[Packet] Store and Forward BBS Software

[John Wolfe]

Guys,

I sent this out awhile ago with no success, so I'll try again with some
different wording.

I want to get back into the digital modes, and I especially like Pactor, but
don't want to box myself into one mode.  I live in the digital black hole of
Columbus, Mississippi, and I'd like to put up a station of my own here for
store-and-forward traffic.  Not much interest in digital modes locally, and
I'm okay with that.  I can use the "build it and they will come" approach,
and if nobody uses it, at least I can be a relay in the HF world, and have a
backup to Internet traffic when it dies here.

So my questions are:

1.  What's the popular software for pactor stations right now?  I'd like to
put a BBS on the air.  I'd also like to stick to an OS I know, like DOS or
Windows.  I have a 350 MHz laptop computer that I currently use on EchoLink,
an HF rig, a VHF mobile.  My TNCs are a Kam Plus V7.0 firmware for
G-Tor/AMTOR/PacTOR, and an MFJ-1270C.  I don't have PSK-31 but might be
interested in exploring it.  I don't want WinLink.  I want something more
independent of the Internet.  I could use the Internet as a redundant path,
but I would like to stay over the air as much as possible.

2.  What are some of the popular frequencies on 40 and 20 meters for moving
traffic?  How about some callsigns of the stations?

3.  Any other modes folks are using for moving traffic?  I also like G-tor,
but haven't heard of many folks using it.  Admittedly, I've been out of the
game for awhile so instead of spending lots of time listening around, I'd
like to get a head start on it by seeing what you folks know.

Back home up in Alaska, I used MSYS in the mid 90's and had great luck with
it, with one port operating on 80 meter pactor and another on VHF packet.  I
was forwarding traffic from Anchorage, to a station in Whitehorse, Yukon
Territory, Canada.  But then they got the Internet and I was no longer
needed.

Right now Alaska is in a black hole too.  They were using an Internet
gateway to inject traffic into their packet network.  Now their gateway is
down and they are without outside traffic.  My end goal is to have a
functioning station here, work out the kinks, then eventually move take it
back home to provide an over-the-air solution to bringing traffic back into
the state.  Single point of failures are not good.  More paths are better.

Looking forward to your comments.

73,
John/AA0NN