[FADCA] FPAC Linux Switch running

[Chuck Hast]

Folks
I have a real live one. As I have pointed out in earlier post I am running
a variant of Debian Linux called Knoppix, in particular one that is dedicted
to amateur radio, which is called Knoppix_AFU. I have installed it on a
older laptop (one of the nice things about linux is it makes fine use of
older gear because it does not demand as much out of the old boxes
as the newer versions of the other OS does) which I have been using
as my test bed.

My first step was to get AX25 up and running, there is a tool that comes
as a part of the Knoppix_AFU cd that will allow you to configure your
AX25 ports, calls, TNC protocols (KISS, BPQKISS, 6pack, etc) and 
of course set your timing. Once you get this one up and running you
are ready to install the FPAC stuff.

I initially tried to do the FPAC325 files, but I was having problems with
the compile, as it turns out the older versions have the binaries included,
so I just pulled down ver 323 and installed it. That version is now up and
running, I am working out the compiling of the 325 code and it just may
be that I set up a machine using kernel 2.2 to compile it and be done with
it. Then I will have the binaries I need and will just install them in my test
machine and check it all out.

If this works as it appears to, I hope to have a Linux FPAC switch for the
hamfest. 

I can tell you that my biggest issue was worring about getting things going
it is not at all bad, and you can go in and refine things, the next step will
be to see how well I can automate the whole process.

At this time I am connected to the Arcadia switch (that is as far as I can get
as there is no path beyond Arcadia at this point.

One of the neat things is that if we have a internet connection available at
a switch site then we could have as a work around for just such failures as
the one at Arcadia a internet path that would be used to link into the rest
of the network via a switch or switches also with internet ports.

Also with the work being done on the Linux version of Telpac if there is
a internet connection at a switch site, then telpac resides on the same
switch as a application to be connected to from the switch (if you want
to see how this is all done, go to www.f6fbb.org/fpac and pull down the
fpac how to. you will see just how flexible it is in this respect) There are
differences, the configuration file for the routing uses a different layout,
but it also allows for 10 ports.

Also with Linux we can use USB ports and put a laptop into service as
a switch. Something that I have not been able to do with the DOS FPAC.

I am now going to start working with the aliases, and see what all I
can do there. I will also work with the internet connection, if we can
get a few of these set up state wide we can start to tie the network
together where we are missing the RF links, as the RF links come
on line we can set the wired paths up as the altnernate path.

One thing that I really like is that the console is treated like another
connection so I can test the commands and aliases out without the
need for a set of radios to talk to the switch with. I do have a radio
that is the network link out of here, and that is working just fine.



-- 
Chuck Hast 
To paraphrase my flight instructor;
"the only dumb question is the one you DID NOT ask resulting in my going
out and having to identify your bits and pieces in the midst of torn
and twisted metal."