[FADCA] June 1 Update - Layered Packet Netwrok - Central FL

[bud Thompson]

(I sent this in an HTML message to a buncha folks who are interested (and
likely some who are not) - This copy is for FADCA.

June 1, 2002 UPDATE

STATUS OF LAYERED PACKET NETWORK
IN CENTRAL FLORIDA

NOTE: Effective June 9 the Orlando BBS (KA4GDV or Quick Connect C W4PLB-1)
will be off the air while sysop Bill West moves to a new QTH in the Orlando
area. NTS messages for Orange and Osceola Counties and personal messages for
those who use KA4GDV as Home BBS will be found on the N3PPC BBS in Sanford.
N3PPC may be reached directly on the Orlando LAN (145.07) using C N3PPC or
Quick Connect C W4PLB-2. N3PPC may also be reached directly on the Sanford
LAN (145.67.) When KA4GDV returns to service, all will be changed back to
the way it is now.

The Orlando LAN (Orange and Seminole Counties) might be used during the
statewide SET Wednesday June 5.
The Orlando, DeLand, and Daytona Beach LANs and network switches continue to
function as before. The Orlando and DeLand switches are still at test
locations.

The month of May saw the return of a functioning Melbourne FPAC switch to
the network after nearly a two year hiatus. Thanks to Rick W4RP and Clayton
KA4NHW. For the past week it has been possible to work from the DeLand
switch through to West Palm Beach when the 220 band was cooperative between
the DeLand switch (now in Deltona under tests) and Cocoa. With the move of
the Orlando switch to its new location, this last gap in the network along
the east coast will be bridged. The link between the DeLand switch northward
to JAX has been good about 60 percent during the daytime and 90+ percent at
night. This will improve with the move of the DeLand switch to DeLand.
All antenna work has been completed at the DeLand site, and the mechanicals
are finished on the cabinet to house the DeLand switch. After stripping the
paint (circa 1948) and repainting, the cabinet will be ready to populate.
After a week's additional testing it will be installed at the DeLand site. -
this month!

Hal, KK1B, the Orlando Amateur Radio Club representative, has requested Mat,
N8MV, the contact at the new Orlando FPAC site, to arrange for a preliminary
site visit.  Charlie, N3PPC, has the equipment cabinet ready to go. Once we
get the go-ahead from Hal, we can make the move in less than a week's time.
We anticipate not more than one or two days of down time to populate the
cabinet then test for a few days prior to moving to the new site. There will
be one additional day of down time for the move.

Integration of HF PacTOR with the network continues. N4XEO (Ft. Pierce),
WX4J (Switzerland/JAX), KN6KB (WL2K Rockledge/Melbourne ), and N0IA
(Deltona) are all available on 40M PacTOR daytime with concurrent packet
links to the Layered Network. KA4FZI (Cape Coral/Ft. Myers) is also
available and can move traffic to the packet network. (WX4J and KA4FZI
handle NTS and personal messages only.) The calling frequency is 7072.50
mark (7074.50 LSB Dial). Eighty meters is used at night.

Direct link to the Internet (e-mail) using an experimental SMS (Small
Message System) is available through KN6KB (Melbourne LAN) and KF4SIR-2
(Orlando LAN). SMS will let you place a message directly on the Internet
from your (portable) packet station. KF4SIR has been doing it from his canoe
on the Wekiwa River with a Palm Pilot!

Elsewhere on the network: The Boca switch is down but should be back up with
a replacement computer early this week. N4KOX and KD4MOJ continue with
talks/plans to provide connectivity between JAX and Tallahassee. Interest
has been indicated by several parties in the Ft. Myers/Lee County/Charlotte
County area to get better connected to the network. Likewise, there is a
renewed interest in Citrus and Marion Counties where there is a BBS w/o
connectivity to the network. An FPAC site in Leesburg linking to DeLand and
Ocala would go a long way to solving this problem. Anyone know of an
individual or club/group that might want to sponsor a network switch in Lake
County? Please have him/her contact me.

73,

bud Thompson N0IA
FADCA District Five
386 574 4124