a show-and-tell, and a time to discuss our next steps.
Everyone interested in packet or radio in general is welcome. The former
space at 447 Hackney Road has now closed, but the good news is that new
space has been found. Ujima House, 388 High Road, Wembley (HA9 6AR,
IO91UN) has 550 square metres of space across most of the ground and
first floors. It won't be open for hacking until sometime in July, so
our meeting will be held somewhere else this time. The weather in London
is good on most days this time of year, so it's likely that the meeting
will be held on a nearby hilltop. Email us for more information or check
the Hackspace's wiki nearer the time.
---===( GB7NWG: OUR FIRST REPEATER )===---
Our big news this month is that we have the first major building block
of the packet network --- a licensed repeater. GB7NWG is situated in
Wood Green and is listening on 144.925MHz. In time, GB7NWG will also be
a packet BBS as well as a repeater. If any readers are in the area and
have the necessary equipment, we would very much appreciate them trying
out the new repeater and reporting any success or otherwise. The keeper
of the repeater is Samuel Keating-Fry M0SKF. He may be contactable via
any of the addresses at the top of this bulletin.
The wider amateur community continue to be very supportive in getting
the project going, and it was thanks to Steve Morton G8SFR of the ETCC
that the NoV was accepted the first time and so quickly.
Initial tests showed that it was possible to get a reliable (VHF)
connection to GB7CIP, more or less 40km south of the new node!
---===( A LARGER TNC POOL )===---
Thanks to a generous donation of four TNCs from LHARC member WSPR, we
now have a much bigger collection of TNCs and related items. Any London
Hackspace user may borrow from this pool to get their packet station
going as quickly and easily as possible, whether it is for participation
in the packet network or other amateur radio projects at the Hackspace.
If you aren't yet a member, details of how to join are on the website.
The cost is what you think the space is worth to you.
At the time of writing, the TNC pool consists of the following:
(T1) AEA PK-232, with manual (M1);
(T2) AEA PK-232MBX, with mailbox capability;
(T3/T4) Two Pac-Comm Tiny-2s;
(T5) AEA PK-88 with manual (M2);
(M3) 'G4VRQ's Beginner's Guide to Packet Radio' booklet;
(S1) PC-Pakratt 2 software, with manual, 5.25" and 3.5" floppies.
(S2) PC-Pakratt/PK-88, with handbook and 3.5" floppy.
We are testing these TNCs when possible. Not listed are a set of cables
to go along with the TNCs. When Ujima house is open for hacking, we will
hold workshops to demonstrate how to set up a station. We are also
planning to combine some of these TNCs with transceivers into full
packet stations to lend out. There will be more details next month.
---===( PACKET ON OTHER BANDS )===---
There is interest within the club on operating packet on other bands
with different propagation properties. Of most interest are HF PACTOR
and 4m. Whereas VHF operation is commonly known as packet, on HF the
analogous technology is PACTOR. PACTOR enables communication over longer
distances.
The 4m band was mentioned last month. Phil M3LVI and Sam M0SKF
are currently experimenting with a set of five crystal-controlled
single-channel radios to see whether they could be used as links between
packet nodes.
---===( NETWORK MAP )===---
The network map shows the users interested in connecting via packet and
the success with which they have established connections. Reports of
successful connections, or requests to be included, are welcome!
,----------------------------------------------------------------------.
| |
| .-o GB7NWG |
| M0OKE + _.-" / (M0SKF) |
| 2E0TPS _+-" _/ |
| 2E0RLZ +" / |
| | _/ |
| + M0PLL .' / |
| | _/ |
| .' / |
| | _/ |
| + packet station .'/ |
| o repeater or PBBS |/ |
| ----- reasonably reliable GB7CIP o' |
| . . . occasional success (G4APL) |
| |
`----------------------------------------------------------------------'
---===( LINK OF THE MONTH )===---
http://2e0sip.co.uk/dolpv --- Instead of a hardware TNC, Marrold 2E0SIP
goes an software route, combining a Tait 8105 with a modified CM108 USB
sound fob to set up an APRS digipeater. This blog post explains how to
do it, including programming the radio, configuring the system and
modifying the fob itself. Very cool.
---===( CONTRIBUTIONS )===---
If you have any contributions for the July 2018 bulletin, please send
them via mail (internet or packet) to the addresses shown at the top of
this message.
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