[FADCA] Fpacnode (E. Central Florida Report)

[Jerry DeLong]

Bud, and the rest of the Group,

> -----Original Message-----
> From: fadca-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:fadca-
> bounces at mailman.qth.net]
> On Behalf Of bud Thompson
> Sent: Friday, September 28, 2007 7:45 AM
> To: Florida Amateur Digital Communication Association
> Cc: Paul Kronenwetter; k4gbb at embarqmail.com; Dave N4GMU
> Subject: Re: [FADCA] Fpacnode (E. Central Florida Report)


> The FPAC problems indicated by KD4YAL with upgrading Kernels and 
> FPAC, while not trivial, do not adversely affect the existing E. 
> Central Florida network above.

When working on a *SHARED* network changes can have adverse affect
to your neighbors. In this case we can see a fragmented network which
has really been the case for a number of years.


> From a Linux/FPAC perspective the Melbourne, Orlando, DeLand, and
> OPK sites are nominally stable - but only because we have not taken
> them to all the various new levels of Linux/FPAC because of the 
> upgrading problems.

By not upgrading your node, you then lack the ability to route redundant
adjacent neighbors. Which is very important if you want to prevent
the Network from being fragmented.   

 
> However, because we do have mix/match levels the White Pages routing
> from Orlando THRU DeLand to DAB does not work.  WP routing works from 
> Orlando to DeLand and from DeLand to DAB on up the network but not 
> when originated at Orlando!  Manual routing throughout the network 
> has not been affected.

I started using ROSE in 1996 as an end user back when you could
connect from East coast to the West coast daily. 

Thanks to Wyatt and Doug!

As an end user without having a *PHONE BOOK* it's not an easy task finding
your way around a ROSE network. WP has help with this some what but it is
not as easy as a simple "telnet kd4yal.ampr.org". 
 
> This does not mean that all is perfect on this E Central Florida
> network - it is certainly in test phase and is a work in progress!

I know we are HAMS and part of that is to experiment but how long
do you experiment before saying there must be a better way. The
Florida ROSE network has been developing for how many years now?


> Here is why the problems with upgrading LINUX/FPAC is not adversely
> affecting this part of the network - Upgrading continues using 
> K4GBB's test sites and a 2nd Orlando computer here on my computer 
> LAN.  By using these sites for evaluating upgrades the active sites 
> above are not adversely affected.  We won't be upgrading any of our 
> sites or converting any of our sites until LINUX/FPAC stability is 
> assured.

How many more years Bud.

 
> All this upgrading of Linux/FPAC in E. Central Florida is being 
> driven by Charles Schuman K4GBB who is in contact with other 
> Linux/FPAC developers.  I have all the confidence it this process - 
> it may just take a little time.

There is a developer this would be one person who like Charlie is
stretched pretty thin most of the time.

 
> All this E-Central Florida network has been a team effort (I'm a
> hardware person not a Linux person!)  N3PPC and I have been directly
> involved in all these sites for getting hardware ready and installed.
> W5SMM and W4RP in Melbourne, N4WQK in DAB, KF4MX in STA, and WD4SEN 
> in OPK have been local movers and shakers to keep sites warm.  N2KIQ
> manages the W4MCO-10 Telpac node, and recently N4GMU in Deland has
> been pitching in with the three sites here in
> Volusia County

Sugar coated or not, ROSE is really not the way to build a community
Network for HAM radio. I may not be an expert but I can see what works and
what doesn't. I also have taken the time to compare other technologies that
do work and work well.

Both the Eastern US and Western US have good example of what works.
If you were to take the time to do a little research the answer,
is obvious. 

I have even had the privilege to work with some of the gentlemen that built
the HAM radio networks from Eastern US some of which now retire in Florida. 

Maybe we could learn from this. or not. we could just keep isolating
our self from the rest of the world, well except France of coarse.




Best regards, Jerry DeLong, KD4YAL