PiAClKlEIT H SlTlAITlUlSm RIE1G1 i 1S1T1EIRI Tucson Amateur Packet Radio Corporation ______A Non-Profit Research and Development Corporation______

Fall 1998 President’s Corner Issue # 72 What a great Digital Communications Conference this year! Many thanks to PRUG and CAPRA for hosting the conference with us and the Published by: ARRL. A recap of the conference is included further into Ihc PSR. Next Tucson Amateur Packet Radio years conference will be held back in Arizona. Dan Meredith, N7MRP, and 8967-309 E. Tanque Verde Rd.*337 Keith Justice, KF7TP. arc working with us as local hosts to nail a location Tucson, A2 85749-9399 and date. Phone: 940-383-0000 FAX: 940-566-2544 There sure is a lot to write about in this issue, but just not enough time [email protected] to get it all down on paper, so I ’ll hit the highlights. Project wise, things vAvw.tapr.org arc cooking. The TAPR SS Radio project has made some great strides since the last PSR. The operating system and TCP/IP stack arc now operational Office Hours: and ported onto the fully operational digital board. This is a huge milestone Tuesday - Friday in the project. The team is focusing on the Qualcomm and Harris chips 9:Q0am-12:00.3:00-5:C0pm Central remaining on the digital board which provide interfaces to the RF hoard. After this, the RF board will be focused on. A full report o f the project In This Issue... appears later. We still need donations for the development We have received donations from the following people John Coonlv, Andrew A Haw Vision for Amateur Radio Service 2 Skatlebo, KAOSNL, and Gene Pentecost, W4IMT. I would like to thank APRS QSY-Final Report------6 these individuals for their donations. The level of funding is going to be a critical factor as the beta testing plans are made. Bill Tynan, IV3XO, to Step Down as AMSAT-HA President______13 FHSS Radio Design Update------14 Look for TAPR at those Upcoming Events FHSS Project Fund Raiser------15 Nominations Sought tor TAPR Board___ _ 15 May 14-16,1W9 Dayton HamVention FlashCard Project------..... — 16 TAPR PlC-Encoder Project -.... 17 Packet SUitux Register APRS, Spread Spectrum Highlight DCC 18 Tucson Amateur Packet Radio Corp. PERIODICAL P0 Box 511X4 POSTAGE PAID AT 17th Digital Communications Conference.. 18 llenton, TX 76206-0114 DENTON, TX. Tim Mitchell, KA5RYF, SK------.....21 Abstracts from the 17th DCC Proceedings 22 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED New Product Announcement: DSP Upgrade for the PK-232------24 "Connect Request______— .24 APRS (or Palm III Under Development.....25 FCC Office Of The Secretary Relocates... 25 FCC'S NESS: Ensure Adequate Spectrum ForAmaleura------26 President's Comer, continued- ______Cntite contents Copyright ©1993 Tucson Amateur Packet Radio The Linux Flash project that John Roster. W9DDD, Corp. Unless otherwise Indicated, explicit pemuKsirxi is granted to repro­ has been working on is about to rollout. We hope this will duce any materials appearing herein for non-commercial Amateur auWi- cs-ticos provided that credit is given to both the author and TAPR, along be another project like the TAC-2, where we reach a new with the TAPR pht^ie number (940-333-0000). Other reproduction is potential member outside o f amateur radio to get them prohibited without written permission freer. TAPR. into what we tlo. Fifty kits will be available without the Opinions expressed arc those ut'lhe authors and rot necessarily these flash-card before Christmas. Keep an eye on the TAPR of'l'APK, the Hoard <>r Directors, Officer?, or the Editor. Acceptance or advertising does not constitute endorsement, by TAPR. of the products web page. Additional information on the project will advertised. appear later in this PSR. Postmaster. Send address changes to I Al' It, I’.O. Hox 51114, Denton, The PIC-E development team is nearing the end of their 1'X. 762116.0114. racket Slaws Register (ISSN 1052-3626. USPS 005- 419) is published quarterly by the Tutuun Amateur Packet Radio Cotp> evaluation kit (EVM PIC-F.) with around fifty people to ratiun, U1K Ridgecrest, Denton, TX 76205. Membership In Tucson participate. John Hansen. W2FS, has written up some Am3teur Packet Radios including a subscription to Padeet StatusRegister, information concerning the project lor the PSR. There i»S20.00 per year in the U.S. and possessions, of which 512.00isallocated to Packet Status fiegytter. Membership is 520X0 in Canada ai:d Mexico, was a lot of excitement at the DCC on PIC development and 525.00 elsewhere, payable ir. U.S. funds. Membership and Packet and this kit is going to be able to help many o f you who Sums Register cannot be separated. Periodical postaee raid at Deaton. want to play without having to invest in development IX. platforms. PSR Editor: Bob Hansen. N2GDE We have worked a deal with a group concerning a P.O.Box 1902, Elmira, N.Y. 14902-1902 surplus of TALNet radios/routers to be used under the SS Internet; [email protected] STA. The deal will be for $550 per radio/router, plus Advertising: shipping/handling. These are 160Kbps DSS TCP/IP Contact the TAPR office. TAPR Officers: based systems on 2.4G. Contact the office if you want a President Greg Jonea, WD5IVD pair of radios or one to go with an existing pair. Vice Preeldent John Ackermann, N8UR Secretary Steve Stroh, N8GNJ At the AMSAT meeting this past October, Bill Tynan, Treasurer Jim Neely. WA5LHS W3XO, formally announced his retirement as President TAPR Board of Directors: o f AMSAT-NA. Bill and I started our tenures around the 599ft? .YteirJisi Tern Internet same period and the several times we worked closely on Steve Bible. N7HPR 1999 [email protected] TAPR/AMSAT related projects were successful. While Bob Hansen, N2GDE 1999 [email protected] we didn’t necessarily see eye-to-eye on Spread Spectrum Gary Heuge, N4CHV 1999 [email protected] Greg Jones, WDolVD 2000 [email protected] technology implementation in the ham bands, he was John Koster, W9DDD 2000 [email protected] always a dedicated leader of AMSAT who put a lot of Mel Whitten, KOPFX 2000 [email protected] time and effort into the job. You did a great job while at John Ackermann, N8UR 2001 [email protected] AMSAT, Bill! Barry McLarnon, VE3JF 2001 [email protected] Doug McKinney,KC3RL 2001 [email protected] I’ll finish this quarter's column with an article that Date ie expiration of term on Board of Directora. Dcwaync Hendricks, WA8DZP, and I wrote earlier this the Tucson Amateur Packet Radio Corporation is a oon-crofit seen, rific research and development ccipceation’[Scctlca S01(cX3) c f the U S. year and which was just printed in the DCC proceedings. tax code]. Conaibuticts arc deductible to the extent nllnwed by US. tax I think you will see several themes that have been laws. TAPR is chartered in ’.b e Sane or Arizona for the purpose of discussed in previous PSR issues, but it never hurts to designing and developing new systems fot digital radio communication cover these issues from lime to time. in the Amateur Radio Service, and for disseminating information requited during, and obtained from, such research. Cheers - Greg, WD5IVD Article submission deadlines for upcoming issues: Winter 1999 December 15,1908 A New Vision for the Amateur Radio Spring 1999 March 15,1999 Service Summer 1999 June 15,1999 Fall 1999 September 15,1999 Dewayde Headricks, WA8DZP Submission Guidelines: Greg Jones, WD5IVD TAI’R is always interested in receiving information and articles for Reprinted from 17tb ARRL and TAPR Digital CecamuaicsitiL-as publication. If you have an idea fee an aitide you would Like to see, or Conference, p. 36 ynu, or someone you know, is doing something that would interest digital communicatees, please contact the cdltot so that your work can be shared with the Amateur community. Vision Statement Concerning the Future of The preferred format for articles is plain ASCII text: the preferred Amateur Radio graphic formats axe HPGLo: PCX. However, weean accept many popular wotd ptoccSoOi ami graphic format'. All submissions on diskette should Amateur radio as a hobby has reached an important he formatted fee MS-DOS. turning point. Many can point to var ioas examples of why things arc changing; however, some of these examples are efforts as just a beginning in which to grow more money real and som e are only periodic in nature, but the trend of and more research that will hopefully benefit all of activity and interest now as compared to five or even ten amateur radio in the long term. However, the amateur years ago is changing. The real issue which we must face radio rules arc going to need to be more proactive to allow is 'docs the amateur radio service (ARS) base its future for these types o f new technology-oriented ventures to on the precepts created and tested over the last twenty take hold and grow. Amateur radio must have rules that years or do we look at new and novel ways of growing, allow experimentation with new modes, without the need sustaining, and protecting the hobby that we love?’ lo get an STA or waiver each and every time someone wants to do something new. If wedon’t see this necessary As active members in the ARRL, since first licensed, flexibility in the future we will find that most potential active members at various internal levels of the League, amateur radio projects will end up operating under Part and very active in the area of amateur radio technology 5. Part 15. or any of a number of other services. Or worse advancement that TAPR represents, we would like to take yet, amateur radio operators will just ignore the current a few moments o f your time to share some important rules and build and operate equipment to provide the thoughts on the matter. kinds of services that they desire. The Commercial Future of Amateur Radio and While amateur radio has a great history with a rich how the ARS can benefit from the change tradition o f introducing new ideas and technology, that Amateur radio has prospered over the last twenty years process seems to have slowed as more communicators as commercial manufacturers were able to grow radio joined the hobby. It became more important to make sure sales in the IJS, with Ihc amateur radio community as a these communicators and people who simply enjoy the secondary market to their already"existing commercial hobby aspect of the service had no problems operating markets. This resulted in a tremendous growth and usage and the introduction of new systems and experimentation o f VHF/UHF and to some cxlcnt, HF, over the last several slowed as a result. It is true that while we have seen a lot decades. o f work in new digital and RF areas niche interest, none of this research has been widely adopted or been We now find many amateur radio vendors and beneficial lo the larger majority o f the members of the manufacturers reducing their presence or even leaving the service. amateur radio markel for other markets or to refocus on their older commercial markets as new communication As an example, an organization like the ARRL is in a systems threaten to take markel share away. Some stores position to greatly influence the realization o f expanded that have been in existence for som e time have even begun growth of amateur radio by supporting the efforts of closing their doors. This is to he expected with the sales small, innovative companies making contributions to the o f amateur radio equipment dropping off. Keep in mind hobby and not large manufacturers whose primary that some say this is sunspot related, hut can sunspot business and marketing interests arc in areas other than activity also explain the drop in the VHF/UHF market as amateur radio. It is in the best interest of amateur radio well? Amateur radio is in the midst of a paradigm shift service (ARS) to grow this collage industry, because these from the vast majority of communicators currently on the groups could well become the next Collins, Drake, and hands to a more balanced population representing other amateur radio-founded companies in the future. technical, experimental, and hobbyist who just like to What we see today is that various members of the service communicate with radios. are starting companies, but these new organizations are focused on other services, because the current FCC rules As vendors continue to leave the amateur radio market, and the ’climate’ o f the hobby don’t really allow for the it is up to organizations like ARRL, TAPR, and AMS AT easy introduction o f new types o f technology. These (the three major non-profit amateur radio organizations same companies are the ones that arc now asking for more in existence ioday) to grow our technology internally, spectrum from the FCC for their products and services - instead o f waiting for external forces to discover amateur and where do they look? They look to amateur radio radio as a market. If we wait for external market forces to spectrum because they understand full well just how come into play, w e will find that these companies will underutilized that spectrum really is. probably rather seek out commercial markets where there is more profit potential, than the hobbyist market which What is to keep the ARRL or TAPR from creating its uses our radio spectrum for recreation, learning, and Own "Co-Op" approach like REI or many other such public service. organizations? Together both organizations have the membership base to easily support such an effort and the TAPR has begun working in this direction, by working potential impact on the purchasing power from the total with the remaining manufacturers and looking elsewhere membership could lead to an environment where product to non-traditional funding sources like the National development decisions were being made based on the Science Foundation (NSF). We see grants and other such

Fall 1998- issu e #72 Packet Status Register Page 3 needs of amateur radio operators in the US, instead of The ARS should think about what services would be those requirement being secondary to existing market the mast ’tolerable’ on our bands. We can’t say no to needs and requirements as viewed by technology everyone forever, because that will likely result in our manufacturing companies located in other countries. losing even more spectrum over time. By finding and locating or creating friendly sharing partners we 1) protect Experimental and Technological development our spectrum on our own terms. 2) create a commercial are keys to the future need for equipment (if done correctly amateurs can It has been a concern of ours and TAPR’s for some time leverage these devices into operational ’ham ready’ that there is a tendency to resist change when something units), and 3) bring users from the shared spectrum new or novel appears on the amaieur radio scene. TAPR. services into the ARS where applicable. This is one AMRAD, AMSAT, and other organizations represent the reason we have suggested the educational communication spirit o f change and development within the ARS. service concept. It would get members of the ARS into Amateur radio can cither choose to support various efforts schools helping install wireless networks that might have within the community for the advancement o f new rules like Part 15, but this direct contact with schools technology or wail for external commercial forces to could easily lead to students getting interested in amateur quickly lake advantage and look for additional spectrum, radio because of the close working relationship formed most likely being the current ARS allocations. Not many when the local/regional ARS organization helps get the amaieur radio groups or individuals can sustain the effort school wireless connections to the Internet. required to make change happen under the current restraints to the introduction o f new technologies. The TAPR R esponse to ARRL New Repeater expense of development, manufacturing, marketing, and Concept 10some extent the rules themselves affect the introduction TAPR has been working on a new ’high concept’ of new technologies to the service. Most new operating repeater system that makes use of spread spectrum interests within the hobby have been a result of the usage technology, in particular, frequency hopping to act as a of Other external technologies (i.c. Personal Computers, stepping stone to a new generation o f devices that can Internet, etc.), not o f something grown from within the proside new levels of function and operational flexibility hobby itself. to the amateur radio community. It is important that ARRL.TAPR and AMSAT watch TAPR on its own as been working in this direction for out for the interests of its diverse membership, but at the the last two years. Its first step in this direction was the same lime it must be working on providing support for submission to the NSF of a proposal for what has come various efforts elsewhere in the community that arc to be called the ’Internet Access Radio’ (IAR) in the Fall emphasizing new technology and change. The ARRL o f 1996. The first member in a family o f such radias is doesn’t have to lead, but it must he fully supportive of currently under development and information on it can be change and be willing to facilitate it as much as it can. fou n d on the TA PR w eb site at: While an Open support policy might threaten some, it is http:/Avww.Upr.org/iApr/html/taprfhss.html. imperative that ARS grow from within and it is equally TAPR believes that today’s communications important that the organizations take a leading role in technology is moving toward all digital transmitters and helping to encourage the growth o f new operational receivers. These advances in technology, combined with modes and techniques. the swift evolution of cell based transmission and switching protocols is opening up a new set of Amateur Radio should develop It own possibilities for unique new services utilizing intelligent spectrum sharing partners networks which will contain smart transmitter, receivers With regard to spectrum, wc believe that the ARS can and switches. Today’s Internet is perhaps the best cither continue to defend the spectrum we have, or look example o f a self-regulating structure which embodies for those services with whom wc can share our bands. We these new technological approaches to communications have to locate others that can help fully utilize our in the networking domain. However to date, many o f valuable spectrum, but not take away from the mission these innovations have not made it over to the wireless and operating flexibility o f the ARS. For instance, this networking arena. TAPR feels that the radio networks of could be the creation of a low-power educational wireless the future will involve a mixture of links and switches of service which could be overlaid on some part of the different ownership, which terminate at the end-user via existing ARS spectrum or som e other similar approach. relatively short distance links. What will then be required The League successfully used this tactic several years ago is a built-in, distributed, self-governing set of protocols to when it joined with Apple Computer in lobbying the FCC cause the networks’ behavior to make more efficient use to designate the 2390-2400 M llz band as a shared band o f a limited, common shared resource: radio spectrum. with only the ARS and U-PCS as the incumbents. Creating such a self-regulating structure for the optimal

P age 4 Packet Status Register Fail 1993 - Issue *72 sharing of spectrum will require much effort. One of the meet amateur radio operational requirements and which major problems which stands in the way o f these new will be used for general packet radio and Internet access approaches today is the current FCC regulatory over wide-arcas. One project uses OEM modules from environment and the manner in which spectrum is Lucent Technologies and the other uses a radio provided managed and allocated under its rules. by a member of TAPR’s sister organization in Japan, the Packet Radio User’s Group (PRUG). One of the major hurdles that a wireless entrepreneur faces who wishes to develop innovative new Much of what wc have in mind can be accomplished communications products which involves radio is access today with existing Part 15 radios. One of the author’s of to the requisite amount of spectrum. This process makes this article has such a system currently up and operational the involvement o f the wireless entrepreneur with the in the San Franciso Bay Area. The system uses two government mandatory, which immediately puts them at mountain top sites and can currently cover all of the South a disadvantage when compared to entrepreneurs in the Bay Area, providing voice and data services to users at computer sector where government involvement is ranges up to 20 miles. Here arc the characteristics of the minimal. As a result, innovation has occurred at a much system: slower pace since the use of technologies such as spread • Operates on 2.4 GHz. spectrum require the use of more spectrum and not less in • Radios use FHSS half duplex. Output power is 1W. order for their advantages to become apparent when it is EfRP is within FCC limits of 4 W EIRP. used for high-speed data transmission. • TCP/IP protocols arc used. Historically, the current regulatory approach to radio • Accepted Internet protocols are used to handle voice has been based upon the technology that was in use at the and data traffic. lime that the Communications Act o f 1934 was framed, • System can be accessed by any device that uses the basically what we would call today, dunth transmitters TCP/IP protocols and a similar data-radio. speaking to dumb receivers. The technology of that time Here are some of the things that this POC radio system required reserved bandwidlhs to be set aside for each can accomplish: licensed service so that spectrum would be available when Can handle several separate voice conversations, needed. Given this regulatory approach, many new bulletins, and data streams simultaneously? applications cannot be accommodated since there is no Yes, using standard Internet protocols. Uses the H.32x available unallocated spectrum to ’park’ new services. standards. However, given the new set of tools available to the entrepreneur with the advent of digital technology, what At the core o f the H.323 standard is a method for once were dumb transmitters and receivers can now be managing network latency, or the time it takes to send smart devices which arc capable o f exercising greater and acknowledge a packet. High-latcncy networks judgment in the effective use and sharing o f spectrum. such as the Internet, where data packets must jump The more flexible the tools that wc incorporate in these through many routers and subnets, have a tendency to devices are, then the greater number of uses that can be wreak havoc on audio and video synchronization. To accommodated in a fixed, shared spcctnim. address this shortcoming, H.323’s Real-Time Trans­ port Protocol (RTP) time-stamps and sequences pack­ While the IAR proof-of-concept (POC) radio is under ets and reduces delays. development, TAPR intends to make the case to the FCC that the current rules should he changed to reflect the use H.323 also specifics the coding and decoding of video and advantages that smart spread spcctnim packet radio and audio signals, optimizing data for lower bit rates devices can provide. TAPR’s position is that a major and low-bandwidth connections. H.323-complianl improvement in spectrum use is feasible if the concepts products arc now quite common on the market with to be employed in the IAR POC radio are put into Microsoft’s Nct.Vlceting being a good example. More widespread use. However, given the radical nature of information on H.323 can be found at: http://gw.data- some of the approaches in this project, it is appropriate to beam.com/h323/h323primer.himl. first, confirm the technical theories that we are putting forth and then to define the operational parameters for the Supports duplex (just like a telephone) and confer­ implementation of these theories once they arc confirmed. encing (just a teleconference)? Then wc will he able to approach the Commission with Yes, again using standard Internet protocols, even proposals that have a sound basis in fact and which should though the acutal radio link is half duplex. hopefully then be acted upon in a favorable fashion. Lets you know who else is monitoring and lets you While development of the IAR POC is underway, contact them without interrupting anyone else? TAPR has several projects underway that utilize existing Yes. Pari 15 spread spectrum radios that arc being adapted to

Fall 1998 - Issu o #72 Packer Status Register P age 5 Is resistant to deliberate interference, and allows the APRS QSY - Final Report control operator to "lock out" stations that are not following the rules? Greg Jones, WD51VD, Yes. W e have full control to lock out users as required Stew DidJSC, K4HG, by a number of different methods. Frank Bauer. KA3IIDO, Stan Horaepa, W A 1 L O U Can share its operating frequencies with several similar repeaters nearby, with little degradation in the performance of any of them? Abstract Yes. We are able to add new mountain top sites This little adventure began over a year ago when Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, Vice President o f AMSAT Manned without the need for coordination. Space Operations approached the community with the Lets you use one radio to access all of these func­ issue o f potential interference to the future o f amateur tions, and others such as PackctCluster and APRS, radio operations aboard the International Space Station. simultaneously? Much discussion took place before the final proposal was Yes. put forth at the 1997 ARRI. and TAPR Digital Communications Conference. At the conference, Frank Puts the amateur allocations above 1 GHz to more presented his paper "Amateur Radio on Manned Space Intensive use? Vehicles: Improving Amateur R a d io ’s Future Through Yes. In this ease, 2.4 GHz is used. Enhanced Space Frequencies." [Bauer, 1997] This paper discusses the basic issues of the proposal. What wc have Conclusion a year later is a nearly complete process of a large section We believe that amateur radio has been at a crossroads o f the amateur radio community voluntarily changing for the last several years and continues to wait for the frequency. It w asn ’t easy or without debate, but lire "light to change" to indicate what the future will really process showed that with adequate communications and hold in store for the service. The ARRL, TAPR, lots of lime discussing and educating people on the reality AMSAT. and other technology-oriented groups must take o f the situation, that change can happen in the amateur the initiative and forge ahead into the future on Our own. radio service in a cooperative manner. This paper will Wc need to he proactive to change and challenges, and discuss history leading up to the QSY, the APRS QSY not take a position o f "wait and sec" for attitudes to proposal, major events in the process, results of the APRS change. There will be those members in all of our QSY Survey, current status o f the QSY, who received organizations that will hate what the future will bring, but money from the QSY fund, and finally what lessons were past history and experience shows us that adopting a learned along the way. position of limited or no change only means that the change and growth will occur elsewhere. Otange does Finally, this paper represents the formal report to be not mean the total abandonment of the past traditions that presented to TAPR, AMSAT, and the ARRL. we believe have made the amateur radio service what it is today. We can cither bring about increased growth in History of 145.79 our ranks or see that growth occur on the Internet and As was posted in a message by Tom Clark, W 3IW I, other areas that many o f our members will perceive as [Clark, 1997] the reason APRS started on 145.79 dates much more fun and enjoyable ways to spend their time. back to the 1990 era o f packet radio in the local Maryland Not following the course o f change might be the wise and Washington D C areas. Several hams in the area political approach to adopt for now - but is it unlikely to including Tom Clark, W3TWI, decided to open up the be the most productive one. 145.50 -145.80 segment to packet activity. They fell that the five slots in the 145.01-145.09 segment were The issues and actions the we have raised are just some inadequate for all the PBBS, linking, DX Cluster, simplex thoughts about where amateur radio is today and where it rag chewing, etc that was happening on packet radio. The might be going These arc just first steps towards a new local packeteers prevailed on the local FM folks to future and many more will be required to effect any real quadruple the available space which the packet change. Long range planning is certainly important, but community would administer. They elected to follow the with the increased pace of change in society and the local pattern of 20 kHz channelizing, using the odd tens technology sector, amateur radio needs to take a fresh kHz slots (300 kHz o f spectrum yielding 15 available look at where it has been and just where it would like to channels). Tom at that time, being very involved in go- AMSAT, understood the band-edge problems with regard to the satellite sub-band and thus placed 145.79 as a "reserved tor experimentation." The plan was for this

P age 6 Packet Status Register Fall 1998 - issu e s72 frequency 10 be used for new technologies, especially the idea made some sense in Region 1). The problem in modems. the US is that APRS is/was on 145.79. Although the proposal made since in Region 1, it d id n ’t necessarily fit At about this time, Boh Bruninga, W B4APR. began into Region 2. testing a "Ul" frame (unconnected datagrams) protocol and asked about getting a frequency to lest what he saw As Tom points out in his e-mail [Clark, 1997], "The as a way for low-powered mobiles to transmit information real underlying problem is that the 2M band is crowded, to nearby stations working like the cellular telephone especially in Europe. 2M links for MIR/SARF.X/ISS arc network with limited coverage. Tom suggested he use desirable since EVERYBODY already has the necessary 145.79 with the implied reality that it was adjacent to the radios. The problems are compounded because the 2M satellite band, that it was subject to occasional QRM, and hand has, in general, been treated as a local coverage that the concept was experimental. resource with emphasis on terrestrial repeaters — except for the bottom-end rDXr* and the top-end satellite chunks, As we all know, B o b ’s modest request a few years later the people who dole out frequency slots wear a "100 km became APRS, and 145.79 became A P R S’s national radius'' (i.e. 60 miles) localized set of blinders. The local home. repeater opcrator/coordinator has virtually no interest in The crux of our story begins when the post-Challcnger what happens 1000 km away! Witness the fact that shuttle program resumed and AMSAT Manner Space different parts of the USA adhere to 15 & 20 kHz channel Operations resurrected the idea of SAREX carrying spacings as a local option!" amateur packet hardware (the SAREX TNC7ROBOT). Historically, we find ourselves here in the US using AMSAT tried v ery hard to find a suitable frequency for 145.79 because APRS at the lime was considered a local the SAREX ROBOT. Since it involved both up- and experiment when it began. Add to this the reemergenee down-links, and since most radios were built lor 600 kHz o f amateur radio activities aboard manned space missions splits, they tried pairing frequencies like 144.950 with that have very limited operating frequency constraints and 145.550. This choice was not very well received by some the potential problem of interference between the two packet radio communities. The reason being that in the groups is very high. late 1980’s the 145.01-09 packet frequencies had been added to with the addition of 144.91-99. When SAREX The Proposal began operations on 144.950, there were a lot of The proposal to QSY APRS presented at the 1997 individuals who had packet radio systems tunning on ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference 144.950 who were very unhappy about the intrusion. w asn ’t the Erst such suggestion. There had been several This was one of the first cases of how do you fit into discussions and proposals before this one that looked at differing world-wide bandplans’ operating frequencies the issue of APRS being on 145.79 and 145.80 being used for space missions that do not interior with anyone else. for space based operations. What made this proposal The real problem here is that in Region 1, the 2M band is different was that all the elements were in place for a only 2 MHz wide (144-146 MHz). The situation is made successful proposal. There was a clear outstanding need even more difficult, since the band plan has to be agreed to reduce near hand interference before the International to by 50+ countries. For reasons that have to do with Space Station began amateur radio operations. The facts International governmental treaties negotiated at the already showed that orbiting crews endured significant WARCs, the amateur satellite service is restricted to the frequency interference issues to achieve success that universal international parts o f the bands, so any many simply turned off the radio. Thus, these frequency spacecraft using 2M must operate between 144 <& 146 problems have limited the growth and success o f this MHz -- no choice! In that context, the satellite communication medium. The real downside to the community has convinced thcentirc, world-wide amateur interference issue was that the full potential of this facet community (thru the IARU) that 10% of the worldwide o f amateur radio to infuse new blood into the hobby 2M band - 145.80-146.00 -- must be reserved for space through educational opportunities lor students and its activities. Thus S A R E X ’s usage of 145.55 was not well positive experience to the community has been somewhat received by the Europeans either! stunted due to these frequency problems.The potential Now le i’s add MIR into the mix. The suggestion for amateur radio promotion for successful amateur ihe use o f 145.20/145.80 for MIR came from an IARU operations on the ISS is not disputed by anyone. How can Region 1 conference (Tel Aviv), and after the idea was anyone argue against the fact that communicating with announced to the rest of the world, it became obvious that astronauts and cosmonauts is an exciting and challenging it was not a good GLOBAL, choice since 145.20 was facet o f amateur radio. The APRS community was heavily used elsewhere (in Europe, 145.20/.80 was a operating on two main frequencies: 145.79 and 144.39. repeater pair which was being phased out •• which is why The proposal to move everyone to one single frequency to help with creating a true national/international

Fall 1998 - Issu e #72 Packet Status Register P age 7 agreement (with Canada) was a seen benefit to the now APRS node operators in finding another "home'1 for their rapidly growing APRS community that is seeking APRS operations in the USA. If the shift to another increased coverage and case o f use Itetwccn areas o f frequency eventually proves acceptable to the APRS community, it would help resolve one of the Iasi remain­ operation. After much education on the subject, most ing issues in clearing 145.80MHz for worldwide use by could see the problem with the location of a frequency on MIR, SAREX, and ISS. board MIR and the ISS due to international limits for frequency selection. ARRL Board position statement on QSY [A R R L, 1998] In addition, several new items that past proposals didn’t Whereas, the ARRL recognizes that APRS and have were added. These included that each o f the three SAREX/AR1SS are vital and exciting facets of Amateur major organizations (TAPR, AMSAT, and the ARRL) Radio, and Whereas, the ARRL. recognizes the unique would donate money towards a QSY fund to help with needs of APRS and SARF.X/ARISS for nationwide fre­ the relocation. After all the discussion and debate, only quencies, and Whereas, the ARRL supports the experi­ SI 500 was spent towards helping OSY. Most sites mentation of APRS through various Amateur Radio sat­ simply changed frequency or paid for the cost locally. All ellites and the International Space Station, and Whereas, TAPR and AMSAT-NA have endorsed the three major groups (TAPR, AMSAT, ARRL) showed APRS/Manned Space alliance and the "APRS QSY Ac­ support by passing a motion on the issue at their board of tivity* and have each pledged up to $500 to the ’APRS directors meetings. A committee was formed to help QSY Donation Pool," Be it resolved that the ARRL coordinate the efforts o f the QSY and open debate then endorses die concept of an .APRS/Manned Space com­ began. The committee consisted of: Stan Horzepa. promise as a mechanism to share frequencies in the WAlLOU, TAPR APRS SIG Chair, Steve Dimse, crowded two-meter band to minimize interference. More­ over, the ARRL pledges a donation of up to S500 to K4IIG, APRS QSY Proposal*Liaison, Greg Jones, support the APRS QSY initiatives once the fund is estab­ WD5IVD, President, TAPR, and Frank Bauer, lished. KA3HDO, Vice President of AMSAT Manned Space Operations. TAPR APRS QSY Information Collection Questionnaire TAPR, AMSAT, ARRL One ol‘ the first things started by the committee was a Once the three major organizations involved passed a survey. The purpose o f the survey was two-fold. The motion at their board of directors meeting, the APRS QSY first heing a straw poll of the sentiment behind this issue. committee felt we had a chance to make this proposal The second being the collection o f information on who work. Without the support Ifom each of these groups, the wanted to receive money from the OSY fund. proposal would have lost a lot of its positive energy. With the passing of each motion, the proposal gained strength The survey was run from November 1st. 1997 until that this was finally the right mix to solve the problem for June 30th, 1998, at which time it was determined that everyone. saturation o f the survey had resulted. Saturation being defined in this case as no significant change in the TAPR Board of Directors Positions Statement percentages (less than 2% over 3 months) shown in the 1) TAPR. in support of its APRS SIG and the organiza­ tions of many APRS users, recognizes that APRS is a vital and exciting facet of amateur radio. 2) TAPR supports the experimentation of APRS through various amateur radio satellites and the International Space Station. 3) TAPR endorses the concept of an APRS-OSY Fund and will help set up and administer such a fund when the time becomes necessary to facilitate the potential QSY of APRS U.S. infrastructure. 4) TAPR approves a donation of $500 to support the QSY initiatives when the fund is established. AMSAT Board of Directors Position Statement

The AMSAT-Board also agreed (in cooperation with jayW *— j TAPR) to help an ongoing effort aimed at minimizing the ______frgygatag__ impact of moving a large number of current Automatic Ortfti shnwiag the pao-'ulagc f t all reipDixlrals as eooifttred to just Diwipcatet Packet Reporting Systems (APRS) users off of 145.79 Owner rapOftW* to the survey. TUc iuTiymstip-a sitamieilby Use irtti jroupind MHz. The Board agreed to donate up to SSOU to a fund to a d p e sfa vw aa ssh-craup are atari/ IctaitlcsJ. help defray needed expenses of various fixed frequency

Page 8 Packet Status Register Fait 1998 - Issue #72 survey results. The survey generated 486 entries of which Current Statue of APRS QSY 146 (30%) indicated digiowners, 253 (52%) indicated The position o f the organisations involved (TAPR, end-users, and 87 (18%) made no indication o f status. AMSAT, ARRI.) has always been that it is the choice of The committee had hoped to reach over 150 wide the individual ham whether or not to QSY, and this digiowners with the survey and consider the 146 as a decision needs to be made on a local basis. It is not successfully reached goal. appropriate for one group of hams to tell another that they have to move, or when they should move. This applies All Respondents (486) - rank order just as much to one group of APRSers telling another, as definitely 227 47% it does to AMSAT telling APRS it has to move. Some willingly 94 19% areas have a tougher problem and need more lime. Please if everyone else does 90 19% be considerate of this, and try to help these situations. undecided 25 5% definitely not 24 5% Jeff Brenton, KA9VNV, has maintained a web page maybe 18 4% tracking the actual success o f the APRS QSY. The don'l care 8 2% following information and map is from his web page not responding 0 0% (http://www.dididahdahdidit.com/APRSFreq.htm). Thanks to Jeff for allowing us to use some of his eonlent All Respondents combination (486) • rank order in this article. definitely * willingly 321 66% if everyone else doee + don’t care 98 20% The map lists the reported frequencies for various areas maybe t undecided 43 9% o f the United States which will be in effect by early June, definitely not 24 5% 1998. Some areas arc in the process o f switching to 144.390; others have switched already. The following is Just looking ai Wide Dlgl Owners (146) - rank order a state by state breakdown definitely 69 47% w illingly 26 18% http://www.dididahdahdidit.com/aprsffqt.htm. If everyone else does 25 17% Note that Maine, and large areas of Montana, 13 9% undecided Nebraska, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, Texas, definitely nol 7 5% maybe 6 4% New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Nevada do not have a don’t care 0 0% formal "APRS network," and share existing packet not responding 0 0% networks with other users. These areas often run on 145.01, 145.03. and other frequencies "known for Just looking at Wide Digi Owners combination (146) packet." definitely + willingly 95 66% if everyone elee does r don’l cere 25 17% Alabama maybe + undecided 19 13% North half of state on 145.79, with reports that definitely not 7 6% everything south of Montgomery and Phenix City is on 144.39. This will change on or about October 31,1998; see note on SERA below. Alaska No reported activity, but a lot o f interest. As things develop, I have been promised information on the frequency or frequencies chosen. Arizona State is largely unreported, but Phoenix and Tucson report as being on 145.79, and other areas are believed to be sharing the local packet net(s), prohably on 145.01 o r 145.03. Current belief is that Arizona will remain on this way until/unless Southern California moves, but this may change.

.A rk a n s a s Entire state is on 144.39. California This graph shows the combination ot like leclings California, from Bakersfield north, is on or converting about the potential QSY. to 144.39 as the digipcatcrs can be reached. South o f Bakersfield, coordination problems will delay conversion

Fall 1998 - Issue #72 Packet Status Register Page 9 for an indeterminate length of lime. DO NOT OPERATE Iowa ON 144.39 IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA UNTILTHE State has officially changed to 144.39, and all COORDINATION ISSUES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED! digipeaters are believed to be operational on this frequency now. [This additional information from Jim Keck, N6HNY: The General Membership o f TASMA approved a motion to Kansas designate 144.390MHz for APRS. The move is scheduled State has officially changed to 144.39 at the same lime to be completed no later than 31 December 1998. This as Missouri. will allow lime for some SoCA W id e ’s to gea r up fo r the Kentucky change and for the TASMA Technical Committee to work State has officially changed to 144.39, and all but one out som e details in reallocating the A TV community to an digipeater arc operational on this frequency. This alternate frequency.] remaining digipeater will change on or about October 31, Colorado 1998; sec note on SERA below. State has officially changed to 144.39, and all WIDE Louisiana digipeaters arc reported as being operational there Shreveport area is on 144.39; no official report from already. other areas, but users report hearing most other LA Connecticut stations on 144.39. All of state is now reported to be on 144.39. .Maine Delaware No report. However, being surrounded by areas on State has officially changed u> 144.39 effective April 144.39, it is believed that Maine will be on 144.39. 5, hut not all digipeaters may 1>e operational on this Maryland frequency yet. Eastern sections are on 144.39 after April 5; western Florida areas REPORT still on 145.79. H ow ever, several reports Virtually all o f the digipeaters within the state arc have been received that even the western section has reported to be on 144.39 at this time. Except, less than 30 moved, to match with West Virginia, Ohio, and days before Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi switch to Pennsylvania. 144.39, several digis west of Tallahassee in the Panhandle Massachusetts have decided to buck the national trend, and switch back State is on 144.39, although it is possible some to 145.79. A rumor says that this may be a temporary digipeaters have not been moved yet. thing, and that all will be back on 144.39 when Alabama completes the change-over October 31. No confirmation Michigan has been received either way. Southern peninsula on 144.39 as o f March 15. Some areas of Upper Michigan share the local LAN frequency Georgia o f 145.09; Rumours are this might change later this year. Most o f state is on 145.79, with the exception o f the Columbus area, which is on 144.39 as of April 5, and the Minnesota Savannah area switched in August. See note on SERA State is on 144.39 as o f the July 4lh weekend. As a below. result, the northern portion of Wisconsin is now painted as being on 144.39. Hawaii No report. Mississippi Officially, as a member of SERA, thestate is on 145.79. Idaho This will change on or about October 31, 1998; sec note State is scheduled to be on 144.39 by now, along with on SERA below. User reports indicate that the southern Washington, Oregon, and BC. third of the state has already changed to 144.39, to connect Illinois with the Florida Panhandle. State has officially changed to 144.39. and all Missouri digipeaters arc believed to have moved by now. All reporting areas arc on 144.39 as of April 1. Indiana Montana State has officially changed to 144.39, and all Only two reports so far, both from new stations digipeaters arc reported to be operational on this establishing a new network in the state, and both plan to frequency. use 144.39. These fledgling nets arc in the "NW corner" and near Helena

P age 10 Packet Status Register Fall 1998 - issu e #72 Nebraska South Carolina State has officially changed to 144.39 at the same time Much of state is on 145.79. This will change on or about as Missouri. October 31, 1998; sec note on SERA below. The Charleston area has already O S Y ’d to 144.39. Nevada Las Vegas area has moved to 144.39 a s of July 19. Lake South Dakota Tahoe and adjacent areas moved on 144.39 as of the end State has officially changed to 144.39 at the same time o f August, and other areas hordering on California arc as Missouri and Nebraska. also on 144.39, simply because they arc using the NoCAL Tennessee net. Other areas lack "APRS-specilic" digipeaters, so Slate is on 145.79. This will change on or about check 145.01, 145.03, and similar generic packet Octoher 31,1998; sec note on SERA below. channels. Late word is that, as an APRS network is established, it is to be on 144.39. Texas Eastern half of state, including Dallas/Fort Worth and New Hampshire Houston areas, and the Panhandle area arc on 144.39. State is on 144.39 after May 3. Areas along and 75 miles either side o f Interstate 20, New Jersey between El Paso and Abilene share the local packet State has officially changed to 144.39. network on 145.01. Other areas unreported, but may be on 145.79, 145.01 o r 145.0.3. New Mexico State has no official APRS frequency, however the Utah Albuquerque area has good coverage on 144.39 from 4 Utah is moving to 144.39 as a network can be built. digipeater. Most other parts of the state share 145.01 and Digipeaters arc scarce right now, especially outside Salt 145.03 with other packet users. Lake City, but el'forts to change that come next spring are underway. Expect the Las Vegas to Salt Lake City New York corridor to he the first major expansion, being worked on Most of state is on or changing to 144.39. from both ends. North Carolina Vermont Most of state is on 145.79. This will change on or about State is on 144.39 as of May. October 31.1998; see note on SERA below. Virginia North Dakota Most of the state is on 145.79. This will change on or State is on 144.39. Not a lot of digipeaters as of yet, but about Octoher 31, 1998; sec note on SERA below. All this situation is being worked upon. digipeaters in DC area, and along the MD/VA border Ohio north and sounth of DC, have reportedly moved to 144.39, State has officially moved to 144.39, with most stations and there have been reports of many VA stations seen on confirmed to have moved. There are some hold outs on 144.39 during band openings. 145.79. Washington Oklahoma State is Officially on to 144.39. Oklahoma has reported that their digipeaters moved to West Virginia 144.39 during the first week of September. Visit the Radio Per report by the Tristate APRS Working Group Amateur Scientific Society Web page for additional [TAWG], West Virginia has moved to 144.39, to stay information. connected to their neighbors in Ohio and Kentucky. See Oregon note on SERA below. State is officially on 144.39. Wisconsin Pennsylvania State is on 144.39. Not much reported activity in the Eastern half of state and Lake Erie shore area arc on north, but it should all be on 144.39 now, since Minnesota 144.39. No reports from other areas, but this may be due has moved. to low activity (some say NO activity!). Try 144.39 first, Wyoming then 145.79, west of the mountains. No report. However, being completely surrounded by Rhode Island areas o n 144.39, it is believed that the state will be on Slate has officially changed to 144.39. 144.39 as activity develops. Canada All provinces arc officially on 144.39.

Fall 1998- Issu e #72 Packet Status Register P age 11 South East Repeater Association (SERA) note: Per not cooperate in the Group effort and already moved this Ralph Fowler N 4N EQ, on July 25,1998: past Spring- prior to the frequency being approved by SERA. One more is currently advertising that he plans to "The APRS digipeatcr network in the 8 states coordinated move this weekend. by SERA (The South East Repeater Association), along with the Digis in Central and Northern Alabama, will be 'So... there you have it. Throughout history, we in the moving to 144.39 MHz on or about Halloween weekend South have stuck together on causes that are important to (October 31) 1998. us and have endeavored to always "do the right thing.* "We have obtained recognition by SERA for APRS use We believe that an orderly study- of all the implications of this move has taken place and’ihac the outcome will be of the new frequency, formerly allocated to AMSAT for positive for all APRS users. future Oscar operations. SERA approves our use of this frequency with one major stipulation: We are to use 'This leaves one major area, Southern California, to proper engineering and RF practices to protect the 145.xx remain on 145.79. Please be patient with them. The voice repeaters- whose inputs lie as close as 120 KHz 144.39 frequency is coordinated to another user commu­ from 144.39. Several digis arc co-sitcd with these repeat­ nity, and there is no place to move those users. The issue ers and others are very close. Our digipcatcra must be is large and there ARE folks working on it. I know we outfitted with the proper filtration devices (band pass and appreciate the fact that MOST other users left us alone." notch cavities) to accomplish this task. SERA is the official repeater coordination body for Ihe 'Some digis will need little or no work and others will Stales o f Georgia, Kentucky, North and South Carolina, need total replacement due to the lowness of the fre­ Virginia, West Virginia, Mississippi and Tennessee. quency being used, hence the October date. This should give the owners ample time to make adjustments. Cost to the each digipeatcr owner will ranee from nothing to well QSY Fund over Sl.000.00! If users in the affected areas would like In March or 1998 a message was sent to 19 individuals to contribute to the expenses that their local digipcatcrs that had requested funding via the APRS QSY survey will incur, you may contact the owner directly or through instrument. These 19 individuals represented only 3.9% me. o f the 486 people submitting information to the survey. "There arc at least 48 digipcatcrs represented here. Since It seems that the vast majority of the APRS QSY has been the approval by the SERA Board early this month. I have self funded by groups and individuals. personally corresponded with the owners of all but 5 of The following 10 people requested S1265 worth of the them. After numerous attempts to contact these 5,1 have decided to carry them as unknowns. 1 think they are all in $1500 collected from TAPR, AMSAT, and the ARRL. the KY-TN-vAarca. Of the 43 digis remaining’ 5 of them The remaining S235 is on hold to an 11th group, until the (two in SC and two in distant GA border areas) elected to QSY change has been made.

APRS QSY Frequencies as of October, 1998

P age 12 Packer Status Register Fall 1998 - Issue H72 N9QGS, Ron Malinowski, S30 for crystals. N7ZEV, Frank Koelelac, $80 for crystals Bill Tynan, W3XO,to Step Down as 2 dlgls In Las Vagas srsa AMSAT-NA President K7GPS, David Dobbins, $75 for recryetalling/tuning a dlg l In V/A state Space Bulletin 012 ARLS012 K5QQ, Jim Barsmore, $70 xtals/tuning an NM digi. From ARRL Headquarters W BOW NX, Dave Kaplan, $50 xtals,'tuning Iowa dig! W3NRI, Greg Harbough, $50 xtals for two trackers AMSAT-NA President Bill Tynan, W3XO, will W9JBL. John Leonard, S90 DCI filter for Chicago wide N4VDE, Ricky Davis, $25 for crystals for SC dlgl formally announce his retirement from office during KUOQ, Jim Duncan, $300 for 10 radios. the AMSAT-NA 16th Annual Meeting and Space KE4DGH, Tommy Ellison $495.00 for new radio and notch Symposium October 15-19 in Vicksburg, filter for co-site voice repeater Mississippi. An announcement also will appear in the next issue of The AM SAT Journal. Tynan, who turns Conclusion 72 on Columbus Day, helped found AMSAT-NA in It is a significant feat by the amateur radio service to 1969 and has headed the organization for the past complete a QSY of this magnitude within a single year seven years. ”1 think it ’s time,” he said, although he considering that the proposal and shifting o f a national expressed regret that he did not get to see the Phase amateur simplex frequency was widely accepted and 3D Amateur Radio satellite get into orbit during his implemented for the majority o f the US in such a short tenure. period of time. While there are still areas of change to be made, progress on these fronts continues and we hope will Tynan said h e ’ll recommend to the AMSAT-NA eventually occur over time. Board of Directors that Executive Vice President Keith Baker, KB1SF. be appointed to replace him. The amateur radio service as a whole and the APRS ”Hc knows the organization, h e ’s heen my right community itself can congratulate itself for making the hand,” said Tynan. He said he plans to continue QSY happen and leaving the future frequency for ISS serving on the AMSAT-NA Board at least until his operations much less occupied and interference free for term expires next year and intends to remain active in future astronaut communications to other amateur radio AMSAT. operators. Tynan said the outpouring of support for the Phase We should not underestimate the significance o f the 3D project was the highlight of his time in office. task accomplished by the amateur radio service and APRS ’ ’Th e support of both the League and all our members community since the 1997 ARRL and TAPR Digital to get where we arc is the most gratifying and Communications Conference. In completing a OSY of significant accomplishment,” he said. Tynan noted this magnitude from the initial proposal to a shift o f that the Phase 3D satellite is completed and will frequency on a national level which is widely accepted undergo some final testing this month in the and implemented in such a short period of time is an even t Washington, DC, area. However, he said there was few have heen successful in achieving in the history o f ’’no th in g new at all” to report on the possibility o f a the amateur radio serv ice. While there are still areas of Phase 3D launch opportunity. Tynan said h e ’ll be change to occur, progress in these geographical areas among those keeping a close eye on the European continues and we hope will eventually QSY over time. Space Agency’s Ariane 503 test launch set for The amateur radio service as a whole and the APRS October 20. ’’On e of our primary hopes is for an community itself can congratulate itself for making the Ariane 5 launch,” he said. Tynan said h e ’s optimistic QSY happen and leaving the future frequency for ISS about the future o f Amateur Radio in space. operations much less occupied and interference free for Licensed since 1945, Tynan edited the ’’Ab o v e 50 future astronaut communications to other amateur radio MHz” column in QSTfrom 1975 until 1992. In 1988, operators. he retired as senior engineer from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. In 1996, he was honored as the References Dayton Hamvention’s Amateur o f the Year. 1. Frank Bauer, KA3HDO. 1997 ARRL and TAPR Digital Commu­ nications Conference. Web Page: Tynan remains active mostly on the VHF and UHF htu>:/,;ww-w.ti5pr.ccg,‘aprsqsy.i1jaixr/'bauer.han bands. Once h e ’s free of the day-to-day affairs of 2. Torn Clark, W3IWI. Tuc, 14 Oct 1997. aprssig.tape.org. Subject: AMSAT, he said he hopes to spend more time on the Rcdmportant: APRS end AMSAT-Plcasc Read air, especially on 6 meters. 3. Full information oa the Board meeting can be found at arrl.org. Refer to ARRL Bulletin fi ARLB008 From ARRL Headquarters Newington CT January 20,1998.

Fall 1998 - issu e #72 Packet Status Register P age 13 TAPR 900Mhz FHSS Radio Design Update This will become the Ethernet MAC address for the board. Will code it so that if the DS2401 cannot be Below is the status since June. 'Pom McDermott, read for some reason, that a default MAC address will N5EG, presented a status report at the 1998 ARRL and be utilized from the conl'.h file, and an error message TAPR DCC. The audio and overheads can reviewed at will he dumped on the console. http://www.tapr.org/dcc. 3. Add the code to the 22V10 to do the decoding of The project team has gotten the Qualcomm Q1900 chip-select and Rcad/Write for the Harris part, and the convolutional codcr/dccoder (Viterbi decoder algorithm) clocking for the Qualcomm part. Bob has installed a working on the FHSS board. They are now able to send harness on it so that it can be reprogrammed right on HDLC packets from the 68360 to the Q1900, loop them the board. Really slick, Bob! around with a couple o f wires, and accurately decode 4. Complete the port from our current XINU 7.2.2 to them with the Q1900. They then can send them to the version 7.9. HDLC receiver on the 68360 and successfully receive the frames. This means that the register and HDLC driver 5. Program the HDLC serial channel on the 68360 to talk code is working, and the clock , data, timing and signals to the Qualcomm chip. into and Out of the Q1900 are functional. The spec sheet Some of Ihe major goals achieved to date include: for the Q1900 leaves a lot to be desired in the timing department - basically they ended up measuring all the CPU operational test, register verification Complete signals with a scope to figure out what it is doing. verify BDM working Complete RAM + FLASH testing Complete Ethernet f'F working Complete Modify PCB artwork and rebuild CPU board. Complete

Some o f the future goals regarding the CPU board in­ clude: Develop simple stack running Nearly Complete - exchanges ethernet packets - 360 register I/O code - PC display / control of 360 registers - PC display / control of VLSI registers Write PIC & 360 code, use simple stack to verify Started - all VLSI registers can be read/written The digital board still needs to have the Harris DSP and - (HARRIS, QUALCOMM, etc.) the 2 A /D ’s checked out, but most of the digital board is - 360 can talk toffrom PIC now working properly. The team is now ready to move - 360 can read,write packete via Ethernet 1,'F on to sending coded I-rQ data to the QPSK modulator on - 380 can talk on HDLC to Vlterbl chip for data the RF board. Bob Stricklin, N5BRG, has been working on that board, and is checking out some undocumented As reported in the last report, the VCOs arc operational operational aspects Of the Motorola part (like how it syncs on the RF board. Now that the major elements o f the the I/'Q line). digital board arc completed, the team is focusing oil the RF side of the project. Getting the 0$ and TCP/IP stack The goals for the short term include: running before the 1998 DCC was a major achievement. 1. Install the Qualcomm and Harris parts on the digital Some of the goals regarding the RF board still include: board being tested. Write access routines in C to talk Verify VCO spectral characteristics Complete to the registers on both parts. These routines handle Put Motorola QPSK encoder on board, the strange way the Harris part communicates and drive from PIC (temporary data) Complete handles the addressing offset to the registers. The Add HARRIS 3724 Mod.'Demod, teat Complete Harris stuff is working, but the team h asn’t tested the Add Tx mixer, Tx PA, T>R switch In Progreas Qualcomm sluIT yet, but it should be easier to do I/O Add Rx down converter, IF post amp In Progress than the Harris stuff, by far! Loopback testing In Progress Turn RF board artwork 2. Install a Dallas Semiconductor DS240I electronic se­ rial number chip on the board being tested. This uses Until the next reporL PB4 to communicate to the processor. Have C code working to pull the 48-bit serial number out of the pari.

P age u Packet Status Register Fall 1998 - Issue #72 TAPR dOOMhz FHSS Project Fund Raiser deliberations, which are conducted via the Internet. Active participation in TAPR activities by Board As published in the last issue of thePSR, Bob Stricklin, members [s important to the furtherance of the objectives N5BRG, Bill Reed, WDOETZ, Tom McDermott, N5CG, of TAPR. The officers of TAPR arc elected by the and a highly competent group in support, arc developing members o f the Board at the annual Board o f Directors the TAPR 900M HZ FUSS Radio. We figure to spend at meeting. least $10,000 this year on the project on things like The current members of the Board of Directors and the another board mm, development software, parts, and expiration dates of their terms arc: other wlds and ends that a project ol this magnitude Steve Bible, N7HPR 1999 • requires. Thus far, we have received a little less that Gary Hauge, N-tCHV 1999 - $2000 towards our goal. Bob Hansen, N2GDF. 1999* PSR Editor GreiiJor.es, WD5IVD 21XX) President W e would like to thank John Coonly, Andrew John Rosier, W9DDD 2000 Skattefco, KAOSNL, and Gene Pentecost, W4IMT for Mel Whitten, K0PFX 20(X> their contributions. John Acfccrmann, NSUR 2001 Vice President Jim Neely, WA5LHS 2U01 Treasurer TAPR will be sending out a fund raising letter in the Barry McLarnoo, VE3JF 2001 next few months in order to help fund all or pan o f the Nominations arc now open for scats expiring in March S8,000 for this year’s development. We would like to ask. 1999 (marked with an asterisk). the membership to donate money towards the To place a person in nomination, please remember that development effort to ensure that we d o n ’t have to take he or she must be a member of TAPR. Confirm that the away from other important projects that also need cash individual is willing to have their name placed in this year to be completed. nomination. Send that p erson ’s name (or your own if you When you get the note front TAPR asking for a small wish to nominale yourself) along with your call and their contribution, please take a serious moment and help bring call, telephone numbers, mailing address, and Internet this unique project closer to completion. If you have address. The person nominated should submit a short contact with a regional packet organization, contact them biographical sketch to be published along with the ballot. about contributing. Help fund a project that will lead to Nominations and biographical sketches should be many new and exciting operational possibilities! submitted to the TAPR office no later than December Donations above 525 will receive a certificate 31st, 1998. indicating funding of TAPR FHSS Radio Project, while Ballots will he mailed with the next PSR. TAPR will donations of 5250 or more will receive a plaque to lei all again use an Internet ballot, so read your ballot carefully. know of their efforts with this project. All donations arc Results will be announced on March 30th, 1999. needed large and small. Responsibilities of a board member ineludc: You can call the office at (940) 383-0000 o r Fax (940) 1) Attendance at both board meetings each year. 566-2544 to make your donation by MC/VLsa. 2) Regular participation with the continuous session of the board (currently held over the Internet). Typically this Nominations Sought for TAPR Board of requires a minimum of 3 hours a week, although Directors sometimes much more is required during active board discussions. Tucson Amateur Packet Radio is incorporated in the 3) Participation with TAPR projects as volunteered. State of Arizona as a non-profit scientific and educational Board members, while not required, are involved with institution. It is recognized by the IRS as a 501 (c)3 various project management, ongoing organization tax-exempt organization for these same purposes. TAPR and/or supervision/liaison positions. Active board is governed by a 9-member Board o f Directors. Each participation with various projects make many of the most member of the Board serves a three year term. Every year important projects and tasks possible. Board members three positions are up for election. arc expected to take an active part in TAPR in some form . Board members arc expected to attend two board All nominated members will be placed on the ballot meetings held in conjunction with the Dayton and the highest vote receivers will be placed in the open Hamvenlion and the ARRL and TAPR Digital board positions. If elected, two board meetings in 1998 Communications Conference. They participate in the will lx: held. One will be during Dayton Hamvention and decision-making process and provide guidance to the the other during the ARRI- and TAPR Digital officers. Htcy receive no pay and must defray most o f Communications Conference. All directors shall serve for their own expenses to attend meetings. Board members a term of three years. should be prepared to be active in the continuing Board

Fall 1998 - Issue #72 Packet Status Register P age 15 FlashCard Project

John Kostcr, W9DDD

"A Linux Router Using A CompactFlash Card” is a project which has been developed that allows a CompactFlash card to be used as a boot device on a PC. It takes advantage of a feature of the CompactFlash Card that allows it to emulate an IDE hard disk drive. Linux has been used in the preliminary testing o f the concept, but it should work with any node software anyone would want to use. John Koster, W9DDD, is the project developer with Allen Finne, KB5SQK, and Ed Geiger, K.D4AB working on the Linux issues. The project team was unaware of the work being dope by the Linux Router Project at the time we started this project However, one may find their web site to be an FlashCard Kit w/flash card attached interesting reference http://www.linuxroutcr.org/ Another site covering the booting of Linux from flash memory “ is: I told Allen about my success and he began working http://users.bigpond.eom/paulmoody./Mhow 1 lc.html on a small Linux file system using a small IDE hard drive. I managed to install a minimum Linux file system from This project started in 1997 with discussions among an older set o f installation disks 1 had. This installation several people at various gatherings about how to still had too many unneeded files installed to be useful. ruggedize a PC so that it could be used to run NOS or W hen Allen had completed his initial work, he built a some other network node software at a remote location. binary image he thought would work and emailed it to Rugged power supplies and no moving parts were the two me. After som e problems getting it to copy properly from most mentioned criteria. How to store the software the HDD to the flash drive, I had a bootable Linux system without a FDD or HDD was a prime question. Building with just the SMB flash memory card. an ISA bus card with a multitude of EPROM sockets was discussed as a first solution. Later talks between Allen At this lime we approached TAPR about formalizing and myself revolved around flash memory and how to the project into a TAPR sponsored affair. After the TAPR make a system think it was a HDD. Shortly after these BoD approved the proposal, I made a Circad library part talks, a catalog arrived which had PCMCIA flash memory for the 68 pin through-hole PCMCIA socket. Then I did cards listed in it. The catalog listed two different types. a PCB design and preliminary layout. One was listed as ATA. llmni, I wondered to myself if A month after this, I started thinking about the that means it looks like a HDD? Prices weren't cheap, CompactFlash card vs the PCMCIA flash card and started but at $100 or so for 4MB o f memory that d id n ’t sound doing some more research. Although you ca n ’t get the too bad. I began doing some research and I ran across a connector for the CompactFlash card in a through hole site that showed PCMCIA pinout with IDE type names part, it seem ed that making the adapter for the on the signals. 1 then did some more searching and found CompactFlash card directly without a PCMCIA adapter that a couple of companies made adapters which into a PCMCIA socket was the way to go. We changed connected the PCMCIA flash memory card to the IDE the design and I built an IDE buss adapter for the Compact HDD bus. Flash Card rather than the PCMCIA card. We started with the purchase o f an Adtron SDDA In July o f this year, I sent the PCB gerber files to the adapter and an SMB ATA flash memory card. When the board house. Once the boards had come back, we built pans arrived, I plugged the Hash memory card into a up two and they both worked! laptop PCMCIA slot and it looked just like a D: drive. It came already formatted for DOS. I plugged it into the Klt/Beta Testing Plan SDDA adapter and connected it as the slave DDE in my The plan is to offer 50 Beta units at the end o f 1998. desktop PC. I could read the DOS files I wrote to it while Contact Dorothy at the TAPR office if you want to be one it was in the laptop. Isn ’t technology wonderful - when of the first fifty participants. The cost o f the kit is it works? expected to be $49 for TAPR members plus shipping/handling.

P age 16 Packet Status Register Fall 1998 - Issue 072 TAPR PIC-Encoder Project Introduced at how to implement AX.25 U1 frames in a PIC the 1998 ARRL and TAPR DCC microcontroller. While the 16F84 contains only IK of program space, it turns out that this provides enough room not only to decode incoming serial data and construct Several prototypes of the PIC-Encodcr (PIC E), a new general purpose encoder based on the 16F84 PIC outgoing packets, but to do a significant amount o f microcontroller were shown and demonstrated at the processing and reformatting of the data as well. recent TAPR/ARRL Digital Communications To make it easier to program the 16F84chip, the PIC-E Conference in Chicago. The PIC-E was designed to has an on-board PIC programmer. As a result, to provide a generic interface between the digital world (in reprogram the chip, it is only necessary to connect a short the form o f serial data streams) and the amateur packet serial cable between the PIC-E and a PC serial port and radio world (in the form o f AX.25 packets) and is fully run the appropriate programming software. programmable by the user. The user can program the PIC The PIC-E will be offered initially by TAPR as a kit. microcontroller to take serial data from a GPS receiver or weatherstation and transmit it as formatted packet frames. which will beeallcd the Evaluation PIC-E. Fifty (50) kits will be made and all parts will be included. The user only Virtually any data that can be provided to tire device as a serial input stream can be reformatted and transmitted as has to supply an enclosure and power. The purpose of the 12(10 baud packet radio. At the DCC, the PIC-E was evaluation is to learn how users will deploy the unit and stimulate software development for new applications. demonstrated as a minimal MIC-E™ . Lessons learned from the evaluation kit will he used to The PIC-E will be relatively inexpensive because it is design the follow on PIC-E. Estimated release date for based on only two chips: a Microchip, Inc. 16F84 the Evaluation PIC-E is January' 1999. microcontroller and a MX-COM, Inc. MX 614 Bell 202 The project team responsible for the PIC-E is: Steve modem chip. The 16F84 is a general purpose “computer on a chip" that can be programmed and reprogrammed Bible, N7I1PR, project manager, Steve Dintse, K4IIG, Bvon Garrabrant, N6BG, John Hansen, W 2FS. John over and over by the end user. The PIC can he Kostcr, W9DDD, and Dan Welch. W 6DFW . programmed to receive incoming data streams and reformat them for transmission as AX.25 frames. It sends The price for the Evaluation PIC-E will be: S49.00 US the resulting data to the MX614 that generates tones for members of TAPR +• Shipping/handling necessary to transmit 1200 baud packet over the ra d io ’s The Evaluation PIC-E kit is only available to TAPR audio channel. The MX614 is a particularly interesting members. chip to use for this application because it also contains an "energy detect" circuit. If receive audio is routed to the TAPR kits can be complex depending on the killing MX614. it can determine whether the channel is in use experience of each builder. We d o n ’t think you will have and send this information back to the microcontroller. As trouble with the PIC-E kit, but it docs require some a result, no additional VOX or carrier detect circuit is knowledge and experience to successfully go from a kit required to prevent the PIC-E from stepping on other to a finished, usable unit, depending on the mode o f channel users. The 614 can detect both digital signals and operations. voice, so it is suitable for applications when: digital and TAPR requires that Evaluation PIC-E purchasers audio signals are mixed on the same frequency. provide VISA/MC information or chccks/money orders The PIC-E is an open system and it is hoped that many with their initial purchases. Orders will be taken for the hams will use it as a platform for developing new and first fifty (50) units. After the initial batch of Evaluation innovative applications. Almost any application that P IC -E ’s arc developed, TAPR will decide to either release involves point to point or point to multi-point additional EVM PIC-E kits or move towards a follow-on transmission of low-density data is a candidate for PIC-E production PIC-E kiu development. To write applications for the PIC-E, Orders for the Evaluation PIC-E can he mailed to the however, you will need to learn how to develop PIC TAPR address: 8987-309 B. Tanque Verde Rd #337. firmware. D on ’t worry, it is not all that difficult. Tucson, Az, 85749-9399, call (940) 383-0000 (Office Most o f what you will need to get started is readily Hours: Tue-Fri. 9am-12noon, 3pm-5pm Central Time), available at little or no cost. The software to get started or fax (940) 566-2544. in PIC development is available for free at MlC-E is a trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR http://www.microehip.com. A discussion of the basics of gelling started in PIC programming can he found in an article by W2FS in the October 1998 issue of QST. The Proceedings of the 1998 TAPR/ARRL Digital Communications Conference contains information on

Fail 1993 - issu e #72 Packet Status Register P age 17 APRS, Spread Spectrum Highlight Digital 1998 ARRL and TAPR Digital Conference Communications Conference September 25-27,1998 Jon Bloom, KE3Z Chicago, Illinois

If developments displayed at the 17th ARRL and Yes, another highly successful Digital TAFR Digital Communications Conference were any Communications Conference! Special thanks go out to guide, the momentum o f the Automatic Position the workers at CAPRA for hosting locally and to PRUG Reporting System (APRS) continues to grow. This y ea r’s (http://www.prug.or.jp ) for being our first ever conference — held September 25-27 in R olling international co-host. Also, a very special thanks to Dale Meadows, Illinois — was notable for the announcement Hatfield, W0IFO, for attending and giving the keynote o f a new' Kenwood hand-held transceiver that includes a address on Saturday morning. Steve Stroh, N8GNJ, and built-in TNC with support for APRS display and Tina Stroh did an excellent jo b in working the messaging as well as monitoring PackctCluster DXspots. arrangements with the hotel in Chicago once it was The Kenwood TH-D7A "Data Communicator" is a selected. As in years pasl, audio and photos from the dual-band (144/440 MHz) unit. I t ’s expected to be on die conference will be available on the TAPR web site market by y ea r’s end. (http://www.tapr.org/dcc). As it was last year, spread spectrum development again Next y ea r’s D CC will be hosted in Phoenix, AZ. The was another prime topic of discussion. One key difference date o f the conference should be selected by the end of from last year was the presence o f real spread-spectrum the year. hardware. A large contingent from the Packet Radio Users Group (PRUG) o f Japan showed up with three The conference started Friday afternoon with the experimental 2.4-GHz, direct-sequence spread-spectrum second annual APRS National Symposium moderated by PRUG96 stations. This system, which comprises radio Steve Dimse, K4HG. Tne symposium was full of talks and computer components, is being developed in Japan and projects. Steve had his computer set up for a live web by PRUG. At the conference, the three units were cam. You can still see the last image of mystery hardware operated as a network transferring data among themselves 1 (http://www.tapr.org/-k4hg/live.jpg). at about 800 kbit/s. During the symposium, two mystery hardware projects Another spread-spectrum radio development project is were discussed. The first was a Kenwood Prototype Data the TAPR effort, spearheaded by Tom McDermott, communicator HT. This was a sneak preview provided N5EG. McDermott reported at the Conference that the by Kenwood to all those attending the DCC. By the time project has moved considerably forward, with much o f thisPSR article is published, the HT should be available. the development of the digital hardware and the software kernel now completed. ATot of work remains to he done, however, and no specific project completion date is yet forecast Dcwaync Hendricks, WA8DZP, reported on experimental Amateur Radio spread-spectrum networks (under T A P R ’s FCC-granled special authority) in the San Francisco Bay area. One system he has tried uses Part 15 wireless LAN equipment, but operates under amateur (Part 97) rules. Another uses cable modems and transverters. These technological efforts did not escape the notice of conference keynote speaker Dale N. Hatfield, WOEFO, Chief of the F C C ’s Office of Engineering and Technology'. He expressed pleasure and approval at seeing the kind o f experimental work that amateurs are engaged in, calling such efforts vital to the fiiturc o f Amateur Radio. Bob Bruninga, WB4APR shows off the Kenwood Packet HT doing Video. Mel Whitten, KOPFX appears on the video display.

P age 18 Packet Status Register Fall 1998 - Issue #72 It is a lull function dual band 5 watt I IT with tons of APRS As an overview of their project, all of the radio protocol related features: as well as future planned software-executed • 1200 / 9600 baud TNC built in forward-crror-corrcction (FEC) is performed on a • GPS interface built in workstation. This workstation in-turn is attached via • APRS displays built in 10-base-T Ethernet cable to a Z80 module (and Ethernet • APRS Messaging (with Igates, i t ’s like a nationwide NIC card) located with the radio. The advantage is that 2-way pager) the long nin of cable up the tower is 10-basc-T cable, and • Receives all APRS packets the 2.4 GHz coax cable is kept to about 12 inches in • APRS Mic-Encodcr built-in length. This Z80 processor performs very limited • APRS/GPS Single Port Mode built-in functionality. It removes a temporary header used to send • DX Cluster spots built-in packets from the workstation to the Z80 (based on While the HT docs not display maps, it docs display UDP/IP) and transmits the remainder of the frame on the range and bearing to all stations (40 max). It also displays radio. It performs the complementary function in the their icon, Gridsquare, course and speed. Power, Antenna received direction. Height, antenna gain and directivity. It also displays The key advantage o f this unusual encapsulation Wind, Temp and Rain for all WX stations. If a graphics method is that all of the software that defines the network, GPS is plugged in, then the GPS will show all stations as the media access (MAC) protocols, the FEC codes, etc. way points on its maps. With only the HT and a GPS with resides within a single UDP process on the workstation graphic display, you can do EVERYTHING in APRS (no (which can as easily be a PC). This means that laptop needed). experimentation with different MAC protocols, new The second mystery hardware device is called the Pic routing protocols, etc. is easily accomplished and simple Encoder, or Pic-E. This is discussed in detail in this issue to develop. PRUG is cooperating with the Tokyo of Ihc PSR. It is designed as an enabling device, to allow Institute of Technology to experiment with, and develop others to have access to the joys of PIC programming for new protocols for packet radio using this technology. I t ’s APRS. The hardware includes the modem and a well suited for a university program because the flash-programmable PIC chip, with the associated researcher can spend most o f the lime focusing on the circuitry. The unit is not designed as a Mic-E network aspects, and much less so on real-time issues, replacement. However, with software that will be available, you can use it as a weather encoder (plug into Peel Bros, or Radio Shack and radio...no TNC), a GPS encoder (similar to M ic-E), DGPS transmitter, etc. The real purpose, though, is to sec what software others will come up with. This is a very easy thing to do; code modules for the AX-25 routines will be available. Late Friday afternoon, a hall-day seminar titled "In^structureless Technologies in Amateur Radio," presented by Don l^mkc, WB9MJN, dealt with the pros and cons of DDM A (directivity division multiple access, a proposed infrastructurclcss technique) versus hubbed (cellular style) and other infrastructure dependent techniques. The technical seminar was very' well attended and comments from the participants indicated that Don did a great job! The audio from his seminar is on the web page for those that c o u ld n ’t attend. Friday night saw the first ever DCC social, which was sponsored by PRUG. After the social, PRUG presented a series o f technical papers highlighting their current development. The papers focused on the prototype direct-sequence radio operating in the 2.4 GHz band (there are slight differences in frequencies between the US and Japan in this band) which PRUG has designed. This prototype appears to be very well designed from an Don I.emke, WB9MJN, showing off one of his patch experimentation point of view. antenna designs for 1.2G

Fall 1998-l$$ue #72 Packet Status Register P age 19 software integration issues, etc. This makes it possible for a graduate student to complete a project in one or two semesters with the PRUG hardware. We will look forward to reading the papers published by these researchers on their spread-spectrum, network, MAC, and routing experiments at future DCCs, hopefully! I t ’s a great example o f how amateur radio can provide a foundation for and contribute to important technical work.

Dale Hatfield, WOIFO

was followed by one of the best attended on PIC Development presented by John Hansen, W2FS, and Byon Garrabrant, N6BG. Instead o f using the one hour assigned, the session went 115 minutes. PIC The PRUG Spread Spectrum radio was demoed on Friday night at the DCC. The current raw data rate is about 800 kilobits per second and the spreading code is an 11-bil Barker sequence. All radios on the channel utilize the same spreading sequence, so collisions and multicasting are possible, 'fhus, the radio appears much like one channel in tod a y ’s packet network except that the data rate is much higher. The channel access protocols arc similar. PRUG presented a paper on the use of improved channel access protocols. They analyzed the theoretical throughput of a channel under CSMA/CD (current packet protocol) and MACA protocols (MACA was described by Phil Karn, KA9Q, in a 1991 DCC paper). The social and PRUG session were a huge success! Saturday morning started early with a keynote talk by Dale Hatfield, W01FO. Dale has just become the Chief of the F C C ’s Office of Engineering and Technology. Having someone at this level o f the FCC attending the conference is a major accomplishment and recognizes the significance o f the work o f all in the hobby who participate in experimentation. As with past years, Saturday was split into two strands - a paper session and a session featuring selected topics. We decided this year for the selected topic strand to have fewer topics with more time to present. Four selected topics were presented. Steve Bible, N7HPR, presented an Byon Garrabrant, N6BG. introduction to Spread Spectrum communications. This

Page 20 Packet Status Register Fal11998 *l95ue #72 development saw a lot of interest throughout the TAPR Linux Flash Card Project conference. Bob Bruninga, W B4APR. and Keith Sproul, John Kostcr, W9DDD W U2Z, presented an overview to APRS and discussed Quality Electronic Map Displays fo r APRS M otor Ve­ some of the latest happenings in the mode. The final topic hicle Navigation was presented by Dcwaync Hendricks, WASDZP, who Bruce Prior, N7RR talked about MMDS and LMDS networking systems and how amateurs should look at implementing new TAPR GPS Projects Update (TAC-2, DGPS, etc) networking technology. Thanks to all the selected topic Steve Bible, N7HPR speakers for taking the time to present more in-depth For the banquet speaker, we were very fortunate to have materials during the DCC. Steve Roberts, N4RVE, o f Nomadic Research I,abs The paper sessions included the following talks: speak. Steve is the creator of the Winnebiko and A new vision fo r the Amateur Radio Service Behemoth high-tech recumbent bicycles. His current project is focused on Microsbip technology Dcwaync Hendricks, WASDZP, and Greg Jones, (http:/Mr\\r^'.microship.com.O- As expected, Steve gave a WD5IVD very entertaining presentation. A New Routing Method Based on Station ID The Sunday morning seminar this year was a Norito Nemoto, JH1FBM combination of two different talks. The first presentation, Back to the Packet Radio with MACA by Lvlc Johnson, WA7GXD, focused on the upcoming Ikuko Kawamura, Hidcyuki Ishinaka, Hiroshi Mat- RUDAK digital communications system scheduled to fly suno, JH4CIN on the AMSAT Phase 3D satellite in the near future. Lyle discussed features, systems design, integration, and IP-Shield Machine (IPSM): An Ethernet Interface experiments. What and how the payload was looking like fo r High Speed Packet Radio on the ground during testing was a very important part of Satosbi Funada, 7M3LG the talk, since it gave realistic numbers to the potential Internet to RF Messaging within APRS communication systems that might be implemented on Steve Dimsc, K4HG RUDAK. The second presentation was by Tim Shepard, KD1KY, regarding "Packet Radio Networks with W h at’s New fo r APRS in 1999 Millions or Billions of Stations." This talk was based on Bob Bnininga, WB4APR his dissertation topic at MIT. The conference would like APRS QSYfrom 145.79 to 144.39 to thank both presenters for giving excellent talks for the Steve Dimsc, K4HG, Greg Jones, WD5IVD, and Frank Sunday seminar. The participants commented how they Bauer, K A 3H DO enjoyed the technical content in both talks. PropNET: A Proposal fo r an A PRS-based Propaga­ The third Annual ARRL and TAPR D CC Student tion-Research Tool Papers Award had no papers submitted this year that Evhen Tupis, W 2EV could be considered for the travel award. If you know of a college student or high-school student that would Spread Spectrum in the Amateur Radio Service: Cur­ benefit from attending the DCC and presenting a paper, rent Status and Historical Notes please think about getting them to participate in the award Dcwavnc Hendricks, WA8DZP, and Barry McLamon. next year. More information on the travel awards can be VE3JF found on the DCC web page (http://www.tapr.org/dcc) Optimized Channel Access Mechanisms for Decentral­ See you next year! ized Spread Spectrum Packet Networks Matthew F.ttus, N2MJI Current Status o f Amateur Spread Spectrum Radio in Tim Mitchell, KA5RYF, SK Japan Katsuhiko Morosawa, 7KINCP/JI10MRP/KD5EYI Tim Mitchell, KA5RYF, became a silent key on October 6th, 1998. Tim was a great help in getting packet Status Report on TAPR 900MHz SS Radio Project off the ground here in Kansas City, Missouri; we will miss Tom McDermott, N5EG him greatly. PIC.-et Radio: How to Send AX.25 U IFram es Using David Ross, KAOVXR Inexpensive PIC Microprocessors kaOvxr® kcnct.com John Hansen, W2FS

Fall 1998 - issu e #72 Packet Status Register Pago 21 Abstracts from the ARRL and TAPR 17th Optimized Channel access Mechanisms for Decen­ Digital Communications Conference tralized Spread Spectrum Packet Networks by Matthew Ettus, N2MJ1 Proceedings Abstract: In a Spread Spectrum (SS) network with 132 pages. Price: $15 Available from TAPR cooperative, minim urn-energy routing, latency grows and the ARRL with the number o f stations in the nclwork due to the increasing number of hops which a packet must take en W h a t’s New for APRS In 1999 route to its destination. This is the principal factor limiting b y Bob Brunicga, WB4APR the number o f stations in the network. Previously Introduction: Since APRS was ilrsi introduced at the proposed channel access mechanisms for these networks 1992 TA PR /A R R L Digital (Communications (Conference were principally concerned with collision avoidance, to it has evolved to fulfill a growing need for tactical the detriment of latency, especially in light or moderately real-time digital communications. Trying to describe its loaded networks. Additionally, while avoiding extremely usefulness is similar to describing amateur radio itself. low SNRs due to collisions, better results arc obtainable Tnc scope is so broad and the applications so widespread, for average SNR. Several new channel access that no single listing can be complete. Major milestones mechanisms are proposed and simulated for the purpose in that evolution were the transition from hand entered o f addressing the issues stated above. The results obtained maps to the USGS CD ROMS, in 1994. the development indicated that there is potential for significant o f MacAPRS in 1994 by Keith and Mark Sproul followed improvement in performance through the use of by the official WinAPRS version in 1995. In 1997 Brent alternative channel access procedures. Hildebrand developed a special application called IP-Shield Machine (IPSM): A n Ethernet Interface APRS-rSA to take advantage of the very popular Delorme for High-Speed Packet Radio Street Atlas CD ROM maps. This improvement in maps by Satushi Funada, 7 M 3 L C G to the street level was completed recently with the full Abstract: In PRUG96 project, we developed an integration of Precision Maping system into the Ethernet interface for high-speed digital transceiver, WinAPRS product in 1998. Along the way, Steve called 1PSM-ZZ. IPSM deals with a only Media Access D im se ’s javAPRS began the great migration of APRS Control layer protocol. With its partner, Protocol Server onto the information super highway in 1996 by making deals with upper layer protocols. It allows us to develop APRS tracking available to anyone with a WEB browser, upper layer protocols flexibly in common operating culminating in his debut of APRScrve at the 1997 DCC systems.. in Baltimore Maryland which provides a worldwide Internet backbone for all APRS packet. Covered in paper: PIC-et Radio: How to Send AX.25 UI Frames Using APRS National Frcq, Internet G atew ays, APRS digis, Inexpensive PIC Microprocessors D igis in 1999, Mobile Satellite Network, Channei by John Hansen, W 2FS Capacity for 1999, Kenwood APRS Handheld Abstract: This paper provides step by step communicator. documentation o f how to implement AX.25 UI frames Internet to RF Messaging within A P R S using inexpensive PIC microcontrollers. It is designed by Steve Dimse, K411G primarily for those who wish to implement packet radio UI beacons for point to multipoint communications. The Abstract: This paper describes a new feature article assumes some knowledge of programming implemented within APRS system, which allows concepts and PIC microprocessors. It also discusses the transparent messaging between stations on the Internet and RF sides of the network, as well as on two distant RF limitations that must be overcome in order to build a networks using the Internet as a link. completely PIC based terminal node controller. A New Vision for the Amateur Radio Sendee Co-evolution of Print, Computer, and Radio Tech­ nologies by Dewavne Hendricks, W A 8 D Z P and Greg Jones, bv Rov Ekberg, WOLIQ and Martin Schroedel. WD5IVD K 9 L T L Abstract: Amateur radio as a hobby has reached an important turning point. Many can point to the various Abstract: This is about standards for CAC (Computer examples of why things are changing; however, some of Assisted Communications) proposed first in the 12th and 16th DCC proceedings. Our CAC Model 17 was entered these examples are real and some are only periodic in nature, but the trend o f activity and interest now as in the ARRL'S library under 0135-1. R&D work began in 1989 and continues. compared to five years or even ten years ago is changing. This paper discusses issues that need to be addressed with regards to technology changes in amateur radio.

P age 22 Packet Status Register Fait 1998 ■ Issue 072 APRS QSY from 145.79 to 144.39 on the callsign of radio station. Anew method is presented b y Greg Jones, W D 5 IV D , Frank Bauer, K A 3I1D O, in this paper with an emphasis on the use of the callsign. Stan ilorzepa, WA1LOU. and Steve Dlmse, K 4 H G This protocol employs Station ID (SID), which is a Abstract: This paper describes the successful APRS combination of callsign and a system number. QSY that was begun at the 1997 ARRL and TAPR Digital APRSstat: An APRS Network Analysis Tool Communications Conference. It covers some of the issues by Richard P arry’, VV9EF and reasons behind the project. Abstract: APRSstat monitors network traffic by Back to the Packet Radio with MACA connecting to an APRS telnet server and collecting by Ikuko Kawamura. Hideyuki Ishinaka, and ili- network traffic statistics. The program is intended to run roshi Matsuno, J1I4CIN continuously as a background task on a UNIX/Linux Introduction: Kara Introduced MACA in which was system,. It collects and saves network data for periods as designed for packet radio network. It was used as the basis long as a year. The data gathered by APRSstat is plotted for the IEnn802.11 LAN standard. Thereafter, based on using the companion program APRSgraph. which creates simulation studies of MACA, Bharghavcn et al. Gne tuned graphs as GIF images allowing them to be integrated into MACA to improve its performance and renames their new a web page. APRSgraph is executed as a cron job every protocol MACAW. In this paper, wc first investigate the five minutes providing near real time updates of network performance o f MACA under the no hidden terminal usage for daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly periods. situation. By an analytic way, w e will compare the Characters per minute is used to measure network traffic. throughputs of MACA and CSMA. We the review CSMA A detailed example of the San Diego, California APRS and some kind of protocols considered as extended network is included which displayed on the author’s home versions o f CSMA, and point out that MACA has an weh page. A cursory explanation o f the software is also ability to get the throughput exceeding one. A suggestion included in the paper. APRSstat and APRSgraph were in conclusion in this paper will remind us that we are written in perl and use perl modules GD and Chart for people who love amateur radio and have some interests creating the graph GIF images. in computer. Quality Electronic Map Displays for APRS Motor Spread Spectrum in the Amateur Radio Service: Vehicle Navigation Current Status and Historical Notes by Bruce Prior, N7RR by Dewayne Hendricks, WA8DZP and Barry Abstract: This paper covers issues regarding how to McLarnon, V E 3 JF improve map displays used in vehicles. Abstract: This paper covers the current status of Spread An Inexpensive PC-Modem for 76.8kBit/s User Ac­ Spectrum operations: Amateur SS in the USA, Amateur cess SS in other countries. What W e’ve learned so far about by Thomas Sailer, HB9JNX/AE4WA and Johannes spread spectrum operations and what they way ahead Kneip, DG3RBU looks like. Abstract: This article describes a simple and Current Status of Amateur Spread Spectrum in Ja­ inexpensive modem intended to link end users at pan 76.8kBil/s to the high-speed backbone network. The by Katsuhiko Morosawa, JdOMRP modem can be connected to standard P C ’s using the Abstract: Wc have practiced field tests using our Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP) Interface. PRUG96 system with SS transceivers, where wc Take the Next Step with the Next Generation Proto­ performed the 30km distance QSO. The output power of col the transceiver is only about 30mW and the front gain of by Naoto Shimazaki the antenna is 21dbi. W c also confirmed that our system Ahstract: This document describes an idea for use of enables us to use the internet applications (’we b IPv6 over the amateur radio network. IPv6 has huge brow sing’, ’videoconference’ and so on) with practical address space and it supports realtime traffic. IPv6 speed. realizes new applications. For example, managing IPv4 A New Routing Method Based on Station ID address is not easy. It is possible to encode out "callsign" by Norlto Nemoto, JH1FBM into IPv6 address. It enables us to managing IPaddress Abstract: There arc two problems on routing packets much easier. by means of IP address in a seamlessly wide area radio Half-Duplex Spread Spectrum Networks networks: (1) conflicting IP address on routing by Darryl Smith, VK2TDS information and (2) little flexibility to accommodate and Abstract: This paper is a response to the presentation isolate the differences among local network policies. To of the TAPR SS Modem at the 1997 D ig ita l solve them, it is important to use a routing method based Communications Conference in Baltimore, MD. A l this

Fall 1998 - Issue #72 Packet Status Register P age 23 conference, topology's were proposed for use of the SS measured throughput data in our experiments were radios and modems in a network, which the author of this analyzed using software specially written to compute paper feels are rather limiting. This paper proposes to throughput statistics from our CLOVER data. extend the to p o lo g y ’s available allowing implementation Throughput statistics for compressed and uncompressed o f a network rather than a collection of communicating text, data, graphics and hybrid (Word and Excel) files arc nodes. Hi is paper also builds on a number o f ideas presented, and text throughput is compared with brought up in the authors undergraduate thesis. throughput using PacTOR and GTOR. P ro p N E T : A Proposal for an APRS-based Propaga­ tion-Research Tool New Product Announcement: by Evhen Tupis, W2EV PK-232/DSP Upgrade for the Abstract: When docs the band open? Over what paths PK-232/PK-232MBX did the opening occur? Was it open to more than one Frocn Press Release Provided by Timewave location at the same time? W ou ldn ’t it be nice to have been alerted to the opening, while it was in-progress? T im ew a v e’s customers swear by their DSP fillers and W ou ld n ’t it be nice to "log the opening", and "re-play" it PK-232 owners love the flexibility and reliability of the at a future time? With a minimal investment in equipment and software, you many be able to answer these questions most popular data controller ever built. The PK-232/DSP rolls it all into Ode! The PK-232/DSP daughter board for yourself. brings a new level of performance to the legendary APRS and PropNET: Potential Tools for Collabora­ PK-232 with sharp, accurate filters lor all the data modes. tive Radio Propagation R esea rch Noise and QRM bounce oft' the new filters for cleaner by Scot Parker, K 7L U copy with fewer errors than the old analog fillers. Weak Abstract: PropNET is an APRS network operating on signals magically appear from the noise. the six meter hand whose primary objective is to monitor and study radio propagation. There is interest outside (as More Filters, Better Filters, Automatic selection well as within) the amateur radio community in the long The PK-232/DSP brickwall filters have tighter distance propagation modes that PropNET has been bandwidth and steeper skirts for improved noise and designed to study. The possibilities for collaborative QRM rejection. A new version o f the PK-232 firmware research and potential benefits of inter-community (Ver. 7.2) allows a wider selection o f filters than the cooperation are explored. original PK-232, so the filler can match the mode. The correct DSP filter is automatically selected when you Alpha-test report of PRUG96 High-Speed Radio choose a new mode. In PACTOR, the filter bandwidth Link automatically changes when the baud rate shifts in by Shingo Watanabe, J G 8 0 0 M , Satoshi Funada, response to the error rate of the link. In Morse (CW), the 7M 3L CG , and Kunihiko Ohnaka, 7K4.TBX operator can preset cither 100 Hz or 200 Hz bandwidth Abstract: The PRUG96 system is designed to create a The PK-232/DSP is completely compatible with all reliable high-speed ham radio basal computer network. existing software terminal programs for the PK-232. The This report describes a PRU G96 system using IP network upgrade kit is user installable and is shipping now. The protocol. We have an alpha-test structure to make it clear upgrade price for the PK-232MBX TNC is $125, If you the weakness point o f the system. The difference in the need an upgrade for the PK-232 the p r ic e is $150. S ee daily data throughput in various environments and error http://www.timcwave.com for more detail. rate trend were measured. For more information, contact Timewave Technology, On-Air Measurements of CLOVER II and CLO­ 58 Plato Blvd. East, St. Paul, MN 55107: Tel VER 2000 Throughput 651-222-4858, email [email protected] by Ken W ick w ire, KB1JY, Mike Bernoek, KB1PZ, and Bob Levrcault, W 1 IM M ***Connect Request Concluding Remarks: This paper is part of a scries treating on-air measurement of throughput of various HF I need help on locating any group still u'orking with the data-tiansmission protocols available to amateurs. Here L.L.Gracc DSP-12 platform. we describe an extensive set of measurements of throughput for text and oilier files sent using the file Svdncy F. Chiswell, W 21CZ transfer protocols implemented in the HAL Cl.OVERII [email protected] and CLOVER 2000 terminal and firmware package. The 76 Cbardon Dr. files were transmitted over Near Vertical Incidence Buffalo, NY. 14225-2314 USA Skywavc (NV1S) and one-hop skywave(QMS) paths. The

P age 24 Packet Status Register Fall 1998 - Issue #72 APRS for Palm III Under Development What About Maps?

Mike Mustek, NOQDF Good question. Because o f the storage limitations o f [email protected] handheld devices, a new APRS map format was created which emphasized space economy over processing From theAPRS-SIG economy. It was also necessary to create a special format so maps could be downloaded to the Palm independently palmAPRS Status o f the program. So the map data is unique to the Palm system. The map system more closely resembles the In a nutshell: w c ’rc in the home stretch! Mac/WinAPRS model, where the user selects from a list The APRS program for the Palm El handheld organizer o f wide-area coverages, with map data itself down to the has stabilized considerably in the past several weeks, with street level in some cases. a number of quirks and crashes found and fixed. Most of There is currently a limit to map size in the number of the basic function holes are gelling plugged (a few minor points that it may contain (roughly 30000), which is due ones remain), and we arc making huge headway on to file addressing limits within the Palm data management getting the map support system nailed-down. The first system. We are exploring options to get past this. public beta release should be on or about the Thanksgiving weekend. For the near-term, I will have to provide maps (from USG-S 100KDLG source), which will be made available W h a t’s In It? at no cost (requests within reason, o f course). As the process matures, users can be seeded with the map Basic APRS functionality - receive and send object generation program. A more '’dem ocratic" process is on information, in both text and map-based displays, and the development list, which will probably embody send and receive messages. GPS support is through conversion of APRSdos-format map files. dual-port T N C ’s, though a GPS can be connected directly for off-air locator use. A comprehensive RDF support Where Can I Get palmAPRS? system is under development, hut may not be included in the first beta. When i t ’s ready, at the TAPR FTP site.

Map display is in Palm EQ grayscale (light gray, dark OK... How Much? gray and black). Maps will somewhat resemble the commercial mapping system look (like Street Atlas and As is required o f all APRS programs, palmAPRS is Precision Maps) with thick and thin lines, and shading to slightly crippled shareware. The shareware fee will he convey feature importance. The initial palmAPRS $40, and registration enables saving o f Station and versions will not have route numbers, but this feature is program settings. Registration requirement will be on the scope (street names, however, arc not in the current waived for the beta versions; however, the beta versions development plan). will be lime-limited. At this point I anticipate two beta releases. The design orientation is to use as a mobile station, with the Palm on or above the dash using any one of the Because most o f the remaining development is "by commcrcially-availablc mounting systems. Display rote" rather than requiring a huge concentrated creative selections arc "one-touch" with this concept in mind. effort or steep learning curve, I will gladly be available to answer questions and comments. W h a t’s Not In It? FCC Office Of The Secretary Relocates This list will (of course...) change as the program matures. For the moment, itdoesn’tsupport-weather data Effective November 2, 1998, the F C C ’s Office of the collection or display, direct Internet hookup, certain Secretary will be relocated to The Portals, 445 Twelfth infrcqucntly-uscd APRS protocols (such as grid square Street, S.W., Washington, D.C., 20554. The Commission posits), overlay files, altitude displays, map labels... to expects to complete its relocation to The Portals within mention but a few. the next six months. "HSP" switching between TNC and GPS is not possible For information concerning paper filings, etc., see: on the Palm - a dual-port TNC (PicoPacket or KPC-3 Plus with v8.3 firmware) will be required to be on-air with \vww.fcc.gov/Daily_Rclcascs/Daily_Business/1998/db a GPS. Also, Palm Pilot Professional (and Palm Pilot 981023/pnm c8062.txt Personal) support is looking less and less likely as this has basic filing guidelines and information about the development progresses. address change.

Fall 1998 - Issue #72 Packet status Register Page 25 F C C ’S NESS: Ensure Adequate Spectrum For Amateurs SWUmonl oS OwrtfcrtMp, Mir-as«c-*ol. and Circulation ' ;___ •• rV**»trUU.SC JMII ------Source: The A R R L LeUCr I H I O ^ D . 1 ■aoSepts^a Vol. 17, No. .39 ^O/jaragL.’ir F oot; ■* Zo-oc fte'x Slii^l- FCC Commissioner Susan Ness recently gave 7fa-afe~i 1 ^ amateurs some cause for optimism. In remarks prepared ’S?eT-V 5^ filAMOutVrfO# TuciOAt A*M*r£*>t-'?AtK«-2»V0o for delivery September at the Persona! Communications fla -w w - iw Industry Association o f A m erica ’s PCS ’98 in Orlando, . . . _ _, flsa?-?^ e-Tv-n^jL I'Aect Tiic»oo Ar*up-K4i»o%r -______Ness said. "None of these needs would be met if auctions ______'r u n ~ . A9 g g a ^ . ^ g g __ displaced judgment in the spectrum allocation process." Addressing the topic "Blueprint for Spectrum

*1 ^y^* *"*** 1 »»w« d >✓•>*% •cr«* Management," N ess said auctions work well but arc not a substitute for the allocation process. The FCC, she said, must not back away from its fundamental duty to allocate ^ s - "in accordance with the public interest." Thecomplcte text ol Commissioner N e s s ’s remarks arc available on the FCC Web site at II lanawarB — ^lty iiiW M x a ^ IlW fi *— K«*» V— >-• C htlp://www.fcc.gov/Spccchcs/Ncss/spsn8l5.html. 2 K.I c^**> •! ——

^rtru^ gfe^i-hT&t.______^u<,ctr 15a______'» ■____ . . jcr,jT-L *”•*•?* ***•». >*, ■ • ** •______'- '■ *prvyf- ^ 'twTw^.wi»■■■» ■«■»«»»■ — . -'*— a7ZSZZZr*ZZZZr~'~-<______1,1-0°______l,S>oc ‘^r-gr^a ;^ ,'.. ' 1 i, froo ' i, s o a 'Ssrsa^w ^:-1- •• x5Q ______z , s o • f— 3©® 3® ® iw ».iuui.i w »-** • 550 55 O ! ■ i.M».».Q ______s° ______s o B *’ . WS‘X-^—

■»«■*/■*■*» r,~ t> « ______^ 3 g>g>______.g, 4 - S C > a s a r y — ^ ^ »N£*Vfc ff74_ »•»' — -»«*** COwm.—^—>->« • *= 7o***/f™ —

I.ee Zicgcnhals. N 5L Y T at the TAPR.ORG site. The TAPR.ORG machine underwent a major upgrade in September. Thanks Lee!

Page 26 Packet Status Register Fall 1998 - Issue #72 TAPR Organization News

Kits,Publications Update successfully go from a kit to a TAPR Publications finished, usable unit, depending on Wireless Digital Communications: the mode o f operations. For data TAPR EVM56002 Interface Theory and Design radio applications (i.e. 9600 baud Boards and Enclosure Kit We just sent Wireless Digital FSK), special modifications must be wv»w.iupr.orB'tJipr/htiDl‘'dsp56002fcviuJitml Communications: Theory and made to your radio for proper Design, by Tom McDermott, N5EG, operation o f the EVM interface. In into the printer’s for a second So Tar we have 70 orders for the addition, the interface kit requires printing. All the small corrections EVM interface kil. The parts and that you have a Motorola EVM56002 people had pointed out have been enclosure arc on order and as soon as unit. These can be purchased lfom changed for the second printing. An they arrive and are packaged, we can several electronic distributors (see errata page should be up on the weh begin shipping kits. web page). page soon. Wc plan on doing 125 kits based The interface kil has been on the initial orders. discussed for about the last year, with a group coming forward late in 1997 to complete the design process. PSR Issue #69, Winter 1998, has the full description with photos. Current information on the kit is now a v ailable at www.tapr.org/iapr/html/dsp5fi002e vm.html This design o f the radio interface for the Motorola DSP560O2EVM is based on Johan Forrcr’s, KC7WW, original design. In February 1997, Douglas Braun, NIOWU, released his software suite for the EVM, based on the Finnish Alcf Null g r o u p ’s TAPR Spread Spectrum Update Just as an update, this kit provides: w ork, and revised his interface to be The SS Update publication has more flexible than Joh an ’s. The An EVM Interface Board Kil and arrived at the office. The collection TAPR interface is a happy medium Enclosure for the Motorola of articles on Spread Spectrum between Johan’s and D ou g’s design. E V M S6002 DSP board. All parts - covers a range of issues on The goal is to make the interface including screws, standoffs, Introductory/Informativc, TAPR flexible for past and present code schematics, documentation related. Regulatory, and developed for the EVM and to create (Assembly and Operations), and Tcchnical/Theory. Tom McDermott, a flexible programming interface for Software. N5EG, provides the foreword of the future programmers. book . A Motorola EVM56002 DSP board IS NOT INCLUDED TUC-52 and METCON-II is hook provides an extremely broad treatment o f the subject o f The price is: personality board update 'Hie TUC-52,METCON-II project spread spectrum systems as applied $135.00 US for members of TAPR is getting closer to completion. The to amateur radio. While little or project team has tested both boards technical and social literature exists $150.00 US for non-members together and are debugging various on this subject, the publication + shipping/handling small issues. The documentation is provides a convenient compilation of a fair amount of the significant work. TAPR kits can be complex being written and the project team should be doing additional testing of It should appeal to an audience with depending on the killing experience the METCON-II board soon. It is a wide-ranging interest in the subject. o f each builder. Wc d o n ’t think you will have trouble with the interface planned to have kits of the Contact Dorothy to get your copy. TUC-52/METCON-II available kit, but it docs require some knowledge and experience to b e fo r e Dayton 1999.

Fail 1998 - Issue #72 Packet Status Register P age 27 Kit Tucson Amateur Packet Radio InformatHJM K i t s rn » Q«r____ TotJl Cod- 8987-309 E. Tanque Verde ftd #337 U M otorola FVMS6O02 Inrcrfaer c i c n n o hcipt',V»,w.n P - o ra'ajr.'huil>dJpS6302« m n 11 u 111 28 Tucson. A rizona • 85749-9399 TAPR APRS'” MlC Cncoccr"" TTTK 36______— 13 :a?l-tn a Cft co o:irr* O ffice: <9AO) 303-0000 • Fax: (9A0) 566-2544 TAC-2 (Toaliy A K iirm Clock) $139.00 16 i Cfi co u:o-« inteinei: TAPR©TAPk.O«G • v/ww.tapi.oig Dllferuntliil G PS {M tinbar Price) $179.00 3 Non-Piofil Pfoneofch and Development Corporation i_i/o n r «:crMi>iy or.iir^ni Aj Midi I* DttJSQjT 4 ImlMil hilt lvalbVC. A N -93 Mp Modem S90.C0 ------'---- —— 7 December 1998 Linux Router HashCard 549.00 6 T A rlv V6UP Dps r lo a c r r TaO.«Q www.upr.org • ftp.tupr.org • t:ipr*: T 0„ , v -Mit. NSEG ______Total Sales (Subtolal minus discount) TAPR Spread Spectrum Update 3 in . o o 6 cnllcctlrm nl articles on Spread Spectrum Packet Radio: W hatf Why! bow ? $17.1X1 2 IJO pices. TAAR's Pwfctt Hullo took ______T e x a s Residents (7.75% lax) P.RS S y so p G u ico jv . c o 2 6 3 pipM- Iknrv Hi ip Inn'. WA0HJT NOSli trc. Pnro to K.A9Q NOS $2i;iyj a In vVkI* CONRVa, "O fl1* rr-r fo b s HvVj ______M embership (New or Renewal) TA^R x 9* Ar-iusl Procceclns;* 3 /CO 4 Piwn fisin trm /muxs NcurjiTutsen; 1 A JR s S S A iviuaI Froceesinc* 17.C0 i Pljifll fi cm t-« tllilii P in n ip ^ l I Pi. Il| ______Shipping and Handling PSR Set Vol 1 '781 10 SS7 other orders must contact TAPR for amount. T A JR 11 a t Colfax v «r loco $1 1.03 4 L cip ill llllii' puli iill!lupf.vil:l[!l|cjil ______TOTAL Order Amount T A ;'K 3 i c £o $10.03 0 IntljJp Niirc one Cal fo- lililpj A-’R Shirt - -t sryles hrp:,'a/p.Vi.cppi>i|i‘upiil,inilVlu»p Jst __] Ch:/>;urrf :rodlr.!N ;:tuc< Cflftl GPS AC-32 Software Reglstra-Jcn s s s . o : 0 □ visa ~ d C.i-npn GFS-20 (v em bcr Prlccj 3 169.02 u No fjioc.ij-/ ;dii.Kibs? ivluilKl! 4x1, •______G.t-niin GPS-25 iM cm bcr Prlccl $ 179.02 w NoDixmv. ;itiia l'.•'lf^cc• ,Fc•«e• K it S + 3 .0 3 8 Explrallnn Dnl*: Ga-min GPS.20'GPS-2S D»u Cable S I S.02 1 No CllirojV SiSWIll fru' wiJ , Ga-rmn GA-2? GPS Ante ir.i S75.02 a mix irxflKirr, migaac iiioriion n o n ’cs O iin iic VP t_.PS iMen-ber Prlccl $ 2 6 9 .0 2 2a No Dluiij-i OftCOra VP Irite-facePower K; $ 4 0 .0 3 ‘iine.'Cal O ncorr OT+ G 3S (Memtor Price) $169.03 28 N c D w o x i Motorola Anenna 77 S 6 S .0 3 a IftTIO’llWill *‘0^1101*1 Sl'ixl “JacBi M C X Rt-Ang Com w eta ' w . ' t c ix i^gtal $15.03 2 No Disco.rt

Subtotal: Added'IotaI Kit Codes ■ Cty.'Slmc.'Zp All price!, subject to change without notice and arc payable :n U.S. funds Members receive UK&olTon Senary ______3Tcnstiu-t:i-.-: Kit-s and Publications. Please allow six to eight weeks for your nrcer to be shipped. For specific information oil kits, see Product Description flyer. l-lcnnl E-mnl