[K3CAL] Packet Node at Mt. Hope

[Wayne Rogers]

First - let me complement the antenna crew!  What a job.  I was there to get the packet equipment connected up and had the opportunity to observe the event first hand.  Well done.

The digital node at Mt. Hope is up but it is not 100% due to noise (we believe).  Its going to need some attention, but I will be in Detroit all week on FAA business so it will need to wait until I get back.

A little bit about the RMS Packet node.  It is in what is called  "store and forward" mode (because we don't have internet connection to it).  This is actually the mode that we will use in emergency service when we don't have internet.  To use the packet node you need a two meter radio (frequency is 145.69 MHz) and a TNC.  You cannot use a sound card.  There are many different TNC's around - too many to go into details here - but I will be glad to help you individually if you have questions.  And obviously you need a computer (at least XP) with RMS Express software (free) installed.

What you do is create an email and put it into the out box of RMS Epress, connect to the node (K3CAL-10), and the message will be sent to the storage area of the node. When the addressee connects to K3CAL-10 the message will be automatically downloaded to his RMS Express in box.  Just like on your normal email only with RMS Express.  I have connected to K3CAL from here and it works, but with some error notifications due to the noise (I think).  

Note that since we are not connected to the internet you can't send emails to any email address.  It will only work for sending emails to other Winlink stations that connect to the node (e.g. N3XMZ at winlink.org or N1WR at winlink.org).  This is the nature of the "store and forward" mode.  When you get RMS Express operating on your computer and make your first connection you will be enabled in the Winlink system and will have an @winlink.org adrress).  The node operates very much like the old bulletin boards (BBS's) on two meter packet.  The value of this system for emergency communications is that it gives us the ability to provide reliable messaging from just about anywhere in the county to any other location that we have a station set up.  The primary service will be between outlying locations (Drum Point, Shelters, Health Department, etc. and the EOC.  

During an emergency messages can be sent to one of our HF Winmor or Packet stations for transmission out of the county to the internet.

So, bottom line I ask your patience in getting the node up to full operational capability - hopefully its just a matter of resolving the noise issue.  I will keep everyone informed as we make progress.

We have plans to extend the operational capabilities of the node, but that will come after we get stable operation with the current configuration.

73, Wayne N1WR
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