[GreenKeys] Hoffnet update

[Roy Norris]

The idea of the Hoffnet is to establish an autostart frequency in the
ham bands where TTY enthusiasts could gather, discuss their interests in
all things TTY, and use their machines in a real communications
environment.  Those participants with amateur radio licenses would be
able to transmit as well as receive while those without a license would
still be able to listen in on the conversations as long as they had a
radio teletype terminal unit and a suitable ham band or shortwave
receiver.

The concept was spawned from the fact that all of us on Green Keys have
a true love of all things teletype and many of us have functioning
teletype machines.  We spend much of our time, however, typing and
reading on computers !  Why not compliment our conversations on Green
Keys with actual communications using our true love -- the Teletype
machine ??

>From about 1947 or so onwards, there were a number of amateur radio
operators who set up crystal controlled receivers and transmitters on
several agreed upon frequencies for radio teletype communications.
(Crystal control was required in those days for frequency stability but
is no longer require for today's super stable radios).  Many stations
equipped themselves to run "autostart"  which would turn their
mechanical TTY machines on when a valid signal was present of the
autostart frequency, and turn them off when the signal was no longer
present.  (This saved a lot of paper from being wasted due to the
machines running open when no signal was present and also allowed
un-attended operation.)  Your station would monitor the frequency
continuously and automatically copy any RTTY transmissions when they
occurred.)  You could come in from work or from other activity and read
the collected copy at your leisure.

Later, some amateurs included a selective calling (SELCAL) feature in
their stations that would only turn the machine on when a specific code
was received.  This allowed copying of messages directly intended for a
specific station while rejecting those not coded for your stations.  In
some of the more advanced installations, one code was used for each
specific station and another would activate all the machines for copying
bullitens and messages intended for everyone.

Unattended autostart really got a boost when Irv Hoff, W6FFC (ex K8DKC)
designed and published a number of ariticles in QST and the RTTY journal
on RTTY, Terminal Units, and amateur SELCAL.  He established a number of
Autostart frequencies and nets on the amateur radio bands where RTTY
enthusiasts gathered to discuss their hobby and their interests in TTY
machines.  Irv designed software for one of the first microcomputers,
the Heathkit H-8, that would allow the implementation of Autostart and
SELCAL easily without resorting the the earlier mechanical approaches
which used the stunt box in the model 28 TTY machine.

Many of us got our first introduction to teletype communications through
the efforts of Irv Hoff who spent countless hours helping neophytes like
myself get started and get RTTY stations on the air.  He was also very
active in securing TTY machines for hundreds of amateurs around the
world. He spent thousands of hours writing articles on teletype for QST,
the RTTY Journal, and many other magazines in support of our RTTY hobby.
He passed away some years ago and the idea of naming a RTTY autostart
net after him seemed appropriate.

The Hoffnet is a net, only in the most general sense.  It is a totally
undirected net which would probably be better described as simply an
agreed upon frequency for meating and conducting conversations via radio
teletype.  Many of us intend to monitor the frequency full time with
autostart and SELCAL enabled machines.

Gil Smith has designed and made available to anyone a device called the
TTY Connect that implements autostart and selcal as well as a host of
other valuable features to make using a mechanical TTY machine on RTTY a
breeze.  It is the most sophisticated device of its type ever built and
a great boon to establishing an autostart net again. (Many, many thanks
to Gil).

I tried to get the Hoffnet up and running a while back but I probably
chose the wrong frequency as many people did not have antennas or
receivers that would operate on that frequency.  Also, Gill's TTY
Connect device was not yet available.  Hopefully interest in the HoffNet
is still there and we can get this program going and enjoy copying RTTY
on our machines at our pleasure.

Best regards -- Roy Norris, K4EEG

-----Original Message-----
From: KA1EUI [mailto:rtty at ka1eui.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2004 5:52 AM
To: Roy Norris; 'Don and Diana Cunningham'; greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] Hoffnet update

Hoffnet sounds interesting, although I have to admit that I still need
to 
understand exactly what it is.  I have a couple of machines and from
time to 
time I get into an RTTY qso or I copy the ARRL bulletins but that's it.
I'd 
love something else to have to keep my machines exercised.
Would someone please explain a little more exactly what hoffnet is?

Thanks
73 Jim KA1EUI