PACKET RADIO – AN OVERVIEW Reasons for Learning Packet Radio Packet Station Components TNC, Airmail & My Elmers Airmail Software Setup Packet Network Nodes Callsigns, SSIDs, & Node Alias Names Virginia Digital Emergency Network (VDEN)

PACKET RADIO – AN OVERVIEW VDEN stations and Map of locations VDEN Bulletin Board System (BBS) VDEN Operations – Connection Modes Peer-to-Peer Operations – Connection Modes Local Packet Nets and Stations Not covered: Details of Airmail or Winlink 2000

Reasons for Learning Packet Radio Emergency Management concerns about loosing internet connectivity with VA EOC and other EOCs Packet radio provides essentially error free digital communications via two networks Virginia Digital Emergency Network (VDEN) – all RF (no connection to internet) Winlink 2000 (WL2K) – Packet may be able to jump over an internet outage to send & receive standard emails via a RMS Gateway station

Packet Station Components Dell Laptop and Airmail program Kenwood TM-71VA Dual-band

TNC, Airmail Program & My Elmers KPC-3 Plus – A modem, data processor, mailbox & digipeter for other stations translates audio signals into digital & vice versa performs control & info storage functions communicates digitally to computer Software – Airmail ver 3.4.062 – free download www.siriuscyber.net/ham My Elmers – Earl (KR4MA) & Lou (KI4LWS)

Airmail Software Setup* Menu Driven - may need help - suggest (1) Winlink 2000 FAQ (Airmail setup), (2) Airmail Help and/or (3) an Elmer Setup Wizard – enter call sign, lat & long, TNC, Com Port #, Baud Rate with computer, etc. Air Mail Options – enter options for Connections, Settings, Folders, Modules (Packet Client, Internet Access), etc.

Packet Network Nodes Nodes (operate on simplex) Node Types Nodes form the infrastructure of a packet network like VDEN Serve as connection points into networks Relay digital communications to extend user range May have multiple ports as well as multiple frequencies Node Types Digipeters – first networking scheme; requires end-to-end confirm KA-Nodes – slight improvement; confirms transmission at each node; user directs each node connection (still dumb but more reliable). Set of commands available in Keyboard Mode. Net/ROM Nodes - Net/ROMs listen & at interval transmits to other Net/ROMs a list of Net/ROMs it hears. Routing Table developed for automatic routing. No need to direct each node connection (smarter than KA-Node). Set of commands available in Keyboard Mode.

Callsigns, SSIDs & Node Alias Names Callsigns – identify Packet stations Secondary Station Identification (SSID) Many Packet stations have more than one device using one callsign; SSIDs are used to differentiate (KR4MA, KR4MA-1, KR4MA-2, KR4MA-7, etc.,) VDEN nodes have a callsign & SSIDs assigned: Net/ROM Nodes use SSID -2, KA-Nodes use SSID -7, and RMS Gateways use SSID -10 Alias Names – VDEN stations have alias names assigned (HAMPD for W4HPT, VAEOC/VDEM for N4VEM). Intent to help amateurs remember the various nodes.

Virginia Digital Emergency Network (VDEN) VDEN.org website provides General Operational Guidelines Digital Traffic Format Guidelines Listing of all VDEN packet station alias names, BBS, RMS Gateway stations, their lat & long, and trustee callsigns. Various maps show VDEN network station locations Nodes are “connection points” into VDEN - 52 node stations listed on VDEN website. Others added by ALL@VANET messages User callsigns must be registered in VDEN for station you connect to – contact Earl Moore KR4MA

Virginia Digital Emergency Network (VDEN) - continued Many VDEN stations have more than one radio port to provide service on multiple frequencies. Virginia Digital Emergency Network 145.730 MHz (1200 baud) primary user frequency 441.050 MHz (9600 baud) “high speed” backbone 446.075 MHz (1200 baud) “low speed” backbone (also used by HPT for packet shelters/Hampton EOC) High-speed “backbone” passes large amounts of data without competing with end-users

VDEN Stations (Partial Listing)

Map of VDEN Stations

VDEN Bulletin Board System (BBS) A Full Service BBS – is both a message center and information store. Connect to a BBS to Send & retrieve VDEN messages; provides auto-routing Read bulletins and announcements (ARRL, ARES, RACES, VDEN, VANET bulletins, etc.) Conduct nets/conferences: use “c” command to check-in Standard commands available in Keyboard Mode such as: “h” – list of all commands; b, c, d, f, h, I, etc. “i” – hardware configuration of packet station “id” - station port #s, with callsign and SSIDs heard, & frequencies “j”- list of all stations heard by BBS and station ports Note: Use “?” before each command provides a complete description.

VDEN Operations - Connection Modes Handshake Mode – used primarily to Connect and send messages via a BBS for automated routing Example message address - N4VEM@N4VEM, KJ4TJT@KJ4TJT Keyboard Mode - used on BBS: Conduct QSOs, nets/conferencing and obtain info available on BBS using available commands KA-Nodes and Net/ROM nodes: Obtain station info using available commands and to direct connections to other nodes.

Peer-to-Peer Operations - Connection Modes Two stations connect directly without using network infrastructure (e.g., KJ4TJT to KI4LWS) or via an intermediate station Handshake Mode - send/receive messages (e.g., HPT shelters messages to/from Hampton EOC) Keyboard Mode – conduct QSOs/real-time text conversations between two stations

Local Packet Nets and Stations LPEN Net – Hosted by KR4MA at KR4MA-1 BBS station every Tues at 8:15 PM (local) VA State Net - hosted by various operators at N4VEM BBS station every Weds at 8:15 PM (local) Examples of Local Stations (active 24/7) KR4MA – RMS Gateway (York County) KR4MA-1 – BBS (York County), KR4MA-2 Net/ROM Node KR4MA-7 KA-Node KE4FYV – BBS (LPEN), KR4FYV-2 Net/ROM Node, KR4FYV-7 KA-Node