Hi all!

I have seen that there are several amateur radio operators around DoveNet, and I was hoping that I could find a way to get Synchronet
going as a packet BBS in my shack.

I see the Synchro has some ax25 related scripts/modules around which are, from what I can find, currently undocumented to try and deter
people from playing around with them? That should be all fine, I hope, if one can setup their rig & TNC (Direwolf?) to simply telnet
to the appropriate place upon an incoming connect?

While I have played around with Xastir in the past (not in a couple of years now, I guess) and APRS, I still know little about going
about how to get this kind of setup going.

Is anyone well versed in it?

---
þ Synchronet þ VA7AQD's Tavern - bbs.isurf.ca

Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: Va7aqd to All on Wed Mar 20 2019 17:57:03

I see the Synchro has some ax25 related scripts/modules around which are, from what I can find, currently undocumented to try and deter people from playing around with them? That should be all fine, I hope, if one can

I wrote those scripts, and while they worked for me other people had much difficulty with them. They were a pain to support and troubleshoot. I deleted the instructions so that nobody would waste their time following them.

I do want to take another crack at it someday, but I would really need to be in a special mood for it. It's hardly worth the effort.

setup their rig & TNC (Direwolf?) to simply telnet to the appropriate place upon an incoming connect?

The most important thing would be setting up a command shell that's designed for packet radio use. There may still be an "ax25shell.js" in CVS, or something along those lines. Key points would be:

- No animated pause prompts, spinning cursors, etc
- No hotkeys, user must hit enter after every command
- Local echo of input, not remote

A typical TNC-based session doesn't send stuff until the user hits enter or the buffer fills up, etc., and also you don't want packets crawling back and forth at 1200bps every time the cursor blinks and so on.

Is anyone well versed in it?

I like the idea of packet radio and I know my way around the protocol itself. I'm not a regular user of it, though, and have only messed around with it here and there with other packet BBSs and such.

I find some parts of AX.25 a bit odd and probably unnecessary, and I don't like the way that it's documented. Implementing it properly is quite an annoying task. It's easy to put together enough code to make APRS work, but full on connected-mode stuff is a pain. (Not to say that I'm an authority on the topic or have much right to criticize.)

Personally I'd like to take a crack at creating a similar but simplified protocol that would do the things I need it to. Not sure if anyone else would want to use it.

---
echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-425-5435
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On 03-20-19 17:57, Va7aqd wrote to All <=-

@VIA: VERT/VA7AQDS
Hi all!

I have seen that there are several amateur radio operators around
DoveNet, and I was hoping that I could find a way to get Synchronet
going as a packet BBS in my shack.

I see the Synchro has some ax25 related scripts/modules around which
are, from what I can find, currently undocumented to try and deter
people from playing around with them? That should be all fine, I hope,
if one can setup their rig & TNC (Direwolf?) to simply telnet to the appropriate place upon an incoming connect?

While I have played around with Xastir in the past (not in a couple of years now, I guess) and APRS, I still know little about going about how
to get this kind of setup going.

Is anyone well versed in it?

I've seen bits and pieces, and am intrigued, but I've never attempted it.


... Mental compatability not covered by warranty.
--- MultiMail/Win v0.51
þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS, Bendigo Australia. freeway.apana.org.au

Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: echicken to Va7aqd on Wed Mar 20 2019 09:48 pm

I wrote those scripts, and while they worked for me other people had much difficulty with them. They were a pain to support and troubleshoot. I deleted the instructions so that nobody would waste their time following them.

It looks like all the scripts are sitting around in the SBBS source code, though... at the very least, as you mentioned later in the
message, ax25shell.js is there, so I think I will be looking closely at that and trying to make use of it.

I think it will be interesting to set up (I think this is the path I have to take) an additional hostname locally, with a new Node #
for the SBBS setup, that somehow has a different login/shell/requirements settings on it so that when someone connects via
packet/TNC/etc (if I get that far, of course), then they get that customized/appropriate service.

A typical TNC-based session doesn't send stuff until the user hits enter or the buffer fills up, etc., and also you don't want packets crawling back and forth at 1200bps every time the cursor blinks and so on.

If I can get far enough, I'd hope to run faster than 1200bps too - I have yet to see how difficult that may be. heh.

Personally I'd like to take a crack at creating a similar but simplified protocol that would do the things I need it to. Not sure if anyone else would want to use it.

I'm hoping at the very least I can get some basics going over packet, as there's plenty of people around that are having fun tinkering
with things (mostly DMR and that sort of thing lately), but if we can show a viable/useful messaging thing for emergency comms, and
especially if it can be presented when we are teaching amateur courses, I suspect I could get a few people having fun with it.

As far as the simplified protocol goes, have you presented your thoughts to a larger group (via QRZ or anything?). Sounds like it
could be worthwhile if AX25 is too bloated or feature-excessive. As you can tell I'm very inexperienced with it... I've been having
fun with digital modes on HF for years, but have always wondered why people aren't poking around with packet a little more.

---
þ Synchronet þ VA7AQD's Tavern - bbs.isurf.ca

Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: Va7aqd to echicken on Thu Mar 21 2019 12:09:56

It looks like all the scripts are sitting around in the SBBS source code,

It's all still there, but not documented, not reliable, and not worth using in its current state.

ax25shell.js is there, so I think I will be looking closely at that and

This at least should work, since it's just a basic command shell.

If I can get far enough, I'd hope to run faster than 1200bps too - I have yet to see how difficult that may be. heh.

That's more a question of what radio & modem you're using, and not a limitation on the BBS side of things. 1200 bps is most common for a variety of reasons. Faster is doable, but historically there have been fewer people equipped for it. This has probably changed; I believe I have two rigs capable of a blazing 9600 bps; both are Kenwood handhelds that are fairly commonplace.

As far as the simplified protocol goes, have you presented your thoughts to a larger group (via QRZ or anything?). Sounds like it could be

No, that sounds like a nightmare.

worthwhile if AX25 is too bloated or feature-excessive. As you can tell

Since the protocol is the brainchild of people much smarter than me, I don't want to dump on it too much or enter into an argument with anyone about it. I'm sure there are good-ish reasons for every part of the spec. I'd just like to try making something simpler that's suitable for BBS use, and even then I only have some half-formed ideas.

on HF for years, but have always wondered why people aren't poking around with packet a little more.

I imagine there's a lack of critical mass. If packet offered enough content (messages, chat, etc.) and if these were available through a decent user interface, that might change, but that's a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem. Synchronet could be a piece of that puzzle, though, and could serve a lot of the back-end stuff.

---
echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-425-5435
þ Synchronet þ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com

Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: echicken to Va7aqd on Thu Mar 21 2019 04:16 pm

That's more a question of what radio & modem you're using, and not a limitation on the BBS side of things. 1200 bps is most common for a variety of reasons. Faster is doable, but historically there have been fewer people equipped for it. This has probably changed; I believe I have two rigs capable of a blazing 9600 bps; both are Kenwood handhelds that are fairly commonplace.

Right - I am expecting that when I get far enough along I'll be seeing just how far I can push my various devices. I have seen that my
FT-7900 is fairly good for 9600, but it'll be other gear that will be more challenging, I think.

thoughts to a larger group (via QRZ or anything?). Sounds like it could

No, that sounds like a nightmare.

Maybe I shouldn't have suggested QRZ... heh... I haven't ever been active there, but have heard plenty of stories.

Synchronet could be a piece of that puzzle, though, and could serve a lot of the back-end stuff.

That's what I would like, definitely. I think people should be able to play around, chat, have fun... but there's such a big gap between what
we'd consider 'normal' BBS software and what was developed by HAMs (BPQ32? F6FBB?), it's not a huge surprise packet has little interest.

---
þ Synchronet þ VA7AQD's Tavern - bbs.isurf.ca

Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: Va7aqd to echicken on Thu Mar 21 2019 15:41:18

play around, chat, have fun... but there's such a big gap between what we'd consider 'normal' BBS software and what was developed by HAMs (BPQ32? F6FBB?), it's not a huge surprise packet has little interest.

I'd be interested in making Synchronet systems exchange messages over the air, or creating an offline reader. Interacting with a BBS and its menus in realtime over packet is doable, but not the best experience. Plopping down in front of the computer to read - through a more responsive interface - whatever has come in over the air recently would be more pleasant. I think this is how a lot of people use(d) packet already, with the PBBS built into their TNC or whatever. Bears a passing resemblance to QWK or FTN.

A decent chat system with reliable message delivery and a good UI would be another nice thing. I think there have been a few projects like that, not sure how far any have gotten.

---
echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-425-5435
þ Synchronet þ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com

Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: echicken to Va7aqd on Thu Mar 21 2019 09:22 pm

I'd be interested in making Synchronet systems exchange messages over the air, or creating an offline reader. Interacting with a BBS and its menus in

Oh that would be a heck of a good idea too, yes! I understand "automatic" system-to-system
would be great - would it not be possible currently to download QWK packets over packet? I
suspect that would be a manual process currently, but could potentially be passable vs. trying
to deal with the interactive reading/writing over packet?

I think it's going to be entertaining seeing how much lag there's going to be if I can get a
synchronet session going over packet.

---
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Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: Va7aqd to echicken on Thu Mar 21 2019 20:20:19

system-to-system would be great - would it not be possible currently to download QWK packets over packet? I suspect that would be a manual process

Only using tools external to Synchronet. Normally this is done over FTP or via telnet/SSH and X/Y/Zmodem or similar. You would need to be able to connect to the BBS and make use of a file transfer mechanism suitable for the connection, which is probably simplex. Something could probably be cobbled together, but a native service for this purpose would be better.

I think it's going to be entertaining seeing how much lag there's going to be if I can get a synchronet session going over packet.

It's pretty excruciating. "Expert mode" menus are a must. It's not so bad when you're reading a message / bulletin / text file; once the first chunk of text comes in you can start reading and the rest will follow.

---
echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-425-5435
þ Synchronet þ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com

03-21-19 21:22 echicken wrote to Va7aqd about Packet & Synchronet
Howdy! echicken,

@VIA: VERT/ECBBS
@MSGID: <5C9438DD.4993.dove-ham@bbs.electronicchicken.com>
@REPLY: <5C94130E.1041.dove-ham@bbsmail.isurf.ca>
Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: Va7aqd to echicken on Thu Mar 21 2019 15:41:18

play around, chat, have fun... but there's such a big gap between what we'd consider 'normal' BBS software and what was developed by HAMs (BPQ32? F6FBB?), it's not a huge surprise packet has little interest.

I'd be interested in making Synchronet systems exchange messages over
the air, or creating an offline reader. Interacting with a BBS and its menus in realtime over packet is doable, but not the best experience. Plopping down in front of the computer to read - through a more
responsive interface - whatever has come in over the air recently would
be more pleasant. I think this is how a lot of people use(d) packet already, with the PBBS built into their TNC or whatever. Bears a
passing resemblance to QWK or FTN.

A decent chat system with reliable message delivery and a good UI would
be another nice thing. I think there have been a few projects like
that, not sure how far any have gotten.

I haven't been on the Air for some time but wanted to jump in and talk
about Packet Radio.

Donn KQ9Z built a Digicom Modem for Me to use with my Commodore 64 PC.
He gave me a copy of the DIGICOM 2.0 Program so I could get on 2M Packet.

I had a TR-9130 All Mode 2M XCVR back then, that rig is a SK now because it wouldn't stay on the frequency I set it for.

Some time after I tuned it to a Frequency I wanted to use, it would go to 144.000 Mc. all by its self (sometimes when I had the Mike Button down
during a QSO). That's a BIG OOPS!!!!!!

Kenwood referred me to a Repair Service in another State, but the Tech
couldn't fix it so I let Him keep it in His JUNQUE Pile for parts.

Back then I used a 2M Packet BBS and iirc I would Log On to get new
messages by reading them NonStop until the Buffer nearly was filled up,
then I would Pause the BBS and Save what was in the Buffer to A Floppy
Disk, and then Empty the Buffer and grab more New messages until I got
it all and then Log Off and start reading the messages.
If I wanted to Post a message or make a Reply I would Log On again.

When I got a 486 built for Me, Donn gave me a copy of Baycom software, but
I never used that program on the Air. (Never bought a TNC)

Before I was on Packet and even before I had a computer, I got on 2M and HF RTTY (Baudot or ASCII) with a Netronics Video Termial/Keyboard.

For that I used a RTTY Demodulator circuit I found in a project in Popular Electronics magazine along with a 555 AFSKeyer Curt WB4BTO designed for Me
to build.

On 2M there were several Hams running BBS's on Atari and Apple ][ PC's
that I'd Log On to about every night.

I didn't Log On to a Dial Up BBS until 1984 when I got the C=64 and a VICMODEM300.

73 de Ed W9ODR . .


... "A gross ignoramus - 144 times worse than an ordinary ignoramus."
--- MultiMail/MS-DOS v0.49
þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * capcity2.synchro.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/Rlogin/HTTP

On 03-21-19 21:22, echicken wrote to Va7aqd <=-

I'd be interested in making Synchronet systems exchange messages over
the air, or creating an offline reader. Interacting with a BBS and its menus in realtime over packet is doable, but not the best experience. Plopping down in front of the computer to read - through a more
responsive interface - whatever has come in over the air recently would
be more pleasant. I think this is how a lot of people use(d) packet already, with the PBBS built into their TNC or whatever. Bears a
passing resemblance to QWK or FTN.

Now that's worth doing, though you _could_ cheat, setup IP over AX.25 and use FTP to do transfers. FTP works reasonably well over packet. I used to use it years ago.

A decent chat system with reliable message delivery and a good UI would
be another nice thing. I think there have been a few projects like
that, not sure how far any have gotten.

Yep, that'd be good too. :)


... None of you exist; my Sysop types all this in!
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.51
þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS, Bendigo Australia. freeway.apana.org.au

On 03-21-19 20:20, Va7aqd wrote to echicken <=-

Oh that would be a heck of a good idea too, yes! I understand
"automatic" system-to-system would be great - would it not be possible currently to download QWK packets over packet? I suspect that would be

You'd either need to use a packet specific file transfer protocol like YAPP, or run IP over AX.25 and use FTP (which Synchronet would support of the box).


... Why do we say something is out of whack? What is a whack?
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.51
þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS, Bendigo Australia. freeway.apana.org.au

On 03-22-19 10:07, echicken wrote to Va7aqd <=-

suitable for the connection, which is probably simplex. Something
could probably be cobbled together, but a native service for this
purpose would be better.

YAPP was the download protocol of the packet heyday. Surely it's documented somewhere. I believe it's (loosely) based on xmodem.

I think it's going to be entertaining seeing how much lag there's going to be if I can get a synchronet session going over packet.

It's pretty excruciating. "Expert mode" menus are a must. It's not so bad when you're reading a message / bulletin / text file; once the
first chunk of text comes in you can start reading and the rest will follow.

Yes, interactivity is not the strong point of packet. OTOH, want to learn how a 3 way TCP handshake works? do it over packet and watch in monitor mode. It's slow enough to follow along! :)


... A pnp transistor will be an npn.
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.51
þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS, Bendigo Australia. freeway.apana.org.au

Re: Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: Vk3jed to echicken on Sun Mar 24 2019 09:22 am

Yes, interactivity is not the strong point of packet. OTOH, want to learn how a 3 way TCP handshake works? do it over packet and watch in monitor mode. It's slow enough to follow along! :)

lol! Yes, I have watched TCP handshakes happen in plenty of packet captures, but I think it will be
entertaining watching various things happen in this fashion over packet.

---
þ Synchronet þ VA7AQD's Tavern - bbs.isurf.ca

On 03-23-19 19:36, Va7aqd wrote to Vk3jed <=-

Yes, interactivity is not the strong point of packet. OTOH, want to learn how a 3 way TCP handshake works? do it over packet and watch in monitor mode. It's slow enough to follow along! :)

lol! Yes, I have watched TCP handshakes happen in plenty of packet captures, but I think it will be entertaining watching various things happen in this fashion over packet.

It's totally different when you're able to follow along in real time! :-) At the time (1991), I was studying TCP/IP, which was hailed as the future of networking (and rightly so!) back then at university, then I'd come home and watch it all play out in front of me on packet radio. Back then, I ran a multiport system on raw AX.25, NET/ROM and IP over 1200 bps packet. I used the G8BPQ packet switch for the modems/TNCs, AX.25 and NET/ROM routing, and on top of that, I ran NOS for IP routing and TCP/IP applications (FTP, telnet, ttylink and SMTP, etc). All of this ran on top of DOS on a dual floppy XT clone that I threw together out of scrounged parts. :)

For a while, I was the only NET/ROM link between eastern Victoria and
elbourne.


... My other vehicle is a Galaxy Class Starship ...
--- MultiMail/Win v0.51
þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS, Bendigo Australia. freeway.apana.org.au

Re: Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: Vk3jed to Va7aqd on Mon Mar 25 2019 12:24 pm

watch it all play out in front of me on packet radio. Back then, I ran a multiport system on raw AX.25, NET/ROM and IP over 1200 bps packet. I used the G8BPQ packet switch for the modems/TNCs, AX.25 and NET/ROM routing, and on top of that, I ran NOS for IP routing and TCP/IP applications (FTP, telnet, ttylink and SMTP, etc). All of this ran on top of DOS on a dual

Very cool - and I expect I'll be striving for at least 1200 bps to start, too. Heheh! Do you still run
packet in your neck of the woods?

---
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Re: Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: Ed Vance to echicken on Fri Mar 22 2019 21:43:00

When I got a 486 built for Me, Donn gave me a copy of Baycom software, but I never used that program on the Air. (Never bought a TNC)

I had some kind of Baycom parallel port device years ago. Wasn't terribly impressed with it or the related software, but I think it was among the cheapest options at the time. I remember putting up a want ad asking for old packet gear, and getting some outlandish offers. I guess people shelled out big bucks for this stuff in the 80s and 90s and are loath to let it go even decades later without recouping like 75% of the original cost. :|

Before I was on Packet and even before I had a computer, I got on 2M and HF RTTY (Baudot or ASCII) with a Netronics Video Termial/Keyboard.

For that I used a RTTY Demodulator circuit I found in a project in Popular Electronics magazine along with a 555 AFSKeyer Curt WB4BTO designed for Me to build.

There are some interesting designs and devices for RTTY, but I have only ever operated that mode via software (fldigi) or what's built into my HF rig (IC-756 Pro III). Still a fairly active mode, though, among so many others that are fun to explore.

On 2M there were several Hams running BBS's on Atari and Apple ][ PC's that I'd Log On to about every night.

I haven't used a packet BBS in several years and can recall there being only one or two that I could reach from my old house. I live in my country's most populous region, so that probably says a lot about the state of packet BBSing today. Would have been fun to experience it in the heyday, alas I was poor and unlicensed at the time.

---
echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-425-5435
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Re: Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: Vk3jed to echicken on Sun Mar 24 2019 09:18:00

Now that's worth doing, though you _could_ cheat, setup IP over AX.25 and use FTP to do transfers. FTP works reasonably well over packet. I used to use it years ago.

That does feel like a cheat though, with extra overhead and slowness. I'm more interested in making it work natively and raw on Synchronet if at all.

The downside is really that even if I make that work, I'm unlikely to find much use for it myself. I'd have to reach out and see if there's anyone nearby who would want to participate, but I can only think of one person who might maybe sorta kinda possibly potentially be interested.

---
echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-425-5435
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Re: Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: Vk3jed to echicken on Sun Mar 24 2019 09:22:00

YAPP was the download protocol of the packet heyday. Surely it's documented somewhere. I believe it's (loosely) based on xmodem.

I'm familiar with it. Actually implemented it in JS years ago for this purpose, though I don't think I held on to the code. Wasn't too difficult IIRC.

how a 3 way TCP handshake works? do it over packet and watch in monitor mode. It's slow enough to follow along! :)

That's actually one thing I enjoyed about AX.25 especially at 1200 bps. Following debug output of my scripts made it pretty easy to figure out what was happening and where things were going wrong. Granted, looking through a sequence of packets after the fact would work just as well, but there was something fun about watching it in real time.

---
echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-425-5435
þ Synchronet þ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com

On 03-25-19 15:59, Va7aqd wrote to Vk3jed <=-

Very cool - and I expect I'll be striving for at least 1200 bps to
start, too. Heheh! Do you still run packet in your neck of the woods?

Not yet. I have a gateway setup, but haven't got around to hooking up a radio yet.


... Love is blind, marriage is the eye-opener.
--- MultiMail/Win v0.51
þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS, Bendigo Australia. freeway.apana.org.au

On 03-26-19 11:10, echicken wrote to Vk3jed <=-

That does feel like a cheat though, with extra overhead and slowness.
I'm more interested in making it work natively and raw on Synchronet if
at all.

But I thought I'd mention FTP for completeness. :)

The downside is really that even if I make that work, I'm unlikely to
find much use for it myself. I'd have to reach out and see if there's anyone nearby who would want to participate, but I can only think of
one person who might maybe sorta kinda possibly potentially be
interested.

You'd probably want to implement YAPP, because it's supported by other software. I don't know if there's any other packet radio transfer protocols around.


... And, best of all, Fido people are the best of all!
--- MultiMail/Win v0.51
þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS, Bendigo Australia. freeway.apana.org.au

On 03-26-19 11:16, echicken wrote to Vk3jed <=-

YAPP was the download protocol of the packet heyday. Surely it's documented somewhere. I believe it's (loosely) based on xmodem.

I'm familiar with it. Actually implemented it in JS years ago for this purpose, though I don't think I held on to the code. Wasn't too
difficult IIRC.

Sounds like some JS code to resurrect. :)

how a 3 way TCP handshake works? do it over packet and watch in monitor mode. It's slow enough to follow along! :)

That's actually one thing I enjoyed about AX.25 especially at 1200 bps. Following debug output of my scripts made it pretty easy to figure out what was happening and where things were going wrong. Granted, looking through a sequence of packets after the fact would work just as well,
but there was something fun about watching it in real time.

Yes, watching things unfold in real time is that step above simply looking at a packet log. :)


... I didn't climb to the top of the food chain just to eat vegetables.
--- MultiMail/Win v0.51
þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS, Bendigo Australia. freeway.apana.org.au

Hi all,

Hope you dont mind me jumping in.
I have been wanting to do Synchronet with packet for ages and did open a thead of echickens old code a couple of years ago.
Well I finally have a 9600 packet set up running (attended only for now) using Uronode with a menu entry that connects to a local synchronet instance.
As mentioned above the standard menu is terrible due to some commands being hot keys without the need for carriage returns. So its not really a usable system right now but what it does prove to me is using 9600 its probably usable whereas when I tried with 1200 it was just far too painful...
Regards
Marc (2W0PNT)

---
þ Synchronet þ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com

Re: Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: monsieurmarc to Vk3jed on Mon Apr 15 2019 05:46 am

Hi all,

Hope you dont mind me jumping in.
I have been wanting to do Synchronet with packet for ages and did open a thead of echickens old code a couple of years ago.
Well I finally have a 9600 packet set up running (attended only for now) using Uronode with a menu entry that connects to a
local synchronet instance.
As mentioned above the standard menu is terrible due to some commands being hot keys without the need for carriage returns.
its not really a usable system right now but what it does prove to me is using 9600 its probably usable whereas when I tried
with 1200 it was just far too painful...

The standard menu? Perhaps using a command shell that uses string input would help. Or try enabling "cold keys" in your user
defaults settings.

digital man

Synchronet "Real Fact" #58:
The last version of Synchronet to run on MS-DOS and OS/2 was v2.30c (1999). Norco, CA WX: 55.6øF, 60.0% humidity, 0 mph SW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

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Re: Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: monsieurmarc to Vk3jed on Mon Apr 15 2019 05:46 am

Hope you dont mind me jumping in.

Howdy, glad you have jumped in!

I have been wanting to do Synchronet with packet for ages and did open a thead of echickens old code a couple of years ago.

I presume you opened a thread?

Well I finally have a 9600 packet set up running (attended only for now) using Uronode with a menu entry that connects to a local synchronet instance.

Very cool! Would love to know the rig & gear you're using, which band you're on for 9600 (2M? 70cm? higher?) I hadn't heard of
Uronode until just now - the website seems to be fairly useless, will have to see if it has better docs with it's code.

As mentioned above the standard menu is terrible due to some commands being hot keys without the need for carriage returns. So its not really a usable system right now but what it does prove to me is using 9600 its probably usable whereas when I tried with 1200 it was just far too painful...

Yeah, I'll bet - there seems to be a basic menu designed for packet use, along with an ax25 shell... did you get those going?

Very cool to hear that you've got this going, look forward to hearing further!

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þ Synchronet þ VA7AQD's Tavern - bbs.isurf.ca

Hi,
(Digital Man)
Yes I need to try a different menu I just haven't had the chance yet and thats a good call on the cold key setting.

(Va7aqd)
Yes excuse the typos ;)
So kit wise I have a ton of TNC's that I have bought cheap on ebay over the years but i mainly use a Kantronics KPC9612+ on 2M(144.950Mhz) on the node and on the other end I use a Kenwood TH-D74.

Uronode has some documentation dotted around but n1uro's main site seems to be under rebuild. I found most of my links via the ampr.net wiki.

I havent played with the old ax25 interface code, have you had much luck with it?

Regards
Marc

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þ Synchronet þ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com

On 04-15-19 05:46, monsieurmarc wrote to Vk3jed <=-

@VIA: VERT/ECBBS
Hi all,

Hope you dont mind me jumping in.
I have been wanting to do Synchronet with packet for ages and did open
a thead of echickens old code a couple of years ago.
Well I finally have a 9600 packet set up running (attended only for
now) using Uronode with a menu entry that connects to a local
synchronet instance. As mentioned above the standard menu is terrible
due to some commands being hot keys without the need for carriage
returns. So its not really a usable system right now but what it does prove to me is using 9600 its probably usable whereas when I tried with 1200 it was just far too painful... Regards

There is a reason why packet BBSs are spartan command driven systems. :) I'm sure you could create a Synchronet theme to provide a better packet radio interface.


... All true wisdom is found in taglines. :)
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þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS, Bendigo Australia. freeway.apana.org.au

Re: Re: Packet & Synchronet
By: monsieurmarc to Va7aqd on Tue Apr 16 2019 04:41 am

So kit wise I have a ton of TNC's that I have bought cheap on ebay over the years but i mainly use a Kantronics KPC9612+ on 2M(144.950Mhz) on the node and on the other end I use a Kenwood TH-D74.

Ah, very nice! I'm going to have to see how my experiments will come along with the gear I have, I suspect I'm going to have to
start at 1200 baud and move up from there, primarily because my 2nd TNC won't do more than 1200 baud currently (mobilinkd tnc).

Uronode has some documentation dotted around but n1uro's main site seems to be under rebuild. I found most of my links via the ampr.net wiki.

OK, will have a look there - in case anyone else is looking, it's wiki.ampr.org - ampr.net is 'for sale!'. heh

I havent played with the old ax25 interface code, have you had much luck with it?

I can't say that I've spent much time with it at all, since I really haven't had a project for it. The most packet I've done to
date was a couple of years ago connecting to the TPARC network ( www.tparc.org ) and then coming to the conclusion that it might be
broken, as using it to try to connect to 'things' wasn't doing a whole heck of a lot.

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