Equipment Prerequisites

 Any average amateur packet station will do. You need a Terminal Node Controller (TNC), a 2-meter transceiver (use of handy-talkies is definitely discouraged), and a simple CRT terminal and keyboard. The latter requirement may be met by a small personal computer running under some kind of simple terminal software package such as is used to interface the computer to a telephone modem. Simple programs are available for all the popular types of personal computers. Many users have only a simple, "dumb" ASCII terminal connected to their TNC--and this suffices quite nicely. The CRT display associated with the terminal or computer should have, preferably, 80 columns since the information presented is formatted that way.

Several TNCs are available and all operate basically the same way; but, as with any equipment, some are better than others. The most popular units are built by AEA, Kantronics, and MFJ. DRSI also builds a TNC for the IBM PC and clones, which is completely internal to the computer. All are compatible with each other. Please remember, that whatever you do on a multi-user network affects people on the entire network. If your equipment causes constant retries because it is not tuned properly or does not have the timing parameters set properly, it takes up unnecessary time on the channel by asking for the repeat of data. This slows down the entire system--not just the individual user. Notes on all the above are contained in the following sections.

Most antennas are OK to use--it is important that you put a nice clean signal into the system and have your deviation adjusted properly--and it is also fairly important that you are heard by as many users around you as is practical--the nature of packet is such that it does its best to avoid collisions with other packets--and that means it is necessary that other DXers on the system hear you as well as making sure the network node hears you--so DO put up a decent antenna--beams are best--no rubber ducks and no indoor antennas.

A user owes it to himself and to the other users of the network to enter the network with a thoroughly debugged system. We highly recommend that you spend some time with your TNC, radio and TNC manual and experiment some on a simplex frequency with a friend. Learn to use the bulletin boards and digipeaters on 145.01 in the Public Bulletin Board System. Only then should you tackle the network! It is a sophisticated system, very user friendly, but delicate, which can be brought to its knees by a poorly adjusted or poorly operated packet station