Getting started with ham radio email 1997, 98 jim corenman ke6rk revised 16 jan 98 15z. More info downloads links airmail is a messaging program similar to outlook specifically designed for connection to a hf radio mailbox station. If you want your airmail software onboard to automatically updates its list of. Configuring a winlink rms gateway for hf forwarding without internet for exercise or emergency situation strongly suggest to set this up while connected to the internet, and well in advance of your exercise. Marine and areonautical fcc radio license filing services using dockside radios simplified onepage application worksheet. Whatever you use for pactor or pactor ii will do the job. Packet radio programs from kawin for packet radio also picturepacket 1.
Ag6qos raspberry pi bpq node bbs project having started back into digital ham radio a few years back after reactivating the hobby, i started up an fbb bbs running on a raspberry pi after briefly considering bpq. That convinced me to bite the bullet and purchase one. A bbs software package that is on this list means that the software is no longer being supported by the author and most likely there is little if any third party support. Probably lots of software tweaking and setup time at a disaster site takes a lot of power relatively. Much more reliable communications alternative are available today. The winlink 2000 software scans the hf amateur bands continuously. So, rather than use the internet which it was claimed was more reliable and far cheaper. Hams use mrp40 to send and read qrq highspeed cw, to help.
The software was based on the dos progam bpqcode the switch section of the code allows up to 32 comms ports, supporting a number of radio protocols see below for supported interfaces and the application interface supports up to 64 connections. The amiga skyline bbs software was the first in 1987 featuring a script markup language communication protocol called skypix which was capable of giving the user a complete graphical interface, featuring rich graphic content, changeable fonts, mousecontrolled actions, animations and. Where pactor users can liaise, chat to g4apl paul if he is around and notices you connected to the fbb convers server. There seem to be precious few vhf packet bbs stations around, with much loss of interest in bbs s while the amateur radio community got busy learning what the internet was all about. Winlink 2000 is a bbs that provides for hftohf and hftovhf text message transfer as well as hf vhftointernet winlink 2000.
Active bbs software means that the software is either being actively being updated by the author, or a website exists where you can either download the software. It can be copied or installed only for noncommercial use abiding by the laws. Rms packet, rms linux gateway software, or other bbs software. All kits include the cables, genuine fairrite ferrite rf chokes, software, and the information necessary to connect a scs p4, ptciiiiiusb, pactor modem to your icom, kenwood, sgc, or yaesu radio. These numbers reference an internet web page, a telephone bbs number.
Bpq32 allows a computer running under microsoft windows to act as a node in a netrom compatible ax25 network, and to support a multiuser mailbox, or other similar applications. Frankly, pactor4 remains an internet substitute for those unwilling to pay for mobile offshore internet. In amateur radio service, airmail, winlink express, and other email client programs used by the winlink system, disable the proprietary compression technology for pactor ii, pactor iii, and pactor iv modems and instead relies on the open fbb protocol, also widely used worldwide by packet radio bbs forwarding systems. Fbb utilities the latest and greatest set of nk3t utilities for use with the fbb bbs system. While i discourage internet linking for any of a number of reasons, bpq will interface with the internet. Easyterm for windows a communications program for aea and kantronics tncs. If the internet is unavailable, shortterm or longterm, generally the need is to communicate as widely. Originally a msdos program, the current versions run on linux and 32 bit. The pactor modes 14 can be monitored by anyone with an appropriate receiver and modem.
Pactor can store and hold and depending upon software, forward. Frankly, pactor 4 is merely an internet substitute for those unwilling to pay for mobile offshore internet. The general term rms for radio mail server has replaced pmbo for packet or pactor mail box operator. I am still a fan of software based digital modes like winmore. For transmitting cw, the program encodes keystrokes from the computers keyboard. Multiuser bbs internet server software for multiple platforms including windows and linux legacy versions maintained for dos and os2. This is seen on status reports and maps on the winlink website. The following is a listing of classic bbs software programs from yesteryear. Bbs fbb is a bulletin board software this software is free of charges. Pactor iii and subsequent versions are available only in equipment available from scs. Anyone want to link up on pactor for bbs or winlink i could try a kb to kb if we can schedule. The pactormodem is the only specialized piece of equipment, and is essentially a specialized modem designed for radio. Configuring a winlink rms gateway for hf forwarding. Mrp40 is a powerful and highlyeffective ham radio software program that decodes received cw audio that has been fed to a computers sound card.
I feel sorry for those bbs authors that will watch this and feel like their contributions werent noticed by history. Accessing sailmail via internet 5 advanced airmail features 6 ccs, mailing list, relay 2 shadowmail 2 dealers for pactor modems, ssbs 1. Hfservices in khz, mode usb if not specified and all services below are available 247365 i. If the local internet is down, messages will be stored on the n0ars1. Telnet via wireless amprnet amateurpacketradionetwork and also the internet. Providing amateur radio mailbulletin local and oversea forwarding service. Most of the stuff the internet does now was done on bbs.
You will be at ease and feel comfortable very quickly with. The bbs corner classic dos windows os2 bbs software list. The pactormodem is the only specialized piece of equipment, and is essentially a specialized modem designed for radio communications. Software for packet radio use category is a curation of 32 web resources on, uiss windows packet program, packetcluster dx statistics, winafsk. Software running on the computer drives the terminal node controller. Software windows 95 freeware 32, download software, internet, games. Fbb packetradio bbs fbb is a bulletin board software for amateur packetradio. Netlink software package developed by jim jennings w5eut. Since the connection from the client computer to the winlink server does not depend on the internet, winlink is widely used by mariners, rv campers, missionaries, and various agencies who need to communicate when the internet is not available. Pactor is a method of sending digital information via radio, and was developed around 1990 by a small group of german hams who formed the company scs. The claim pactor 4 serves ecomm emergency communcations is a ruse, a falsehood.
Pactor iii is the most recent release of this technology available to hams. Pactor 1 is a powerful fsk mode especially in ccirpoor conditions and is a standard on modern tncs. Pactor radio equipment consists of an hf transceiver, a computer and a terminal node controller. Bbs client tradeoffs rms express is the recommended radioonly client for ag6qo1 bbs, due to its support level, b2 capability, nts support, and winlink secure password support. It is an adaptive mode that applies different modulation and encoding methods depending on the channel quality. Most of the stuff the internet does now was done on bbses. There is also software available for monitoring pactor. Is an international hf pactor, tcpip, ax25 bbs wireless and amprnet mail. Yes it is as quirky as the web site design makes it look.
The following is a list of known active bbs software websites. Because of this, we suggest that you adjust the software volume controls only through windows instead of your programs adjust waterfall drive or adjust transmitter drive or similarly worded menus. W2xo amateur packet radio internet email gateway and www bbs. Zip packet driver for serial connections phone modem. If you want your airmail software onboard to automatically updates its list of station frequencies. A summary of the services and frequencies at n9lyak9bbs. The continued claims pactor4 serves ecomm emergency communcations is a ruse, a falsehood. Winlink provides its users email with attachments, position reporting, weather and information bulletins, and is wellknown for its role in interoperable emergency and disaster relief communications. There is software available that makes the mailing process easier, however, like airmail. May 23, 2011 scs has posted a new modem for pactor 4. Rigth now the bbs is like a local wireless network, no forwarding. Used mostly for amateur bbs before the internet on vhf speed is 1200 baud 1,200 bits per second. Jul 25, 2010 a lpha is a clear terminalprogram for enthusiastic users of the scs dsp multimode pactor controller, who want to have simple and professional operation without a long learning curve.
The client software g4apl uses for one to one contacts. Please configure your pms bbs software client, to use the correct fully qualified hierarchical address of your local main home bbs gb7 systems in the uk in your pms client from field and a fully qualified hierarchical address for the destination bbs system at which the user resides. Licensed winlink operatorsstations use both amateur radio and government radio frequencies worldwide. Compare the best free open source windows ham radio software at sourceforge. The pactormodem generates the audio signals that are sent via the radio transmitter, and decodes the incoming audio signals from the radio receiver. This document is intended as a guide for the mobile ham who is new to the world of message forwarding via the ham radio hf pactor network. Just about any client that can be used with winlink, can be used with bpq bbs. Much use of pactor today borders, if it doesnt actually cross, into commercial activity.
Ham view products software log view, pack view and rig view software. Pactor ii performs its initial link setup using pactor in order to achieve compatibility. A bulletin board system or bbs once called computer bulletin board service, cbbs is a computer server running software that allows users to connect to the system using a terminal program. Like many of its counterparts it features a high degree of relatively easy customization thanks to its acs based menu system along with fully editable strings and ansi themes. Your one stop for pactor mode radio modems and accessories, performance sailing equipment and innovative hard to find parts. Stay logged to the fbb convers for five minutes to give paul a chance to login to the fbb convers server.
Jan 01, 2019 download synchronet bbs software for free. No new errorcorrecting modes of note have appeared since pactor ii came out in europe, several years back. I chose fbb due to its longevity and the readymade distro available from f6bvp. Stlbbs and manually forwarded via hf to another gateway for processing. I also host public rms gateways via vhf packet, winmor and pactor. Pactor ii is a fully backwardcompatible improvement to the original pactor system. Raspberry pi packet bbs upon the rekindling of my amateur radio hobby, i noted a disappointing dearth of automated vhf packet nts message handling. Relay site properties be certain not to select the amazon servers. This one the say has been redesigned with a fast quadcore dsp allowing high data rates. Anyone want to link up on pactor for bbs or winlink. No matter if you are new to the digital modes of the ptc controllers or if you have years of experience with these controllers.
It is written by the author of the airmail personal mailbox program, primarily for. To help winlinks newbies overcome software fright when operating winlink. Free, secure and fast windows ham radio software downloads from the largest open source applications and software. Refer to the uk ha regions document link further down this page.
There seem to be precious few vhf packet bbs stations around, with much loss of interest in bbss while the amateur radio community got busy learning what the internet was all about. Jul 23, 2010 mystic bbs is a bulletin board system bbs software in the vein of other forum hack style software such as renegade, oblivion2, and iniquity. Nordlink packet radio, software netmode pc, atari, tnc3s for linux. Bpq home bpq32 home the g8bpq ax25 networking package for win32linux. Active bbs software means that the software is either being actively being updated by the author, or a website exists where you can either download the software andor you can get support from the author. Pactor is a synchronous transmission system with a packet duration of 0. Pactor 2 is a robust and powerful psk mode which operates effectively under both very good and very poor conditions. Steps for using soundmodem uz7ho as a packet modem at our. The most commonly used amateur program for this purpose is airmail. Note that not all winlink stations have implemented the internet connection. Radiorelated technical support for the cruising sailor.
The internet only allows faster connections and faster downloads. There are so many alternate free commerical communications paths available that it renders the argument that ham radio is a viable alternative for. Three components are needed to use sailmails worldwide network of ssbpactor radio stations. Bbs es is where the content and services were at the time. Thanks to the antique textonly protocol called telnet, you can use a terminal emulator program to start. They use either pactor i, ii, iii, or winmor protocols. Jun 12, 2015 a story told in eight parts, its the tale of the pre internet bulletin board system bbs culture where you dialed into message boards that were home to all kinds of information, software, coding. It will support hf and vhf packet using hardware and software packet modems, winmor, robust hf packet, pactor 14, v4, clover, ale400 and many more.
Once connected to a compatible station, message transfer is completely automatic. These kits contain everything you need to connect to your radio and computer. Bbs software is in, surprisingly, very active development. Enter gway bbs command when connected to the gb7cip bbs for details. Three components are needed to use sailmails worldwide network of ssb pactor radio stations. Winmor achieves almost the same data rates as the advanced pactor modes and can be used with a computer and sound card. Airmail is a radio mail program for sending and receiving messages via pactor over hf radio, either via the ham radio system or participating marine and commercial services. Just connect to the winlink station of your choice and you are off and running. The p4dragon dr7800 is the latest and in the line of pactor modems. All this is done over the internet using tcpip for speed, and to use the amateur. Pactor or direct internet modes depending upon what rms station is selected by the amateur.
Bbs software i think at the very least having the known bbs packages listed or mentioned or debated by the users or sysops of those packages wouldve been cool. Bbses is where the content and services were at the time. Discussion in ham radio discussions started by k3ybn, may 3. Software for packet radio use category is a curation of 32 web resources on, packetcluster dx statistics, winafsk, linpac packet radio terminal. The decoded text is displayed on the computers monitor.
Fbb is a free and open source bulletin board system for packet transmissions of radio amateurs. Instructions for doing this in these newer versions of windows can. It uses pactor i and pactor ii for semiautomatic hf operation. Steps for using soundmodem uz7ho as a packet modem at. The better pictures are a result of better computers and higher connection speeds bandwidth, not the internet. This is tedious and complicated configuration at times. Only outpost does not allow b2 forwarding multiple addressees and. Unbenanntes dokument a lpha is a clear terminalprogram for enthusiastic users of the scs dsp multimode pactor controller, who want to have simple and professional operation without a long learning curve. In theory, a message can be entered into any bbs or mbo station. However, the protocol is not uniform note 9 and some tncs do pactor 1 much better than others. Is an international hf pactor, tcpip, ax25 bbs wireless and amprnet mail live realtime gateway to the local amateur radio community in england. Once logged in, the user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading.