Packet--speed, more speed, and applications : a collection of advanced packet methods and activities from ARRL publications and other sources

191 Pages·1997·34.377 MB·English

by  Roznoy, Rich

Packet: Speed, More Speed
and Applications
A Collection of Advanced Packet Methods
and Activities from ARRL Publications
and Other Sources
Compiled by Rich Roznoy, K10F
Production Staff:
Paul Lappen
Joe Shea
Cover:
Design: Sue Fagan
Published by:
The American Radio Relay League
Newington, CT 06111 USA
Copyright© 1997by
The AmericanRadio Relay League,Inc.
Copyrightsecuredunderthe Pan-American
Convention
InternationalCopyright secured
This work is Publication No.193ofthe Radio
Amateur's Library,publishedbythe League.
All rights reserved.Nopart ofthiswork may
be reproducedinany form except bywritten
permissionofthepublisher.Allrightsof
translationare reserved.
PrintedintheUSA
Quedanreservados todos los derechos
Second Edition
First printing
ISBN: 0-87259-605-2
Foreword
The 2nd editionofPacket:Speed. More Speed is indeed "more." Picking up
where the Ist edition left off, itprovides, all inone convenient volume, an impres
sive compilation ofarticles and other informationonadvanced packetapplications.
The best news is that there's110 carryoverfrom the Ist edition:If you have a copy
ofthe 1stedition, there's no duplication in this book.
Resourceful amateurs have used commercial technology developed during the
past 30 years to make packet radio one ofour hobby's most exciting modes. In the
early days, receiving error free data was the principal goal. Today that is accom
plished easily.Now the challenge is to have thiserror free data represent something
more than plain text messages.With the new applications now available, data may
represent maps, geographic locations, weather, DX stations and much more. A
series ofimpressive new uses is possible due to the skill and generosity ofBob
Bruninga, WB4APR, who developed the APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting
System). He coupled a packet modem and a hand-held transceiver with a GPS
(GlobalPositioning System), allowing us to track real-time events such as the path
ofaballoon as it drifts across the countryside. Mark and Keith Sproul, KB2ICI and
WU2Z respectively, are developing add-on applications for APRS.Skywarn
weather reporting, DX Cluster monitoring and high resolution map displays arejust
a few ofthese innovations.
As 1200 baud has become routine, innovators like Dale Heatherington, WA4DSY
and TAPR (Tucson Amateur PacketRadio) are drawing oncommercial technolo
gies to give us a 50-fold increase in speed.Ifyou, like many of us, don't have a
high speed modem, you still canenjoy anexciting new use for your l200-baud
station. Fuji-OSCAR 29 offers us the first really user-friendly satellite BBS. You
don't need any special equipment;a 1200-baud TNC used foryour local BBS will
workjust fine.
As youcan see, there are a lot ofexciting new things to do on packet. This book
provides you with the most complete single source of advanced packet information
available. Let usknow what you are doing and what material you would like to see
in future editions. A handy feedback form is at the back for your convenience.
David Sumner, KIZZ
Executive Vice President
Newington, Connecticut
March 1997
iii
Contents
Chapter 1: Operating
1-1 "Amateur Radio Meets the Internet" by Steve Ford, WB81MY
from January 1995 QST
1-4 "Messages via Packet/Internet Gateways" by Stan Horzepa,WA1LOU
from June 1995 QST
1-5 "KISSes, POPs and Pings" by Steve Ford, WB81MY
from June 1995 QST
1-8 "Exploring the 9600-Baud PACSATs" by Andrew Cornwall, VE1COR
fromJune 1995 QST
1-11 "DX PacketClusters" by Steve Ford, WB81MY
from March 1996 QST
1-15 "Chasing DX with APRS" by Stan Horzepa,WA1LOU
from October 1996 QST
1-16 "Pactor-II, Impressions and Update Information one year after" by Tom Rink and Dipl.-Ing. Martin Clas,
DL1ZAM
from May 1996 Digital Journal
1-19 "The HAL P38 DSP, and otherthoughts" by Hal Blegen, WA7EGA
from August 1995 DigitalJournal
1-21 "Fuji-OSCAR-29"
from the AMSAT Web site
1-22 "WinAPRS: Windows Automatic Position Reporting System" by Mark Sproul, KB21CI and Keith Sproul,
WU2Z
from the 15th ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference
1-28 "Automatic Radio Direction Finding Using MacAPRS & WinAPRS" by Keith Sproul, WU2Z
from the 15th ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference
1-33 "Packet and Internet" by James Wagner, KA7EHK
from the 15th ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference
1-36 "SUNSAT: A Micro Satellite Under Construction in South Africa"
from the Universitat Kaiserslauten Web Page
1-38 "ACARS: Packet for Airplanes" by Donald Cox, AA3EK
from November 1996 QST
1-41 "SCS PTC-II Multimode Controller with Pactor-II" by Steve Ford, WB81MY
from January 1997 QST
1-43 "Geminids Packet Meteor-Scatter Test Results" by Stan Horzepa,WA1LOU
from April 1996 QST
1-44 "On-Air Measurements of HF Data Throughput, Results and Reflections," by Ken Wickwire, KB1JY
from March 1996 Digital Journal
1-55 "Portable Packets" and "Software For the BP-2 and BP-2M" by Phillip Nichols, KC8DQF
from March 1997 QSTand from Tigertronics Web page
Chapter 2: Theory/Design
2-1 '''9600-Ready' Radios: Ready or Not?" by Jon Bloom, KE3Z
from May 1995 QST
2-7 "A Comparison of HF Digital Protocols" by Tim Riley; Dennis Bodson,W4PWF; Stephen Rieman; and
Teresa G. Sparkman
fromJuly 1996 QST
2-12 "Measuring 9600-Baud Radio BER Performance" by Jon Bloom, KE3Z
from March 1995 QEX
iv
2-20 "The WA4DSY 56 Kilobaud RF Modem" by Dale A. Heatherington,WA4DSY
from the 14th ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference
2-32 "Data Radio Standard Test Methods, by Burton Lang,VE2BMQ, and Donald Rotolo, N21RZ
from the 14th ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference
2-37 "javAPRS: Implementation of the APRS Protocols in Java" by Steve Dimse, K04HD
from the 15th ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference
2-44 "On-Air Measurements of MIL-STD-188-141A ALE Data Text Message Throughput Over Short Links"
by Ken Wickwire, KB1JY
from the 15th ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference
2-48 "CLOVER- The Technology Grows and Matures" by Bill Henry, K9GWT
from the 15th ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference
Chapter 3: Networking
3-1 "RMNC/FlexNet: The Network of Choice in Western Europe" by Eric Bertrem, F5PJE
from April 1995 QST
3-2 "Availability of Seventy 9600 Baud Packet Channels on Two Meters" by Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
from the 14th ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference
3-5 "Building a Packet Network" by Karl Medcalf, WK5M
from the 14th ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference
3-13 "The Puget Sound Amateur Radio TCP/IP Network" by Steve Stroh, N8GNJ
from the 14th ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference
Chapter 4: Construction
4-1 "An Easy Path to Packet: the IMP" by Tony Marchese, N2YMW
from December 1995 QST
4-3 "Radio-TNC Wiring Diagrams" from What is your TNC Doing? by Gloria E. Medcalf, KA5ZTX
4-18 "Introducing the Ottawa PI2 (Packet Interface 2) Card" by the Ottawa Amateur Radio Club, Inc.
from the Ottawa ARC Web Site
4-20 "Modifications for the Alinco DR-1200" by David Stinson, AB5S and Bill Leahy, K0ZL
from the Internet
4-23 "The AX384 & AX576 GMSK Radio Modems" by Matthew Phillips, G6WPJ and John Ferguson,G8STW
from the GMSK Web Site
4-27 "W3IWI/TAPRTAC-2 (Totally Accurate Clock) Project" by Tom Clark, W31WI
from the TAPR Web Site
4-31 "Emulating the 'Totally Accurate Clock" by Tom Clark, W31WI
from the Goddard Space Flight Center FTP Site
Acknowledgments
This book isthe product of many individuals. Our appreciation goesout to all who madecontributions by supplying
informationandgranting permissionto usetheir material. AspecialthankyougoestoGloria Medcalf,KA5ZTX,author
of Whatisyour TNCDoing?,for sharing her"Radio-TNCWiring Diagrams"with us.
v
About the
American Radio Relay League
TheseedforAmateurRadiowasplantedinthe 1890s,when representsUSamateurswiththeFederalCommunicationsCom
GuglielmoMarconi beganhisexperimentsinwirelesstelegra mission and other government agencies in the US and abroad.
phy. Soon he was joined by dozens, then hundreds, of others MembershipinARRLmeansmuchmorethanreceivingQST
who were enthusiastic about sending and receiving messages eachmonth.Inadditiontotheservicesalreadydescribed,ARRL
through the air-some with a commercial interest, but others offers membership services on a personal level, such as the
solelyout of alove for this new communicationsmedium.The ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator Program and a QSL
United States government began licensing Amateur Radio op bureau.
erators in 1912. Full ARRL membership (available only to licensed radio
By 1914, there were thousands of Amateur Radio opera amateurs)gives youavoiceinhowtheaffairsoftheorganization
tors-hams-inthe UnitedStates.HiramPercyMaxim, alead aregoverned.League policyissetbyaBoardofDirectors(one
ing Hartford, Connecticut, inventor and industrialist saw the fromeachof 15Divisions).Eachyear, halfoftheARRLBoard
need for an organization to band together this fledgling group of Directorsstands for electionbythefull memberstheyrepre
ofradio experimenters.InMay 1914 he founded the American sent. The day-to-dayoperationof ARRLHQ is managed by an
Radio Relay League (ARRL) to meet that need. Executive Vice President and a ChiefFinancial Officer.
Today ARRL, with more than 170,000 members, is the NomatterwhataspectofAmateurRadioattractsyou,ARRL
largestorganizationofradioamateursinthe UnitedStates.The membership isrelevantandimportant.TherewouldbenoAma
League is a not-for-profit organization that: teur Radio as we know it today were it not for the ARRL. We
• promotes interest in Amateur Radiocommunications would be happy to welcome you as a member! (An Amateur
and experimentation Radio license is not required for Associate Membership.) For
• represents US radio amateursin legislative matters, and moreinformationabout ARRLandanswerstoanyquestionsyou
• maintains fraternalism and a high standard of conduct mayhave about Amateur Radio, write or call:
among AmateurRadio operators.
At League headquarters in the Hartford suburb of
Newington,the staff helps servethe needsofmembers. ARRL
is also International Secretariat for the International Amateur ARRLEducational Activities Dept
RadioUnion,whichismade upofsimilarsocietiesinmore than 225 Main Street
100 countries around the world. NewingtonCT 06111-1494
ARRLpublishesthemonthlyjournalQST,aswell asnews [phone]
lettersand many publicationscovering allaspectsofAmateur
Radio.Itsheadquarters station,WIAW, transmitsbulletinsof Prospective new amateurs call:
interest to radio amateurs and Morse code practice sessions. 800-32-NEW HAM (800-326-3942)
The League also coordinates an extensive field organization,
which includes volunteers who provide technical information E-mail:[email protected]
for radio amateurs and public-service activities. ARRL also Internet:http://www.arrl.org/
vi

Chapter 1
Operating
the Internet
By Steve Ford, WB81MY
Assistant Managing Editor
Internet:[email protected]
11m
sitting at the keyboard ofa a route to 44.88.4.35-my home TCP/IP high-speed RF packet networksencircling
friend'spacketstation.He's address. the Earth, but this is not likely to happen
a relatively new packeteer, Myfriendshookhishead."You'veasked anytime soon. The cost is outrageous and
and I've been tryingtocon that station to do the impossible. Our net therequiredmaintenancewouldbetoomuch
verthimto the wondersofTCP/IP. That's worksdon't connect." for mostindividualsor groupsto bear.
the AmateurRadio version oftheInternet, "Are you sure?" I said with a smile. We've been using HF packet to help
the global information superhighway. "Whatifthisstationhasaway topassdata bridgethegaps,but its performanceleaves
It's been tough sledding, though. First to and from theInternet?Whatwould hap much tobedesired.OtherHFdigitalmodes
we had to set up the software in his com pen then?" haveimprovedthesituation,but they'reall
puter. Then I had to acquaint him with an Hiseyes widened. "A gateway!" atthe mercyofthechangeablenatureofHF
entirely new way of navigating his local "Hrnmrn ...could be!" propagation.Noneofthem offerthe speed
network. A thousand milesaway, mypacket sta that even a 1200-bit/s VHF/UHF packet
"TCP/IP is all well and good, but what tion is faithfully monitoring 145.53 MHz. linkcanachieve.
canIdowithit?"heasked."Whathappens Another station belonging to Bill Lyman, Digital Amateur Radio satellites have
after you go home to Connecticut and I'm NINWP,isonthesamefrequency.NINWP beenpressed intoservice totransferpacket
left withthis?" is also linked directly (by wire) to the mail. Thesatellites arereasonablydepend
"Well, we canchatandsend electronic Internet. able, but they are not geostationary (sta
mail," Ireplied. Sure enough, the link request finally tioned at fixed points in the sky from our
"Yeah,right.Wetriedthatwiththeregu arrives at NINWP via the Internet. His perspective on the ground). Instead, they
larpacket BBSs,remember?Ittookaweek computer "looks" at my IP address and orbit the Earth at relatively low altitudes.
for my messagesto reach you-whenthey knows exactly what to do. A connect re Thismeansthatpacketstationshaveonlya
reached you at all. Besides, you said my quest blastsouton 145.53MHz.Thevirtual few opportunities each day to get data to
TCP/IP network was local. How could I circuit is established and, halfway across and fromthesatellites.
possibly connect to you?" thecontinent,I'm rewarded withthe mes It wasn'tlongbeforemanyhamsbegan
ThisisexactlythemomentIwas waiting sage shown in Figure I toconsidernonamateur meanstoreach the
for. It wastimetounveilmysecretweapon. "Incredible!" my friend gasps. "So this sameend.That'swhentheybegan taking a
I tapped furiously on the keys and soon ishowthe fabledgateways work. Ithought serious lookatthe Internet.
established a telnet sessionto a stationon they were just rumors. This is unbeliev
his network. able!" Openingthe Gateways
"What are you-" Internet connectionsare asclose asthe
The Elusive Goal
"Sit tight. You'll see." nearest telephone lines. With the proper
He peered closely at the screen as I As amateur packet radio has spread hardware and software, it isn't difficult to
entered: throughouttheworld,onegoalhasremained interface amateur packet radio stations to
elusive:findingafast,reliablewaytotrans the Internet. Manyofthesebecometheso
telnet 44.88.4.35
fer information between distant points.At called "gateways."
Ijust instructed the local stationto find one time we thought that we could build Some gateway stations are set up at
Figure 1-By using an Internet gateway on my friend's TCP/ Figure2- This is abriefglimpse of the international aso
IP network, I've connected to my home packet station conference bridge. It'sespecially hotand heavyduringthe
from morethan 1,000miles away! evenings and on weekends.
Operating 1-1