Project:Packet Radio/Bulletin/1806

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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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