Packet Radio

Submitted by N1MBL on Sun, 08/05/2018 - 15:31
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Chat With An Elmer

Good afternoon all,

  I'm trying to get a packet radio system up and running, and I don't know if it's a line-of-sight issue or a systems / user issue, but I can't seem to get up and running and am looking for anyone who might have some background info or troubleshooting tips (I'm completely new to packet).  I have an ICOM IC-2820H setup as my home base station, which I am connecting to a Coastal Chipworks TNC-X modem, to my Windows laptop.  I'm trying to connect useing RMS Express to a station in Cape St. Clair, AB3YY / 145.010.  I've also tried a couple other stations, but I can't ever seem to connect.

Anyone in the club who might offer some advice?

Thanks!

Andrew/N1MBL

K3MAW - Wed, 08/22/2018 - 13:46

Andrew,

I just saw your post.  I was into packet for a while, have been out of it, but now I am getting back in.  I looked you up on QRZ and you are in Edgewater, but the map shows a QTH near Morningside in PG county.  I live in Northern Calvert and cannot hit AA3YY-10 directly, so I have to relay it via w3vpr-5.

Where is your QTH?  You can also try to hit my packet station on 145.01.

Mike - K3MAW

N3LDX - Wed, 08/22/2018 - 20:38

This is AB3YY, you may be just out of range for my station. I am located near Sandy Point State Park. The high ground near Red, Hot & Blue on Rt. 50 tends to block signals. On the map I show you near Mayo. What are you using for radio and more important antenna?

My station is a 50 watt Yaesu with a PK-88. Antenna is a Ringo Ranger at 48 feet.

You may want to go out to Winlink.org for Winlink Express software. Look for the RMS Express.exe software. My station is a "gateway" for passing e-mail to the internet. It is not a BBS.

Cheers, Bill / AB3YY

N1MBL - Mon, 11/12/2018 - 08:45

Hi Bill,

  Sorry for the delayed response, but thanks for the reply.  We've just moved into our new home out here so I haven't got my rigs setup like I want just yet, so antenna is probably a problem, as well as possible line of sight to your station.  I'm running an IC-2820 upstairs, with a simple 'plug-in-the-back' antenna until I mount my chimney mounted antenna (Comet GP-3; trying to figure out cable routing without putting too many holes into the house).  Once the chimney mount is up that might fix the line-of-sight issue if that's the problem.  I'm running RMS express now, which is really what I'm most interested in using packet for, at least currently.

Otherwise, I'm also just not all that familiar with packet, but want to be.  I've spent some time away from getting educated on it on my own, but I'll be getting back into it again now that we're settled in. 

Andrew

 

N3ADF - Thu, 08/23/2018 - 13:16

Bill,

Sorry I got your call wrong.

I'm in Bowie and I use your node via W3VPR-5 because W3AAC-10 doesn't want to pass traffic in a timely manor.  I'm blocked by hills to get into most of the PrGe nodes.

Thanks for your service.

Jim - N3ADF

AEC with PGARES.org

 

N3LDX - Fri, 08/24/2018 - 11:43

Jim, 

      You are more than welcome to send traffic through my node. Got re-intrested in packet with KC3DSO, so the more node available in an emergency the better.

Cheers, Bill / AB3YY

K3MAW - Fri, 08/24/2018 - 15:29

Bill,

I have not been able to connect to your node through w3vpr-5 for a couple days.  Has your node been up?

 

Mike

N3LDX - Sun, 08/26/2018 - 20:02

The node is up and several have connected. 

Cheers, Bill