[FADCA] NTS/ARES/RACES - Layered Network Growing - Now Let's Use It

[Bill Sinbine]

At 04:10 PM 2/7/2004 -0500, you wrote:
>HI,
>
>WE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE OLD BBS ACCEPTING 'CANNED' TRAFFIC WHEN WE
>USED THE OLD SOFTWARE. (ON DISK AND SELF FED)  THE BBS WENT DOWN AND THE
>SYSOP DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE A COPY OF THE SOFTWARE.  HE LEFT AND I WAS
>REQUESTED TO TRY TO GET IT BACK ON THE AIR.

What bbs program was it that was being used?


>WHEN THE BBS WAS PUT UP WITH FBB, I HAD TO MAKE A LOT OF TRIPS TO THE EOC
>TO RESET THE SYSTEM AS IT WOULD NOT HANDLE TRAFFIC.  I HAVE NOW
>RESTRICTED NTS TO KEYBOARDED, NOT CANNED.  THIS HAS CAUSED A GREAT
>REDUCTION IN THE AMOUNT OF NTS UTILIZING THE BBS.

Do you have him set up as a bbs to allow auto forwarding?


>WHEN THERE IS A CHANGE, WHERE WE START TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS DUE TO A
>PROGRAM, I CALL THAT PROGRAM UNFRIENDLY.  I AM NOT A POLITICALLY CORRECT
>TYPE PERSON, HIDING THE TRUTH TO SOUND LIKE ONE OF THE APOLOGISTS.
>
>I FIND THE FBB UNNECESSARILY CONVOLUTED AND THE DOCUMENTATION A JUMBLE.
>I PRESUME THIS IS PARTLY DUE TO TRANSLATION, THOUGH I BELIEVE THAT
>SEPARATE SECTIONS BY OPERATING SYSTEM WOULD HAVE MADE UNDERSTANDING
>EASIER.  ALSO MANY THINGS ARE WRITTEN FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE
>SUBJECT, BUT ARE OF NO HELP TO THE BEGINNER.


This is true and  I'm sure that the people on this list can get you going. 
This is one of the reasons for this list.


>WE HAVE STARTED A SEARCH FOR THE OLD PROGRAM, BUT ARE ALSO INTERESTED IN
>THE NEW PROGRAM TALKED ABOUT ON THE REFLECTOR.

The new program will be "down the road" it is still in the coding process.

You will find the docs for most amateur programs aren't that good. The new 
bbs program being worked on right now will probably be the same.


>AS I STATED, THE NTS TRAFFIC NET CONTROLLER HAS REQUESTED OF ME THAT WE
>RETURN TO THE PREVIOUS PROGRAM OR FIND SOMETHING WHERE WE WILL NOT HAVE
>THE PROBLEMS.  ERGO, THE SEARCH.

Can you give some examples as to how he is sending the messages. Like bud 
said, it needs to be in the proper format. ntszip @ ntsstate  ie:  ST 
34988@ntsfl   If it isn't in this format it won't go anywhere. I did have 
the format messed up last night sorry about that. FBB will ONLY work in 
this format which is the proper format. This isn't a problem, this is how 
it is supposed to be. If the other program let you do it some other way 
that is where the problem was.

If you go to http://www.choisser.com/packet/ you will find the packet 
beginners info. This is VERY good info. It is dated, but it will give the 
basics on packet. There might be some info that will help you and others in 
setting things up properly.


>THE 'REASON' FOR THE BBS/NODE HAS BEEN TO PROVIDE A LOCAL DIGITAL
>COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK FOR THE TRANSFER OF BULK INFORMATIONAL MATERIAL
>BETWEEN THE SERVED SHELTERS AND THE EOC.  THIS IS TO ACCOMMODATE THE
>LOGISTICS FOR STORM/DISASTER NEEDS LOCALLY.

I think you will find that in a emergency you won't be using nts format 
between shelters. All that has to be done is to do normal type packet and 
have a call assigned to each shelter. Then you will just need to have each 
shelter set up as a bbs with that call to be able to do auto forwarding to 
the bbs. This really has nothing to do with the packet setup for the most 
part. It has more to do with your plan and to have everything set up in 
advanced. This way you can have someone sit down at the computer that has 
never seen packet and say here is a list of calls/locations to send 
messages to and here is how you send them. This is all up to the program 
you pick as to how it is done.


>TRAFFIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN 'TOLERATED' AS AN OFF-SEASON ACTIVITY TO MAKE
>CERTAIN THAT THE SYSTEM WAS FUNCTIONING.  I AM STILL LOOKING FOR THE
>SOFTWARE TO USE IN THE SHELTERS.  MOST OF THE OPERATORS WILL NEVER HAVE
>TOUCHED PACKET BEFORE AND WILL HAVE NO USE FOR IT OUTSIDE OF THE DISASTER
>FUNCTION, THEREFORE THE NEED FOR A SIMPLE SYSTEM WHERE A FORM MAY JUST BE
>FILLED OUT AND SENT TO THE EOC.
>
>NO MATTER WHAT SOFTWARE OR TNC'S ARE USED, THE OBJECT IS TO KEEP THE
>BBS/NODE IN OPERATION.  THIS IS MY PRIMARY GOAL.

In order to help out we will need to see how you have the bbs configured. 
There are many routing files in fbb and when you break them down to one at 
a time they are very easy.
It doesn't matter what the bbs program is if it is set up right then it 
will work right as long as the proper format is used and this can be a bear 
no matter what the program.!


73, Bill N4XEO

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