[FADCA] WH6A status report and some questions..

[bud thompson]

See my comments interspersed below:

bud

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Garley" <dpgarley at earthlink.net>
To: <budt at cfl.rr.com>; <dmontee1 at cfl.rr.com>; <fadca at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2005 13:38
Subject: [FADCA] WH6A status report and some questions..


Bud,
Here's what I've gotten done so far - using windows to get a basic working
system up.
agwpe, paclink AGW,  and winpack up and running on win2K laptop
using sound card as tnc
using 45w txcvr
5/8 wave vertical 30' agl
can be considered a "portable packet station" including ant/mast if 
necessary

* * *
bud:

Sounds very good so far. Can you send packets on 145.05 with this setup yet? 
Try this on 145.05 (DAB LAN) with Winpack or AGW Terminal keyboard (if you 
already have not.)

C N0IA-10 V N4WKQ-5,386335

[FOR DAVID on 144.91]
C N0IA-10
or
C N0IA-10 V N0IA-9,386335

That should take you through the DAB ROSE switch, then to the DeLand FPAC 
switch and connect you to the N0IA TelPac node on 144.91 as a keyboarder. 
Send H for help or just B for BYE to get off.  That is not a BBS per se, but 
acts like one so far as a keyboarder is concerned.  You are actually 
exchanging with a PMBO at the time. Since you probably have not previously 
registered at WL2K central, I'm not sure what will happen, but you'll learn 
if (1) your packet TX/RX is working and (2) the network between you and N0IA 
is working!

Of course

C HEARD V N4WKQ-5,386677

[FOR DAVID ON 144.91]
C  N0IA-8

will also let you know if your packet station is working.

Keep thinking "Portable packet station" - but slightly modify that to 
"portable Paclink Station" for EMCOMMs deployment.

* * * *
Next steps on the windows laptop: paclink postoffice, telpac node?
 I'll need some addressing info, plus user/pw info for a destination telpac
node. Who / where should I go for that?

* * *
bud:
Actually, you need Post Office installed to make Packlink AGW work as the 
combo becomes an e-mail server back to Outlook Express on your computer.

HERE IS HOW- With your computer on the internet - install Post Office.  (You 
need not have an RF capability for this.)

The documentation is pretty straight forward - take defaults where provided. 
Then, set up the main Post Office PROPERTIES - if memory serves this option 
comes up automatically when you make the Post Office install.  The  MYCALL 
must be your HAM CALL with or w/o an SSID.  My recommendation is to use some 
SSID rather than w/o (where SSID is zero.)   On mine I use N0IA-11, but that 
is because N0IA-8/9 are the mycalls on the 144.91 DeLand FPAC and N0IA-1 
through 6 are in use there as quick connects!  (This is one of the reasons I 
want to get you and David here for a quick network tutorial next weekend!)

The Post Office PASSWORD can lead to problems in the future (as in when 
someone forgets !)  The only NEED for a PW here is to satisfy the 
requirements in Outlook Express when configuring the subsequent e-mail 
account.  (MS encodes the PW in REGESTRY, and the WL2K Development team 
could not break that code!)  It  has absolutely nothing to do with security- 
So to keep it simple, and to help when you forget or someone else has to do 
remedial work on your Paclink computer as might be the case during an 
exercise, I've developed the following STANDARD PASSWORD FOR PACKLINK POST 
OFFICE:

PASSWORD=PACKLINK POST OFFICE MYCALL1

Example  N0IA1

NOTE: That is not an ssid thing.. It is not N0IA-1, it is N0IA1.  That way 
when someone sees the POSTOFFIC MYCALL they will know what the PW is. That 
password is used in ALL Outlook Express e-mail accounts for that POST OFFICE 
system/computer.

A TELPAC node is not (generally) appropriate for a 'portable Paclink 
Station' per se.  That is because TelPac node requires an active internet 
connection.

To set up a Telpac node and get a REGISTERATION number- go to

http://winlink.org/status/TelpacEx.aspx

Check REGISTER a NEW TELPAC -and follow the bouncing ball.  You'll need the 
following :

MYCAL OF TELPAC NODE
FREQUENCY (145.05 FOR YOUR LAN)
LAT/LONG OF YOUR SITE
and a bunch of other stuff.

Pay attention when you finish- the REGISTRATION number is not very 
BVIOUS  - if memory serves, it is at the very top of the final page. Make a 
note of it as you'll need that later to set up the TELPAC node at home and 
to do any EDITING on this site when needed. If there is a PW required you'll 
have an opportunity to set that up too. That will be your WL2K PASSWORD for 
anything you do on WL2K via internet. Remember that also!

Then INSTALL TELPAC on your home machine.
* * *

Is there a recommended user/pw for inbound telnet (send to me privately if
necessary)

* * *

You will need to establish a HAM RADIO e-mail account in Outlook Express. 
The Documentation with POST OFFIC or Paclink AGW should guide you.  The POP3 
and SMTP servers are both 'localhost' (w/o the quotes), and the PASSWORD  is 
the POSTOFFICE password from above.

In Paclink AGW - CHANNELS - (PACKET CHANNELS and TELNET CHANNELS)  These 
look like the old individual packet terminal program or BBS 'connect 
scripts.'  Each  "channel" will take you to only one specified Telpac node, 
PMBO packet station, or PMBO via Telnet .  You will need a channel for each 
one you want to be able to connect to.  Priorities 1 through 5 may be 
established.  If the Paclink AGW fails on #1, it goes to #2 in five seconds 
or so.

Once you get Post Office installed and an Outlook Express e-mail account 
configured for it, a Paclink AGW Telnet channel is a quick way to determine 
all is working well in your computer - w/o the RF (packet) part.  The 
standard USERNAME  for telpac clients is the Paclink AGW mycall which is 
automatic when you send the connect from the Paclink Telnet Channel.  The 
standard password is WL2KTELNETCLIENT.  I'm not sure how much of this comes 
up as defaults - but you will pick a REMOTE CALLSIGN (use N0IA), Remote 
Telnet host will be REMOTECALLSIGN.no-ip.com (n0ia.no-ip.com), and IP 
Connection will be LOCALHOST.  The REMOTE TELNET PORT is 12001

* * *

Is there a vhf entry/exit point into YOUR PMBO for testing? (or general use
even), or do you only use that (vhf side) for emergency comms?  Or should I
test with the "main" winlink site?

Is -10 still the recommended ssid for telpac?

On that note, are -4 and -5 still recommended for the "digi" and "local user
access" sides of a switch/node?  (Remember, it's been 10 yrs since I last 
set
up nodes, something might have changed!)

 * * *
bud:
My Telpac node is N0IA-10,386335 on  144.91 - see above. When we get all 
this set up the EMCOMMs hams involved will use the RADIO link for all daily 
e-mail - just to keep the links working and to know they are up/ or down! 
So this is not just EMCOMMs.

My Telnet server is n0ia / n0ia.no-ip.com / 12001 / WL2KTELNETCLIENT.

There is no 'main winlink' RF side to test with.

Your Telpac node (when we get to that) should be YOURMYCALL-10 to meet the 
(defacto) national standard.

DIGI/LOCAL user SSIDs for switches - In the old ROSE scheme we set up the 
SWITCH as an SSID and subtracted ONE for the digi.

EXAMPLE the Daytona Beach (DAB) ROSE switch:
LAN SWITCH N4WKQ-5
DIGI -4
FIRST BACKBONE TO DELAND N4WKQ-3
DIGI -2
SECOND BACKBONE TO STA N4WKQ-7
DIGI -6

(Or something like that.)

The FPAC scheme (which all switches will eventually be DOS or LINUX) is more 
simple - that on ALL PORTS:

NODE -8
SWITCH/ROUTING -9

* * *
Unless there are other things you think I should focus on.   I do this stuff
because I have fun and learn doing it, yet still want my efforts to
contribute to the "big plan" whenever possible.

* * *
Oh, no problem there - You need to have a TELPAC and a Paclink AGW working 
at home 24/7, so you can have fun and know what is going on on the network 
24/7, and a Paclink AGW portable working so you can deploy for EMCOMMs when 
needed.

"Big Plan" - Your LINUX and past packet experience will be most beneficial 
to our cause - here in Central Florida -  as I'm primarily a HARDWARE 
person- I need all the help I can get,  and you, David, and N3PPC can take 
over the LINUX stuff for sure.

Then- I'm looking forward to taking up golf or the cello again once I get 
some of this work off my hands - especially LINUX FPAC!

Sally (XYL and thus my adult supervision) is home now and this coming Sunday 
afternoon is free for me. Hope you, KO3Ok and N3PPCcan make it.

We'll set a time later this week.

Call anytime to get some help - if I'm here and not entertaining the grand 
daughter my time is yours.

bud N0IA
386 574 4124