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PRE-ANNOUNCEMENT [At 7:50:00] (Primary NCO): QST, QST. At the top of the hour the DIGITAL RADIO NET will start. We appreciate a free operating frequency. Please standby. This is name, callsign. [At 7:50:30] (Secondary NCO): Backup net control standing by. callsign. PREAMBLE [At 8:00:00] Good evening, this is name, callsign, net control for this evening's DIGITAL RADIO NET. All licensed Amateurs are encouraged to participate. We welcome casual listeners who choose not to check-in, but if you change your mind, and want to comment, please break the net with your callsign. This net meets weekly on Wednesdays at 8 PM pacific time on a frequency of 1-4-6 decimal 7-2 MHz, using a 100 Hz tone. The net is also accessible via Echolink and Allstar networks, and on two linked repeaters for our McKenzie River Valley listeners. We use GROUPS DOT IO for our mailing list and our archives. Please consider subscribing to PACKET HACKERS -- that's GROUPS DOT IO -- PACKET HACKERS. This net provides information, training and activities related to APRS, AX Dot Twenty-Five Packet, Mesh Network Radio, and Digital Voice Modes. This is a directed, yet casual net. Stations checking in are requested, but not required to remain on frequency until the net secures. This is name, callsign, net control for tonight’s DIGITAL RADIO NET. EMERGENCY & PRIORITY Are there any stations with emergency, priority or health and welfare traffic? If so, please list now. CHECK-IN We'll now move on to check-in. Remember, it is good operating procedure to leave about a half second pause, after keying your radio, before talking, so the repeater doesn't cutoff your first word or the first letter of your callsign. When checking in, please speak slowly and clearly. Ok. Let's proceed. EARLY-OUTS Are there any stations who need an early-out? As required ? Is there anyone who needs to contact callsign? Ok. You are free to secure. Now taking check-ins from [EchoLink, All Locations, Late or Missed Stations]. Please come now with your callsign. This is... A This is... B This is... C Net control recognizes A, B, and C. You are now checked in. If you were not acknowledged, please come again with your callsign. AGENDA CLOSING THE NET Is there any net business before the net is closed? If so, please come now with your callsign. Hearing nothing further, I wish to thank all stations for their participation and help. Thanks to those stations who stood by to give us a clear operating frequency, and special thanks to the Valley Radio Club for the use of their repeater. This is name, callsign, securing the DIGITAL RADIO NET at time pm Pacific Time. This frequency is now open for general Amateur use. Thanks everyone! ###

Lane County Packet Frequencies See also: Lane County ARES Digital Frequencies South Lane County 144.910 Willamette Valley 144.930 West/Central Lane 145.030 West Lane/Coast 144.950 Benton County 144.970 Note: All frequencies above confirmed by W7BMH as of 3/19/2023. National Amateur Radio Packet Directory Click here to view a nation-wide map of packet radio stations. This resource is conceived, created and compiled by Prof. Chris Lance, WW2BSA. This Map references AX.25 Packet Mailboxes, BBS, Nodes, Winlink, HF Gateways, Pager Gateways, DX Packet Clusters and more. This Map is intended to provide a directory of amateur radio operators interested in digital communications, specifically AX.25 packet radio to inspire experimentation, learning, problem solving, network expansion, camaraderie and fun. VaraFM Digipeters Herman Peak 2100 foot elevation (NE of Florence, OR) Freq: 144.970 MHz Call: W7FLO-1 Nodes: [W7FLO-9, W7EUG-8] Confirmed working by W7BMH 3/19/2023 from SW Eugene Lane County Courthouse (Downtown Eugene, OR) Freq: 144.970 MHz Call: W7EUG-8 Nodes: [W7FLO-9 via W7FLO-1] Lane County Shops (N. Delta Hwy. Eugene, OR) Freq: 144.970 MHz Call: W7EUG-7 Nodes: [W7FLO-9 via W7FLO-1] Confirmed working by W7BMH 3/19/2023 from SW Eugene VaraFM/HF RMS Gateways List of RMS Gateway stations currently reachable from the Eugene/Springfield area. Subject to change. W7EUG-7 [Lane County Shops, N. Delta Hwy.] Eugene, OR W7EUG-8 [Lane County Courthouse 80'] Eugene, OR (via W7FLO-1 144.970 MHz). Confirmed by W7BMH 3/19/2023 from SW Eugene. W7FLO-9 [Glenada Hill 749'] Florence, OR (via W7FLO-1 144.970 MHz). Confirmed by W7BMH 3/19/2023 from SW Eugene via W7FLO-1. W7FLO [Siuslaw Fire] Florence, OR (Trimode Pactor/VaraHF/Ardop 14.103 MHz). Also on 144.950 MHz. Confirmed by W7BMH 3/19/2023 from SW Eugene via W7FLO-1. HF access at times during daylight hours from Eugene. Uses 2300 Hz bandwidth for VaraHF. Unknown if ARDOP.500 or Vara.500 are supported. Regional Packet Nodes Similar to traditional FM repeaters, the packet radio nodes listed below are located in strategic locations for their wide RF coverage. These packet nodes can be used to relay packet traffic when you are not within direct RF range of a station that runs an AX.25 service you want to use (e.g., APRS Igate, RMS Winlink Email Gateway, or BBS). A map of packets nodes can be found here. Walker Point (Walton, OR) Freq: 145.03 MHz Alias: WALKER Call: W7SLA-1 Nodes: [CGRV:KD7CGF-1, FLO:W7FLO-2, LANE:W7ZQD-7] Confirmed working by W7BMH 3/19/2023 Herman Peak (Florence, OR) Freq: 144.95 MHz Alias: FLO Call: W7FLO-2 Nodes: [CGRV:KD7CGF-1, LANE:W7ZQD-7, WALKER:W7SLA-1] Confirmed working by W7BMH 3/19/2023 Prairie Peak (Blachly, OR) Freq: 144.93 MHz Alias: LANE Call: W7ZQD-7 Nodes: [WALKER:W7SLA-1] Confirmed working by W7BMH 3/19/2023 PeaceHealth Community Medical Ctr. (Cottage Grove, OR) Freq: 144.91 MHz Alias: CGRV Call: KD7CGF-1 Nodes: [FLO:W7FLO-2, LANE:W7ZQD-7, WALKER:W7SLA-1] Confirmed working by W7BMH 3/19/2023 Regional RMS Gateways List of RMS Gateway stations currently reachable from the Eugene/Springfield area. Subject to change. W7FLO-10 Florence, OR (via FLO 144.95) [Confirmed working by W7BMH 3/19/2023] W7FLO-12 Florence, OR (via WALKER 145.03) [Confirmed working by W7BMH 3/19/2023] W7EUG-10 Eugene, OR (direct or via WALKER 145.03) [Confirmed working by W7BMH 3/19/2023] K7LIN-10 Lebanon, OR (via FLO 144.95) [Confirmed working by W7BMH 3/19/2023] W7GC-11 Tillamook County, OR (via FLO 144.95) [Confirmed working by W7BMH 3/19/2023] K7HWY-12 Walker Mountain Central OR RMS Gateway & Digipeater (via WALKER 145.030) [Confirmed working by W7BMH 3/19/2023] Note: Possible digipeater pathway into the Bend, Redmond, Prineville region from Eugene using digipeater path WALKER,K7HWY-12,K7HWY-11,N7CCO-11 on 145.030 MHz. Note: WinLink training is available every Thursday. Visit https://emcomm-training.org/ ###

*APRS 101* -- The basics geared for newer ham operators. How do I get started from ground zero? What features does APRS support? What kind of equipment do I need? *SOFTWARE SOUP* -- Making sense of so many different titles. What are the "must haves"? What plays well on Windows 10? *HARDWARE HULLABALOO* -- Making sense of hardware. How is it interconnected? What are the "must haves"? What are TNCs? What are TinyTrackers? *WINLINK WHATCHAMACALLIT* -- Setting up Winlink Express to send and retrieve messages from a BBS or W7EUG-10. *LINUX LAND* -- How does Linux play into APRS and AX.25? What software is available? *MAPING MAHEM* -- How do I track an APRS radio on a map? *APRS.FI DELTA PI* -- I've used aprs.fi to track objects in realtime, but what else can this website do? Are there alternative websites that do the same thing? *TELEMETRY TESERACT* -- How do I use APRS to transmit telemetry from my model rocket and save it for later analysis? *INVENTORY INTERSECTION* -- What hardware and software to you use for APRS and/or AX.25 Packet communication? Possible swapmeet. *SOLAR SCENARIO* -- Putting the SolarPi BBS to work. *TNC TIPTOE* -- What is a TNC? How do they work? What's the difference between a software TNC like Direwolf or Soundmodem and a hardware TNC like Kantronics? *9600 BAUD BALLROOM* -- What do I need to go faster? *MESHY BUSINESS* -- What is Mesh Networking? How does it tie into amateur radio? *WEATHER WONDERLAND* -- How do I setup a personal weather station and utilize APRS to publish its data? *ANDROID ANDROMEDA* -- What cool things can I do with APRS on my Android device? *PACKET POOL* -- What is AX.25? How do I setup a LAN connection between two computers using ham radio? *DIGIPETER PUMPKIN EATER* -- What is a digipeater? What is an IGate? How do multiple digipeaters cooperate to carry a packet from point A to point B? What is routing? *APRS ROUTING RIPPLES* -- What does TO, FROM, VIA and WIDE1-1 mean? EMCOMM ELEMENTALS -- VARA FM *ADDITIONAL IDEAS* * *Overview of MeshPhone and How it Operates* * *Another APRS Presentation* * *How to control Ross' Repeater* * *How does the Packet Network Work?* * *Another FT8 Presentation* * *An AREDN Overview and Presentation* * *Using AREDN beyond emcomm*

*VARA Protocol Native TNC Commands* These commands are sent using the TCP/IP interface through the 8300 port (by default). The data stream is typically sent through the 8301 port. *Modem Commands* *CONNECT<cr> Source Destination<cr>* (VARA HF and (VARA SAT) *CONNECT<cr> Source Destination VIA Digi1 Digi2<cr>* (VARA FM) *LISTEN ON<cr> * Incomming connections enabled. This command will cause a disconnection if it is received in the middle of a VARA connection *LISTEN OFF<cr>* (by default) Incomming connections disabled. This command will cause a disconnection if it is received in the middle of a VARA connection *MYCALL Call1 Call2 Call3 Call4 Call5<cr>* Set current call sign (maximum 5 call signs). Legitimate call signs include from 3 to 7 ASCII characters (A-Z, 0-9) followed by an optional “-“ and an SSID of -1 to -15, -T, and -R. *DISCONNECT<cr>* Disconnect the link, once the TX buffer is empty. *ABORT<cr>* Disconnect the link immediately. *COMPRESSION OFF<cr>* Compression disabled *COMPRESSION TEXT<cr>* Huffman compression enabled, designed for type text information. Recommended for Winlink. *COMPRESSION FILES<cr>* Compression designed for File transfers *BW500<cr>* (VARA HF) Set VARA HF to 500Hz Narrow mode *BW2300<cr>* (VARA HF) (by default) Set VARA HF to 2300Hz Standard mode *BW2750<cr>* (VARA HF) Set VARA HF to 2750Hz Tactical mode *CHAT ON<cr>* Optimizes VARA timing for using with chat type apps like VARA Chat, VarAC, vARIM .... Listen then CQ Frames Support high latency to connect two FlexRadio: SDR<->SDR Infinite Idle loop. Allows both stations to be in sync forever, until the path dies Send the SN command for each data block received. Optimize the handover interchange for keyboard to keyboard. Enable the KISS interface simultaneosly with another App This command should not be used with Winlink or B2F protocol apps. Includes the LISTEN ON command *CHAT OFF<cr>* Optimize the handover interchange for Winlink, B2F protocol, BBS, etc... Limited Idle Loops. Avoid the stations stay connected forever in a loop. Latency limited according Trimode Scan time of 4 seconds. Only one Flexradio can be used in the link: SDR<->Analog Rig or Analog Rig<->SDR *CQFRAME Source BW<cr>* (VARA HF) *CQFRAME Source<cr>* (VARA SAT) *CQFRAME Source Digi1 Digi2<cr>* (VARA FM) Send a CQ frame. Useful for type chat apps. *WINLINK SESSION<cr>* (By default) (VARA HF and VARA SAT only) VARA send retries following a 4.0 seconds cycle, necessary to connect with the RMS Gateways (DWELL time 4s) *P2P SESSION<cr>* (VARA HF and VARA SAT only) Set the retrie cycle to 4.6 seconds to allow connecting two SDR's at maximum latency (worst case) This command must be used for P2P connections, not for Gateways connections. *TUNE -X<cr>* (VARA HF and VARA SAT only) (Only for registered users) Set TUNE Button to ON and drive level to X dB. *TUNE ? <cr>* (VARA HF and VARA SAT only) (Only for registered users) Return the drivel level value *TUNE OFF<cr>* (VARA HF and VARA SAT only) (Only for registered users) Set TUNE button to OFF *CLEANTXBUFFER<cr>* Erase the transmission buffer, in case of transmission have not started yet. Only for registered users. *VERSION<cr>* Return the VARA Version Modem Responses *CONNECTED Source Destination BW<cr>* (VARA HF) *CONNECTED Source Destination<cr>* (VARA SAT) *CONNECTED Source Destination via Digi1 Digi2 BW<cr>* (VARA FM) *DISCONNECTED<cr>* Session closed by either end *PTT OFF<cr>* Order for switching PTT OFF *PTT ON<cr>* Order for switching PTT ON *BUFFER<cr>* Bytes Reports number of bytes in transmit buffer queue. Sent when VARA adds data to queue or VARA removes acked bytes from queue *PENDING<cr>* Indicates to the host application a Connect Request has been detected. This provides an early warning to the host that a connection may be in process so it can hold any scanning activity. *CANCELPENDING<cr>* Indicates to the host that Connect Request could not be completed. This allows the Host to resume scanning. *BUSY OFF<cr>* Free channel *BUSY ON<cr>* Busy channel *REGISTERED<cr>* Call Call sign registered in VARA *LINK REGISTERED<cr>* The client station is registered in VARA *LINK UNREGISTERED<cr>* The client station is not registered in VARA *IAMALIVE<cr>* Sent every 60 seconds *MISSING SOUNDCARD<cr>* The USB Soundcard driver has crashed (typically due to RF or high SWR on low bands) The only way to recovery the driver is restarting the PC. This task is for the external application. *CQFRAME Source BW<cr>* (VARA HF) *CQFRAME Source<cr>* (VARA SAT) *CQFRAME Source Digi1 Digi2<cr>* (VARA FM) A CQ frame have been decoded. Useful for type chat apps. *SN value<cr>* S/N of the received frame. This command is sent only if the CHAT ON command is active. (Useful for type chat apps only). *CLEANTXBUFFERBUFFEREMPTY<cr>* Response to CLEANTXBUFFER command. The TX Buffer was empty *CLEANTXBUFFERFAILED<cr>* Response to CLEANTXBUFFER command. Unable erase the TX Buffer in this momment *CLEANTXBUFFEROK<cr>* Response to CLEANTXBUFFER command. TX Buffer erased *OK<cr>* Response to a received command *WRONG<cr>* Wrong command ###

Mission: To provide a weekly ham radio net to discuss APRS, AX.25, AREDN, Mesh Radio and Digital Voice Modes. The net is coordinated by a team of NCOs, and is operated as a directed, yet casual net. Vision: The net serves at the behest of it's participants. It is agenda driven, and well managed by a team of rotating NCOs. Legacy: To be the best APRS, Packet, Mesh and Digital Mode Net on the planet. Values: Everyone who participates will have an enjoyable, inclusive, and informative experience. Emphasis will be on content, not check-in, and the format will typically be facilitated, round-robin to allow all participants an opportunity to ask questions and provide answers. Guest presenters and special topics will occasionally be featured. Guests will be well briefed, fully informed, and coordinated in advance by the NCO team. Members will experience a lively discussion, and everyone is encouraged to participate. Constructive feedback is always encouraged. The NCOs strive to make the experience enjoyable and efficient for everyone. Participants provide lively discussion, ask pertinent questions, make agenda suggestions, and volunteer constructive feedback. Topics will focus on APRS, AX.25, AREDN Mesh radio, and Digital Voice Modes (e.g, D-Star, DMR, Wires-X, Allstar, Echolink, and Hotspots) including use cases, access, installation, equipment, and the services available using these modes. Occasionally, live exercises will be scheduled. Everyone is invited. It's understood that we're all a mix of beginners, experts, and lurkers. Everyone is committed to keeping the net lively, modern, and relevant. As such, NCOs will use modern tools to keep things moving, and members enjoy this practice. A website will be made available to support the mission of the group. It will include FAQs, a messaging forum, important links, reference material, contacts, and a membership list. Eventually we may augment check-ins using the Internet or packet technology. The NCO team will review the mission, vision, and values statement periodically and engage in strategic planning. The focus is on content, not check-ins. This is a friendly net, but it is not a social net. This is not the place to talk about what you ate for lunch, or what antenna you are building. We honor the past and embrace the future. This is a HAM 2.0 (digital) positive environment. This net is owned by its participants and operated by the NCO team. We encourage advancement. People interested in joining the NCO team are encouraged to make their aspirations known. The NCO team retains the collective right to choose its members. The net is well organized with a look-ahead management style. Each NCO has the responsibility to make everyone feels included, recognized, and important. Each NCO participates in a pre-net planning meeting to set the agenda and to choose who will run the net. Plans are in place to handle contingencies such as repeater failure, intentional interference, unlicensed operators, stuck mic, NCO no-shows, presenter no-shows, etc. This net stays on task, and reserves the right to facilitate rapid check-ins using any means possible, including Internet tools, rosters, side channels, and digital modes. Field activities, gatherings, and workshops will happen from time-to-time, such as APRS bunny hunts, live demos, radio workshops, tours, field-day support and AREDN parties. The net enjoys a mutually supportive relationship with the Valley Radio Club of Oregon, and appreciates the use of the club's radio systems and support. ###

*DMR Radio Presentation * by Nathan, AI7NC -- Digital Radio Net 09/22/21 * * *Introduction --* This is Nathan, AI7NC. Good evening everyone on the net. *Background --* Considering last week's discussions, the successful AT878 workshop we had, and knowing there are a number of new folks in the area that have AnyTone 878UVI or 878UVII radios, Mike WA6OEM and I decided we'd go back to basics and reintroduce DMR as one of the digital voice modes available to hams. I'm going to talk about the technology, local infrastructure, Brandmeister Talk Groups, and the different systems that are out there. Hopefully this information will make you feel a little more comfortable branching out and using DMR on your radio. * Bandwidth --* DMR is a digital voice mode. Unlike many other digital voice modes, it uses narrowband, so whether it's on VHF or UHF, it uses a channel bandwidth of 12.5 kHz. Note that many DMR repeaters in the local area are already technically narrowband repeaters even though they may be operating in a wideband channel space. * Voice and Data --* Like the other digital voice modes available to hams, e.g., D-Star, Yaesu Fusion, DMR supports digital voice through a CODEC, and it also allows for the transmission and reception of data that can ride sidecar, or in place of voice. * Time Slots --* The one thing that's unique to DMR compared to Yaesu Fusion, D-Star, or P25, is that the signal bandwidth is split into two data streams in the time domain. The signal is broken up into two separate slots called Time Slot 1 and Time Slot 2. * * Advanced DMR Protocol Documentation -- [Editor's Note] A technically advanced protocol white paper is available for download at https://mookienet.com/advanced_protocol_dmr.pdf *Time-Division Multiplexing --* You can think of this as two phone lines running over one Internet connection using VOIP technology, or maybe two laptop computers streaming two separate YouTube videos, or two separate Zoom calls simultaneously held over a single Internet connection. Because it's digital, you can break up an audio stream into segments and then interleave them in the time domain. This is called Time Domain Multiplexing. In DMR you can have two separate audio streams, or an audio stream and a data stream, or two separate data streams. This is very unique. You can have two separate conversations going on simultaneously on a repeater from two separate users that are operating on two separate time slots. * Two Channels for the Price of One --* From a radio operator's standpoint, DMR offers two main benefits. The first is that with the same infrastructure that you'd install for any of the other digital voice modes, you could basically double the voice bandwidth. For example, you could have two nets going on at the same time on the same antenna, filter, amplifier and electronic control system setup. So, it's pretty powerful from an investment standpoint, as well as an emergency utilization perspective. So you can use one DMR repeater up on a hill for two things at once, which is pretty powerful. * Power Savings --* Power savings is the other main benefit of DMR. If you're transmitting on only one time slot, the duty cycle of the transmitter is 50%. Since the transmitter is off half of the time, battery life is significantly extended compared to analog or other voice modes. If you listen to a DMR signal using an analog FM receiver, you'll hear a noise that sounds like a diesel engine. What you're hearing is the transmitter switching on and off along with the modulated data stream. * Simplex and Duplex --* Like Yaesu Fusion and D-Star, DMR supports duplex operation through a repeater, where you transmit on one frequency and receive on another, and it also allows you to do simplex work as well. So, you could talk simplex from one DMR radio to another. And, you can also get a little more privacy by using the called party's radio ID number as the destination rather than an open Talk Group. Like anything else on ham radio, encryption is not allowed if you are transmitting on amateur radio frequencies. If you were to coordinate a part 90 frequency, then you could technically do that. * Text Messaging --* One of the other cool things with DMR is that you can send and receive text messages, either from radio-to-radio like APRS, or you can send and receive messages through a digital repeater. Note however, not all digital repeaters support this, so you will have to check in with the local repeater administrator to see whether or not their station will receive and forward text messages over DMR. I know that the Pacific Northwest DMR group in Northern Oregon and throughout Washington is working on making that interoperate with Brandmeister, but at this point in time it does not work. * Location Beaconing --* The Pacific Northwest DMR network does not yet support location beaconing, similar to APRS, however, beaconing does on the KC7RJK DMR repeater in Irving. I've tested it, and it does work. I also know it works on the multi-mode W7OEC Blanton repeater if you have the repeater listening to DMR mode. The downside to using multi-mode repeaters for position beaconing is that you can tie them up for long periods of time which prevents other hams from using the repeater. Thus, it's definitely better to use a dedicated DMR repeater like KC7RJK Irving if you want to play around with beaconing. As you can see, there are a lot of cool things you can do with DMR beyond just voice. * Data Queries --* DMR allows you to send queries or system commands to various online information servers. You do this by transmitting an SMS message to the Private ID number of the server you're interested in querying. After a moment, the server will then reply back with a text message containing the information or status you asked for. For example, I've heard of systems that will let you access weather information, sunrise/sunset time, and even International Space Station pass-over information and cool stuff like that. See: https://brara.org/BLOG/2020/05/16/dmr-brandmeister-messaging/ * Pause for Questions --* Before we move into some of the deeper details of the various parameters to be aware of when configuring a radio for DMR operation, are there any questions so far that I can help answer. * TS1/TS2 Simultaneous Tx --* Can a DMR radio transmit on TS1 and receive on TS2 simultaneously? From a repeater standpoint, yes you can be doing both at the same time. It's a repeater, so it's built to receive and transmit at the same time. The timeslots are just a further deviation of bandwidth. So yes, it can be receiving two local stations while simultaneously retransmitting those two receiving stations back out on the other side. Conversely you can have one station transmitting into Oregon 1 on one timeslot, and then on timeslot 2 you can have someone like Pacific Northwest or the California talk group transmitting out that's not even local, so yes, they do operate independently and can operate at the same time. * PL Tones --* Does DMR use PL tones? We'll get to that in the next section, but DMR does not use PL tones, no. * DMR Position Beaconing --* Does position beaconing use APRS over DMR? It's not using the APRS AX.25 protocol. It's not using the RF section of APRS. A lot of people will refer to it as Digital Position xxxx DPS. The one caveat is that on the backend it is getting put into the APRS-IS network and that's how you can see it on the website but it's not really using APRS, just like Matt has his balloon tracker and he dumps that NOAA weather balloon into the APRS-IS network so you can see it on the websites, but it's not actually using APRS to get onto the mapping services, it's using a completely different protocol. Same thing with both Yaesu and D-Star, I think also support DPS, which is sending that information sidecar to the voice. It's either the at the front or the sidecar or the end, I can't remember exactly where it sits on DMR, but it is getting sent in that data stream somewhere and getting received by an Internet connected digital repeater then it's forwarded on to the APRS-IS Internet network. * Queries for Services --* Can an AnyTone 878 send a query operation? That's all part of sending and receiving messages over DMR. Yes, the AnyTone 878 can send messages over DMR. Unfortunately, it cannot send or receive messages over APRS. This something hams would like them to add to the UV2. If they added that feature, I'd buy one outright tomorrow. Even the older AT878 does support sending and receiving messages over DMR. * DMR Text Messaging --* Regarding text messages. With my AnyTone 878 can I send you a message through Ross' repeater, or potentially directly with his system? I believe it can be sent through the repeater. I can't remember if I tried that with Matt previously. I know we definitely did it direct using simplex. There was basically no issue. You do need to know your destination's Private ID number, and you have to add them to your Contact List. Where you normally go into your radio to add a Talk Group to the New Talkgroup List, you can add a Private ID number, just like you add a Talk Group either in the CTS software, or through the radio's menu. But I know that we've done it using simplex, for sure. But, I can't remember if we went through Ross' repeater. I think that it's fully functional so, that's something I could probably confirm and send out a message later just to verify that it does work through the repeater. * Finding DMR ID Numbers --* For example, let's say I want to send a text message to Craig? How do I find his Destination ID? One way is to ask Craig for his ID number. Another way, if you're having a QSO with him, his ID number will show up when he's talking on DMR. One benefit with DMR is that you can always see the ID number of the transmitting station on the LCD screen. If your contact list is loaded in the radio, and it's current enough to have the person that you're talking to in the database, then you'll also see their name, callsign, and location on the display. So if you can't get ahold of Craig, and you need to know his ID number, the other thing you can do is go to radioid.net and you can download the CSV version of the database, or just do a query on the database using a callsign or name, and you can find out what their ID number is that way. * Timeslot Structure --* I pulled up some of DMR specs. The time domain is delineated in a 30 ms structure. So the first 30 ms is timeslot 1, the next 30 ms is timeslot 2, the 3rd 30 ms block is timeslot 1 again; they alternate like that. When you listen to DMR compared to D-Star or Yaesu Fusion, it has a much different sound to it; it's very rigid in the sound, and that's the pulsing of the timeslot that you're hearing. It's a little less rigid if both time slots are going at once, but you won't usually hear that unless you're in a busy area and there's different things going on in each of the timeslots. * DMR Audio Quality & Symbol Rate --* The digital modulation is four state FSK, so there are four signal states which provides a data rate of 4800 symbols/sec. After overhead and forward error correction that's baked into the CODEC, and the fact that the stream is split between the two time domains, each slot gets around 2400 symbols/sec for Voice and/or Data. So, so each voice channel has only 2450 bps. Voice quality using DMR does indeed sound digital, it won't obviously be high quality like a cell phone, but a cellular network uses at least 8 times the bandwidth, so it's impressive that you get the quality that you get using DMR with such a low bandwidth. * Forward Error Correction --* I think I mentioned there that the CODEC does have forward error correction. What this means is some of the data that is transmitted by your radio includes extra data bits which allow an algorithm at the receiving radio to back-calculate and correct erroneous data that may have crept in because of radio noise. It basically sends redundant data, more data than necessary to decode the voice. This extra data gives the decoder a better probability of successfully decoding without any serious errors. If you listen to DMR, sometimes you'll hear rubber-banding, where someone's words might get a little stretched out. That's the forward error correction kicking in which takes a little bit of processing time to perform. Instead of words being dropped, the speech is stretched out and recompressed again. So, it sounds a little weird; a little like a robot, but unlike picket-fencing in analog FM mode, you stand a good chance of understanding the dropped word thanks to digital reconstruction. * Dual Mode (Analog / DMR) --* So let's talk a little bit about the nuts and bolts of the parameters in setting DMR on a radio. I know that a lot of people have AnyTone radios, but this should be applicable for any DMR radio. At the very top of the list, you have to tell that radio that you want to be in digital mode. This is typically programmed on a per-channel basis. Some radios have combined analog/digital mode where it will transmit using one mode and monitor both. The downside of using dual mode is that there's usually a time delay. This is because the radio will be listening primarily on analog, and then if it recognizes the digital data stream it will switch over and decode on digital. The switchover often causes the first few syllables to be cut off. But, a lot of repeaters, like the dedicated DMR repeater at Ross' house, operate exclusively in digital mode, so you can leave the programmed channel in digital-only mode so you don't have to worry about any of the time delay effects. *Multiple Digital Modes --* All of the amateur related radios that I'm aware of right now only support a single digital mode per radio. There are some fancy commercial radios out there like the 5000 series from Kenwood that can support different digital modes. Their flagship products support DMR, P25, and NXDN all in one radio, which is pretty slick, I wish the amateur radio community would do that, but most of the amateur radios that I'm aware of will only do one digital mode per radio. *Greyed Out Options --* In the AnyTone CPS codeplug software, many fields will be greyed out on channels that you've configured to operate in digital mode. That's because the greyed out options aren't applicable to DMR. For example, bandwidth selection. DMR mode automatically gets set to 12.6 kHz. You can't do wideband for DMR. Notice also CTCSS and DCS options for Encode and Decode, as well as your squelch mode and some other setting like PTT ID and such, those will all get greyed out because those don't apply to DMR. *RF Frequency --* If you're programming for a simplex frequency, then of course like an analog simplex frequency, both your receive and transmit will be the same. However, for an amateur radio repeater, we use the standard offsets like we do for analog, so it would be 600 kHz offset for a VHF DMR repeater. For a UHF DMR repeater, use the standard 5 MHz offset. For example, here in Eugene, OR the KC7RJK DMR repeater has a receive frequency of 444.425 MHz and a transmit frequency 5 MHz higher, so it's 449.425 MHz. For Simplex DMR, members of the Digital Radio net have been working to identify a local simplex frequency we can use as a dedicated frequency to use for DMR. We evaluated both the ORRC and ARRL band plan, as well as our local band plans from LCSARO and CERT for emergency use. The frequency we have settled on for simplex DMR is 147.44 MHz. This frequency is now available in the basic codeplug for the Anytone AT878 available from Nathan AI7NC. *Color Codes --* Next in the list here is something called the Color Code. DMR doesn't use PL tones or DCS squelch tones, but it does have something called Color Code. This operates in an extremely similar fashion to traditional PL or DCS, whereby it selectively opens the squelch of receiving stations (or repeaters). It helps to ensure that your transmission is ignored by unintended receivers. To get through, your transmitted color code must match the color code set in the receiving station or repeater. Right now it has been my observation that pretty much everything uses Color Code 1, similar to how a large majority of repeaters use a PL tone of 100 Hz. *Use Color Code 1 --* We can basically get away with this because the installed geographic density is pretty low right now for DMR repeaters, and I suspect in higher density areas like Seattle, they might actually use different color codes, I'd be curious to check into that and see whether or not they do, but at least right now you don't see other color codes a whole lot because they're not needed. However, as installed density increases, then you'll need to pay more attention to that. The KC7RJK digital repeater and the Blanton multi-mode repeater both use color code 1. *Time Slots --* Another parameter that is unique to DMR is the time slot (TS). Remember we talked about there being two time slots on DMR; TS1 and TS2. So when you're setting up a channel for DMR, you need to specify which time slot you want that channel to use. You can only pick one. So you can either choose TS1 or TS2. If you have loaded my beginner's codeplug for the AnyTone 878, you'll notice that there are two channels for the KC7RJK DMR repeater. There's one named *Eugene DMR1* and another one named *Eugene DMR2*. The only difference between these two channels is one is uses TS1 and the other uses TS2. *Repeater vs. Simplex --* There's one other major parameter that you'll find in most radios, and that's the DMR mode. The two main modes that you'll use are simplex or repeater. If you choose simplex mode on a channel you're programming for a repeater, then your radio will transmit on the repeater's output frequency rather than the input frequency and your communication won't be successful. This is similar to setting the offset frequency incorrectly in analog mode. So if you're programming a channel for a repeater, make sure you set *DMR Mode = Repeater,* and if you're programming in a DMR simplex channel you would choose the simplex option. *Unique Radio ID --* There are a couple of things that AnyTone includes in their parameters that I'll mention for programming a DMR channel. Now, we haven't really touched on Talk Groups yet, so I'll defer that conversation for later. One of the things is the Radio ID. So you have to get a unique Radio ID by visiting from http://radioid.net to be able to work on the different DMR systems. The DMR ID is unique to your callsign and it's assigned by a group of hams that have validated that you are an official amateur radio operator with an active and valid FCC license. And this ID will get put into the global database along with your name, callsign and location. That's how people know who you are when you key up on the repeaters. This lets other operators see where you're located and what your callsign is. It's one of the really nice things about many of the the digital modes; you can see who is currently talking even if you missed their callsign, so it's something that's nice about it. So, if you have multiple people who use your radio, you can assign a different Radio ID to different channels if you needed to, however for most of our use cases there will just be one Radio ID assigned per radio. AnyTone has thought ahead and if there are multiple operators using one radio, you can set up different IDs for different channels. And you can also swap Radio IDs globally using the menu structure. How to Search the Radio ID Database -- [Editor's comment] If you have someone's amateur radio callsign, you can lookup their DMR ID number on the RadioID.net website ( https://database.radioid.net/database/search#! ). * Receive Group List --* One other thing I'll mention before moving on to Talk Groups is, there's an option on AnyTone radios called the Receive Group List. This is something I'm aware of, but haven't really played around with yet, though I understand how it works. It's something that's used a lot more on the Pacific Northwest DMR network. What the Receive Group List does it allows you create a list of talk groups that you want to listen to if it shows up on a repeater. That's kind of handy if you're listening to a system like the PNW system up in the Portland area, where any number of talk groups could come through that repeater. For example, it could be Oregon 1, it could be one of the Pacific Northwest talk groups, or it could be a TAC channel. If you want your radio to pass that traffic so you can listen to it, rather than just ignore it, you can create a list of talk groups that you want to hear, and then select that group of talk groups for that channel, so it's kind of handy. * Digital Monitor --* I find it convenient to put my AnyTone radio into Digital Monitor mode. There are two different modes for digital monitor. Normally when you select a Talk Group Number or Private ID Number, your radio squelches the audio for all traffic that doesn't match. When digital monitor is engaged, the squelch is removed allowing anything coming out of the repeater to be heard. You will also see callsigns and names flash by on the display screen, along with the talk group, timeslot and station location. I use the Digital Monitor feature all the time. The AnyTone 878 supports single or dual timeslot digital monitoring. The dual mode allows your radio to listen to both time slots at once for any talk group that comes through. Your radio will lock on to the timeslot for the transmission that comes through first. When the audio stops, the radio begins searching for traffic on both time slots again. So if you want to kick back and monitor both timeslots on a DMR repeater, you can do that by using the Dual Time Slots Digital Monitor setting. *Talk Groups --* What are Talk Groups and how do they work? That's what we'll about next, but before we move to that, I want to see if there are any other questions? * DMR Simplex --* Can a DMR simplex frequency be programmed into the AnyTone 878 channel, similar to how 146.52 MHz is used for the FM simplex calling frequency? The beginner's codeplug that Nathan AI7NC has made available now includes DMR simplex frequency. I haven't really thought about that, but it's a good idea. Maybe local hams could agree upon a dedicated frequency to be programmed into our radios for simplex work. Nationally it's advised not to use 146.52 MHz for DMR. Or course, there's nothing that specifically bans use of DMR on the FM calling frequency, but it's courteous not to use for anything other than FM analog voice because of its wide use for calling QC and doing parks on the air and other uses. I have personally used some of the other local coordinated simplex VHF channels like 146.46 MHz for DMR simplex work. Maybe we can look around and see if there's something common either to the Pacific Northwest or maybe wider for DMR simplex work at the national level, and see if it jives with our local coordination. If so, start using it more heavily for DMR mode. So long as you're not going against the band plan, anything could work and function, so long as you're legal to operate using a 12.5 KHz channel bandwidth which actually goes down into the HF bands. Up to this point there hasn't been critical mass, but now that there are a lot more hams using DMR, I think that's a great idea and it could be a lot of fun. Update... For Simplex DMR, members of the Digital Radio net have been working to identify a local simplex frequency we can use as a dedicated frequency to use for DMR. We evaluated both the ORRC and ARRL band plan, as well as our local band plans from LCSARO and CERT for emergency use. The frequency we have settled on for simplex DMR is 147.44 MHz. This frequency is now available in the basic codeplug for the Anytone AT878 available from Nathan AI7NC. * Impromptu DMR Monitoring --* Following up on Mike's idea, I love the concept of setting up some common DMR simplex frequencies. I'll work with you guys to post some recommended frequencies to Groups.IO so that we can all get on the same page. Also, just before tonight's net, I was scanning the airwaves looking for activity using the waterfall on my IC-9700, and I found a DMR signal on the W7SRA Salem repeater on 441.275 MHz. I wanted to hear the traffic, so I quickly turned on my AnyTone 878. I knew that I didn't have the repeater pre-programmed into my radio, so I switched to VFO mode, placed the radio into Digital mode, enabled Dual Slot Digital Monitor. When I did this, I saw the callsigns flipping by on the display as various stations keyed up, but I heard no audio. This is the reason for me asking earlier if PL tones were needed. Does this sound like the correct workflow to listen to something on an impromptu basis? Yes it does sound the right workflow. You might also want to double check the color code. The other possible reason for lack of audio might be low signal strength. * Talk Groups --* There are two categories of codes you can use to select who you want to talk to. There are Private ID numbers that we have already talked about, obtained from radioid.net. Private IDs are issued to users and repeaters. And then there are Talk Groups which are wider than a single endpoint. They're a collection of endpoints. On D-Star they're called Reflectors, and on Yaesu Fusion they're called Rooms, but they all mean the same thing. Think of Talk Groups as common chat rooms where anyone can pop into and hear each other. * Local Talk Group 9 --* Some Talk Groups are local only. TG 9 is a primary example of a local Talk Group. When you key up a DMR repeater using TG 9, the repeater will retransmit your digital voice stream to extend the range of your radio, thus anyone within reach of the repeater can hear you. However, the repeater will not gate your signal over the Internet to other repeaters or to hams using hotspots. Your transmission stays local to the RF footprint of that repeater only. This is basically the same scheme as a traditional stand-alone analog repeater, except it's digital. The DMR repeater receives your voice data stream on the input frequency and it retransmits it in real time on the output frequency. That's it. No Internet involved or needed. * DMR Repeater Linking --* The wider viewer in the word the digital voice mode becomes a little more powerful is in it's ability to link repeaters together. And it's not in the traditional sense of linking. It's a little bit more dynamic. It depends on the policy set by the repeater owner, but in a lot of cases, most repeaters are very open and allow you to connect to a wide variety of Talk Groups. The KC7RJK Irving repeater is open for you to connect to any Talk Group in the Brandmeister network. It's not locked down to something specific. The Pacific NW DMR group is a lot more specific about what you can link to, but, they've very thoughtful in allowing you access to a number of talk groups that are useful for the Pacific NW. *Oregon Talk Group 3141 --* DMR Talk Group 3141, also known as "Oregon 1" is the primary talk group for hams in the state of Oregon. Note however, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're only linked to repeaters in Oregon, you will be connected to all repeaters or hotspots worldwide that happen to be linked to TG 3141 at that time. So it's not uncommon to find Texas, California, or Washington monitoring TG 3141. Someone will usually respond if you transmit your callsign and say your location, so be prepared to get a reply from someone out-of-state. That's one of the beautiful things about digital radio. You can link into geographical areas from anywhere in the world if you can reach an Internet connected digital hotspot or digital repeater. Additional Oregon Talk Groups -- [Editor's Note] To facilitate more localized radio communication in the state of Oregon, there are three additional talk groups you might want to use if you want fewer people listening in. * *Oregon TAC* 31410 * *Central Oregon* 31411 * *Western Oregon* 31412 Multi-Mode Talk Group -- [Editor's Note] If you want to use DMR to communicate with other hams using different digital modes, Jeff K8JTK runs a multimode interlink hub called DVMIS that is accessible on TG 3172783. The hub was created in the spirit of ham radio experimentation by supporting Open Sourced projects and interlinking ham radio VoIP modes for interoperability: AllStar, EchoLink, DMR, D-STAR, M17, NXDN, P25, Yaesu System Fusion, Hamshack Hotline, and Hams over IP are currently supported. The hub can be used for EmComm exercises or a rag-chew meetup where users are utilizing different Ham Radio Internet linking technologies. While convenient in some situations to use non-RF connections, please use RF connections whenever possible to utilize the spectrum we’re given. To learn more about the DVMIS hub, visit https://www.jeffreykopcak.com/ham-radio/k8jtk-hub-digital-voip-mutimode-interlink-system * DVMIS Hub 3172783 *Selecting Talk Groups --* So let's talk about how this works at a nuts-and-bolts level. When you setup your radio and you want to be able to use Talk Group Oregon 1, you'll set it up in your AnyTone, or whatever radio you're using. In the AnyTone's, it's pretty easy, you just put in the Talk Group number 3141, and then you type in the label that you want for it, which will be "Oregon 1". And then you'd go to the DMR repeater channel like Eugene DMR 1 (KC7RJK) and you would press the List soft button (red button) then use the up/down arrows to select that Talk Group list. You can also have it setup as the default Talk Group for that channel. So that's another way of going about it. You can assign a default Talk Group to a channel, but at any time you can override that default and choose a different Talk Group. That's kind of how I like to function. I like to have my list of Talk Groups and not have proliferation of channels for different Talk Groups on the same DMR repeater. I keep it nice and simple for the channels, it's just the two time slots for a specific DMR repeater, and I just select what talk group I want to use on that repeater. *Default Repeater Behavior --* So once you have 3141 programmed as a Talk Group on your radio, and you select it using the LIST function in the radio, and say the DMR repeater was in it's default connected state. Repeater owners can dictate what it's connected to when it's idle. So if the repeater hasn't received a local RF signal for a while, it can go back to a default state, which could be unlinked to anything, it could be linked to something specific. I know that the KC7RJK repeater on Time Slot 2 is permanently linked to Talk Group 3141 (Oregon 1), but if you're on Time Slot 1, who knows, it could be linked to just about anything. But you have complete flexibility to steer Time Slot 1 to any Talk Group or Private ID of your choice. * Repeater Linking --* Do let's just say that TS1 was unlinked on the KC7RJK repeater, and you have Talk Group 3141 selected, and you key up the repeater. When you key down, the beginning portion of your transmitted data stream will include a coded command to signal the repeater to connect to Talk Group 3141. When the repeater hears the linking command, it first decides whether or not it's a local-only talk group, which is a pretty easy decision because there's not very many. And then, if it's a linked talk group, where there are other stations connected to it, then the repeater controller will digitally link into the equivalent of a conference room on Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephone system. Essentially you're joining a conference room with a bunch of other hams that are in the room through a cell phone, or through a hot spot from their home, or in their car using wireless Internet, or they could be coming in through a repeater that they linked themselves. * Similarity to Conference Call --* So once you've instructed a repeater to join a talk group, assuming it's an active group, you'll immediately hear voice traffic when you key off. At this point, you can participate in an over-the-air conversation with everyone on the conference call. Most talk groups are geographical, but there are also interest based talk groups out there. * Interest Based Talk Groups --* For anyone that watches any ham radio YouTube videos, there are several YouTube streamers out there that are pretty popular. A prominent one that comes to mind is Ham Radio Crash Course. And guess what? He has Talk Group 31621 for Ham Radio Crash Course enthusiasts. So you can program that talk group into your radio, and you can join whenever you want. There are usually a number of users present that support him directly and enjoy chatting about his YouTube topics. Sometimes the Ham Radio Crash Course operator is in there as well. Several interest-based talk groups such as NASA also exist, but the vast majority are regionally defined. *Regional Talk Groups --* There is at least one talk group for each state in the US. There is one for pretty much every country in the world. There are some really big ones, like the World Wide TG 91. That's where people go to make contacts or talk to people from all around the world. It's fun to monitor TG 91. Sometimes it's not busy, and sometimes it's hopping like crazy. *Many to Choose From --* The world of talk groups that are out there that you can key up with a repeater or with a hotspot is wide ranging. It's kind of disarming how many are available that you can use to connect with other hams that might have a common interest with you in different areas other than ham radio. Or maybe, you just want to talk with someone in Scotland. Simply hop into the Scotland talk group during their early morning or late evening before they go to bed. Remember, Scotland is 8 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. One of the really cool things with digital radio though, is that you can meet all kinds of hams around the world even when the bands are dead, which is one of the real cool things with DMR. *Call for Questions --* Alright, I'll go ahead and stop here and see if I've lost everyone, or if anyone has any questions about talk groups and their use. I have a couple of things to mention in closing for talk groups, but I want to see if there are any questions first. *Linking to Scotland --* If I wanted to join the Scotland talk group for example, do I have to go through a local repeater? For example, would I tune to the KC7RJK repeater on 444.425 MHz, then link the repeater to the Scotland talk group? Wouldn't this action use the resources of the repeater to support me listening to the talk group? I'd like to confirm that I would set the talk group in my radio first and then kerchunk to command the repeater to link to Scotland. *DMR Hotspots --* Yes, that's exactly how it works. It's a little bit different from Yaesu Fusion, where you use a button menu to pick what you want and then it does that communication, or with D-Star, it's same kind of thing; you have to give it a special command. On DMR, you just choose the talk group you want to us and you kerchunk your radio, and it will switch the repeater over to that talk group. Of course, common courtesy suggests that you shouldn't use the repeater for longer than 15 minutes without at least checking to see if anyone else wants to use it. Right now there isn't a huge amount of DMR use, but if you find yourself listening to some of these other countries for long periods of time, it's highly recommended to get a hotspot. They start at about $100, especially the build-it-yourself models. They're basically a mini DMR repeater that you connect to your home Internet (or your cellphone setup in Internet sharing mode). Simplex and duplex versions are available. It's just a little, low-power repeater for your own personal use. With this setup, you can link to a talk group all day long and not worry about tying up a community repeater for other people's enjoyment and use. Generally speaking, feel free to explore. You can link the KC7RJK repeater to any of the Brandmeister talk groups, which is by far the largest DMR network out there. *Different DMR Networks --* You'll also find talk groups that work between DMR networks. For example, the Pacific NW is a very homebrew network that was developed from the ground up specifically for the uses in the Pacific NW, and Brandmeister is the traditional nationwide network. There are some other versions out there too, but you'll find there are talk groups that interoperate between the various different DMR networks, and you'll also find talk groups that are linked between different digital voice systems. There are some that crosslink between Yaesu Fusion, D-Star, DMR, NXDN, and in some cases AllStar, EchoLink, Hamshack Hotline. Basically, any voice mode you want to use is allowed. It's just one giant conference call with every mode enabled. For example, one of the hurricane nets is setup that way. You can join using any digital voice mode and listen to the traffic. So it's kind of slick what you can do with some of these digital voice modes. So yeah, you simply kerchunk the repeater to join. When you're done, it's common courtesy to unlink the repeater when you're done. Most of the digital repeaters will automatically unlink if there is no local RF traffic after about 15 minutes, but to unlink a DMR repeater, you kerchunk it with Talk Group 4000. * Unlink using Talk Group 4000 --* For anyone who is using the codeplug that I provide, if you look in the talk group list, you will see one talk group that's labeled "Clear", and it's talk group 4000, and that's what you use to unlink a repeater after you (or someone else) has linked it to something. Common courtesy is to unlink the repeater when you're done with it. This particularly on the W7OEC mult-mode repeater on Blanton, because if you leave it linked and there's traffic on that talk group it will lock the repeater on DMR mode much longer than if you were to unlink the repeater and put it back into mode-searching mode. However, unlinking is not necessary if you are using your own private DMR hotspot. *Station Identification --* Let's say I want to set the KC7RJK repeater to TG 91. I would select the World Wide talk group, and then I kerchunk. Do I need to say my callsign during that kerchunk, and during that initial kerchunk does that open other listener's squelch, so do they hear a blank kerchunk? I assume subsequent PTT presses are what I use to talk? Is it true that the first kerchunk is more like a signaling kerchunk? Well, any short keypress is basically not going to pass any audio. But, it will likely link the system. You can program an AnyTone radio emit various tones when your mike is hot when you key up a digital repeater. It's handy to configure this option because it will give you feedback that you're getting into the repeater. It's different from an analog repeater because there isn't an audible squelch tail. On DMR, there isn't any audio after you key off. You can also enable an optional tone that sound at the end of the repeater's transmission. I have them both set on my radio. I believe they're called Permit Tone and Idle Channel Tone. Those are handy to have set on the AnyTone radio. The settings are found under the Optional Setting menu under Alert Tones. It is common courtesy when you link to give out your callsign just in case someone doesn't have an updated DMR ID database programmed in their radio, or they don't have enough memory to hold the entire world-wide database, like me with the older version of the AT878. You are supposed to identify at some point, so you might as well do it when you are linking up. If you have the Call Permit tone configured, then you'll know when to start talking. So you'll key down the PTT and wait for the beep, and then you start talking. The beep tells you that you're live on the system at that point throughout the entire network. So it's kind of handy to have set, and that's how I do it. * TG Linking Confirmation --* You mentioned that we could select a talk group and kerchunk to command a DMR repeater to link to that talk group. Then, if the TG was active, you would immediately start hearing the traffic. But, what if nobody is talking on the TG. Is there any confirmation or feedback that the repeater actually linked to the desired talk group? * Progress Tones & Repeater Status --* That's the important part of setting the secondary tone that indicates the tail of the repeater's transmission. The tail tone gives confirmation that the repeater heard you and it linked to the target talk group. The tone acknowledged your transmission. The preceding beep gives you feedback that the repeater has linked to the talk group. So both tones confirm that you got into the repeater and your talk group is set. There is no digital representation that you have set a certain talk group on the repeater though, unless someone were to key up. For messages and position reports, I think there is an acknowledgement packet sent back to your radio from the repeater, and I believe there is an on-screen visualization. But, for voice, I don't think there's visual confirmation that it switched. If you have Internet access, you can monitor the repeater's status page. The KC7RJK status page is available Brandmeister, and the W7OEC status page is available at emerald-radio.com ( http://www.emerald-radio.com ). These status pages are the best way to confirm you're hitting the repeater and that your talk group has been linked. * Using TG 4000 to Clear --* That pretty much wraps up the overview for talk groups. As I said, there are literally tens of thousands of talk groups out there. It can make it sometimes a little bit more challenging to find some of the ones that are more busy from the thousands of talk groups out there, but the options really are limitless. One the big ones, like I mentioned earlier, is TG 91 for World-Wide. To use a DMR repeater for local use only, use TG 9 if you do not want your voice to go across the Internet. TG 4000 is to clear. If you're changing from one TG to another TG, you don't have to clear inbetween. You can simply choose the next TG and kerchunk, and then it will change the repeater to the new talk group. Let's say I had already keyed up 3141 for Oregon and I wanted to change to World-Wide. I would simply select World-Wide TG 91 in my radio and then kerchunk, which would unlink the repeater from TG 3141 and move it straight to TG 91. So you don't need to clear when switching talk groups, you just need to clear when you're done. * Happy Hour Net --* If you're new to DMR and you want to check to see if everything's working, and you can't find anyone. The Happy Hour Net on weekdays at 5pm is on the Oregon 1 talk group 3141. It usually lasts about 30 minutes or so, depending on the number of people checking in. So if you're just getting started, and you want to just listen or do a quick check-in without necessarily having a long conversation, then that's a good opportunity that happens every day where you can get in there to see if everything is working. Alright. I think I'll stop one more time to see if there are any last questions around DMR, programming your radio, or any of the underlying technology. * KC7RJK TS2 Always Linked to TG 3141 --* The KC7RJK DMR repeater TS2 is statically linked to Oregon 1 TG 3141. So if you're tuned to 444.450 MHz and you have Dual Monitor mode enabled on your radio, you will hear traffic (if someone is transmitting) on Oregon 1 because TS2 is linked to TG 3141 at all times. That being said, TG2 can still be relinked to a different talk group. For example, if TS1 is in use, and you want to make another connection to a different TG. Even though TS2 is statically linked to TG 3141, you can still PTT relink TS2 to the TG of your choice. You can then listen to the new talk group for up to 15 minutes. After that, the repeater will drop the TG and reconnect to TG 3141. The 15 minute timeout is extended if you key up your radio. If you're out-of-range, or if you have a good signal and you're driving away from the repeater, you don't need to disconnect with TG 4000 because the repeater will automatically timeout if no RF is detected for 15 minutes. So I just wanted to throw that out there if any other stations wanted to monitor Oregon 1 TG 3141. * KC7RJK Repeater Owner --* I'm glad you made it in here Ross. So this is Ross, KC7RJK. He's the one that runs the Eugene dual time-slot DMR repeater up here in north Eugene. So go ahead Ross, take it away. *KC7RJK Repeater Automatic Revert TG 3141 --* I just caught the end of this. Sorry I wasn't here earlier to help out. We'll save that I guess for next time, but just of note on the 444.425 repeater. TS2 is statically linked to Oregon 1 TG 3141. So if you just have the dual monitor enabled on your radio, and you just want to listen to what's happening on Oregon 1, it is connected 24/7. And it is still available for PTT connections. So say TS1 is in use, and then you want to make another connection to another talk group, even if TG 3141 being statically linked to TS2, you can still PTT connect -- which I'm pretty sure Nathan already explained -- to a different talk group, and it will then give you your 15 minute timer for whichever talkgroup you assigned to TS2. The repeater will automatically disconnect after 15 minutes of no use, and then reconnect to Oregon 1 TG 3141. So if you're mobile and you have a good signal, but you're driving away from the repeater, you don't need to disconnect with TG 4000. The repeater will automatically timeout after 15 minutes of no use. So basically, if you want to monitor Oregon 1 TG 3141, you can simply have that channel programmed into your radio with dual monitor mode and you'll be able to monitor it. * RF Traffic Extends the Timer --* Point of clarification. TS2 will revert back to Oregon 1 TG 3141 after of 15 minutes of non use, and this specifially means no local RF traffic into the repeater. Traffic that comes into the repeater from the Internet will not extend the 15 minute timeout timer. Only local RF received into the repeater will extend the timer. *Repeater Idle State of TS1 --* A variety of scheduled nets on various talk groups are automatically linked and unlinked to TS1 by the repeater's controller, which can be seen by visiting the Brandmeister network webpage. Aside from those scheduled connections, does TS1 default to a non-linked state? * Radio Check using Parrot Mode --* Correct. Unless TS1 is connected to the noted talk groups, TG1 will just sit idly by listening for linking commands. For example, if you want to check your range or self perform a radio check, you can use the parrot mode which is TG 9990. Everything you transmit wlll be echoed back to you. The parrot feature is very useful to see if you are in range. When used in conjunction with the connection tone, you can basically kerchunk your radio and then you should get the connect tone, and then you'll know your connected. Then just speak and the repeater will parrot what you say right back to you. * Parrot TG 9990 is Not in Base Codeplug --* Yes. Thank you for mentioning that Ross. That's something I forgot to mention. And I think my base code plug was created so long ago, that the parrot talkgroup TG 9990 wasn't included. I'll have to add that to the reference codeplug. The parrot feature is very useful if you're trying to troubleshoot something. You can parrot out and have the repeater reply back what you said into your radio. So it's helpful to see what your transmission and reception is like from where you're currently located. *KC7RJK Repeater Supports Text Messaging and GPS Positions --* Does the KC7RJK DMR repeater forward text message requests and carries position reports over DMR? Yes.The repeater does support text messages and position reports. There are some caviats. Some radios are better at it than others. I know the Anytone radios work well. In the codeplug there's a setting to set the type of SMS mode -- on second thought, this might be configued in your Brandmeister self-help or your self-care account setting. I believe one of the modes is labeled "Chinese" and the other mode is labeled "Motorola". I haven't played around with it much lately, but I know it works well in the "Motorola" mode. So if you're experimenting with text messaging, I recommend using the "Motorola" mode. But, to be honest, I haven't played around with it a whole lot. And, the other thing is it does report your GPS position. On Anytone radios, your GPS position can be configured to be transmitted before or after your voice transmission, or it can be configured to transmit on a timed basis. I prefer to configure the radio to beacon after my voice transmission because it's more convenient. It avoids having to key up, wait for the beacon to be sent, and unkey. It makes more sense to beacon after the voice transmission. * Brandmeister Network Supports Text Messaging --* If you have two separate repeaters that are part of the Brandmeister network, even if they're located in different parts of the country, you can feasibly send text messages and position reporting through the system, which is kind of slick. It can work, so long as your in range of a DMR repeater which, someday might be a lot easier than it is today, at least down here in the Willamette valley. I know in Washington state, it's a bit better. * Closing Remarks --* Thank you everyone for your time. And if you have any other questions, feel free to drop me a line. My email is available on QRZ. And don't feel bad if any of this went over your head. It is a huge amount of stuff compared to something like an analog repeater where you just have your two frequencies and a PL tone. There is a lot more that goes into digital radio, but the capability scales along side the slight increase in complexity of setting it up. But once you do get it setup, it's actually not too hard to operate once you wrap your head around what each of the parameters do and why you set it the way you set it. Don't feel discouraged if at first glance it's overwhelming. I recently setup my radio to work on the Pacific Northwest network when I was hiking in the Mt. Hood wilderness. It was a little bit bewildering to walk through all their recommendations and how their network is setup differently from the Brandmeister system, so don't feel at all bad if you're walking into this and you heard tonight's presentation and you don't feel like you have a full firm grip on anything yet. It takes a lot of experience with the network to get a firm grasp and build confidence behind everything and how it works. So stick in there, and let me know if you have any problems. I'll be happy to help you out. *Local DMR QSO on the KC7RJK Repeater --* If I were to take my Anytone AT878 and stand in downtown Eugene, and I want to talk to another ham operator who has an AT878 say at Valley River Center. Could we both set our radio to the KC7RJK TS1 and successfully talk to each other through the repeater simply by pressing PTT, or would we have to join TG 9 the local Talkgroup first in order to have a QSO? ANSWER: If you want the QSO to be bi-directional, both radios must join the same talkgroup. TG9 is a good choice if you want the QSO to be local only. # # #

Thank you for joining the Packethackers Groups.IO page for the Digital Radio Net. Since this is a ham radio oriented discussion group, we ask that all members use a standardized format for their 开云体育 display name, prefixed with your FCC callsign. If you are not a licensed ham radio operator, please use the callsign *N0CALL*. *CALLSIGN Firstname Lastname* To edit your display name, please do the following: * Navigate to http://groups.io * Log In * Search for packethackers and enter the group * Click on *Subscription* (pencil icon) * Click on *Group Profile* (person icon) * Click the *Edit Group Profile* button * Scroll down to *Display Name* * Make your edits * Click the *Update Group Profile* button. (Scroll down to the bottom.) 73, Net Control Team

Members are asked to share their interest, experience, and understanding of APRS, Packet, or Mesh networks. Pending administrative actions: * Merge information from Membership Hardware & Software Inventory ( /g/packethackers/message/17 ) * Sort in ascending order by call name *K7MIL Lance ( http://www.qrz.com/db/K7MIL ) :* I use a Kenwood TM-D710GA mobile radio to transmit APRS location beacons for tracking and for fun. Other than that I don't use APRS too much. Winlink is another interest of mine, and I usually use Vara FM and VHF packet protocols. To run packet, I connect a Windows PC to the Kenwood and use the built-in TNC. I also have a Yaesu FT3DR, but I haven't implemented APRS on that radio yet. Another thing I like to do is follow the route of high-altitude balloons on the aprs.fi website. *K7OWW Matt ( http://www.qrz.com/db/K7OWW ) :* I test APRS daily, and I like to beacon my position when I'm off-roading. It's handy to have while driving, and I also use some of the mapping features. You could say I'm interested in all things APRS and I want to learn more. I have Kenwood TK7180H base station radio connected to an isopole antenna which is interfaced to a Kantronics KPC3+ hardware TNC. I often use use APRISIS32 software to send APRS messages and beacons. In addition to this, I also use Winlink Express and AirMail. I have fun experimenting, and I like to keep track of the various packets the station can hear, and which ones it reports first. Unfortunately, my setup is located in a noisy RF environment which tends to degrade signal quality. I also use an Anytone AT-D878UV handheld transceiver to transmit APRS position beacons using the Callsign-SSID "K7OWW-10" when I'm driving in the woods to help my wife know where I am. If that's not enough, I also have a Yaesu FT-2400 2-meter radio connected to a quarter-wave antenna running into direwolf on a PC that is also functioning as a receive-only IGate. I use PinPoint to gather and display packets and to give me a basic user interface, allowing me to view messages that were sent to my callsign. *WA6EM Mike ( http://www.qrz.com/db/WA6OEM ) :* I love the technology and I love to learn new things. I look at this as a challenge. Right now I'm trying to get a TinyTrak 3 configured and placed into my vehicle. I enjoy getting new equipment and making it work. I often use aprs.fi to see who's driving around town, and soon I hope to utilize it so others can track me. It's fun, and I want to expand knowledge together. Recently I got a Yaesu FT3DR ( https://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=249&encProdID=84807B1262BFED6AC816544D94D310E3&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0 ) which I operate as WA6OEM-7. *KK7GAB Gerry ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KK7GAB ) :* I have a background in X.25, TCP/IP, and AppleLink networking protocols. My main interest in APRS involves emergency communication. Right now I'm setup with a nice system, and I enjoy playing around with packet radio. *K7EZR Rob ( http://www.qrz.com/db/K7EZR ) :* I used to run an APRS receive only IGate on a Raspberry Pi. And I'm in this for fun. I've been getting my feet wet with a PiStar hat, and I use APRS to track myself for my family to keep an eye on my location. I have a Bluetooth dongle device -- can't remember its name right now, but my interests revolve around marrying computers to radios. I like the idea of small concise packets of information and what you can do with them. I can't say I'm that active with APRS these days, though I used to be. I used to run a receive-only Igate, and I had a lot of fun putting that together. I use a handheld transceiver for hiking, and another handheld radio dedicated to other purposes. I'm really interested in APRS VOICE ALERT. It's essentially a way to find out when another ham operator is nearby that provides an easy mechanism to establish a QSY with them. Right now I run mobilink bluetooth on an Android phone connected to a Baofang. I am especially interested in ad-hoc tactical stations and the like, but haven't been super into it lately. I plan to check into this net frequently and follow along. *KG7PPA Dave ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KG7PPA ) :* I just got on the air about a month ago, and I haven't done anything with packet radio yet. My main interest is emergency communication, because where I live, radio may be the only communication method available if cellular and landline services go down. *KJ7CNL Matt ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KJ7CNL ) :* I've sent AX.25 packets using a Kantronics KPC-3 and Winlink Express. I also have a SignalLink USB sound modem. My laptop computer has a built-in RS-232 port which I really like. I also have a Raspberry Pi 3B+ and I'm looking to get the soundcard interface to work. I really haven't done much with APRS other than listen to the audio on 144.39 MHz. I have connected the Audio Output of my TYT radio into a computer and used Direwolf to decode and view the packet information, and I have used PinPoint APRS to see a visual representation, and I'm hoping PinPoint will work without Internet access. *AB7JW Jeff ( http://www.qrz.com/db/AB7JW ) :* I've used APRS a little bit for position tracking and to exchange SMS messages. My main goal is emergency communications. I have a portable digipeater which I have used while hiking. Regarding AX.25 packet, I have a couple of devices I use with Winlink Express, and I love to use this equipment for plain old-fashioned packet connections, except these days, connections are hard to find. Actually I favor VARA FM in lieu of AX.25 packet when using Winlink. I use a soundcard and a Kantronics TNC. Someone mentioned APRS fox hunts. I'm all ears. *AI7BQ John ( http://www.qrz.com/db/AI7BQ ) :* I like radio technology and I'm a computer head, so the fusion of these two technologies interests me quite a lot. I also appreciate the concept of sending concise chunks of information to communicate specific status or location. I also have an interest in computer networking, so AX.25 fits into that niche. The first time I became aware of mesh networking had to do with smart utility meters. Some models setup a mesh network between themselves to carry data back to headquarters for billing and engineering purposes. It's a topic that fascinates me. When I heard that Linksys routers can be flashed with free software to let hams setup their own ad-hoc mesh networks, I was glad that I had 4 or 5 compatible routers waiting for a new job. I've been a licensed ham for six months. With APRS I've tracked balloons and motor vehicles, decoded raw packets, and operated a digipeater. I've transmitted fixed position reports, beacons, announcements, telemetry, and messages. Using APRS I have sent SMS text messages and Internet e-mail. Using AX.25 packet, I have used Winlink Express to send and receive email addressed to callsigns and to regular SMTP Internet addresses. I have used APRISIS32 to keyboard chat with local hams on FM simplex. *KJ7OZM Peter ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KJ7OZM ) :* This is my first exposure to APRS, and I'm just trying to learn more. I've been a licensed ham operator for six months, and there's lots to learn. There are so many fields to explore, and I'm enjoying finding out what they are. *N7JDL Joel ( http://www.qrz.com/db/N7JDL ) :* I'm new to ham radio. My first exposure to packet/APRS was with the aprs.fi mapping website where I enjoyed seeing what's going on in town. I remember seeing AI7NC's space shuttle icon on the map last week. *W7EWM Elmer ( http://www.qrz.com/db/W7EWM ) :* I am quite familiar with APRS, but I haven't run it in several years. My main interest is traditional AX.25 packet and Winlink. I am the sysop of two different packet stations here in Eugene, including W7EUG-10 located in the Lane county courthouse. I'm really not doing much with APRS right now, though recently I downloaded PinPoint to check it out. So far, it looks nice and I like it. It's the first thing that I was able to successfully run on my Window 10 laptop PC. I'll keep playing with it and check into this net to keep up with you guys. *N7CMP Charlie ( http://www.qrz.com/db/N7CMP ) :* Since I got my tech license Spring 2020, I’ve added RTL-SDR dongle, rabbit-ears dipole I still use for 2 meters, Yaesu FT-60R, MFJ TNC, Flex-6400, Midland GXT GMRS pair, GAP Titan-DX, and home-built 6m slot-cube antenna. On the computer side, have an ancient Macbook Air with Bootcamp dual-boot, and a brand new iMac Pro, and drawers and drawers of handheld, wireless networking tech including 6 Gotenna (gotenna.com) mobile mesh networking dongles, Photonics infrared implementation of 802.11, and other oddities from my long history struggling with classroom wireless networking for collaborative learning. Haven’t had the opportunity to do real amateur APRS or PACKET yet, but have had the privilege of hanging out in the mobile packet radio van that formed the 2nd node on the Internet. KJ7FQD Annon ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KJ7FQD ) : I have a Yaesu FT-70DDR dual band handheld transceiver, and right now my main interest involves APRS, but packet sounds interesting too. I am interested in learning about what equipment I would need to setup a system that will let other people track me when I'm driving around the back country. Right now I'm just coming up to speed with APRS and packet radio. KF7WJK Carol ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KF7WJK ) : I have a Yaesu FT-60R and a Kenwood TM-V71A. I'm interested in using APRS, Packet and Mesh networks for emergency communication and for helping other people. KK7NJ Ross ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KK7NJ ) : I did packet radio years ago using a Timewave AEA PK-232MBX AX.25 packet radio TNC that supports RTTY, AMTOR, PACTOR and a few other modes. Now I have a Yaesu FT-60R and an Icom IC-7100 mobile radio, and I'm looking to get back into packet. With the new digital modes available to hams now, I find myself needing to learn things all over again. AI7BP Bob ( http://www.qrz.com/db/AI7BP ) : I'm new to APRS and Packet. I have a Yaesu FT-60R and an Icom IC-7300 using an indoor loop antenna. I use this equipment mainly for emergency communication, and I am still reading the instruction manuals to familiarize myself with the operational details. W7EZN Jim ( http://www.qrz.com/db/W7EZN ) : I have a Kenwood TM-D700A/E with a built-in TNC, and I'm working on getting it programmed. I look forward to playing with it and getting some packets on the air. AI7NC Nathan ( http://www.qrz.com/db/AI7NC ) : I often transmit APRS location beacons when I'm mobile, especially when I'm in the woods. I also transmit and receive APRS information through the Internet. Recently I've been playing around with hardware and software to setup a bi-directional and a receive-only Igate. I also have a temporary digipeater that I've setup in various locations to scout out good locations to install permanent fill-in digipeaters for expanded coverage in our region. I recently got a Micro WX3IN1PLUS2.0 controller for digipeating with my Kenwood 281, and last night I worked with RJK Ross's service monitor to properly calibrate the Tx audio level and RF deviation. I keep learning more and more, and I enjoy expanding my knowledge of this subject. N7ZWS Milton ( http://www.qrz.com/db/N7ZWS ) : I have been listening in on Wednesdays as I commute to work at KVAL/KMTR in south Eugene, up on Blanton Heights. The roundtable discussions have been very informative. Currently I have no equipment for APRS or Packet. I do have an old Midland Model 13-510, and since it doesn't have CTCSS, I may want to set up a cheap I-gate at my Veneta home. Currently I have a Yaesu FT-8800 and a FT-1500 in my vehicle. When the next economic stimulus payment comes in, my intention is to purchase an Alinco DR-06T 6 meter rig for which I already have an antenna mounted. I'm considering getting the optional EJ-41U internal TNC board. W7SHM Steve ( http://www.qrz.com/db/W7SHM ) : Though I'm fairly new with mesh networking, I am interested in expanding the amateur radio mesh network into the Eugene/Springfield metro area. I live in Albany, and several Salem amateur radio operators are trying to build up southern exposure into Linn, Lane and neighboring counties. Currently there's a mesh backbone between Scio and Sweethome and Lebanon, Albany, and Corvallis have connectivity. At this time there are about 20 active hams participating in the mesh network. KI7TGI Mike ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KI7TGI ) : About 20 years ago I heard my father talking about APRS and packet radio, and I want to learn about it. Consider me to be "all ears". KI7YPO Gary ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KI7YPO ) : Pending. AF7LB Matt ( http://www.qrz.com/db/AF7LB ) : Pending. W7SY Sergio ( http://www.qrz.com/db/W7SY ) : Pending. AG7TH Gary ( http://www.qrz.com/db/AG7TH ) : Pending. KL0DR Richard ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KL0DR ) : Pending. KD7DWH Garth ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KD7DWH ) : Pending. KJ7MQA Chris ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KJ7MQA ) : I have variety of things that aren't completely hooked up. Signal link running ic2730 via soundmodem and easyterm. I plan on hooking up mfj-xxx 1270 w/ cable coming in w/ designated packet so I don't to unplug mics. I have an A/B switch for designated packet. I was running thru ft450 doing some HF (reason for signal link to begin with). Now learned ppl have problems with w/ 6 pin DIN data port on 450 -- too loud / distorted signal. People have been known to misinterpret it as inadequate input. See interior jumper #3 enabled, which increases gain (opposite of what you want to do). So, I have to turn things way down. Will start using FT8. I'll rejumper the SignalLink back to 450 to experiment, but will return to 2730 for UHF/VHF function. Too loud on Rx, because people are messing with the extra gain jumper. KJ7WBU Ben: ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KJ7WBU ) I have an Anytone AT-D878UV Plus. I've used it successfully for analog voice, analog APRS via APRSdroid, DMR voice, and DMR SMS including a hand-typed APRS upload via Private ID 262993. I've done all the programming from the front panel since I don't have a PC. I have marginal DMR coverage where I live. Rather than buying a hotspot, I've added two parasitic elements to an Ed Fong dual band J-pole, turning it into a J-beam on 70cm. With this modification, in a parallel test from the same location, I successfully sent an SMS message over DMR using the 878's medium power setting, whereas an email over analog APRS required turbo power. I look forward to working more on antennas and learning more about DMR.. N0CALL ( http://www.qrz.com/db/N0CALL ) : Placeholder. N0CALL ( http://www.qrz.com/db/N0CALL ) : Placeholder. N0CALL ( http://www.qrz.com/db/N0CALL ) : Placeholder. ###

List of websites and software useful for playing with APRS. Pending administrative actions: * Split this list into more categories *REFERENCE MATERIAL* Automatic Packet Reporting System ( http://aprs.org ) Main homepage for APRS maintained by the original APRS developer, Bob Bruninga, WABAPR. APRS Protocol Reference ( http://www.aprs.org/doc/APRS101.PDF ) This reference document describes what is known as APRS Protocol Version 1.0, and is essentially a description of how APRS operates today. It is intended primarily for the programmer who wishes to develop APRS compliant applications, but will also be of interest to the ordinary user who wants to know more about what goes on “under the hood”. APRS Features using SMS ( http://www.t08.net/aprs-en/ ) This documents has information and links for some of the many features you can access via your radio using SMS over APRS. AX.25 Protocol Reference ( http://www.tapr.org/pdf/AX25.2.2.pdf ) This document details the AX.25 version 2.2 digital communication standard. The objective of this standard is to ensure link-layer compatibility between stations. It is intended to assist the designers and users of amateur packet radio equipment by providing a high-level common reference publication. The amateur radio community has expressed the need and desire to define a protocol that can accept and reliably deliver data over a variety of communications links between two signaling terminals. The AX.25 version 2.2 Link-Layer Protocol provides this service, independent of the existence of any upper layer. KISS Protocol Reference ( http://www.ax25.net/kiss.aspx ) The KISS ("Keep It Simple, Stupid") TNC provides direct computer to TNC communication using a simple protocol described here. Many TNCs now implement it, including the TAPR TNC-1 and TNC-2 (and their clones), the venerable VADCG TNC, the AEA PK-232/PK-87 and all TNCs in the Kantronics line. KISS has quickly become the protocol of choice for TCP/IP operation and multi-connect BBS software. Glossary of Packet Terms ( https://www.peterboroughamateurradioclub.ca/packetterms.htm ) This guide lists over 400 packet radio terms and definitions. Introduction to Packet Radio ( https://choisser.com/packet/ ) This series of eighteen articles was originally written in 1988 to appear in Nuts & Volts, the newsletter of the San Francisco Amateur Radio Club. The series has been widely distributed since then, with revisions issued in 1991, 1993, and 1995. Occasional revisions were made to this version on the web thereafter, in the late 1990s. The author is no longer active in packet radio and is unable to provide up to date information on packet radio; however he has left this material on the Internet for access by those who might find it helpful. By Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ APRS Paths And Digipeating 101 ( http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths/ ) In-depth information on APRS packet routing by Stephen Smith, WA8LMF APRS Messaging Explained ( http://aprsisce.wikidot.com/doc:aprs-messaging-explained ) APRS messaging is a complicated beast that needs a whole bunch of components to be in place and working in order for it to succeed. Lynn KJ4ERJ walks you through the full story. Linux Amateur Radio AX.25 How To ( https://tldp.org/HOWTO/AX25-HOWTO/ ) The Linux operating system is perhaps the only operating system in the world that can boast native and standard support for the AX.25 packet radio protocol utilized by Amateur Radio operators worldwide. This document, by Jeff Tranter, VE3ICH, describes how to install and configure this support. Two Linux computers talking over AX.25 with Direwolf ( https://g7vrd.co.uk/ax25-direwolf-linux ) Follow this guide to link two Linux computers together using AX.25 on a simplex frequency using two IP addresses and two callsigns. By Calum Redland, G7VRD. Setting up AX.25 Kernel Networking on Ubuntu or Debian Linux ( http://xastir.org/index.php/HowTo:AX.25_-_Ubuntu/Debian ) What does an AX.25 kernel networking port buy you? More flexibility: Multiple programs can share a single port - i.e. share a single TNC/Radio setup. For example, Xastir and a small daemon like aprx could be running on the same computer and connected to the same TNC at the same time. The downside: It's requires a bit more setup than some other methods, plus some daemons and games may attempt to use the port as a standard networking port. From a system standpoint there's little difference between a wireless port, and ethernet port, and an AX.25 kernel networking port. AX.25 (Wikipedia Definition) ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AX.25 ) (Amateur X.25) is a data link layer protocol originally derived from layer 2 of the X.25 protocol suite and designed for use by amateur radio operators.[1] It is used extensively on amateur packet radio networks. AX.25 Layer 2 ( http://www.ax25.net/ ) A concise repository for AX.25 layer 2 design activities. AX.25 is a protocol originally developed for amateur radio in the late 1970's and standardized on in 1984 with the release of the v2.0 specification. TARPN Terrestrial Amateur Radio Packet Network ( http://tarpn.net ) An ever expanding group of Amateur Radio operators are working together to use many VHF/UHF radios to link multiple ham radio stations in a digital network for the purpose of having fun in a fun, educational, hobbyist-controlled environment, built using ham radio infrastructure based on packet radio technology. No Internet traffic is required or even desired! Our goals are to enable the construction of TARPNs and to enhance the art for: * lowest cost per performance * able to be built by the widest spectrum of hams * to be as engaging as possible an operating experience * to enable creative enhancement of the art by as many of the participants as possible * to build and expand new and existing TARPNs. VoiceAlert3 ( http://aprs.org/VoiceAlert3.html ) Mobile HAM "radar" detector and Automatic Simplex Voice Alert System. Have you ever driven on an all day trip and never found anyone to talk to? Voice Alert is nothing more than setting your mobile radio to CTCSS 100 on 144.39 MHz. It couldn't be simpler. This works, because every APRS mobile using this scheme listens to 144.39 with CTCSS 100 but also transmits an APRS beacon to alert other mobiles that you're within simplex communication range. If you configure your APRS packet to include a QSY frequency, other operators within range can easily contact you with the push of a button. WinLink Access from APRS ( https://winlink.org/APRSLink ) To use WinLink on APRS, WinLink has a specific login procedure that helps to protect the privacy of your password on the public airwaves. Step one is to send WinLink three random characters in an APRS message addresses to WLNK-1. WinLink will reply with a three digit number. This number represents the three characters from your WinLink password that is your password for the next two hour period. Today, for example, an APRS message was sent a message to WLNK-1 with 123 on a single line, WinLink immediately replied with 413. That means today's password is fourth, first, and third characters of your WinLink provided password that was sent to you by WinLink admin and three random characters for a total of six characters on a single line in an APRS message. Example: WinLink supplied password is 9QJXHG. They send you 413, so you would reply to them X9Jnnn where the n's are any random character. I like to use 123. So I would enter X9J123 and hit enter. WinLink should immediately reply back to you that your password is valid for two hours and should be available for you to check messages and send mail. Ham Radio of Things (HRoT) - IoT over Ham Radio ( https://github.com/wb2osz/hrot ) There was once a cabin on an island with no electricity. A generator would automatically start up periodically and run for a while to charge batteries. It would be bad if the generator did not start, and worse if it kept going and depleted the fuel. How can the owner be alerted to a problem if there is no Internet access or cell coverage on the island? Here is a proposal for a standardized method to use APRS with MQTT to solve the communication problem. If we want to communicate, we need a common language. This introduction describes how the Internet of Things can be extended over Ham Radio. By using industry standards at the core, we can take advantage of the MQTT ecosystem rather than having to reinvent everything and ending up with incompatible ad-hoc approaches that don't talk to each other. APRSD ( https://github.com/craigerl/aprsd ) A Ham radio APRS message command gateway built on python. APRSD listens on amateur radio aprs-is network for messages and respond to them. It has a plugin architecture for extensibility. Users of APRSD can write their own plugins that can respond to APRS-IS messages. APRSD gets messages for the configured HAM callsign, and sends those messages to a list of plugins for processing. There are a set of core plugins that provide responding to messages to check email, get location, ping, time of day, get weather, and fortune telling as well as version information of aprsd itself. Nationwide Amateur Radio Packet Directory ( http://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1Fh1Ei9of2rGgB7OuBHjRAfW5LiNibYWR&hl=en&ll=37.93390887156266%2C-93.21215574999996&z=3 ) This map references Packet Mailboxes, BBS, Nodes, Winlink, HF Gateways, Pager Gateways, DX Packet Clusters and more. It's intended to provide a directory of amateur radio operators interested in digital communications, specifically packet radio to inspire experimentation, learning, problem solving, network expansion, camaraderie and fun! -- Chris Lance WW2BSA Setting up Packet Radio on a Raspberry Pi ( http://www.trinityos.com/HAM/CentosDigitalModes/RPi/rpi2-setup.html ) This document is intended for new users to both Raspberry Pi SBC computers and the Raspbian based Linux operating system. This doc will help the user create a reliable device that operates as an AX.25 / APRS packet radio system with GPS support. This guide is focused around the Raspbian Linux distribution.This document includes optimizations for improved SD card life and OS security hardening for supporting direct connections to the Internet. This setup is also directly manageable via Wifi via say a smartphone/tablet for off-Internet maintenance as well. APRSlink ( https://www.winlink.org/APRSLink ) A CMS-Hosted gateway providing a link between the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) and the Winlink global radio email system. APRSLink provides a very special capability for the Kenwood TH-D7, TM-D700 and TM-D710 Radios for sending and receiving email from the radio front panel without any need for a PC. APRSLink monitors all APRS traffic gated to the internet, worldwide, and watches for special commands that allow APRS users to: * read short email messages sent to their callsign@... account (only the base callsign, no SSID) * send short email messages to any valid email address or Winlink 2000 user * perform email related maintenance (see commands below) * be notified of pending Winlink email via APRS message * query APRSLink for information of the closest Winlink RMS packet station AMPRNet Portal ( https://portal.ampr.org/ ) Visit this portal to get your very own Network 44 ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMPRNet ) Amateur Packet Radio IP address. *ONLINE MAPPING* APRS Fi ( https://aprs.fi/ ) A global APRS database which archives position tracking, weather and message information collected from the APRS-IS network. Position data and routes traveled by APRS tracking stations are shown on an interactive map which can be zoomed and panned easily. New and updated data is shown on the map in real time without need to reload or refresh the page! Tracking data is stored in the database for six months. APRS Direct ( https://www.aprsdirect.com/ ) A website that brings you global real-time APRS tracking and weather data (including CWOP). The goal is to bring you a fast and easy-to-use map with the latest APRS activity. We can archive fast real-time updates since each user browser will be connected directly to our own APRS-IS server (with no intermediate database-server). *SOFTWARE* APRISISCE/32 ( http://aprsisce.wikidot.com/start ) APRS Client software PinPoint APRS ( https://www.pinpointaprs.com/ ) Free software written by Frank Watervoort, AB0WV that allows you to visually track and communicate with people using Amateur Radio equipment. During an emergency, it can be used as a location aware tactical communications tool. It is mostly used as a tool for tracking people and assets on a map, although it is capable of so much more. Dire Wolf ( https://github.com/wb2osz/direwolf ) A popular software "soundcard" AX.25 packet modem/TNC and APRS encoder/decoder. It can be used stand-alone to observe APRS traffic, as a tracker, digipeater, APRStt gateway, or Internet Gateway (IGate). Chattervox ( https://github.com/brannondorsey/chattervox ) An AX.25 packet radio chat protocol with support for digital signatures and binary compression. Like IRC over radio waves. Chattervox implements a minimal packet radio protocol on top of AX.25 that can be used with a terminal node controller (TNC) like Direwolf to transmit and receive digitally signed messages using audio frequency shift keying modulation (AFSK). Outpost ( https://www.outpostpm.org/ ) A Windows-based packet message client that lets you send and receive packet messages with almost any Amateur Radio Bulletin Board System (BBS) or TNC Personal Mail Box. Outpost was designed for the Amateur Radio ARES/RACES packet user community. The thinking behind it was to create an intuitive, easy-to-use program that lets ARES/RACES organizations focus on the "message," not the "medium," as they pass digital message traffic to and from an Operational Area BBS. Outpost uses BBSs and PBBSs as mail drops where a user can leave a packet message for someone without the other person needing to be on line at that point in time. Support for many BBS and PBBSs has been built into Outpost with new ones being added as they are identified. WinPack ( http://ui-view.net/winpack/ ) A terminal program used to communicate in a digital mode called “packet”. WinPack provides a full-featured Windows interface to use with a Terminal Node Controller (TNC). Includes full support for: mail, bulletins, unproto beacons, handling BBS messages, BBS auto-connections, scripting, file transfer, external servers and remote packet mailbox system commands. Because it runs in Windows, your packet system can be running all the time, while you use your PC for other things. It supports TNCs in terminal mode, and it also has support for several host modes. Winlink Express ( https://winlink.org/WinlinkExpress ) The preferred Winlink radio email client because it supports all new system features, including email delivery with or without the internet. It supports a wide selection of transceivers, TNCs and multimode controllers, and sound card modes including VHF/UHF AX.25 packet radio, and direct telnet to CMS servers or RMS Relay (for amateur radio High Speed Multimedia [HSMM], Broadband HamNet, D-Star DD mode, internet, and other TCP/IP networks). Winlink Express leverages its features with simplicity as the prime design objective. It uses the open B2F extension radio transfer protocol that supports attachments, multiple addresses and tactical addresses. Winlink Express may be used in a simplex mode (connecting directly via RF to other Winlink Express or Airmail ( http://siriuscyber.net/airmail/ ) clients). Winlink Express may also be used as a client for emergency communications. It has special features for EmComm, such as HTML forms creation and compact, formless content transport, plus a growing library of automatically-updated, included forms to use. Aprx Digipeater Software ( https://thelifeofkenneth.com/aprx/ ) Aprx is a software package designed to run on any POSIX platform (Linux/BSD/Unix/etc.) and act as an APRS Digipeater and/or Internet Gateway. Aprx is able to support most APRS infrastructure deployments, including single stand-alone digipeaters, receive-only Internet gateways, full RF-gateways for bi-directional routing of traffic, and multi-port digipeaters operating on multiple channels or with multiple directional transceivers. See the *YouTube video* APRS I-Gate/Digipeater Build ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tPlv92Hfa4 ) to learn how to build your own Linux based I-Gate. Amateur Radio Software for Debian/Ubuntu Linux ( https://thelifeofkenneth.com/aprx/ ) Are you looking for a daemon to monitor AX.25 packets, or perhaps run your own Digipeater under Linux? Here is a list of ham radio software you might find useful. How to Setup a Packet Radio Node and BBS on a Raspberry Pi ( http://f6bvp.org/AX25_BBS_Node_RaspBerry_Pi_install.html ) This page describes how to configure a BBS F6FBB and AX.25 packet radio switch ROSE / FPAC / NetRom node with RaspBian Buster Linux distro on a RaspBerry Pi. Instructions were created and last updated by Bernard F6BVP / AI7BG on September 27, 2020. EasyTerm Tutorial ( https://www.qsl.net/nf4rc/EasyTermTutorial.pdf ) With EasyTerm the amateur radio operator can send and receive, type and read, packet communications with keyboard control. This program isn't a single-use targeted email product like Winlink Express. As such, EasyTerm doesn't work very easily to send Winlink email, but it has another useful feature – it has the YAPP protocol built in, which allows error-free file transfer, even to an unattended receiver station. For local direct connections, this can be a significant asset for Emergency Communications, providing an alternate way to transmit files, instead of sending them as attachments to an email. And of course, it allows very easy keyboard-to-keyboard contacts, which Winlink doesn't do. There is a way on some packet systems to create a datagram-type connection with multiple participants conducting a “party line” multi-user chat. Linpac ( https://sourceforge.net/projects/linpac/ ) A modular, NCURSES, console-oriented amateur packet radio keyboard-to-keyboard chat program using Linux's AX.25 stack. Includes a Packet BBS program, and provides support for multiple concurrent connected sessions, a unconnected (UI) message screen, and an automated packet message client. Built-in access to Linux ax.25 commands (mheard, etc) simplifies network configuration. Termite ( https://www.compuphase.com/productapps_en.htm ) A simple serial port terminal program for Windows that is very easy to configure and use. PuTTY ( https://www.putty.org/ ) An SSH and telnet client used to communicate with RS-232 ports, developed originally by Simon Tatham for the Windows platform. PuTTY is open source software that is available with source code and is developed and supported by a group of volunteers. TNC Attach ( https://unsigned.io/ethernet-and-ip-over-packet-radio-tncs/ ) With tncattach you replace the functionality of kissattach and expose any KISS-compatible TNC as a fully Ethernet-compatible network interface in Linux without the need for any special kernel modules. It also supports lightweight tunnel interfaces for point-to-point links (where you don’t need the overhead of Ethernet). See also Github repository ( https://github.com/markqvist/tncattach ). Kterm ( https://shop.kantronics.com ) A line oriented terminal program that waits until you complete a line before sending data through the TNC. With most character oriented terminals, each character is transmitted as soon as you press each key, which includes errors and backspaces. With Kterm, you can make typos and hit backspace as needed and not have all the typos and corrections transmitted. To get this software, click on Kterm above to go to shop.kantronics.com, scroll to the bottom of the page, click software and updates, click Kterm terminal program, put it in your shopping cart, buy it, download the file, and install it. The cost is free. VENDOR WEBSITES Data Alliance ( https://www.data-alliance.net/ ) Distributor & manufacturer of Wireless and wired network equipment, based in southern Arizona. We produce our own line of antenna cables and perform custom-manufacturing of antennas. We believe in Truth in Advertising. We do not exaggerate or lie about product specifications, as is so common among Wireless equipment online-retailers: Many WiFi equipment retailers that target only retail customers who are new WiFi users (i.e., on eBay) lie outright about the gain (dBi) of their antennas: A common example: They say that 9dBi antennas are 12dBi antennas. Data Alliance has a long established relationship with technical customers, consultants, large businesses and governments - as well as to retail customers including new users: Because we sell to technical users and technical consultants as a major part of our customer base, you know that you will find factual specifications on every page. All products that we carry meet our high standards of quality, and as we find higher-quality replacements for certain stock-items (at or near the same price-point) we replace those items with higher-quality versions. ###

* Microstat WX3in1 Plus 2.0 (Stand-alone APRS Advanced Digipeater/I-Gate) ( http://microsat.com.pl/product_info.php?products_id=100&language=en ) * Kantronics KPC-3+ (AX.25 TNC, Stand-alone Digipeter, Stand-alone Packet Mailbox) ( https://kantronics.com/kpc-3/ )

Agenda 2025-04-09 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control There will be a statewide MeshPhone Conference Call next week, Thursday 4/10 at 8:15 PM. The call in number is 4193. AREDN in the Park is scheduled for Saturday June 21 - Noon to 3:00pm at Maud Williamson State Rec. Site T.B.D. QSTs from the Audience T.B.D. T.B.D. Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Rick W7NB is interested in learning about modern software alternatives to MMTY for RTTY and PSK operation. ANSWER: During last week's net, several participants recommended FLDIGI along with its companion software, FLRIG. Another potential option is MULTIPSK. Focus Topic: The Evolution of Rig Control John AI7BQ -- essential tools for interfacing radios with software. Nearly every ham who has explored digital modes will benefit from understanding these protocols, as they are key to automating frequency control, mode changes, and other radio functions. This presentation will provide a solid foundation for those looking to enhance their digital operations. Round Table: What have you been up to? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2025-04-02 Net Control: Mark N7RGF Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control There will be a statewide MeshPhone Conference Call next week, Thursday 4/10 at 8:15 PM. The call in number is 4193. AREDN in the Park is scheduled for Saturday June 21 - Noon to 3:00pm at Maud Williamson State Rec. Site T.B.D. QSTs from the Audience T.B.D. T.B.D. Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Rick W7NB is interested in learning about modern software alternatives to MMTY for RTTY and PSK operation. ANSWER: During last week's net, several participants recommended FLDIGI along with its companion software, FLRIG. Another potential option is MULTIPSK. Brandon KG7BPO is aware that various DMR networks exist, such as BrandMeister. However, he would like a clearer understanding of how the overall structure of these networks compares to D-Star. Here is the answer. Glenn N7FPA wants to know why SSTV is referred to as a digital mode. Here is the answer. Sam W7SLZ wants to know some of tips, tricks, and pitfalls of setting up a Digital Hotspot. Here is the answer. Focus Topic: POSTPONED! RIGCTL and CAT Control John AI7BQ -- essential tools for interfacing radios with software. Nearly every ham who has explored digital modes will benefit from understanding these protocols, as they are key to automating frequency control, mode changes, and other radio functions. This presentation will provide a solid foundation for those looking to enhance their digital operations. Round Table: What have you been up to? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2025-03-26 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control There will be an statewide MeshPhone Conference Call tomorrow, Thursday 3/27 at 8:15 PM. The call in number is 4193. The topic will be Brainstorming Ideas, Dates, and Locations for AREDN in the Park. AREDN in the Park is scheduled for Saturday June 21 - Noon to 3:00pm at Maud Williamson State Rec. Site If you're interested in playing around with Slow Scan TV (SSTV), tune to 145.29 every Wednesday at 7:00 PM QSTs from the Audience Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Rick W7NB would like to know if there are any software options more modern than MMTY for supporting RTTY and PSK. Mini Topic: D-Star Reflectors John AI7BQ Round Table: What projects are you working on? Bonus Question: Can you name a few digital modes you have not used? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2025-03-19 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control There will be an statewide MeshPhone Conference Call on Thursday 3/27 at 8:15 PM hosted by LCcore. The call in number is 4193. The topic will be Brainstorming Ideas, Dates, and Locations for AREDN in the Park. AREDN in the Park is scheduled for Saturday June 21 - Noon to 3:00pm at Maud Williamson State Rec. Site If you're interested in playing around with Slow Scan TV (SSTV), tune to 145.29 every Wednesday at 7:00 PM The Thurston FM Allstarlink Repeater has switched from narrow-band to wide-band QSTs from the Audience T.B.D. T.B.D. Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Rick W7NB would like to know if there are any software options more modern than MMTY for supporting RTTY and PSK. Mini Topic: FT8 Modulation Basics John AI7BQ Round Table: How are you doing and what's the tallest radio tower you've ever seen? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2025-03-12 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control There will be an statewide MeshPhone Conference Call on Thursday 3/13 at 8:15 PM hosted by LCcore. The call in number is 4193. The topic will be Brainstorming Ideas, Dates, and Locations for AREDN in the Park. If you're interested in playing around with Slow Scan TV (SSTV), tune to 145.29 every Wednesday at 7:00 PM QSTs from the Audience T.B.D. T.B.D. Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Mini Topic: The "Digital Cliff" a 5-minute presentation by John AI7BQ Round Table: What projects are you working on? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2025-03-05 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Mini Topic: How to setup a Server to deliver content to AREDN users and Internet users Round Table: What projects are you working on? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2025-02-26 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control This weekend Nathan and I installed a battery backup system at the Thurston Hills APRS and AREDN repeater. Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Round Table: What digital radio modes have you used? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2025-02-19 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control New AREDN firmware release v3.25.2.0 Features: New Mobile UI Ability to backup and restore node configurations Responsive design for desktop UI on smaller screens Improved logged-out experience to provide more information Improved WiFi Signal tool which shows SNR at both ends of link Added support for ARDC’s 44-Net Upgraded to the latest OpenWRT release: 24.10 Enhancements: 63 Enhancements. See list here. Fixes 59 Fixes. See list here. New Device Support: 4 New devices added. See list here. Hamcation 2025 Floor Walkthough by KM4ACK --> Go here. Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Brett KG7GDB is looking for a recommendation for a $600 rugged tablet. Focus Topic: State of the Willamette Valley Mesh Network 343 Nodes / Growth Plateau Supernodes continue to grow New core node being built in Washington County New mesh map software New User Interface Babel routing protocol WVMN Node Directory Round Table: Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2025-02-12 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control The caravan to Seattle has been canceled for lack of interest. New AREDN firmware release v3.25.2.0 Features: New Mobile UI Ability to backup and restore node configurations Responsive design for desktop UI on smaller screens Improved logged-out experience to provide more information Improved WiFi Signal tool which shows SNR at both ends of link Added support for ARDC’s 44-Net Upgraded to the latest OpenWRT release: 24.10 Enhancements: 63 Enhancements. See list here. Fixes 59 Fixes. See list here. New Device Support: 4 New devices added. See list here. Hamcation 2025 Floor Walkthough by KM4ACK --> Go here. Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Brett KG7GDB is looking for a recommendation for a $600 rugged tablet. Focus Topic: The Enduring Legacy of RTTY in Ham Radio. Read the transcript. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2025-02-05 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control A reminder that this net is here for your enjoyment. Your feedback helps shape how the net control team structure the agenda. This net is supported by a Groups.IO mailing list called "packethackers". We encourage everyone, whether or not you check into this net to join the mailing list. The agenda for each net is published under the pinned topic "Agenda", and so is our preamble. If you are interested in joining the net control team, you'll get a free dinner and a beer as part of your onboarding process. Just let any net control operator about your interest and we'll get you the support you need to be successful. Are there any QSTs? Nobody has signed up for the Connections Museum Seattle tour, so there's a possibility it may get canceled for lack of interest. If you are interested please RSVP. John AI7BQ -- Calling all hams, history buffs, and tech enthusiasts! On Sunday, March 2nd, embark on an exciting journey to the Connections Museum Seattle. The adventure kicks off at 4:00 AM from the Best Buy parking lot in Springfield. We’ll form a caravan heading north on I-5, staying in touch via simplex on our mobile radios. Hams from Albany, Salem, and Portland will join the convoy along the way. After a breakfast stop in Chehalis, we’ll arrive at the museum for the 10:00 AM tour. This amazing museum showcases the history of telecommunication, with live demonstrations of working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical switches. You'll witness Step-by-Step PBX equipment in action, along with the music of thousands of relays completing calls through five functioning switches. The museum also features antique telephones, switchboards, and other fascinating displays, including poles, cables, splicing tools, and other historic telecom equipment. After the tour you’re on your own to explore Seattle. If you’re staying overnight, join up for dinner, then caravan back to Oregon in the morning, departing the museum at 9:00 AM on Monday. Don’t miss this rare chance to connect, learn, and experience the marvels of communication history! For more information, visit mookienet.com/ham Please RSVP to john.ai7bq@... with your name, callsign, and mobile phone number. This is a non-sponsored event. Participation is at-your-own risk. Bring $5.00 for the museum fee. Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Brett KG7GDB is looking for a recommendation for a $600 rugged tablet. Round Table: Prompts for round tables: What have you been up to? What projects are you working on lately? What digital radio equipment do you have? What would you like to hear for future focus topics? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2025-01-29 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? John AI7BQ -- Calling all hams, history buffs, and tech enthusiasts! On Sunday, March 2nd, embark on an exciting journey to the Connections Museum Seattle. The adventure kicks off at 4:00 AM from the Best Buy parking lot in Springfield. We’ll form a caravan heading north on I-5, staying in touch via simplex on our mobile radios. Hams from Albany, Salem, and Portland will join the convoy along the way. After a breakfast stop in Chehalis, we’ll arrive at the museum for the 10:00 AM tour. This amazing museum showcases the history of telecommunication, with live demonstrations of working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical switches. You'll witness Step-by-Step PBX equipment in action, along with the music of thousands of relays completing calls through five functioning switches. The museum also features antique telephones, switchboards, and other fascinating displays, including poles, cables, splicing tools, and other historic telecom equipment. After the tour you’re on your own to explore Seattle. If you’re staying overnight, join up for dinner, then caravan back to Oregon in the morning, departing the museum at 9:00 AM on Monday. Don’t miss this rare chance to connect, learn, and experience the marvels of communication history! For more information, visit mookienet.com/ham Please RSVP to john.ai7bq@... with your name, callsign, and mobile phone number. This is a non-sponsored event. Participation is at-your-own risk. Bring $5.00 for the museum fee. Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Brett KG7GDB is looking for a recommendation for a $600 rugged tablet. Focus Topic: Companding -- Non-Linear Digitization and the g.711 CODEC -- John AI7BQ Click here for transcript. Round Table: What's new with you? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2025-01-22 Net Control: Mark N7RGF Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? John AI7BQ -- Calling all hams, history buffs, and tech enthusiasts! On Sunday, March 2nd, embark on an exciting journey to the Connections Museum Seattle. The adventure kicks off at 4:00 AM from the Best Buy parking lot in Springfield. We’ll form a caravan heading north on I-5, staying in touch via simplex on our mobile radios. Hams from Albany, Salem, and Portland will join the convoy along the way. After a breakfast stop in Chehalis, we’ll arrive at the museum for the 10:00 AM tour. This amazing museum showcases the history of telecommunication, with live demonstrations of working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical switches. You'll witness Step-by-Step PBX equipment in action, along with the music of thousands of relays completing calls through five functioning switches. The museum also features antique telephones, switchboards, and other fascinating displays, including poles, cables, splicing tools, and other historic telecom equipment. After the tour you’re on your own to explore Seattle. If you’re staying overnight, join up for dinner, then caravan back to Oregon in the morning, departing the museum at 9:00 AM on Monday. Don’t miss this rare chance to connect, learn, and experience the marvels of communication history! For more information, visit mookienet.com/ham Please RSVP to john.ai7bq@... with your name, callsign, and mobile phone number. This is a non-sponsored event. Participation is at-your-own risk. Bring $5.00 for the museum fee. Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. None Focus Topic Follow-up on the planning feedback collected last week and review of 2025 planning report -- Craig N7RWB. Digital Radio Net: 2025 Planning Report Summary of Past Enjoyment Participants reflected on their positive experiences with the Digital Radio Net. Recurring themes included: Educational Presentations: Topics such as AREDN, Winlink, and VARA were highlights, especially practical applications like VARAFM. Community and Collaboration: The ability to seek advice, share ideas, and work with knowledgeable participants was deeply appreciated. Discovering New Technologies: Learning about tools like broadband digital processing software, RX888 radios, and emerging modes such as JS8CALL. Practical Focus: Hands-on, applicable topics resonated more than theoretical discussions, emphasizing preparation for real-world scenarios like emergencies. Participant Feedback: Future Topics and Activities Participants were asked what topics and activities they would like to explore in 2025. Key suggestions are grouped below: Emergency Communications (EmComm) Establishing locations for EmComm hubs. Testing small radio towers for emergency operations. Practical exercises for emergency readiness. Demonstrations of modes used during emergencies. Digital Radio Modes Deep dives into Winlink, AREDN, VARA, and VARA-HF. Exploring JS8CALL and its practical applications. Testing and experimenting with SSTV and QRSS. Projects and Technology Utilizing broadband processing software for projects like RX888. Direction-finding networks combined with AREDN and auto-positioning for team-based experiments. Promoting digital radio adoption in areas like Clatsop County. Hands-On Activities In-person exercises and real-life scenarios to practice digital modes. Creating a space for participants to find partners for testing digital technologies. Workshops or sessions on setting up and using equipment, e.g., Anytone 878 radios. Community Building Encouraging more collaboration and interaction among participants. Sharing personal projects and exploring how they can inspire others. Exploration of New Ideas Meshtastic and Software-Defined Radio (SDR). Advanced AREDN topics like integrating it into broader networks. Potential Themes for 2025 Incorporating participant feedback, the following themes emerge for the year ahead: Hands-On Emergency Preparedness: Simulated exercises and collaborative planning. Innovative Digital Modes: Workshops on underexplored technologies. Collaborative Experimentation: Group projects leveraging new tools and techniques. Skill Development: Training on commonly used and advanced equipment. Conclusion and Recommendations The Digital Radio Net continues to provide value by combining education, collaboration, and practical application. For 2025, the focus should be on deepening engagement with practical exercises, encouraging experimentation, and fostering a supportive community for learning and innovation. By aligning with participant interests and creating opportunities for hands-on collaboration, the net can remain a vibrant and essential resource. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2025-01-15 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? John AI7BQ -- Calling all hams, history buffs, and tech enthusiasts! On Sunday, March 2nd, embark on an exciting journey to the Connections Museum Seattle. The adventure kicks off at 4:00 AM from the Best Buy parking lot in Springfield. We’ll form a caravan heading north on I-5, staying in touch via simplex on our mobile radios. Hams from Albany, Salem, and Portland will join the convoy along the way. After a breakfast stop in Chehalis, we’ll arrive at the museum for the 10:00 AM tour. This amazing museum showcases the history of telecommunication, with live demonstrations of working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical switches. You'll witness Step-by-Step PBX equipment in action, along with the music of thousands of relays completing calls through five functioning switches. The museum also features antique telephones, switchboards, and other fascinating displays, including poles, cables, splicing tools, and other historic telecom equipment. After the tour you’re on your own to explore Seattle. If you’re staying overnight, join up for dinner, then caravan back to Oregon in the morning, departing the museum at 9:00 AM on Monday. Don’t miss this rare chance to connect, learn, and experience the marvels of communication history! For more information, visit mookienet.com/ham Please RSVP to john.ai7bq@... with your name, callsign, and mobile phone number. This is a non-sponsored event. Participation is at-your-own risk. Bring $5.00 for the museum fee. Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. None Round Table What have you enjoyed about the Digital Radio Net and what would you like to hear discussed in the future? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2025-01-08 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Preparations are in progress to host an AREDN SuperNode at LCcore. A new router has already been purchased, and our operators are currently working to familiarize ourselves with its configuration and capabilities. In the near future, coordination with our ISP will take place to ensure reliable ARDC 44Net access, an essential step for the SuperNode's connectivity. A ProxMox Virtual Machine will be set up to host the SuperNode software, ensuring a flexible and reliable platform for its operation. Kirk K1RKS, will take on the role of system operator, overseeing the setup and ongoing management of the system. LCcore is an ideal location for this SuperNode, thanks to its being located in a data center with excellent fiber-optic connectivity, making it a reliable and strategic choice for hosting this important Willamette Valley Mesh Network node. AREDN infrastructure expansion in Lane County continues with the construction of a five-antenna AREDN installation at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center (MWMC) in Springfield. The Lane Medical Amateur Radio Group (LMARG) has been working with the hospital for a year on this project, and they expect to have a fully operational system within 30-45 days. All of the material has been purchased and is staged at the site for quick assembly. Features of the MWMC system include: Site-to-site microwave communication with the PeaceHealth Riverbend hospital. Backhaul communication to the Thurston Hills AREDN repeater. West pointing sector antenna to serve the Springfield Community and future network expansion to the Springfield Justice Center. Redundant AREDN connectivity (feeds from PHRB and Thurston). System to include Voice and Computer communications. Station located in the hospital's EOC (Emergency Operation Center). Are there any QSTs? John AI7BQ -- Calling all hams, history buffs, and tech enthusiasts! On Sunday, March 2nd, embark on an exciting journey to the Connections Museum Seattle. The adventure kicks off at 4:00 AM from the Best Buy parking lot in Springfield. We’ll form a caravan heading north on I-5, staying in touch via simplex on our mobile radios. Hams from Albany, Salem, and Portland will join the convoy along the way. After a breakfast stop in Chehalis, we’ll arrive at the museum for the 10:00 AM tour. This amazing museum showcases the history of telecommunication, with live demonstrations of working Panel and Crossbar electromechanical switches. You'll witness Step-by-Step PBX equipment in action, along with the music of thousands of relays completing calls through five functioning switches. The museum also features antique telephones, switchboards, and other fascinating displays, including poles, cables, splicing tools, and other historic telecom equipment. After the tour you’re on your own to explore Seattle. If you’re staying overnight, join up for dinner, then caravan back to Oregon in the morning, departing the museum at 9:00 AM on Monday. Don’t miss this rare chance to connect, learn, and experience the marvels of communication history! For more information, visit mookienet.com/ham Please RSVP to john.ai7bq@... with your name, callsign, and mobile phone number. This is a non-sponsored event. Participation is at-your-own risk. Bring $5.00 for the museum fee. Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. None Focus Topic: FT8 Modulation Specifics -- John AI7BQ FT8 (short for "Franke-Taylor 8") is a digital communication mode widely used in amateur radio for weak-signal communication. It is designed for minimal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions and uses a highly efficient combination of modulation, error correction, and timing synchronization. Here’s a detailed explanation of its modulation and the associated protocol: 1. Modulation Type FT8 uses 8-tone Frequency Shift Keying (8-FSK): FSK: Frequency Shift Keying is a modulation technique where the frequency of the carrier signal shifts between predefined discrete values to represent data. 8-FSK: In FT8, there are 8 distinct frequency shifts (tones), meaning that each symbol encodes 3 bits of data (23=82^3 = 8). Tone Spacing The 8 tones are spaced 6.25 Hz apart. For example, if the base frequency is 1000 Hz, the 8 tones would be at 1000 Hz, 1006.25 Hz, 1012.5 Hz, and so on. Symbol Rate The symbol rate in FT8 is 6.25 baud, meaning one symbol is transmitted every 160 milliseconds. This low symbol rate, combined with narrow tone spacing, makes FT8 resilient to noise and narrowband interference. 2. Message Structure FT8 transmits short, fixed-length messages: 72 bits of message data are sent per transmission. This includes: 28 bits for the call signs (e.g., "K1ABC W9XYZ"). 15 bits for the Maidenhead grid locator or signal report. 4 bits for power level. Other metadata and control information. 12 bits of CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) for error detection. 87 bits in total, after Forward Error Correction (FEC). 3. Forward Error Correction (FEC) FT8 uses low-density parity-check (LDPC) coding for robust error correction: LDPC adds redundancy to the transmitted data, allowing the receiver to correct errors caused by noise, fading, or interference. The code rate in FT8 is 1/2, meaning that for every 1 bit of actual data, 1 redundant bit is added. This improves the ability to decode signals even with very low SNR (as low as -24 dB in a 2.5 kHz bandwidth). 4. Timing and Synchronization FT8 relies on precise timing to decode transmissions effectively: 15-second time slots: Each transmission lasts 15 seconds, with an 8-second transmission period and a 7-second decoding gap. Both transmitting and receiving stations must synchronize their clocks to within ±1 second. This is often achieved using Network Time Protocol (NTP) or GPS. The receiver knows when to listen for signals based on these time slots, which reduces computational complexity. 5. Bandwidth and Spectrum FT8 is highly spectrum-efficient: Each signal occupies a total bandwidth of about 50 Hz. Multiple FT8 signals can coexist within a single 2.5 kHz slice of a band (common FT8 calling frequencies are standardized, such as 14.074 MHz on 20 meters). 6. Decoding Process The receiver: Samples the incoming audio signal and performs a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to identify tone frequencies. Matches the detected tones to the 8-FSK encoding scheme. Applies LDPC error correction to reconstruct the original message. Uses the CRC to verify message integrity. 7. Advantages of FT8 Weak-Signal Performance: Operates reliably at SNRs as low as -24 dB. Narrowband Operation: Efficient use of spectrum, allowing multiple simultaneous contacts in a small bandwidth. Automation: Many aspects of operation can be automated, making FT8 user-friendly. Summary FT8 is a state-of-the-art digital mode that combines 8-FSK modulation, robust LDPC error correction, and precise time synchronization to enable weak-signal communication in a very narrow bandwidth. Its low baud rate, tight tone spacing, and efficient protocol design make it a favorite among amateur radio operators for DXing and low-power operations (QRP). Round Table Do you have any new gadgets? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2025-01-01 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Travel plans to visit the Seattle Communication Museum Gather in the Best Buy parking lot on March 1, 2025 at 0400 Travel north as a caravan -- talking to each other on simplex Join fellow hams in Salem and Portland Breakfast and fuel stop in Chehalis Tour the museum Dinner Return to Oregon in the morning Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. None Weekly AREDN Service: Taking another break this week. Round Table Do you have any new gadgets? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-12-25 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Digital Radio Net: 4th Anniversary Statement Four years ago, the Digital Radio Net began as a modest experiment—a vision of creating a space where amateur radio operators of all skill levels could gather to explore the exciting possibilities of digital communication. From those early days, the heart of the net has always been the same: to foster an enjoyable, inclusive, and informative experience for everyone who participates. As we reflect on this journey, we are deeply humbled by the support, enthusiasm, and expertise that have shaped what the Digital Radio Net has become. Week after week, our listeners, net control operators, guest presenters, and participants have brought the net to life. Together, we’ve built a community rooted in collaboration, curiosity, and shared success. Today, the Digital Radio Net is a vibrant forum for lively discussions, thoughtful questions, and innovative ideas. From topics like APRS and AX.25, to AREDN Mesh radio and digital voice modes such as D-Star, DMR, Wires-X, and Allstar, we’ve covered it all. Whether you’re a beginner exploring the basics or an expert sharing advanced techniques, there’s always room for you here. We honor the mix of perspectives and experiences that enrich every conversation. The heart of our success lies in our commitment to meaningful content over routine check-ins. Most nets include a casual round-robin discussion, offering every participant an opportunity to contribute, learn, grow, and share their accomplishments. Guest presenters bring depth and expertise, carefully coordinated by our dedicated team of net control operators. We strive to ensure every session is as lively as it is efficient, blending modern tools and time-tested traditions to keep things relevant and engaging. Our success is not ours alone. It belongs to the broader amateur radio community, to the Valley Radio Club of Oregon for their generous support, and to everyone who has tuned in, contributed, or cheered us on along the way. As we celebrate this milestone, we look to the future with optimism. Plans are underway to expand our reach and impact, from introducing new technologies and formats to hosting field activities and workshops. Through it all, our mission remains unchanged: to honor the past, embrace the future, and provide a HAM 2.0-positive environment where all can thrive. Thank you to every listener, every participant, and every member of our team including Craig, Mark, and Nathan. Your passion, dedication, and enthusiasm are the reasons the Digital Radio Net has flourished. Here’s to the next four years and beyond—together, we’re making amateur radio better, stronger, and more connected. Happy 4th Anniversary! John AI7BQ Net Control Manager Travel plan for February to the Seattle Communication Museum, organized by John AI7BQ. Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. None Weekly AREDN Service: Taking another break this week. Round Table Do you have any new gadgets? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-12-18 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control The Digital Radio Net will be held next week on Christmas evening. Next week marks the 4th anniversary of this net. Travel plan for February to the Seattle Communication Museum, organized by John AI7BQ. Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. None Weekly AREDN Service: taking a break this week. Focus Topic: Winlink Catalog Requests - Craig N7RWB The Winlink system provides a wide range of reports which can be requested and delivered using any of the many Winlink communication paths. From the Winlink Express Settings menu, select Winlink Catalog Requests This brings up a dialog box with a long list of report topics on the left side. Most of the list is weather reports for various regions, but if you look carefully, the list also has quite a range of other items. Here are a few: There are catagories for weather reports for just about anywhere. For example, picking the catagory "WX_US_OR" brings up a list of 8 different Oregon forecasts that can be requested. Winlink help files, how-to information, gateway frequencies, system status information and statistics are available in catagories for "WL2K_HELP", "WL2K_RMS", "WL2K_TERMS", and "WL2K_USERS". The "SAT_PIX" category has a long list of weather satellite and GOES images to choose from. The "SAT_KEPS" category lists 5 different sets of satellite 2 line orbital element sets for ham and other satellites. The "PROPAGATION" catagory provides various space weather forecasts and ionograms. The "NEWS" catagory provides news bulletins from ARES, ARRL and others. Browse around until you find a report you would like to read, then double-click it to add it to the list of selected reports. Note the "Size" field in the list of reports available for a topic. Consider the likely transfer rate of your connection when choosing reports. A Telnet or AREDN connection can retrieve a much larger reply than a HF connection! When you are satisfied with the list of reports to request, click "Post Request". This queues a request which will be sent during your next connect session. You will not see anything in your outbox. Wait a couple of minutes for the responses to be created, then connect again and the reply (or replies for multiple queries) will appear in your inbox. Images will be provided as reduced resolution images. Some text responses are quite readable, while others which were extracted from HTML might not be formatted as conveniently. For more information, see the Winlink FAQ, questions Q800, Q810 and Q820 at https://winlink.org/content/winlink_book_knowledge Round Table Do you have any accomplishments you'd like to share with the net? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-12-11 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control None Are there any QSTs? Travel plan for February to the Seattle Connections Museum. I will be contacting the docent this weekend to pin down plans and establish a scheduled date. The plan will be to leave Eugene at 4am and drive north as a caravan, talking to each other on our mobile radios along the way. Hams from Salem and Portland will join us enroute, and we will stop in Chehalis for fuel and breakfast. We'll arrive in S. Seattle around 11ish, tour the museum, and make plans for dinner. You're on your own for the evening, but the caravan will leave from the museum parking lot in the morning, so we can return home as a team. Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. None Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. None Weekly AREDN Service: Nextcloud and Shared Spreadsheets -- John AI7BQ. Introduction to Nextcloud for Emergency Communications Tonight, I’m going to talk about Nextcloud, a self-hosted collaboration platform, and how it can be a game-changer during emergency communications, especially when used with the Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network, or AREDN. This presentation will focus primarily on shared spreadsheets, explaining how they can enhance coordination and improve efficiency. I’ll also touch on how Nextcloud can be installed in an amateur radio-compliant way and why it’s a valuable tool for emergency responders. What is Nextcloud? Nextcloud is an open-source platform you can set up on your own server to share files, collaborate on documents, and manage tasks. Unlike public cloud services like Google Drive, Nextcloud runs entirely on servers you control. This makes it ideal for situations where internet access is limited or when privacy and self-reliance are priorities. One of the standout features of Nextcloud is shared spreadsheets. These allow multiple people to view and edit the same document at the same time, making it an excellent tool for real-time collaboration in emergency scenarios. Why Are Shared Spreadsheets Important for Emergency Communications? Let’s think about how emergencies are handled. Teams need to keep track of shelters, supplies, volunteer assignments, and more. Often, this involves multiple people needing access to the same data. With a shared spreadsheet, you can: Assign and track tasks for responders. Manage resources like food, water, and medical supplies. Record shelter capacity and occupancy. Log equipment deployment and maintenance. Instead of relying on handwritten notes, emails, or separate documents, everyone works from the same source of truth. And when you pair Nextcloud with AREDN’s high-speed mesh network, you get real-time collaboration without needing the internet. How to Install and Use Nextcloud Nextcloud can be installed on a variety of servers. You can use a standard internet-facing server, or, for amateur radio purposes, you can host it on an AREDN-facing server. For compliance with FCC Part 97, any encryption—such as HTTPS—must be disabled. This ensures the data transmitted over amateur frequencies is open and accessible, as required by law. Here’s a quick outline of the setup process: Server Requirements: Use a Linux server with basic web hosting software like Apache or Nginx, plus PHP and a database server such as MariaDB. Installation: Download and configure Nextcloud using the official installation guide or a package manager. AREDN Integration: Configure the server to operate on the AREDN network, disabling HTTPS encryption in the web server settings. Optimization: Focus on essential tools, like file sharing and spreadsheets, to minimize bandwidth usage and improve performance. Key Advantages of Nextcloud To summarize, Nextcloud offers several benefits for amateur radio emergency operations: Real-time Collaboration: Multiple users can edit spreadsheets or documents simultaneously. Decentralization: No reliance on internet-based services; data stays within your network. Flexibility: Adaptable for any type of emergency response—whether it's resource tracking, task assignments, or even messaging. Compliance: Configured properly, Nextcloud operates in full alignment with amateur radio regulations. Using Nextcloud in an Emergency Scenario Let me walk you through an example. Imagine we’re coordinating disaster relief for a large area. We have several shelters, each with different capacities and resource needs. Create a Spreadsheet: A lead operator creates a shared document in Nextcloud titled "Shelter Logistics." This document includes columns for the shelter name, capacity, current occupants, and available supplies. Share the Document: The document is shared with team members on the AREDN mesh network. Real-time Updates: As shelters report updates—such as new arrivals or depleted supplies—operators at each location can edit the spreadsheet directly. Improved Efficiency: Everyone involved sees the same data immediately, reducing miscommunication and ensuring resources are allocated where they’re needed most. Even if some operators are offline temporarily, Nextcloud lets them sync their updates once they reconnect to the mesh. Why Use AREDN with Nextcloud? AREDN provides a high-speed, low-latency network that works in areas where traditional internet may not be available. Nextcloud complements this by giving us a platform to collaborate effectively. Together, they enable amateur radio operators to function as a highly organized and capable team. For compliance with Part 97, it’s crucial to disable encryption. While this might seem like a limitation, AREDN’s mesh network is inherently localized and less susceptible to unauthorized access, so disabling HTTPS doesn’t compromise much in this context. Final Thoughts To wrap up, Nextcloud is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance emergency communication efforts. Its shared spreadsheets allow teams to stay organized and coordinated, while AREDN ensures that communication remains reliable, even when the internet fails. Setting up Nextcloud may require some technical effort, but the benefits it provides—like real-time collaboration, improved efficiency, and compliance with amateur radio rules—make it well worth it. If you’re interested in trying it out, I’d be happy to help guide you through the setup or answer any questions. Round Table Do you have any accomplishments you'd like to share with the net? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-12-04 Net Control: Mark N7RGF Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control None Are there any QSTs? Travel plan for February to the Seattle Communication Museum. More information posted on开云体育 Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. None Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. None Weekly AREDN Service: NextCloud Shared Spreadsheets -- John AI7BQ. Round Table Do you have any accomplishments you'd like to share with the net? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-11-27 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Weekly AREDN Service: WVMN Node Directory -- John AI7BQ. Introduction to Nextcloud for Emergency Communications "Hello everyone, this is [Your Call Sign]. Today, I’m going to talk about Nextcloud, a self-hosted collaboration platform, and how it can be a game-changer during emergency communications, especially when used with the Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network, or AREDN. This presentation will focus primarily on shared spreadsheets, explaining how they can enhance coordination and improve efficiency. I’ll also touch on how Nextcloud can be installed in an amateur radio-compliant way and why it’s a valuable tool for emergency responders. What is Nextcloud? Nextcloud is an open-source platform you can set up on your own server to share files, collaborate on documents, and manage tasks. Unlike public cloud services like Google Drive, Nextcloud runs entirely on servers you control. This makes it ideal for situations where internet access is limited or when privacy and self-reliance are priorities. One of the standout features of Nextcloud is shared spreadsheets. These allow multiple people to view and edit the same document at the same time, making it an excellent tool for real-time collaboration in emergency scenarios. Why Are Shared Spreadsheets Important for Emergency Communications? Let’s think about how emergencies are handled. Teams need to keep track of shelters, supplies, volunteer assignments, and more. Often, this involves multiple people needing access to the same data. With a shared spreadsheet, you can: Assign and track tasks for responders. Manage resources like food, water, and medical supplies. Record shelter capacity and occupancy. Log equipment deployment and maintenance. Instead of relying on handwritten notes, emails, or separate documents, everyone works from the same source of truth. And when you pair Nextcloud with AREDN’s high-speed mesh network, you get real-time collaboration without needing the internet. How to Install and Use Nextcloud Nextcloud can be installed on a variety of servers. You can use a standard internet-facing server, or, for amateur radio purposes, you can host it on an AREDN-facing server. For compliance with FCC Part 97, any encryption—such as HTTPS—must be disabled. This ensures the data transmitted over amateur frequencies is open and accessible, as required by law. Here’s a quick outline of the setup process: Server Requirements: Use a Linux server with basic web hosting software like Apache or Nginx, plus PHP and a database server such as MariaDB. Installation: Download and configure Nextcloud using the official installation guide or a package manager. AREDN Integration: Configure the server to operate on the AREDN network, disabling HTTPS encryption in the web server settings. Optimization: Focus on essential tools, like file sharing and spreadsheets, to minimize bandwidth usage and improve performance. Key Advantages of Nextcloud To summarize, Nextcloud offers several benefits for amateur radio emergency operations: Real-time Collaboration: Multiple users can edit spreadsheets or documents simultaneously. Decentralization: No reliance on internet-based services; data stays within your network. Flexibility: Adaptable for any type of emergency response—whether it's resource tracking, task assignments, or even messaging. Compliance: Configured properly, Nextcloud operates in full alignment with amateur radio regulations. Using Nextcloud in an Emergency Scenario Let me walk you through an example. Imagine we’re coordinating disaster relief for a large area. We have several shelters, each with different capacities and resource needs. Create a Spreadsheet: A lead operator creates a shared document in Nextcloud titled "Shelter Logistics." This document includes columns for the shelter name, capacity, current occupants, and available supplies. Share the Document: The document is shared with team members on the AREDN mesh network. Real-time Updates: As shelters report updates—such as new arrivals or depleted supplies—operators at each location can edit the spreadsheet directly. Improved Efficiency: Everyone involved sees the same data immediately, reducing miscommunication and ensuring resources are allocated where they’re needed most. Even if some operators are offline temporarily, Nextcloud lets them sync their updates once they reconnect to the mesh. Why Use AREDN with Nextcloud? AREDN provides a high-speed, low-latency network that works in areas where traditional internet may not be available. Nextcloud complements this by giving us a platform to collaborate effectively. Together, they enable amateur radio operators to function as a highly organized and capable team. For compliance with Part 97, it’s crucial to disable encryption. While this might seem like a limitation, AREDN’s mesh network is inherently localized and less susceptible to unauthorized access, so disabling HTTPS doesn’t compromise much in this context. Final Thoughts To wrap up, Nextcloud is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance emergency communication efforts. Its shared spreadsheets allow teams to stay organized and coordinated, while AREDN ensures that communication remains reliable, even when the internet fails. Setting up Nextcloud may require some technical effort, but the benefits it provides—like real-time collaboration, improved efficiency, and compliance with amateur radio rules—make it well worth it. If you’re interested in trying it out, I’d be happy to help guide you through the setup or answer any questions. This is [Your Call Sign], back to net control." Round Table Do you have any accomplishments you'd like to share with the net? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-11-20 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Agenda Change -- Based on feedback from last week's net, we’d like to announce that the AREDN Service of the Week weekly series will conclude in January. Starting after that, we’ll be introducing a new series focused on Radio Setup and Operations. This upcoming series will feature brief presentations that highlight specific things you can do with your radio to enhance your experience with digital communications. Rather than offering step-by-step "how-to" guides, the goal is to showcase the many creative ways you can use your radio to have fun and explore the world of digital modes. Stay tuned for more details! Tonight's guest speaker will be Josh KO4TL. Josh is a former net control operator for the digital radio net and is currently an Associate Professor at Portland State University. His research spans the fields of engineering, material science, geophysics, and planetary science, with a specialty in electrostatics and wireless sensor systems. We’re excited to welcome Josh back tonight, as he’ll be sharing insights on using Meshtastic to monitor a 12V battery later in tonight's program. LCcore Status Report The WireGuard tunnel between Eugene and Florence is now operational after last week's lightning hit on Glenada Hill Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Weekly AREDN Service: RMS Gateways -- John AI7BQ. Click here to read the full presentation! Focus Topic: Using Meshtastic to Monitor a 12V Battery -- Josh KO4TL Round Table (Time Permitting): Do you have any accomplishments you'd like to share with the net? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-11-13 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Agenda Check - During tonight's round table we would like to get some feedback on recent changes made to the agenda. While net control hasn't done away with the every-other-week Focus Topics, where we take a deep dive into something technical related to Digital Radio, we're taking a simpler approach this fall and winter where we give a short presentation every week on a chosen AREDN Service. If there is a specific AREDN service you would like to hear about, please let us know and we'll cue it up for discussion. LCcore The WireGuard tunnel between Eugene and Florence tripped offline for x hours due to lightning. The WireGuard tunnel between Eugene and Tualatin tripped offline for x hours. Root cause is still being investigated. The LCcore sysops are considering hosting a tile server. Are there any QSTs? None Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Kris K9CAN, a new member, needs some help with Wires-X. He is having difficulty setting up Yaesu HRI-200 Windows device drivers on an M1 Mac computer running Parallels. Weekly AREDN Service: MeshChat -- Brett KG7GDB AREDN MeshChat is a messaging tool built for use on AREDN mesh networks, which are community-built, decentralized digital networks designed by amateur radio operators. MeshChat allows users connected to an AREDN network to send text messages, share files, and communicate in a web-based chat environment that can be accessed from laptops, desktops, and mobile devices. This flexibility makes it easy for users to connect and exchange information across the mesh network, whether they’re at home, in the field, or mobile. One of MeshChat’s key features is its decentralized, peer-to-peer communication model. Instead of relying on central servers, which are common in typical messaging applications, MeshChat distributes messages across AREDN nodes, which means that information is shared and stored throughout the network. This approach ensures that messages are always accessible to users on the mesh, regardless of changes in network connectivity. Users can post to message boards, engage in threaded conversations, and share files, making MeshChat a versatile tool for both individual and group communication. MeshChat is used in a variety of scenarios beyond emergencies, including public events, community activities, and training exercises. By operating on the AREDN mesh, users can practice using MeshChat’s features and adapt it to different contexts, gaining valuable experience and understanding how it can be used effectively in real-world settings. Its user-friendly interface, reliable communication model, and seamless integration within the AREDN framework make MeshChat an invaluable tool for supporting connectivity and information sharing across a broad range of situations. Round Table: Do you have any accomplishments you'd like to share with the net? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-11-06 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control None Are there any QSTs? None Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Kris K9CAN, a new member, needs some help with Wires-X. He is having difficulty setting up Yaesu HRI-200 Windows device drivers on an M1 Mac computer running Parallels. Weekly AREDN Service: IP Cameras -- John AI7BQ IP Cameras I put together a project that integrates an IP camera into the AREDN (Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network) mesh which provides an effective method to deliver live video feeds and periodic still images. In my case, for both mesh network users and the general public. This project, involving a Hikvision2 DS-2CD2385FWD-I 2.8mm IP camera, combines modern video streaming technology with amateur radio mesh networking, creating a resilient, accessible, and secure video distribution system. Located approximately ten feet down from the top of a 175-foot fir tree, the camera shares its mount with an AREDN sector antenna, strategically placed to provide robust coverage as far west as Prairie Peak and north to Corvallis. The camera services are accessible through the AI7BQ-Eugene-Hap node on the AREDN network. The integration involves several distinct components. First, the camera offers two core services: (1) a periodically refreshed still image updated once per minute, enhanced by an overlay of additional information created with ffmpeg, and (2) a live video stream in HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) format. Both are distributed to viewers via the AREDN network and accessible to public users through a secure reverse proxy setup. The system design ensures compatibility with modern web standards, making the feed easily accessible from any browser without additional software or plugins. The Evolution of Web-Based Video Streaming: From Flash to HLS The choice of HLS for streaming from this IP camera addresses both accessibility and performance requirements. Historically, Flash technology was the dominant method for delivering video streams online. Flash provided a robust solution that was widely supported by early web browsers, enabling video streaming across the internet for platforms like YouTube. However, Flash also brought notable drawbacks: it required third-party plugins, was resource-intensive, and became increasingly vulnerable to security issues. In 2009, Apple introduced HLS as an alternative to Flash, leveraging the rising popularity of HTML5. HLS offered a more secure, flexible, and universally compatible solution. The protocol segments a video stream into smaller, manageable files, usually ten-second-long .ts (Transport Stream) files, that are easily streamed over HTTP. HLS continuously updates these files to provide an almost real-time experience while ensuring that viewers can access the stream regardless of device or browser. Today, HLS has largely replaced Flash as the standard for web-based video streaming, providing a plugin-free, low-latency solution that integrates seamlessly with all major browsers. HLS’s compatibility with HTML5 browsers makes it ideal for the AREDN project, allowing a diverse audience to access real-time video without specific software. By using HLS for the IP camera stream, the video is accessible across platforms, ensuring broad usability within the AREDN mesh network and for public users. Camera and Streaming Setup The selected camera, a Hikvision2 DS-2CD2385FWD-I 2.8mm, provides an excellent balance of image clarity and durability for outdoor use. The camera is mounted on a shared mast with an AREDN sector antenna, located near the top of a tall fir tree. This placement allows both devices to take advantage of an unobstructed view across a significant geographic area, extending the AREDN network’s reach. The camera delivers two primary services through the AI7BQ-Eugene-Hap node: A Periodic Still Image Service: This service provides a refreshed image once per minute. Using ffmpeg, an overlay of timestamp and additional data is applied to the image before it’s published, adding useful context for viewers monitoring weather or environmental conditions. A Live Video Stream: This stream delivers real-time video of the surrounding area, accessible in any modern web browser through HLS. By converting the native stream format into HLS, viewers experience the video as a smooth, browser-compatible feed. The installation also features a short recording that captures the effects of a particularly windy day, showcasing the area’s environmental dynamics. This recording, along with the live feed, provides an informative visual reference for weather patterns. Technical Approach to Browser-Compatible Streaming Directly accessing the IP camera would typically require navigating through the camera’s built-in web server, presenting a login screen and constrained interface that limits usability. While useful for technical operators, this default interface does not provide a streamlined experience for general viewers. To improve accessibility, the camera’s video feed is converted into HLS format, which provides a browser-friendly viewing experience without the need for plugins or additional software. HLS Conversion with ffmpeg To achieve this compatibility, a continuous ffmpeg process converts the camera’s RTSP (Real-Time Streaming Protocol) stream into HLS format. This conversion process involves splitting the live feed into ten-second .ts files that HLS requires, along with an accompanying .m3u8 file that acts as a playlist. The result is a set of short video segments updated continuously, effectively creating a live stream through rapid file refresh. Storage Optimization Using a RAM Disk The HLS conversion process involves frequent file creation and deletion as the .ts files are updated, placing a significant demand on storage media. This level of activity can cause excessive wear on solid-state drives (SSDs), which have limited write cycles. To mitigate this risk, the .ts files and .m3u8 playlist are stored in a RAM disk mounted to the /mnt directory. This approach reduces drive wear, enhances performance, and minimizes latency. Secure Access and Distribution via a Reverse Proxy The AREDN network provides secure, localized access to the video stream, but extending access to the general public requires additional considerations. For this purpose, a reverse proxy is employed on a separate, public-facing web server named “vortex.” This reverse proxy serves both the still image and HLS live stream to public users while maintaining network security by keeping internal services separate from external requests. This configuration allows both AREDN users and public viewers to access the camera feed without compromising the internal network’s integrity. Through the reverse proxy, public users receive a seamless experience that doesn’t expose the AREDN mesh directly, ensuring the security of the core amateur radio network infrastructure. Conclusion The integration of the Hikvision IP camera with the AREDN mesh network leverages modern HLS streaming technology, providing an accessible and secure real-time video feed compatible with all HTML5-compliant browsers. The technical architecture, from ffmpeg-based HLS conversion to optimized file storage with a RAM disk, ensures both system performance and hardware longevity. The deployment of the camera on a high-elevation fir tree provides expansive visibility across the region, making the live feed a valuable resource for mesh network users and the general public alike. This implementation not only exemplifies the adaptability of IP camera technology within amateur radio networks but also highlights the effectiveness of HLS in enabling seamless video distribution across a range of devices and user environments. Round Table: Do you have any accomplishments you'd like to share with the net? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-10-30 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control PHRB Block Diagram Are there any QSTs? T.B.D. Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Kris K9CAN, a new member, needs some help with Wires-X. He is having difficulty setting up Yaesu HRI-200 Windows device drivers on an M1 Mac computer running Parallels. Weekly AREDN Service: PBX Trunk Report The PBX Trunk Report AREDN service is a software-based tool: a CGI script written in Python that provides a web-based view of the status of MeshPhone trunks connecting Eugene's MeshPhone PBX to other regional MeshPhone offices. It runs on the same Ubuntu Linux Proxmox virtual machine as the Eugene PBX, displaying trunk status and connection health in a web browser. The PBX Trunk Report enables operators to monitor trunk connectivity without accessing the PBX command line. It fetches trunk data from the Asterisk PBX, parses it, and presents a color-coded status table, making it easy to assess trunk health and performance at a glance. Importance of Trunk Quality for Voice Transmission PBX trunks are essential for connecting PBX systems across regions, allowing for seamless inter-office voice calls. To maintain carrier-quality voice communication, these trunks require low ping time (latency) and jitter. Low latency (ideally under 100 milliseconds) ensures natural conversation flow, while minimal jitter (under 30 milliseconds) keeps packet delivery consistent. If either latency or jitter exceeds acceptable thresholds, voice quality degrades with effects such as: PACKET DROP: Missing packets can cut off parts of words, interrupting the conversation. CLICKS AND POPS: High jitter causes audible clicks and pops, creating distractions. ROBOTIC VOICE: Excessive jitter leads to out-of-sequence packets, causing voice distortion. ECHO AND DELAY: High latency creates awkward pauses and echo effects, making conversation unnatural. Technical Design of the PBX Trunk Report The PBX Trunk Report, written in Python, leverages the subprocess module to run Asterisk commands and retrieve trunk data. This CGI script generates a dynamic web page with embedded CSS to define the table's color-coded status display based on ping time and connection quality. The Nginx web server on the Proxmox VM hosts this script, making it accessible through the mesh network. The script's embedded CSS stylesheet controls trunk status colors, ping times, and font styling, creating a clear and accessible display. This simple CGI setup enables on-the-fly webpage generation, combining static HTML with real-time trunk data for easy monitoring. How to Access the PBX Trunk Report For those interested in viewing the PBX Trunk Report, simply navigate to the LCcore-Main mesh status page and click on the "PBX Trunk Report" link. This report provides a quick, valuable insight into trunk health and helps maintain high-quality voice communication across the AREDN network. Round Table: Do you have any accomplishments you'd like to share with the net? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-10-23 Net Control: Mark N7RGF Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Don't forget to sign up for the Groups.IO mailing list "Packethackers" where you can find the agenda for this evening's radio net. Starting last week, we introduced a new agenda item called "Weekly AREDN Service" right after the Help Desk. Many people struggle to fully understand the AREDN Mesh Network and its capabilities. And since much of the network relies on servers and services set up by hams, we thought it would be helpful to showcase these services. This will not only raise awareness of the various services and functions but also encourage greater use and understanding of the network. The idea is to have various presenters rotate through, so the load isn't on the shoulders of any one person or the net control operator. Are there any QSTs? T.B.D Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Mary W3LS - question re: Dstar repeater on Blanton is it internet connected? John AI7BQ - currently no, but the repeater owner will let him know when it is internet-connected. Jonathan KG7MHP - question re: Dstar repeater in Florence? John AI7BQ - not currently - recommend using a HotSpt. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. <None> Weekly AREDN Service: APRSC (Nathan). APRS-IS Core Server (APRSC) is a modern software system designed to serve as a key component of the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) Internet Service (APRS-IS). APRS is a digital communication protocol used in amateur radio to transmit real-time data, such as GPS coordinates, weather information, and messages between stations, which are then shared across a global network. APRSC operates as a high-performance APRS-IS server, facilitating the efficient handling of APRS data by receiving, filtering, and forwarding packets between radio-based APRS systems and the broader APRS-IS network. By acting as a bridge between individual radio operators and the global APRS community, APRSC enables users to track the location and status of mobile stations, weather stations, and other devices. APRSC was developed with an emphasis on performance, reliability, and scalability, making it suitable for large-scale APRS infrastructure. It is written in C for high performance, with a multi-threaded architecture designed to handle high volumes of data traffic while ensuring minimal downtime. APRSC supports key APRS-IS features, such as full-duplex communication, packet validation, filtering, and logging, providing flexibility for amateur radio operators and network administrators to manage APRS traffic effectively. It is widely used by APRS-IS Tier 2 servers, which distribute traffic between regional and global networks, ensuring the continued functionality and growth of the APRS system worldwide. Links: APRSC Home Page: http://he.fi/aprsc/ APRSC White Paper: http://he.fi/aprsc/dcc-2012-aprsc.pdf LCcore APRSC Server Status Page: http://lccore-aprs-is.local.mesh:14501/ Features: Duplicate packet filtering within a 30-second sliding window Q construct algorithm processing Client-defined filters and filters configured per port on the server APRS packet parsing only as necessary to support filtering I-gate client support Messaging support UDP client support UDP core peer links Uplink server support Passcode validation Web-based status view Machine-readable status dump over HTTP HTTP position upload using POST Full IPv4 and IPv6 support Configurable access lists on client ports Logging to either syslog, file or stderr Built-in log rotation when logging to a file Local Uses: Golden Gate Location Beacons Weather Bot General Round Table - Digital Radio Brag and ideas for future topics. Late check-ins Brags: Do you have any accomplishments you'd like to share with the net? Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-10-16 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Starting tonight, we're introducing a new agenda item called "Weekly AREDN Service" right after the Help Desk. Many people struggle to fully understand the AREDN Mesh Network and its capabilities. And since much of the network relies on servers and services set up by hams, we thought it would be helpful to showcase these services. This will not only raise awareness of the various services and functions, but also encourage greater use and understanding of the network. The idea is to have various presenters rotate through, so the load isn't on the shoulders of any one person or the net control operator. Are there any QSTs? T.B.D Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Jonathan KG7MHP has an Icom IC-9700 and would like to know how to access D-Star in Florence. Weekly AREDN Service: Golden Gate (John) Mini Focus Topic / Round Table Late check-ins Brags: Do you have any accomplishments you'd like to share with the net? Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-10-09 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? T.B.D Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Jonathan KG7MHP has an Icom IC-9700 and would like to know how to access D-STAR in Florence. There are no D-STAR compatible repeaters reachable using RF from Florence. The Icom IC-9700 can connect to any D-STAR User, Repeater, or Reflector using Terminal Mode which is a feature that allows the radio to act as a gateway to the D-STAR network by using an Internet connection, without requiring RF transmission, however documentation is very scarce on how to implement this mode. The most commonly referenced YouTube video Mini Focus Topic / Round Table Late check-ins Brags: Do you have any accomplishments you'd like to share with the net? Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-10-02 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? BRETT: A new AREDN firmware version 3.24.10.0 was released today. The biggest change in this release is the "new UI". The User Interface or UI is how data is presented to a person. The old UI, written in LUA not only looked old, it was hampering the implementation of new features. Now written in JavaScript, among other things it's more economical on bandwidth used to display the user interface. It's also much easier to add new features. Because it's new, navigating around the UI may initially be a challenge. It's highly recommended you at least skim the new documentation, here: http://docs.arednmesh.org/en/latest/ Within the new UI you will also find a Help button for every dialog. Please press it and read the inline help at least once. JOHN: Installation of a 3-dish, 1-sector AREDN job at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center is Springfield is now in full gear thanks to a communications grant they received earlier this year. After a site survey last month by hams, the hospital administration has approved the plans, and has given the go-ahead to install the equipment. The system will feature non-penetrating roof mount 7-foot masts, two mANT30 antennas, a small sector antenna and a Nanobeam beam the signal to the EOC. This effort is being coordinated by the Lane Medical Amateur Radio Group in cooperation with the Valley Radio Club. Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. What digital repeaters are available in the southern Willamette Valley. Michael N7PEA has a Yaesu 300 and wants to know if there is a Yaesu Fusion repeater in the area. Mary W3LS just got a Kenwood D75. And she's curious if there are any D-Star repeaters in the area. KC7RJK - Irving. 444.425 MHz. DMR (Local and Internet) W7OEC - Blanton. 442.425 MHz. D-Star / DMR (Local Only, no Internet) N7NPA - Thurston Hills 441.650 MHz, Analog, Allstar/Echolink (Internet Capable), P25 (Local only) K7EZR - South Eugene 145.55 MHz. Wires-X (Internet connected. Ok to join various rooms.) Note: Ian N7GWA said the Mary's Peak multi-mode repeater is not operational, and the W7OEC Blanton Heights multi-mode repeater does not currently have internet access, so it will only locally repeat D-Star and DMR. Connection to Talk Groups or Reflectors does not work. The Pi-Star dashboard is offline until the Internet situation can be worked out. After these issues are resolved, Ian will be happy to join the Digital Radio Net as a guest speaker to describe his system and promote its use. Mini Focus Topic: What digital radio tech would be useful in an Emergency? Late check-ins Brags: Do you have any accomplishments you'd like to share with the net? Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-09-25 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Mini Topic: What are EchoLink and Allstar Nodes. ==> Round Table EchoLink and AllStar are both communication systems used in amateur (ham) radio that connect radio operators using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technologies. They enable licensed ham radio operators to communicate over the internet, linking distant radio repeaters, individual radio stations, or even personal computers into a larger communication network. Both systems extend the reach of amateur radio beyond the range of VHF/UHF frequencies, leveraging the internet to connect radio operators around the world. Late check-ins Brags: Do you have any accomplishments you'd like to share with the net? Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-09-18 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Focus Topic : LCcore and WVMN Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Late check-ins Brags: Do you have any accomplishments you'd like to share with the net? Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-09-11 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Focus Topic : ka9q-radio (processing software for high performance software defined radio applications) Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-08-28 Net Control: Mark N7RGF Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Focus Topic : TBD Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-08-21 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC and John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Mary W3LS: What are AllstarLink and Echolink nodes, or any kind of node for that matter? I use the RepeaterPhone app on an iPhone to access Echolink and AllstarLink nodes. Do I need to run a node? What is the point? How does all of this work. Can you point me to a sight-impaired friendly website that can help answer some of these questions? UPDATE: AI7BQ provided a focus topic discussion during tonight's net addressing "What's the point of AllstarLink and Echolink". Tom AI7XL: I have a hAP and I want to setup a tunnel. Is there someone in the local area who I can tunnel to? COMPLETE - AI7XL reports that he was contacted within a few hours of making his request, and his tunnel is in place. Matt K7WPW: I have an FTDI USB-to-RS232 DB9F cable that I want to connect to a Kantronics TNC. I think I might need a null-modem adapter or some other crossover scheme to make the connection. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-08-14 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control AREDN IN THE PARK Join us on Sunday, August 18, at 3:15pm at the top of Kelley Butte in Springfield for an exciting AREDN IN THE PARK event, sponsored by The Digital Radio Net. This event will feature a live microwave mesh demonstration connecting to the Thurston AREDN repeater and PeaceHealth Riverbend hospital. Additionally, we will showcase the MeshPhone system and share valuable tips and tricks for aiming your AREDN antenna and testing signal reception from various locations in the area. Don't miss this opportunity to learn and connect with fellow AREDN enthusiasts! Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Mary W3LS: What are AllstarLink and Echolink nodes, or any kind of node for that matter? I use the RepeaterPhone app on an iPhone to access Echolink and AllstarLink nodes. Do I need to run a node? What is the point? How does all of this work. Can you point me to a sight-impaired friendly website that can help answer some of these questions? UPDATE: AI7BQ provided a focus topic discussion during tonight's net addressing "What's the point of AllstarLink and Echolink". Tom AI7XL: I have a hAP and I want to setup a tunnel. Is there someone in the local area who I can tunnel to? COMPLETE - AI7XL reports that he was contacted within a few hours of making his request, and his tunnel is in place. Matt K7WPW: I have an FTDI USB-to-RS232 DB9F cable that I want to connect to a Kantronics TNC. I think I might need a null-modem adapter or some other crossover scheme to make the connection. Focus Topic : What's the point of AllstarLink and Echolink? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-08-07 Net Control:John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control AREDN IN THE PARK Join us on Sunday, August 18, at 3:15pm at the top of Kelley Butte in Springfield for an exciting AREDN IN THE PARK event, sponsored by The Digital Radio Net. This event will feature a live microwave mesh demonstration connecting to the Thurston AREDN repeater and PeaceHealth Riverbend hospital. Additionally, we will showcase the MeshPhone system and share valuable tips and tricks for aiming your AREDN antenna and testing signal reception from various locations in the area. Don't miss this opportunity to learn and connect with fellow AREDN enthusiasts! LCCORE LIMITED SERVICE UPDATE LCcore recently ended island mode operation which lasted nearly a month. All LCcore nodes and tunnel endpoints have been upgraded to the latest firmware version v3.24.6.0, and all tunnels have been upgraded to WireGuard. All tunnels are up except for the one to Phoenix Oregon, which is being worked on. The true root case has not been found, though a variety of potentially inter-related aspects were at play; a) Firmware, b) Tunnel Technology Changes, and c) Metric polling via SSH. MeshPhone calls between 541 and 503 were restored a week ago by using a patch-around tunnel and number routing via New Jersey. In a few days, the Salem and Eugene PBXs will be restored to their original configuration, but we will keep the Eugene-New Jersey trunk online to use as a fail-over strategy. Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Mary W3LS: What are AllstarLink and Echolink nodes, or any kind of node for that matter? I use the RepeaterPhone app on an iPhone to access Echolink and AllstarLink nodes. Do I need to run a node? What is the point? How does all of this work. Can you point me to a sight-impaired friendly website that can help answer some of these questions? Tom AI7XL: I have a hAP and I want to setup a tunnel. Is there someone in the local area who I can tunnel to? Matt K7WPW: I have an FTDI USB-to-RS232 DB9F cable that I want to connect to a Kantronics TNC. I think I might need a null-modem adapter or some other crossover scheme to make the connection. Round Table. What kinds of things would people like to see at the AREDN in the Park event? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-07-24 Net Control:John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control AREDN IN THE PARK Join us on Sunday, August 18, at 3:15pm at the top of Kelley Butte in Springfield for an exciting AREDN IN THE PARK event, sponsored by The Digital Radio Net. This event will feature a live microwave mesh demonstration connecting to the Thurston AREDN repeater and PeaceHealth Riverbend hospital. Additionally, we will showcase the MeshPhone system and share valuable tips and tricks for aiming your AREDN antenna and testing signal reception from various locations in the area. Don't miss this opportunity to learn and connect with fellow AREDN enthusiasts! NEW PACKET FORWARDING NETWORK -The Packet Radio RF Forwarding (PRRFF) group is a team of ham radio operators who have come together to promote rebuilding of the Packet Radio RF Backbone in the United States one station at a time. Currently active on the US East Coast, they are looking for participants on the West Coast. See /g/Packet-Radio-RF-Forwarding LCCORE LIMITED SERVICE UPDATE LCcore remains in island mode for the third consecutive week until the state-wide OLSR storm subsides. All LCcore nodes and tunnel endpoints have been upgraded to the latest firmware version v3.24.6.0, and all tunnels have been upgraded to WireGuard. Stability tests are currently being conducted, and efforts to develop improved metrics, instrumentation, and alerting rules are ongoing. Tunnels to Salem, Newberg, Phoenix OR, and the Supernode remain shut down to prevent the spread of the OLSR storm and protect the integrity of AREDN within Lane County. WireGuard tunnels to four local tunnel servers and to Florence have been restored to normal operation. With the ongoing forest fire activity in the McKenzie River Valley, maintaining county-wide AREDN network stability is crucial for supporting reliable repeater communications. We plan to restore the system to normal state-wide operation in a controlled manner, however, LCcore does not currently have an Estimated Time of Restoration (ETOR) for this work. Much of this will depend on the success of controlling the OLSR storm in other parts of the state, of which we have no control. Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Mary W3LS: What are AllstarLink and Echolink nodes, or any kind of node for that matter? I use the RepeaterPhone app on an iPhone to access Echolink and AllstarLink nodes. Do I need to run a node? What is the point? How does all of this work. Can you point me to a sight-impaired friendly website that can help answer some of these questions? Tom AI7XL: I recently applied to the Packethackers groups.io mailing list by my application has not been approved. Tom AI7XL: I have a hAP and I want to setup a tunnel. Is there someone in the local area who I can tunnel to? Focus Topic: AREDN WireGuard Tunnels. The AREDN (Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network) developers switched to WireGuard for several reasons, all of which are aligned with AREDN's goals of providing reliable and efficient emergency communication networks: IMPROVED PERFORMANCE - WireGuard is designed to be faster and more efficient than the legacy VPN solution. It has a smaller codebase and utilizes modern cryptographic techniques, resulting in lower latency and higher throughput. ENHANCED SECURITY - WireGuard uses state-of-the-art cryptography, providing a more secure connection compared to the legacy VPN protocol which did not encrypt traffic on the Internet. Its simplicity reduces the potential for security vulnerabilities. SIMPLICITY AND EASE OF USE - WireGuard has a simpler design and is easier to configure and manage compared to other VPN solutions. This makes it more accessible for users, particularly those who may not have advanced technical expertise. BETTER RESOURCE UTILIZATION - Due to its efficient codebase and optimized performance, WireGuard uses fewer system resources, which is beneficial for AREDN nodes that might be running on limited hardware. It also conserves file space on the node to accommodate other applications. SETUP DETAILS - Click here to visit the Advanced Configuration setup on the AREDN website for WireGuard setup details. If you are running a tunnel server, you will need to open up some UDP ports in your home router and you will need either a fixed public IP address or a domain name that always resolves to your public WAN IP address. MIXING - Yes. You can have a mixture of legacy and Wireguard tunnels either as a Server or as a Client. CONNECTION MANAGEMENT - WireGuard does not maintain a continuous connection like traditional VPNs. Instead, it sends encrypted packets on demand, re-establishing the connection as needed. This approach reduces overhead and increases efficiency. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-07-17 Net Control: Mark N7RGF Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control AREDN IN THE PARK Join us on Sunday, August 18, at 3:15pm at the top of Kelley Butte in Springfield for an exciting AREDN IN THE PARK event, sponsored by The Digital Radio Net. This event will feature a live microwave mesh demonstration connecting to the Thurston AREDN repeater and PeaceHealth Riverbend hospital. Additionally, we will showcase the MeshPhone system and share valuable tips and tricks for aiming your AREDN antenna and testing signal reception from various locations in the area. Don't miss this opportunity to learn and connect with fellow AREDN enthusiasts! LCCORE ISLAND MODE LCcore has been placed in island mode until the OLSR storm subsides. We disabled our tunnels to Salem, Newberg, and Florence, which stabilized our OLSR/DNS database. However, when we re-enabled the Florence tunnel in order to restore AREDN connectivity within all of Lane County, trouble arose instantly. We observed instability (wildly varying node counts and tunnel flapping). To tackle this, we asked Salem to disable their tunnel to Florence, which they did. This resolved the instability issues for us while allowing us to keep our Florence tunnel online. Note that our tunnel to Phoenix OR is online, and is not giving us trouble. With a new forest fire near Blue River, it's crucial that LCcore maintain county-wide AREDN network stability to support repeater communications in the McKenzie River Valley. Our plan is to reactivate all tunnels and upgrade the firmware on lccore-main in a controlled manner, however LCcore does not have an Estimated Time of Restoration (ETOR) for completing this work and terminating island mode. Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Round Table: Nathan's topic deferred until a later date General Round Table Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-07-03 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Mini AREDN Presentation and LCOG Data Center Tour 859 Willamette St., Eugene, OR Wednesday July 10, 2024, 2000-2200 in lieu of Radio Net Meet in ground floor lobby AREDN firmware release 3.24.6.0 replaces the short lived 3.24.4.0 to correct several issues. See the changelog for details. Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Outstanding Questions: Unanswered questions rolled forward from prior nets. Round Table: Any questions about finding Digital Repeaters and Digital Nets Using RepeaterBook https://repeaterbook.com Using Net Finder https://netfinder.radio/ Using Ham Nets https://mookienet.com/cgi/ham_nets Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-06-26 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Ham Radio Swap Meet Saturday June 29, 2024 975 Conger St., Eugene, OR Table Setup starts at 0830. Sales start at 0900. Ends at 1200. Location 975 Conger St., Eugene, OR next to Oregon Electronics. Be sure to give Oregon Electronics your business. Bring $40. A service monitor will be available if you want to get your radio tested. Mini AREDN Presentation and LCOG Data Center Tour 859 Willamette St., Eugene, OR Wednesday July 10, 2024, 2000-2200 in lieu of Radio Net Meet in ground floor lobby A new Winlink gateway is available in the Eugene area. W7EUG-7 144.97 MHz VARA FM Location: Lane County Shops, N. Delta Hwy., Eugene OR The Lane County Packet System guide has been updated to include this new gateway. Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic: Finding Digital Repeaters and Digital Nets Using RepeaterBook https://repeaterbook.com Using Net Finder https://netfinder.radio/ Using Ham Nets https://mookienet.com/cgi/ham_nets Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-06-19 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Field day is June 22-23 (SAT SUN) at Jasper State Recreation Site. Starts at 1100. Come early to help setup. Ham Radio Swap Meet June 29 (SAT). Table Setup starts at 0830. Sales start at 0900. Ends at 1200. Location 975 Conger St., Eugene, OR next to Oregon Electronics. Be sure to give Oregon Electronics your business. Bring $40. A service monitor will be available if you want to get your radio tested. Mini AREDN Presentation and LCOG Data Center Tour July 10 (WED) 2000-2200 in lieu of Radio Net Another Winlink gateway is available in the Eugene area. W7EUG-7 using VARA FM is on 144.97 MHz, located at the Lane County Shops on North Delta Highway. Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Round Table: External sound card devices and portable KISS TNCs for analog radios - which ones people like or don't like, and why All modern devices use USB interface to computer Some are better for wide bandwidth audio than others Sound devices also need a software modem, KISS TNC does not These devices are not needed with newer radios such as IC-7300 which come with the capability built in. Features available on some devices (in addition to audio I/F) Hardware PTT control vs VOX only CAT control channel Popular devices: Masters Communication DRA series sound devices TigerTronics SignaLink sound devices Mobilinkd TNC3 and TNC4 (KISS TNC for 1200/9600 baud packet and M17) Digirig Mobile, Digirig Lite sound devices West Mountain Radio RIGblaster sound devices Others? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-06-12 Net Control: Mark N7RGF Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Field day is June 22-23 (SAT SUN). Starts at 1100. Come early to help setup. Ham Radio Swap Meet June 29 (SAT). Table Setup starts at 0830. Sales start at 0900. Ends at 1200. Location 975 Conger St., Eugene, OR next to Oregon Electronics. Be sure to give Oregon Electronics your business. Bring $40. A service monitor will be available if you want to get your radio tested. Mini AREDN Presentation and LCOG Data Center Tour July 10 (WED) 2000-2200 in lieu of Radio Net Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Round Table -- Idea sharing about future topics yielded the following suggestions: FT8 Fun things to do with AREDN and MeshPhone MeshTastic VaraAC and VaraChat How to setup a portable AREDN node How to get started with AREDN over a tunnel How to homebrew AREDN to save money Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-06-05 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- IoT with an Emphasis on Ham Radio Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-05-29 Net Control: T.B.D. Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Soon one of our focus topics will be about Digital Coded Squelch (DCS) Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Round Table -- Are you going to Sea Pac? Sea Pac -- Digital Vendors: ARDC, ICS Controllers, Inovato, PreppComm Sea Pac -- Digital Seminars Connections of Yaesu Wires-X Operation of Yaesu Wires-X PNWDigital - DMR Radio and System Overview AREDN Network and Building Apps for Emergency Support New and Improved "Ham Law" A Hailing Channel for Packet Radio SDR on iOS Devices Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-05-22 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control All AREDN users are encouraged to update to v3.24.4.0 of the firmware production release. Soon one of our focus topics will be about Digital Coded Squelch (DCS) Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- VoIP CODECS Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-05-14 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control All AREDN users are encouraged to update to v3.24.4.0 of the firmware production release. Soon one of our focus topics will be about Digital Coded Squelch (DCS) Are there any QSTs? The PeaceHealth Riverbend Hospital EOC AREDN project is now operational with: 5 Nodes, 4 Devices, Two POE/Fiber Level 2 Switches, 3 dish antennas (pointing to Blanton, Thurston and McKenzie-Willamette Med. Center) 1 sector antenna (pointing to the parking lot for outside drills) 1 hAP, 2 Grandstream IP Phones, and 2 Laptop Computers Second floor radio room adjacent to the EOC: Connected to rooftop antennas using fiber optics Two operator workstation 1 hAP 2 Grandstream IP Phones 2 Touchscreen Laptop Computers Will be outfitted with fully digital documentation stored on AREDN NextCloud servers Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Round Table -- General. How has digital radio touched your life recently? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-05-08 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control All AREDN users are encouraged to update to v3.24.4.0 of the firmware production release. Soon one of our focus topics will be about Digital Coded Squelch (DCS) Mini Workshops (e.g., How to use your Anytone Radio) planned for Early Summer Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Round Table -- AREDN Wireguard Tunnels Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-05-01 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control All AREDN users are encouraged to update to v3.24.4.0 of the firmware production release. Next week we'll talk about AREDN Wireguard Are there any QSTs? Starting next week the preamble for the net will change slightly to mention 开云体育 Packethackers. Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Round Table -- Let's all talk about M17 and how it will change our world. The M17 project is developing open source hardware and software for digital voice and data communication, suitable for ham radio use. Project website: https://m17project.org/ Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-04-24 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control T.B.D. Are there any QSTs? All AREDN users are encouraged to update to v3.24.4.0 of the firmware production release (Brett) PHRB Construction Update (John) MWMC Construction Update (John) LCCORE Link Status and System Monitoring (John) Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Round Table -- What have you been up to? What would you like for a focus topic next week? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-04-17 Net Control: Mark N7RGF Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control -- NPR New Packet Radio (Craig). Documented here >> Hackaday.io link and Groups.IO link. Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic Dealing with trees and ISM congestion with AREDN. A general discussion. (John and Craig) Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-04-10 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. General Round Table Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-04-03 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Meshtastic overview (AI7NC) Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-03-27 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Round Table -- Casual discussion about VARA or anything else. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-03-13 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? Help Desk: Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- AREDN MeshPhone -- PBX networking -- PBX architecture -- IP Phone basics -- SIP Registration overview -- Features (PSTN, VoiceMail, Conference Bridges, Two Phones on One Account) -- Cool Numbers (Repeater Access, Information, Test Numbers) Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-03-13 Net Control: Mark N7RGF Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Basic Round Table Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-03-06 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control AI7BQ's Treecam now shows a live video feed. Click on Treecam Live listed as a service under AI7BQ hAP on your Mesh Status page. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Pi-Star and Hotspots, John AI7BQ Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-02-28 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control John has one IP phone available for free if you buy a hAP. -- Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Basic round table. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-02-21 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control LCCore is hosting a state-wide MeshPhone conference call on February 25, 2024 for 2h 1600-1800, with a 15 minute break. Call 4193 Acquisition of phones for hospital installs Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- QAM via AI7BQ Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-02-14 Net Control: Mark N7RGF Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control LCCore is hosting a state-wide MeshPhone conference call on February 25, 2024 for 2h 1600-1800, with a 15 minute break. Call 4193 MeshPhone Office 54147 (Florence) was moved to Glenada Hill AREDN booth at Salem Ham Fair this weekend A sizable lot of IP Phones might be available for free very soon. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Lesser used but still seen HF digital modes. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-02-07 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Pre-Announcement: Using Shared Spreadsheet on NextCloud Server. PATH: Mesh Status | LCcore-Main | LCcore-MeshChat (aredn:arednmesh) | Files | Ham Organizations & Clubs | Valley Radio Club | Radio Nets | Digital Radio Net | Net Control | Check-Ins Check-in Announcements from Net Control LCCore is hosting a state-wide MeshPhone conference call on February 25, 2024 for 2h 1600-1800, with a 15 minute break. Call 4193 Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Round Table Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-01-31 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Pre-Announcement: Using Shared Spreadsheet on NextCloud Server. PATH: Mesh Status | LCcore-Main | LCcore-MeshChat (aredn:arednmesh) | Files | Ham Organizations & Clubs | Valley Radio Club | Radio Nets | Digital Radio Net | Net Control | Check-Ins Check-in Announcements from Net Control LCCore is hosting a state-wide MeshPhone conference call on February 25, 2024 for 2h 1600-1800, with a 15 minute break. Call 4193 Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- CAT Control / Icom RS-BA1 and WFVIEW Open Source Remote Control software. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-01-24 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Pre-Announcement: Using Shared Spreadsheet on NextCloud Server. PATH: Mesh Status | LCcore-Main | LCcore-MeshChat (aredn:arednmesh) | Files | Ham Organizations & Clubs | Valley Radio Club | Radio Nets | Digital Radio Net | Net Control | Check-Ins Check-in Announcements from Net Control LCCore is hosting a state-wide MeshPhone conference call on February 25, 2024 for 2h 1600-1800, with a 15 minute break. Call 4193 Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Round Table Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-01-17 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control LCCore is hosting a state-wide MeshPhone conference call on February 25, 2024 for 2h 1600-1800, with a 15 minute break. Call 4193 Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic: AREDN MeshPhone Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-01-10 Net Control: Mark N7RGF Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control LCCore is hosting a state-wide MeshPhone conference call on February 25, 2024 1600-1700. Call 4193 Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Round Table Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2024-01-03 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control A team of hams are visiting PeaceHealth Riverbend hospital on Friday to do a site survey of the rooftop antenna pad. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic - Direwolf. What is it? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-12-27 Net Control: Nathan Ai7NC Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Today The Digital Radio Net celebrates our third anniversary of continuous operation Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Focus Topic - T.B.D. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-12-20 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Next week we the Digital Radio Net will celebrate its third anniversary of continuous operation The revised FCC rules to replace the baud rate limit on the HF bands (160 meters through 10 meters) with a 2.8 MHz bandwidth limit go into effect January 8th 2024. Consider signing up for the Zero Retries newsletter by Steve Stroh N8GNJ for late breaking digital radio news.https://www.zeroretries.org Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Subject Focused Round Table -- FCC Decision to Change Symbol Rate - why is it needed, what does it affect? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-12-13 Net Control: Mark N7RGF Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Future discussion topic: FCC decision to change the symbol rate. Why was it needed? Are there any QSTs? How to find Allstarlink and Echolink nodes, repeaters, traffic and nets? (John AI7BQ) Does anyone have any digital radio questions? No question is too basic. Round Table -- Open Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-12-06 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Second announcement: New RX-only igate installed on Indian Ridge. You can find it on APRS.fi labeled as "Indian". Includes telemetry for the site such as indoor temp and battery system voltage (it is a solar + gen backup site). Install is sponsored and funded by LCSARO. Second announcement: Thurston Hills multimode repeater now has a permanent AllStarLink to Deathball 441.225 via AREDN mesh. It also now has autopatch as well as NOAA WX alerts. Features added are on the analog side, P25 remains stand-alone and takes priority over analog traffic. New AREDN Production Release 3.23.12.0 is Ready. For more information click here. Or to hear more, check into the Willamette Valley Mesh Net on the WA7ABU Salem repeater 145.29 MHz. Also available on KC7RJK Irving Repeater 444.450 MHz PL 100, 441.225 MHz, AI7NC Blue River Repeater 441.225 PL 127.3, or N7NPA Thurston Repeater 441.650 DCS 125, Echolink WA7ABU-R, or AllStar 54326. Valley Radio Club Holiday Party -- Saturday December 9, 3pm-5pm at DickieJo's Burgers, 1079-C Valley River Way. Come join us for a no-host, drop-in holiday celebration with fellow hams. Purchase your food and drink through the Event Line. Are there any QSTs? Pros/cons of digital vs. analog APRS. For more information click here. Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Guest Speaker Mike, WA6OEM will talk about using APRS to spot yourself during a POTA Activation. For more information about spotting using APRS click here. For more information about Parks On The Air (POTA) click here. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-11-29 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control New RX-only igate installed on Indian Ridge. You can find it on APRS.fi labeled as "Indian". Includes telemetry for the site such as indoor temp and battery system voltage (it is a solar + gen backup site). Install is sponsored and funded by LCSARO. Thurston Hills multimode repeater now has a permanent allstarlink to Deathball 441.225 via AREDN mesh. It also now has autopatch as well as NOAA WX alerts. Features added are on the analog side, P25 remains stand-alone and takes priority over analog traffic. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- T.B.D. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-11-22 (Cancelled) Agenda 2023-11-15 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control The Digital Radio Net will be off-the-air next week (11/22) because of Thanksgiving Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table What got you started in Digital Radio? Why does it fascinate you? What would you like to do with it if you could? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-11-08 Net Control: Mark N7RGF Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control John AI7BQ is now the sysop for the MeshPhone PBX in Florence Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table -- Open Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-10-31 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control T.B.D. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Targeted Discussion -- FT8. What is it? Fun stories about it. Interest in future tech discussion. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-10-25 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control ARDC grant for continued MMDVM (Multimode Digital Voice Modem) development. ARDC MMDVM grant press release Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table -- Anything, and sound modems if you have any comments. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-10-18 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Upcoming Infrastructure Projects APRS Florence Glenada Hill (digi plus bidirection igate via AREDN) via W7FLO Prairie Peak (RX iGate only) via W7EUG Lane Mt. (digi) via W7OC Recently installed Mixed-mode P25 and FM narrow analog repeater N7NPA - 441.650 Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Guest Speaker, Mark N7RGF, will talk about HELL-FEST Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-10-11 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Upcoming Infrastructure Projects APRS Florence Glenada Hill (digi plus bidirection igate via AREDN) via W7FLO Prairie Peak (RX iGate only) via W7EUG Lane Mt. (digi) via W7OC AREDN Riverbend Hospital McKenzie-Willamette Hospital Recently installed Mixed-mode P25 and FM narrow analog repeater N7NPA - 441.650 Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table -- Your thoughts on the Pros and Cons of Digital Radio Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-09-20 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control T.B.D. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table -- Your thoughts on the Pros and Cons of Digital Radio Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-09-13 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control T.B.D. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- How to setup and use Echolink on W7PXL Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-09-06 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control We're recruiting for new net control operators. New multimode repeater. N7NPA 441.650 S Thurston Hills (Analog NFM / P25) Next week's focus topic: How to use EchoLink on W7PXL - John Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table -- What have you been up to? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-08-30 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control We're recruiting for new net control operators. New multimode repeater. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Digital technology in AI7NC 441.225 and N7NPA 441.650 repeaters Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-08-23 Net Control: Charlie N7CMP Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control We're recruiting for new net control operators. New multimode repeater. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. General Roundtable -- What do you want talk about or tell us? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-08-16 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control We're recruiting for new net control operators. The SDRplay company has released new software "SDRconnect" for their line of software defined radios. SDRplay is pleased to announce that a preview build of SDRconnect, their new multi-platform SDR and server software is available to download from the SDRplay website. For more information YouTube videos are available. Search for SDRconnect/Dayton. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. General Roundtable -- What have you been up to? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-08-09 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control We're recruiting for new net control operators. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Brainstorm Ways Digital Radio might Help during Race Support Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-08-02 (Note: No Workshop) Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control No workshop tonight. We will be on the air. We're recruiting for new net control operators. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Roundtable Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-07-26 Net Control: Charlie N7CMP Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control No workshop on August 2. We will be on the air. We're recruiting for new net control operators. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Chaos Shift Keying Part 2 by Charlie N7CMP Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-07-19 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control No workshop on August 2. We will be on the air. We're recruiting for new net control operators. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- APRS Transponder - John AI7BQ Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-07-12 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control LCcore Online - After many months following our power and router install in the Park Place Interconnect facility, our hAP AC2 is now online. We'll be working over the next week to move our strategic tunnels to Florence, Salem, and Phoenix over to the new device. After such we will work on moving our hypervisor that houses our LCcore services over to the facility. At that moment that includes the 541 PBX office for meshphone, Nextcloud fileserver, MeschChat, APRS-IS, and Trackdirect (our mesh APRS map). At some point in the future we may add a second hap for facilitating local client tunnels for our area to decrease our reliance on home internet connections. LMARG Grants - We have successfully won funding for AREDN mesh network setups at both Riverbend and McKenzie-Willamette Hospital. The proposal includes a link from both hospitals to our Springfield sector, as well as a direct hospital to hospital link. The Riverbend proposal also included radio replacements for both VHF/UHF voice and VHF/UHF packet. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic --Roundtable Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-06-28 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Workshop Lite -- Please join John AI7BQ for the third monthly mini workshop "AREDN Services Discussion and Tour of the WIX". on July 5, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in the Buford Meeting room in the Park Place building 859 Willamette Street Suite 500, Eugene, OR. The workshop will be helpful for people who are curious about AREDN. Digital Radio Net Off-the-Air -- A reminder that the net will be off-the-air on the first Wednesday of each month to make way for a series of monthly workshops this summer. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic --GNU Radio overview - what is it, and what can it be used for? https://www.gnuradio.org/ Here are the notes for tonight's topic, with some useful links and pictures. /g/packethackers/message/348 Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-06-21 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Workshop Lite -- Please join John AI7BQ for the third monthly mini workshop "AREDN Services Discussion and Tour of the WIX". on July 5, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in the Buford Meeting room in the Park Place building 859 Willamette Street Suite 500, Eugene, OR. The workshop will be helpful for people who are curious about AREDN. Digital Radio Net Off-the-Air -- A reminder that the net will be off-the-air on the first Wednesday of each month to make way for a series of monthly workshops this summer. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table -- What is it about digital radio that interests or fascinates you? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-06-14 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Workshop Lite -- Please join John AI7BQ for the third monthly mini workshop "AREDN Services Discussion and Tour of the WIX". on July 5, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in the Buford Meeting room in the Park Place building 859 Willamette Street Suite 500, Eugene, OR. The workshop will be helpful for people who are curious about AREDN. Digital Radio Net Off-the-Air -- A reminder that the net will be off-the-air on the first Wednesday of each month to make way for a series of monthly workshops this summer. AREDN Presentation -- Everyone is welcome to attend the June 20, 2023 Emerald Amateur Radio Society (EARS) meeting at 7pm at the Springfield Justice Center, 230 4th St., Springfield, OR. This meeting would be a good opportunity for anyone interested in learning about the AREDN Mesh Network and the benefits it offers the ham community. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-05-31 Net Control: Charlie N7CMP Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Workshop Lite -- Please join John AI7BQ for the second monthly mini workshop "APRS Basics". on June 7, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in the Buford Meeting room in the Park Place building 859 Willamette Street Suite 500, Eugene, OR. The workshop will be helpful for people who want to setup their radios to periodically beacon out their latitude and longitude in real time. Digital Radio Net Off-the-Air -- A reminder that the net will be off-the-air on the first Wednesday of each month to make way for a series of monthly workshops this summer. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Chaos Shift Keying by Charlie N7CMP Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-05-24 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control LCcore Progress - On May 27, 2023 we are getting Internet access to the LCcore system. We're hoping to install a dish antenna on the roof of the LCOG building, and if all goes well, we'll install the ProxMox server soon thereafter after we work out some VLAN2 issues. MeshNet Madness -- If you want to meet fellow Hams interested in AREDN Mesh Networking, plan to attend the MeshNet Madness gathering on Saturday, May 27, 2023 from 9:00am to Noon at the Mennonite Village in Albany, Oregon. There will be demonstrations and presentations as well as discussions. If you have unique pieces of equipment, please bring them to show fellow attendees. The meeting will further the expansion of Amateur Radio microwave mesh networking in Oregon. Spread the word to your Ham friends, and make it a day of adventure. Workshop Lite -- Please join John AI7BQ for the second monthly mini workshop "APRS Basics". on June 7, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in the Buford Meeting room in the Park Place building 859 Willamette Street Suite 500, Eugene, OR. The workshop will be helpful for people who want to setup their radios to periodically beacon out their latitude and longitude in real time. Digital Radio Net Off-the-Air -- A reminder that the net will be off-the-air on the first Wednesday of each month to make way for a series of monthly workshops this summer. Chaos Shift Keying -- Join us on May 31, 2023 for an introduction to this innovative data modulation scheme useful for ultra-wideband telecommunications by Charlie N7CMP. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table -- What have you been doing with digital radio in the past week? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-05-17 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control LCcore Progress - We're still in a holding pattern for our fiber optic interconnect to our ISP. Right now it looks like we'll be activating the equipment on May 27. MeshNet Madness -- Join this AREDN community event on May 27, 2023 9:00am in Albany OR. See Mel W8HMC for more information. Workshop Lite -- Please join John for the second monthly mini workshop "APRS Basics". on June 7, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in the Buford Meeting room in the Park Place building 859 Willamette Street Suite 500, Eugene, OR. The workshop will be helpful for people who want to setup their radios to periodically beacon out their latitude and longitude in real time. Digital Radio Net Off-the-Air -- A reminder that the net will be off-the-air on the first Wednesday of each month to make way for a series of monthly workshops this summer. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Railroad Track Warrants Gordon W7GBT will give a brief presentation on Track Warrants. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-05-10 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control LCcore Progress - We're still in a holding pattern for our fiber optic interconnect to our ISP. It got pushed out again to May 27. MeshNet Madness -- Join this AREDN community event on May 27, 2023 9:00am in Albany OR. See Mel W8HMC for more information. Workshop Lite -- Please join John for the second monthly mini workshop "APRS Basics". on June 7, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in the Buford Meeting room in the Park Place building 859 Willamette Street Suite 500, Eugene, OR. The workshop will be helpful for people who want to setup their radios to periodically beacon out their latitude and longitude in real time. Digital Radio Net Off-the-Air -- The net will be off-the-air for the first Wednesday of each month to make way for a series of monthly workshops. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-05-03 Note: The on-the-air net today was not held today. Agenda 2023-04-26 Net Control: Josh KO4TL Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control LCcore Progress - We're in a holding pattern until May 6 when our fiber optic interconnect to our ISP is scheduled to be installed. New AREDN Firmware -- It's worth mentioning again... All AREDN operators are encouraged to upgrade to their nodes to the latest firmware version 3.23.4.0 To download the software and learn about the nine major enhancements, visit https://arednmesh.org McKenzie Willamette Medical Center -- Nathan & John completed the site survey of the lower roof and discussed with management what it would take to install AREDN mesh networking at the hospital.Soon we will return to survey the upper floors which are expected to have much better line of site to possible targets Valley Radio Club Reflector -- General announcement. Reflector is moving to Groups.IO. Workshop Lite -- Please join John AI7BQ for a mini workshop "Joining and Leaving DMR Talkgroups" on May 3, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in the Buford Meeting room in the Park Place building 859 Willamette Street Suite 500, Eugene, OR. The workshop will be helpful for anyone with a DMR capable radio, but especially to those who have an Anytone 878. Bring your radio. Digital Radio Net Off-the-Air -- The net will be off-the-air for the first Wednesday of each month to make way for a series of monthly workshops. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic - WSPR Beacons (by Charlie N7CMP) Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-04-19 Net Control: John AI7BQ Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control LCcore Progress - Inverters, power distribution, router, and hAP are in place. Before we can go live we need to get our fiber optic interconnect with our ISP setup and move the ProxMox server from Nathan's house to the LCOG facility in downtown Eugene. New AREDN Firmware -- All AREDN users are encouraged to upgrade to the latest firmware version 3.23.4.0 To download the software and learn about the nine major enhancements, visit https://arednmesh.org McKenzie Willamette Medical Center -- Nathan & John are schedule to conduct a site survey on the roof of MWMC on April 20, 2023. Valley Radio Club Reflector -- General announcement. Reflector is moving to Groups.IO. Workshop Lite -- Joining and Leaving DMR Talkgroups. May 3 at LCOG. WSPR Presentation -- Charlie N7CMP will give a brief presentation on WSPR beacons next week. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Standard Round Table Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-04-12 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control LCcore Progress - Inverters and power distribution in place, including hAP. We expect to rack-in the Router and the Proxmox server within a week, and soon thereafter we'll be online. Antennas on the roof are the next phase of the project. PeaceHealth Riverbend -- Last week Nathan & John conducted a site survey on the roof. We identified several line-of-site paths to future AREDN targets, including Thurston Hills, McKenzie Willamette Medical Center, LCOG, Blanton Heights, Prairie Peak, and Prince Lucian Campbell. PeaceHealth is writing a grant get get money to fully redo their radio station and to outfit the rooftop with microwave, VHF, UHF, and HF antennas. McKenzie Willamette Medical Center -- Last week Nathan & John are schedule to conduct a site survey on the roof on April 20, 2023. MWMC is also seeking grant funding to build out AREDN at their Springfield facility and design a go-box for ham radio use. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- PAT Winlink, John AI7BQ Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-04-05 Net Control: Craig N7RWB Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control DMR Workshop - Rescheduled due to illness - new date to be announced when available. First in our first Wednesday "Workshop Lite" series. On April 5, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm in the LCOG Buford Meeting Room, 859 Willamette St., Suite 500, Eugene, OR. Demonstrations on how to join a DMR talk group and how to setup a simplex DMR QSO will be given. Bring your DMR radio. Space is limited to 10 people, so we will keep a list of interested participants. See John AI7BQ for information or to sign-up for this event. AMPRNet IP Block for LCcore - We have received our 5 year IP block lease from the ARDC for a /24 public IP block for use in the Place Place interconnect facility. We'll use this for the public facing side of the services on our network like APRS-IS. We'll be using the Elevate Tech Group ASN to publish our route via BGP. The block we were assigned is 44.26.110.0/24 as part of the Oregon regional network. (https://portal.ampr.org/networks.php?a=region&id=301). We have also secured a domain (lccore.net) for use on the public side of our services. This will make tunneling and hosting public services much easier. New APRS stations - There is a new APRS igate K7AGE-10 expanding missing coverage from Port Orford South to Brookings. AI7NC went through there a week ago and had next to no hits before the station was installed. There is also a new igate KK7BIZ-10 in Roseburg offering some local coverage for mobiles along the i-5 corridor N/S of Roseburg. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table -- What have you been doing with digital radio in the past week? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-03-29 Net Control: Charlie N7CMP Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control DMR Workshop - First in our first Wednesday "Workshop Lite" series. On April 5, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm in the LCOG Buford Meeting Room, 859 Willamette St., Suite 500, Eugene, OR. Demonstrations on how to join a DMR talk group and how to setup a simplex DMR QSO will be given. Bring your DMR radio. Space is limited to 10 people, so we will keep a list of interested participants. See John AI7BQ for information or to sign-up for this event. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table -- What have you been doing with digital radio in the past week? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-03-22 Net Control: Josh KO4TL Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control APRS Weather Announcements - On March 9, 2023 the Blue River APRS Weather Bot has was changed to report NOAA weather watches and warnings for ORZ013 (Cascades in Lane Co) instead of ORZ012 (Cascade Foothills in Lane Co). DMR Workshop - First in our first Wednesday "Workshop Lite" series. On April 5, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm in the LCOG Buford Meeting Room, 859 Willamette St., Suite 500, Eugene, OR. Demonstrations on how to join a DMR talk group and how to setup a simplex DMR will be given. Bring your DMR radio. Space is limited to 10 people, so we will keep a list of interested participants. See John AI7BQ for information or to sign-up for this event. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- LoRa Long-range, low-power wireless communication platform. -- Josh KO4TL Companion slides are available here. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-03-15 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC (John AI7BQ Backup) Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control APRS Weather Announcements - On March 9, 2023 the Blue River APRS Weather Bot has was changed to report NOAA weather watches and warnings for ORZ013 (Cascades in Lane Co) instead of ORZ012 (Cascade Foothills in Lane Co). DMR Workshop - First in our first Wednesday "Workshop Lite" series. On April 5, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm in the LCOG Buford Meeting Room, 859 Willamette St., Suite 500, Eugene, OR. Demonstrations on how to join a DMR talk group and how to setup a simplex DMR will be given. Bring your DMR radio. Space is limited to 10 people, so we will keep a list of interested participants. See John AI7BQ for information or to sign-up for this event. VARA FM Winlink RMS Gateway - A VARA FM RMS gateway and digipeter operating on 144.97 MHz has been installed at the Lane County Courthouse. The gateway operates on W7EUG-8 and the digipeter on W7EUG-9. See this post for more information. The addition of the station in downtown Eugene will greatly enhance the networked footprint of this system, and expand its reach into the southern Willamette valley. FreeDV Project - To advance To advance the state of the art in HF digital voice and to promote its use, Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) has awarded $420,000 to the FreeDV Project to hire experienced engineers to develop a low-bit-rate digital voice mode for HF radio. To learn more about FreeDV, visit freedv.org. Packethackers Membership - We are now up to 111 members. Everybody is reminded that the Digital Radio Net is supported by a Groups.IO mailing list called Packethackers. There you will find a mailing list, and pinned announcements such as the weekly Agenda, a statement of the net's Mission, Vision, and Values, Presentation Transcripts, Hardware and Software lists, and information on the Lane County Packet System. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table -- General chat about digital radio. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-03-08 Net Control: N7RWB Craig Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control DMR Workshop - April 5, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm in the LCOG Buford Meeting Room, 859 Willamette St., Suite 500, Eugene, OR. Demonstrations on how to join a DMR talk group and how to setup a simplex DMR will be given. Bring your DMR radio. Space is limited to 10 people, so we will keep a list of interested participants. See John AI7BQ for information or to sign-up for this event. VARA FM Winlink RMS Gateway - Soon there will be a VARA FM packet gateway operating on 144.97 MHz from the Lane County Courthouse. Currently there is a Vara FM gateway on Glenada in Florence and a compatible digipeater on Herman Peak operating on the same frequency. The addition of the station in downtown Eugene will greatly enhance the networked footprint of this system, and expand its reach into the southern Willamette valley. FreeDV Project - To advance To advance the state of the art in HF digital voice and to promote its use, Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) has awarded $420,000 to the FreeDV Project to hire experienced engineers to develop a low-bit-rate digital voice mode for HF radio. To learn more about FreeDV, visit freedv.org. Links to Audio Recordings - for the APRS Part 3 presentation by Nathan AI7NC, and the Train Telemetry Part 2 presentation by Gordon W7GBT have been attached to the Agenda on the packethackers Groups.IO Messages page. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- VarAC (HF Chat Reinvented) -- by John Simpson. Click here for slideshow. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-03-01 Net Control: N7CMP Charlie Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control DMR Workshop - Rescheduled for April 5. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table -- General chat about digital radio. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-02-22 Net Control: N7RWB Craig Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Net Calendar DMR Workshop - March 1st. Venue to be determined. Stay tuned. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- Train Telemetry Part 2 W7GBT Gordon - Link to audio recording ? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-02-15 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Net Calendar Train Telemetry Part 2 - Gordon W7GBT will return on February 22, 2023 to say a few more words about this interesting topic. DMR Workshop - March 1st. Venue to be determined. Stay tuned. AREDN Meetup There will be an all-state AREDN mesh meetup at the Salem Hamfest in Rickreall at 12:30pm on February 18, 2023 in the small building adjacent to the main meeting center. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- APRS Part 3 by Nathan AI7NC - Link to audio recording ? iGates - Internet gateway RX only or TX/RX These devices tie our amateur RF domain to the internet domain iGates will pass all traffic they hear to the APRS-IS network allowing you to access global RF data via the internet or private networks. This network is what allows APRS.FI to show global APRS data on their map interface. iGates also will pull data, based on their configuration, from the APRS-IS network to push back to RF Primary example of this is APRS SMS messaging. Bi-directional igates allows 2 way SMS communication and many of the cool SMS messaging features. Another example is using internet-based automation to push information out onto RF such as repeater info or NOAA weather data alerts. Connect to the APRS-IS (Internet Service) network This is an exchange network comprised of T2/T1/HUB APRS servers Clients connect to T2 servers T2 servers tie together using the HUB servers Uses TCP/IP protocol, so isn't only internet based We have multiple APRS-IS servers on the AREDN mesh network that are gateways between our private TCP/IP network and the wider internet Commonly misunderstandings The APRS-IS is a data exchange network. It just facilitates transference of live APRS data via TCP/IP networks. It does not push data to RF or iGates. APRS-IS is also not a database and is separate from the APRS.FI website. APRS.FI ties into the APRS-IS network and locally stores the info you see on their site. They collect the worldwide APRS data via the exchange network and host themselves the T2FINLAND APRS-IS server. VRC/AREDN team plans to host a public T2 APRS server on the LCcore server once we have installed the equipment in the WIX rack at the Park Place building downtown. We plan to get a public IP block from AMPRNet, the original funding source for our beloved ARDC. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-02-08 Net Control: KK4UVH Josh Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Future Focus Topics: Train Telemetry Part 2 - Gordon W7GBT will return on February 22, 2023 to say a few more words about this interesting topic. APRS Part 3 - Nathan AI7BQ will return on February 15, 2023 to talk about APRS Packet Structures and iGates. AREDN Meetup There will be an all-state AREDN mesh meetup at the Salem Hamfest in Rickreall at 12:30pm on February 18, 2023 in the small building adjacent to the main meeting center. Summary of State of the Mesh presentation (John AI7BQ). Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Discussion Topic (Talk about Monthly Workshops) DMR WORKSHOP (March 1) - Simplex demo between two radios - How to join and leave talk groups APRS WORKSHOP (April 5) - Demonstrate capabilities - Highlight key points of Nathan's past presentations. - Radio w/ Camera and projector. - Show-n-Tell DSTAR WORKSHOP (May 3) - Simplex demo between two radios - Joining and leaving reflectors MODEM WORKSHOP (June 7) - TNC - Direwolf - SoundCards AREDN WORKSHOP (July 5) WINLINK WORKSHOP (August 2) DIGITAL DAY during March Open House at Science Center Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-02-01 Net Control: N7RWB Craig Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Future Focus Topics: Train Telemetry Part 2 - Gordon W7GBT will return to say a few more words about this interesting topic. APRS Part 3 - Nathan AI7BQ will return to talk about APRS Packet Structures and iGates. State of the Mesh presentation on the 145.29 WA7ABU repeater (linked to 444.450 KC7RJK in Eugene), followed by a Zoom meeting on February 2 at 7:00 p.m. [Meeting ID 814 8860 8132 Passcode: 760198] AREDN Meetup If you use the AREDN Mesh Network, plan to come to the Salem Hamfest in Rickreall on 2/18. Several people are working to organize a meetup of everyone who uses the AREDN mesh network. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Discussion Topic - Charlie N7CMP: Thoughts about a parallel digital/analog voice session starting with the usual VRC repeater net , then moving to parallel sessions using a digital mode. JS8? DMR, DStar, etc. VHF or HF? Do we need to have prior session do discuss modems and software? Software modems (Direwolf), hardware modems (Mobilinkd, etc), or built-in (IC705, IC-9700, IC-7300, etc.), WSJT-X, etc. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-01-25 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Future Focus Topics: Train Telemetry Part 2 - Gordon W7GBT will return to say a few more words about this interesting topic. APRS Part 3 - Nathan AI7BQ will return to talk about APRS Packet Structures and iGates. State of the Mesh presentation on the 145.29 WA7ABU repeater (linked to 444.450 KC7RJK in Eugene), followed by a Zoom meeting on February 2 at 7:00 p.m. AREDN Meetup If you use the AREDN Mesh Network, plan to come to the Salem Hamfest in Rickreall on 2/18. Several people are working to organize a meetup of everyone who uses the AREDN mesh network. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table - What have you been doing lately? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-01-18 Net Control: N7RWB Craig Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Future Focus Topics: Train Telemetry Part 2 - Gordon W7GBT will return to say a few more words about this interesting topic. State of the Mesh presentation on the 145.29 WA7ABU repeater (linked to 444.450 KC7RJK in Eugene), followed by a Zoom meeting on February 2 at 7:00 p.m. AREDN Meetup If you use the AREDN Mesh Network, plan to come to the Salem Hamfest in Rickreall on 2/18. Several people are working to organize a meetup of everyone who uses the AREDN mesh network. Dial MeshPhone 541-4199 to listen to AI7NC's Lane County Radio Scanner. Website Change. Princeton is no longer hosting the website for WSJT-X. Moved to: https://sourceforge.net/projects/wsjt/ Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic -- APRS Part 2 by Nathan AI7NC Link to audio recording ? Digi - Digital repeater or Digipeter Operate in simplex 99% of the time Frequencies 144.390 MHz – Colombia, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, North America, Thailand 144.800 MHz – South Africa, Europe, Russia 144.575 MHz – New Zealand 144.660 MHz – Japan 144.930 MHz – Argentina, Uruguay 145.175 MHz – Australia 145.570 MHz – Brazil 145.825 MHz - ISS (International Space Station) [1] 432.500 MHz - IARU R1 Operation Function is similar to a repeater, however they fully decode the packet, CRC check it, then retransmit the packet. Difference vs analog repeaters is signal degradation isn't carried forward in the retransmission. Mixture of low level and high level sites Types Wide area digipeter Forwards WIDE1-1, WIDE2-2, OR2-1 paths Used to cover wide areas Fill-in digipeter Fowards WIDE1-1 paths only Used to cover specific areas a wide area digi doesn't Local digipeters EUGENE - Wide area geofenced SPRFLD - Wide area geofenced when no IS connectivity WLTRVL - Fill-in BRIVER - Wide area geofenced CRSWLL - Fill-in Geofenced CGRV - Wide area ROYAL - Wide area MAPLTN - Fill-in Paths - Routing for packets Generic Paths Empty path (no text) - zero hops WIDE1-1 - 1 hop WIDE1-1, WIDE2-1 - 2 hops WIDE1-1, WIDE2-2 - 3 hops Regional Paths OR2-1 or WA2-1 MCKE2-1 or MCKE1-1 Specific path routing SPRF1-1, BRIVER1-1, GRZZLY1-1 SPRF1-1, BRIVER1-1, WLKMTN1-1 Single frequency in use nationally, many digipeters hear each other across the state (stats below based on just last 10 days) BRIVER hears 11 - max HEBOWX (E. of Pacific City) 104 mi SPRFLD hears 14 - max KK7BF (SW. of Grants Pass) 115 mi EUGENE hears 9 - max Saddle (W. of Portland) 100 mi See this site for live data on digis that can hear each other. Two hops often gets you into Washington from the Eugene area which is why you want to only use what's necessary. Beacon rate + hops Determines how much airtime you're using. 1/min + 1 hop = minimum 2 sec airtime 1/min + 2 hop = minimum 3 sec airtime (likely 5-6) 1/min + 3 hop = minimum 4 sec airtime (likely 7-12) See this post for more about air time utilization Being a good steward of airtime as mobile/HT operators Minimize your hops (don't use more than you need to get into igates) Willamette valley you need zero to 1 hop to ensure you get to an i-gate. Many of us run WIDE1-1 and even that doesn't get consumed before it gets gated to the internet Central/Southern Oregon max now you need is 2 hops to ensure gateway access to do igate improvements over last year but most are covered within a single hop Eastern Oregon (Burns/Vale/Christmas Valley/Lakeview requires 2 hops but doesn't require 3. Lakeview is hardest but is covered via GRIZZ + KK7BF + igate (MEDFRD/SPRFLD) Minimize transmission rate Limit transmit rate to ~1 per minute max Use Smartbeaconing, slows your rate when you slow your movement speed. Will also save your battery life on your HT by not sending redudant information. Limit power in high coverage areas. For the Eugene/Springfield area, you don't need 50w for coverage in the valley, 5w is plenty. This will reduce the number of digi's that hear you direct and retransmit your packet Being a good steward of airtime as a digipeter or WX/telemetry station operator Limit RF beacon rate of WX and telemetry to no more than once per 5 minutes. Use minimal hops to get your data to where it needs to go. There are WX station examples in Oregon that are using too many hops. If running a digipeter Geofence the generic path types to cover areas that need coverage but limit overlapping coverage with other digipeters Monitor what your station is hearing and forward to identify potential abusive patterns Contact/work with stations that are abusing the airtime. Every time we've done this the ham just had something misconfigured and wasn't aware of the downstream impacts. As a last resort, locally blacklist a station if it's driving unnecessary congestion in your area Being a good steward of airtime as a home station Beacon max once per 30 minutes Use max 1 hop (unless you're in central OR use case where you need 2 to get to an igate) Questions? May consider having an APRS part 3 to talk about packet structures for APRS if there's enough interest iGates - Internet gateway RX only or TX/RX These devices tie our amateur RF domain to the internet domain iGates will pass all traffic they hear to the APRS-IS network allowing you to access global RF data via the internet or private networks. This network is what allows APRS.FI to show global APRS data on their map interface. iGates also will pull data, based on their configuration, from the APRS-IS network to push back to RF Primary example of this is APRS SMS messaging. Bi-directional igates allows 2 way SMS communication and many of the cool SMS messaging features. Another example is using internet-based automation to push information out onto RF such as repeater info or NOAA weather data alerts. Connect to the APRS-IS (Internet Service) network This is an exchange network comprised of T2/T1/HUB APRS servers Clients connect to T2 servers T2 servers tie together using the HUB servers Uses TCP/IP protocol, so isn't only internet based We have multiple APRS-IS servers on the AREDN mesh network that are gateways between our private TCP/IP network and the wider internet Special notes APRS-IS is not a database and is separate from the APRS.FI website. APRS.FI ties into the APRS-IS network and locally stores the info you see on their site APRS-IS just facilitates transference of live APRS data via TCP/IP networks. It does not store information and it doesn't push data to RF. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-01-11 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Future Focus Topics: APRS Part 2 -- Next week (1/18) Nathan AI7NC will talk about paths, hops, flooding, automated beacons and bulletins, digipeaters, iGates, & APRS-IS. Train Telemetry Part 2 - Gordon W7GBT will return to say a few more words about this interesting topic. AREDN MeshPhone - If you are interested in getting on the MeshPhone system, all you need is a connection to AREDN, an IP Phone or soft phone, and access credentials to the LCCore PBX. Just let me know during the roundtable, and I'll help get you signed up. New AREDN Tunnel - To help enhance connectivity to the Medford area, a new tunnel has been setup between Eugene and Phoenix. It is already proving to enhance traffic flow, and soon we expect to setup a new PBX trunk for better voice quality into and out of the southern part of the state. Are there any QSTs? Several leaders of the Willamette Valley Mesh Network are working to organize a state-wide meet-up of everyone who uses AREDN at the Rikreall hamfest. There will be a State of the Mesh presentation on the 145.29 WA7ABU repeater, followed by a Zoom meeting on February 2 at 7:00 p.m. Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Are there follow-up questions about last week's Arduino presentation. Roundtable: What DMR capability do you have? What HF digital modes do you have experience with? Would you like to schedule digital on-the-air meetups? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2023-01-03 Net Control: KK4UVH Josh Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Future Focus Topics: APRS Part 2 -- Next week (1/11) Nathan AI7NC will talk about paths, hops, flooding, automated beacons and bulletins, digipeaters, iGates, & APRS-IS. Train Telemetry Part 2 - Gordon W7GBT will return to say a few more words about this interesting topic. Are there any QSTs? Several leaders of the Willamette Valley Mesh Network are working to organize a state-wide meet-up of everyone who uses AREDN at the Rikreall hamfest. There will be a State of the Mesh presentation on the 145.29 WA7ABU repeater, followed by a Zoom meeting on February 2 beg Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Are there questions about last week's APRS SMS presentation? Focus Topic: What have you been doing with digital radio this past week? Have you sent an SMS or Email using APRS? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-12-28 Net Control: N7RWB Craig Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control AREDN - Firmware upgrade to 3.22.12.0 Future Focus Topics: APRS Part 2 -- On January 11 AI7NC Nathan will talk about paths, hops, flooding, automated beacons and bulletins, digipeaters, iGates, & APRS-IS. Train Telemetry Part 2 - Gordon W7GBT will return to say a few more words about this interesting topic. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Focus Topic: How to send an SMS message via APRS (Craig) Notes (on Google Drive) See here for full details:https://smsgte.org/ Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-12-20 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control This is the 2-year anniversary meeting Future Focus Topics: APRS Part 2 -- On January 11 AI7NC Nathan will talk about paths, hops, flooding, automated beacons and bulletins, digipeaters, iGates, & APRS-IS. Train Telemetry - Gordon W7GBT will return to say a few more words about this interesting topic. AREDN - Firmware upgrade to 3.22.12.0 Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any digital radio questions. No question is too basic. Round Table - In the past 2 years what accomplishments have you made? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-12-14 Net Control: N7RWB Craig Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Future Focus Topics: APRS -- AI7NC Nathan will talk about paths, hops, flooding, automated beacons and bulletins, digipeaters, iGates, & APRS-IS. Train Telemetry - Gordon W7GBT will return to say a few more words about this interesting topic. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Round Table - What have you been up to, and what would you like the net to cover next year.? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-12-06 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control We now have permission from the Lane County Sheriff Amateur Radio Organization to use their 6.68 repeater as a backup. This evening's focus topic will be recorded and posted to Groups.IO for future reference. Future Focus Topics: APRS Part 2 -- AI7NC Nathan will talk about paths, hops, flooding, automated beacons and bulletins, digipeaters, iGates, & APRS-IS. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Focus Topic - End of Train Telemetry Reception & Decoding W7GBT Gordon - Link to audio recording ? Please visit Google Drive to view the presentation slides. Please visit https://www.radioreference.com/db/aid/9353 for a list of regional railroad radio frequencies. Please visit https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/End_of_Train_Device_(EOTD) to listen to an example packet transmission. SDR Sharp software can be downloaded here: https://airspy.com/download/ SoftEOT software can be downloaded here: /g/SoftEOT VR Cable software can be downloaded here: https://vb-audio.com/Cable/ Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-11-30 Net Control: N7RWB Craig Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control This evening's focus topic will be recorded and posted to Groups.IO for future reference. Future Focus Topics: Train Telemetry Reception & Decoding -- W7GBT Gordon joins us next week from Oregon State University via Echolink to discuss how train telemetry works. Repeater Tour -- Ross KC7RJK will be joining us sometime soon to explain how to operate his DMR and Allstar/IRLP Analog repeaters. Are there any QSTs? AI7BQ John -- Cutover from the legacy WVMN 74-xxxx phone system to the new MeshPhone network is almost complete and dial tone on the legacy system will cease to work in December. If anyone is interested in signing up as a MeshPhone subscriber, please contact AI7BQ. You will need an IP Phone or a SIP soft phone. MeshPhone is world-wide network of PBX's trunked together using the AREDN mesh network. Oregon is served by seven interconnected regional PBXs. Does anyone have any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Focus Topic - APRS Use Cases - AI7NC Nathan - Link to audio recording ? Features for an end-user Location beaconing (vehicles, balloons, ships, planes, people) Periodic Beaconing Smart Beaconing Self assigned status with text Speed/Direction/Elevation Tune-to functionality Example I am on X frequency now, please join me Repeater advertisement Receiving APRS Wx reports on your radio Example Text messaging Full list of SMS features SMSGTE - Gateway to phone SMS messages (bidirectional) EMAIL - gateway to email (bidirectional) WXBOT - query weather data for your location WINLINK - gateway to your winlink inbox SOTA spotting - Self spot or query for SOTA Repeater Query - query nearest voice repeater data ETC (see list above) Telemetry, status and control Example Filtering / alert notification APRS radio frequencies 144.39 national standard channel Simplex tracking a friend while hiking You can also use channel of your choice How to view data without an APRS HT/Radio (Reports, WX data, Telemetry, Bulletins) APRS.FI LCcore TrackDirect Server on Mesh http://lccore-trackdirect.local.mesh/ APRS.FI or APRSdroid apps on your phone/tablet Most have historical functionality allowing you to travel back in time or look at WX/Telemetry history back a year Q&A Next Time Paths, hops, flooding, automated beacons and bulletins, digipeaters, iGates, & APRS-IS Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-11-23 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Future Focus Topics: Digipeater Pumpkin Eater -- Nathan AI7NC will give an overview of APRS and Digipeaters. 11/30. Repeater Tour -- Ross KC7RJK will join us to explain how to operate his DMR and Allstar/IRLP Analog repeaters. Date T.B.D. Train Telemetry Reception & Decoding -- W7GBT Gordon joins us from Oregon State University to discuss how train telemetry works. 12/7. General Topic Ideas: What is MeshPhone, APRS, How to get started with AREDN, Winlink, Soft IP Phones, Oregon Packet Network, FT8, JS8 Call, and Store & Forward Packet, Using VHF/UHF for modes that are typically done on HF. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Focus Topic - AnyTone 878 Basics Anytone 878 features All have 4000 channels, 250 zones. 16 character channel and zone names. Is a part 90 certified radio, does narrow band, wide band analog and DMR phase II. Scan lists are plentiful and don't seem to have a channel cap like some radios like Motorola's. Can be manually selected or have a default set per channel. 7w power output on VHF and 6w on UHF. Very long battery life. Drain test on APRS 144.39 MHz with squelch open and backlight on set to lowest brightness stayed on for 29.5 hours. Color screen with dual watch VFO but not dual receive. Difference between 878UVi Plus vs 878UVii Plus Digital contact list 200k vs 500k APRS RX decoding (bi-directional messaging vs one way [tx only]) Community code plug Base set of channels comprised of simplex frequencies and repeaters. Grouped into zones to make navigation easier Includes DMR configuration for 3 local repeaters. KC7RJK, Blanton W7OEC, and the newer Mary's peak. Only KC7RJK is a dedicated DMR repeater and we'll have a talk about it in an upcoming focus topic net All buttons on the anytone can be customized to function as you wish. Community code plug is built with the newer user in mind to hopefully make it easier to navigate and operate the radio. Navigation on radio DPAD up/down changes zones Center top dial changes channels within a zone Top Right dial adjusts volume and turns radio on/off Green button is select or the menu button Red is List button for DMR operation (when on DMR channel) or back to get back tot the home screen. P1 change which VFO you're on P2 switches between memory mode and VFO mode Holding P2 for 2 seconds reverses the repeater frequency pairs Holding P1 turn on/off broadcast FM radio receive feature. Top Green/blue PF3 button changes tx power level Holding PF3 button switches between memory name and frequency PF1 button (just below the PTT) switches between digital monitoring modes Holding PF1 button switches between channel operating modes (analog/digital) Holding PF2 button below PF1 opens squelch for monitoring Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-11-16 Net Control: N7RWB Craig Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Future Focus Topics: Digipeater Pumpkin Eater -- Nathan AI7NC will give an overview of APRS and Digipeaters. 11/30. Repeater Tour -- Ross KC7RJK will join us to explain how to operate his DMR and Allstar/IRLP Analog repeaters. Date T.B.D. Train Telemetry Reception & Decoding -- W7GBT Gordon joins us from Oregon State University to discuss how train telemetry works. 12/7. General Topic Ideas: What is MeshPhone, APRS, How to get started with AREDN, Winlink, Soft IP Phones, Oregon Packet Network, FT8. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Round Table Call for discussion topics Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-11-09 Net Control: N7RWB Craig Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Future Focus Topics: Digipeater Pumpkin Eater -- Nathan AI7NC will give an overview of APRS and Digipeaters. 11/30. Repeater Tour -- Ross KC7RJK will join us to explain how to operate his DMR and Allstar/IRLP Analog repeaters. Date T.B.D. Train Telemetry Reception & Decoding -- W7GBT Gordon joins us from Oregon State University to discuss how train telemetry works. 12/7. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Round Table Have you been doing (or want to do) with digital radio? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-11-02 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Charlie N7CMP wanted everyone to know about an online SDR training course. A new WinLink application called WoAD is available for Android users. Check it out. Visit woad.sumusltd.com for further information. A new IOS app called Repeater Phone provides the ability to connect your mobile device to EchoLink or AllStarLink nodes. I have used it for a week now, and I'm really impressed with it's operation. Thus far I've only used it for Future Topics: Digipeter Pumpkin Eater -- Nathan AI7NC will give an overview of APRS and Digipeters. Date T.B.D. KC7RJK Repeater Tour -- Ross KC7RJK will join us to explain how to operate his DMR and Allstar/IRLP repeaters. Date T.B.D. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Round Table What topics, presentations, or workshops would you like the Digital Radio net to schedule in the next few months? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-10-26 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Charlie wanted everyone to know about an online SDR training course. Visit <url_goes_here> for more information. A new WinLink application called WoAD is available for Android users. It can be used as a client for the Winlink Global Radio Email system, or for direct connection to a peer-to-peer capable client, via the Internet or a VHF/UHF AX.25 packet connection. The application can one of use four different connection types: AFSK - using the device’s sound card and simple electronic circuitry to interface to the audio connections of a radio. USB - using the device’s USB host capability to connect to a packet modem or radio with built-in packet modem. TCP/IP - using an internet connection to connect to an internet capable packet modem which is in turn interfaced to a radio. BLUETOOTH - using the device’s bluetooth capability to connect directly to a bluetooth-enabled radio or via a bluetooth capable packet modem. Visit woad.sumusltd.com for further information. A new paid app for IOS users called Repeater Phone provides the ability to connect your mobile device to EchoLink or AllStarLink nodes, including repeaters and conferences. It provides true PTT functionality, not the latched PTT found in the legacy EchoLink app. Comments say quote "This fills the entire IAX hole for iPhone brilliantly. Works as expected. Intuitive interface." Future Topics: Digipeter Pumpkin Eater -- Nathan AI7NC will give an overview of APRS and Digipeters. Date T.B.D. KC7RJK Repeater Tour -- Ross KC7RJK will join us to explain how to operate his DMR and Allstar/IRLP repeaters. Date T.B.D. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Round Table Are you either working on a digital project now, or do you have a rainy-day project you're thinking about undertaking? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-10-19 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in Announcements from Net Control Future Topics: Digipeter Pumpkin Eater -- Nathan AI7NC will give an overview of APRS and Digipeters. Date T.B.D. KC7RJK Repeater Tour -- Ross KC7RJK will join us to explain how to operate his DMR and Allstar/IRLP repeaters. Date T.B.D. Are there any QSTs? Does anyone have any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Focus Topic AllStarLink -- John AI7BQ Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-10-12 Net Control: N7RWB Craig Preamble Check-in Announcements Nathan AI7NC has done quite a bit of work on his APRS TrackDirect server, mainly offlining many of the resources that the server uses. He also created an "AREDN" map layer that directs to Anna NH6Z's AREDN tile server so the map can be accessed via the mesh without internet. Nathan would like everyone to check it out and let him know if you encounter any issues. You can access the server by visiting http://lccore-trackdirect.local.mesh. Brett KG7GDB invites everyone to attend the Swaptober Ham Radio Swap meet from 9:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday October 15, 2022 at the Polk County Fairgrounds. Come see a live AREDN mesh setup used to support an emergency communication exercise. If you can't attend the swap meet, please consider sending a WinLink Express Field Situation Report form to W7OEM, K7MAR, or W7PLK. You can access this form in your Winlink Express application by selecting Message | New Message... | Select Template | Standard Templates | General Forms | Field Situation Report. Make sure you enter your correct Latitude/Longitude. Fill out the form, then press SUBMIT at the bottom of the form. Address your mail to W7OEM, K7MAR and W7PLK, and send it off. Please do this on 10/12, 10/13, and 10/14 so they can compile all of the data on Saturday 10/15. Are there any QSTs? T.B.D. Does anyone have any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? General Round Table Digipeter Pumpkin Eater Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-10-05 Net Control: N7CMP Charlie Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net Nathan AI7NC has done quite a bit of work on his APRS TrackDirect server, mainly offlining many of the resources that the server uses. He also created an "AREDN" map layer that directs to Anna NH6Z's AREDN tile server so the map can be accessed via the mesh without internet. Nathan would like everyone to check it out and let him know if you encounter any issues. You can access the server by visiting http://lccore-trackdirect.local.mesh. Brett KG7GDB invites everyone to attend the Swaptober Ham Radio Swap meet from 9:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday October 15, 2022 at the Polk County Fairgrounds. Come see a live AREDN mesh setup used to support an emergency communication exercise. If you can't attend the swap meet, please consider sending a WinLink Express Field Situation Report form to W7OEM, K7MAR, or W7PLK. You can access this form in your Winlink Express application by selecting Message | New Message... | Select Template | Standard Templates | General Forms | Field Situation Report. Make sure you enter your correct Latitude/Longitude. Fill out the form, then press SUBMIT at the bottom of the form. Address your mail to W7OEM, K7MAR and W7PLK, and send it off. Please do this on 10/12, 10/13, and 10/14 so they can compile all of the data on Saturday 10/15. General Announcements T.B.D. Does anyone have any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Mini Topic - Striking up a Casual Conversion using JS8 - Charlie N7CMP General Round-Table How did the multi-mode experiment work for you? What have you been up to lately? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-09-28 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net Nathan AI7NC has done quite a bit of work on his APRS TrackDirect server, mainly offlining many of the resources that the server uses. He also created an "AREDN" map layer that directs to Anna NH6Z's AREDN tile server so the map can be accessed via the mesh without internet. Nathan would like everyone to check it out and let him know if you encounter any issues. You can access the server by visiting http://lccore-trackdirect.local.mesh. Brett KG7GDB invites everyone to attend the Swaptober Ham Radio Swap meet from 9:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday October 15, 2022 at the Polk County Fairgrounds. Come see a live AREDN mesh setup used to support an emergency communication exercise. If you can't attend the swap meet, please consider sending a WinLink Express Field Situation Report form to W7OEM, K7MAR, or W7PLK. You can access this form in your Winlink Express application by selecting Message | New Message... | Select Template | Standard Templates | General Forms | Field Situation Report. Make sure you enter your correct Latitude/Longitude. Fill out the form, then press SUBMIT at the bottom of the form. Address your mail to W7OEM, K7MAR and W7PLK, and send it off. Please do this on 10/12, 10/13, and 10/14 so they can compile all of the data on Saturday 10/15. General Announcements T.B.D. Does anyone have any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Multi-Mode Net - John AI7BQ See: https://www.jeffreykopcak.com/ham-radio/k8jtk-hub-digital-voip-mutimode-interlink-system/ You can monitor the links using the DVMIS Allstar Monitor II. At 8:00pm we will take check-ins on the 146.72 W7PXL repeater. During check-in, you will be asked what mode you would like to run. After check-ins, we will give a brief overview of the plans, including operating rules. The KC7RJK 444.450+PL100 FM analog repeater will be linked to the DVMIS hub using Allstar node 50394. You are welcome to switch to 444.450, but for more fun, everyone is encouraged to rejoin the net using any of the following digital modes: Allstar 50394 Echolink *DVMIS* conference 600008 DMR HBLINK Master HB_US_K8JTK-HUB-DVMIS_DMO. Talkgroup 31983 (group call), time slot 2. DMR BM(TG) 3172783 DMR TGIF(TG) 31983 DSTAR XLX983A (other options see website) Hamshack Hotline 94026 (Press *99 to TRANSMIT. Press # to STOP TRANSMITTING.) NXDN(TG) 31983 P25(TG) 31983 YSF K8JTK-Hub 31983. Mode DN or narrow. Do NOT use Wires-X search functions while connected. Wires-X(Room) 40680 Hams Over IP 15010 (Press *99 to TRANSMIT. Press # to STOP TRANSMITTING.) M17 M17-983A You can use your hotspot, IP phone, or any of the following local digital repeaters to link in: KC7RJK 444.425 Irving, DMR (TG1 will be pre-linked to the DVMIS on Brandmeister Talkgroup 3172783 W7OEC 442.425 Blanton, Yaesu Fusion K7WVD 444.275 Mary's Peak, D-Star A roll-call check-in will be conducted. Please state your Callsign, Name, and Mode. Jeff K8JTK, the owner and operator of DVMIS may join us to give us some background on the system. We will return to the 146.72 W7PXL repeater to do a round-table debrief and secure the net. Round-Table Debrief - John AI7BQ How did the multi-mode experiment work for you? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-09-21 Net Control: N7RWB Craig Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net The Valley Radio Club invites everyone to attend the VRC Ham Radio Swap Meet on Saturday, Sept. 24, 9:00 AM to Noon at Oregon Electronics, 975 Conger St, Eugene. Sellers: Bring your own table or display, plan to arrive at 8:00am and please stay through Noon to allow late comers a chance to buy, gather, and visit. Some people will be traveling a long distance to attend. Buyers: Please wait until 9:00am to allow sellers time to set up and spaces to park so they can unload. Free coffee and donuts will be available (while supplies last). This is an exciting opportunity to gather, get rid of old gear and find new gems. While you're there, check out the wonderful things Oregon Electronics has available.. Brett KG7GDB invites everyone to attend the Swaptober Ham Radio Swap meet from 9:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday October 15, 2022 at the Polk County Fairgrounds. Come see a live AREDN mesh setup used to support an emergency communication exercise. If you can't attend the swap meet, please consider sending a WinLink Check-In form to W7OEM, K7MAR, or W7PLK. General Announcements APRS station "SPRFLD" connectivity to APRS-IS has been restored Does anyone have any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Preparing for Next Week's Multi-Mode Net - John AI7BQ See: https://www.jeffreykopcak.com/ham-radio/k8jtk-hub-digital-voip-mutimode-interlink-system/ Next week, the Digital Radio Net will run a multi-mode net on this repeater. At 8:00pm we will take check-ins here on the 146.72 W7PXL repeater. During check-in, you will be asked what mode you would like to run. After check-ins, we will give a brief overview of the plans, including operating rules. The KC7RJK 444.450 repeater will be linked to the Digital Voice over IP Multimode Interlinked System (DVMIS) hub. You are welcome to switch to 444.450, but for more fun, everyone is encouraged to rejoin the net using any of the following digital modes: Allstar 50394 Echolink *DVMIS* conference 600008 DMR HBLINK Master HB_US_K8JTK-HUB-DVMIS_DMO. Talkgroup 31983 (group call), time slot 2. DMR BM(TG) 3172783 DMR TGIF(TG) 31983 DSTAR XLX983A (other options see website) Hamshack Hotline 94026 (Press *99 to TRANSMIT. Press # to STOP TRANSMITTING.) NXDN(TG) 31983 P25(TG) 31983 YSF K8JTK-Hub 31983. Mode DN or narrow. Do NOT use Wires-X search functions while connected. Wires-X(Room) 40680 Hams Over IP 15010 (Press *99 to TRANSMIT. Press # to STOP TRANSMITTING.) M17 M17-983A You can use your hotspot, IP phone, or any of the following local digital repeaters to link in: KC7RJK 444.425 Irving, DMR W7OEC 442.425 Blanton, Yaesu Fusion K7WVD 444.275 Mary's Peak, D-Star A roll-call check-in will be conducted. Jeff K8JTK, the owner and operator of DVMIS may join us to give us some background on the system. We will return to the 146.72 W7PXL repeater to do a general round-table and secure the net. General Round-Table - Craig N7RWB What have you been up to lately? How did the multi-mode experiment work for you? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-09-14 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net Brett KG7GDB invites everyone to attend the Swaptober ham swap meet from 9:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday October 15, 2022 at the Polk County Fairgrounds. Come see a live AREDN mesh setup used to support an emergency communication exercise. If you can't attend the swap meet, please consider sending a WinLink Check-In form to W7OEM, K7MAR, or W7PLK. General Announcements APRS station "SPRFLD" connectivity to APRS-IS has been restored Does anyone have any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Focus Topic - Tracking Weather Balloons - Brett KG7GDB Please join the 开云体育 Balloons Group for more information. Please review Weather Balloon Tracking References and Screenshots for more information. Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-09-07 Net Control: N7CMP Charlie Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Next Week's Focus Topic: Tracking Weather Balloons. Guest speaker Brett KG7GDB will discuss ways that weather balloons can be tracked using SDR dongles. Future Topics: Packet Radio DMR Workshop KC7RJK Repeater Tour Train Monitoring Geofencing Yaesu Fusion Hands On AREDN Workshop D-Star Split-Mode Net (e.g., take check-ins on this repeater, then move to a multi-mode net). AREDN Firmware Update: Reminder. A new AREDN production release came out today, version 3.22.8.0. The "Share my WAN" button has now been hidden on the advanced setup page. We recommend all AREDN users upgrade their devices as soon as convenient. AREDN Antenna Update: Plans are in the making for updating the dish antenna at KI7ESW-PBE400-CORV-AIR to improve the S/N ratio to Eugene. MeshPhone News: Several new MeshPhone PBXs are popping up in Oregon. The latest ones are in Florence and Multnomah Counties. Soon the 74xxxx system in Oregon will be retired and all subscribers will be given new credentials and a new phone number for system access. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? WinLink Training Follow-Up - Bob K6RMP is on-the-air with us via EchoLink to answer any questions that people may have. Round Table -- What have you been up to lately? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-08-31 WinLink Training Class in lieu of On-The-Air-Net Agenda 2022-08-24 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements WinLink Training Class. August 31 from 6pm to 9pm at the Norkenzie Christian Church, 2530 Crescent Ave, Eugene, OR. Bob K6RMP will be the instructor. Bring your own laptop with Winlink Express pre-installed. WiFi will be available. Future Topics: Packet Radio DMR Workshop KC7RJK Repeater Tour Train Monitoring Geofencing Yaesu Fusion Hands On AREDN Workshop D-Star Split-Mode Net (e.g., take check-ins on this repeater, then move to a multi-mode net). Local Hospital Interest in AREDN: Soon we will be opening a dialog with with PeaceHealth and McKenzie-Willamette Medical Centers regarding installation and use of AREDN mesh networking equipment at their facilities. I have already talked with the emergency managers at both agencies, and they are both ready to begin talks. This opens up exciting new opportunities for hams to provide high speed emergency communication capabilities to these agencies. Our initial meeting will get the hospitals up-to-speed with regional AREDN developments, and explore the benefits that AREDN services can offer. We'll talk about mesh resiliency, infrastructure needs, network topology and line-of-sight requirements. We'll then schedule site surveys and setup a time to do some desktop demonstrations. AREDN Firmware Update: Breaking news. A new AREDN production release came out today, version 3.22.8.0. The "Share my WAN" button has now been hidden on the advanced setup page. We recommend all AREDN users upgrade their devices as soon as convenient. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Focus Topic - SDR is Here and Now - NH6Z Annaliese - Pending link to audio recording ? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-08-17 Net Control: N7RWB Craig Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements WinLink Training Class. August 31 from 6pm to 9pm at the Norkenzie Christian Church, 2530 Crescent Ave, Eugene, OR. Bob K6RMP will be the instructor. Bring your own laptop with Winlink Express pre-installed. WiFi will be available. Future Topics: Packet Radio, DMR Workshop, KC7RJK Repeater Tour, Train Monitoring, Geofencing, Yaesu Fusion, Hands On AREDN Workshop, D-Star, Split-Mode Net (c.f., PNW Anti Net, NW Hamshack) Next Week's Focus Topic: SDR is Here and Now NH6Z Annaliese will join us on 8/24 as a guest speaker to talk about the state-of-the-art in the world of Software Defined Radios. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Round Table: What do you think about the topics we captured last week? Is there a mini topic that you'd like to lead in the future? Do you have any additional topics you'd like to add to the list. If you worked Waldo, can you imagine using APRS or other digital modes like Winlink to make life better? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-08-10 Net Control: N7CMP Charlie Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements WinLink Training Class. August 31 from 6pm to 9pm at the Norkenzie Christian Church, 2530 Crescent Ave, Eugene, OR. Bob K6RMP will be the instructor. Bring your own laptop with Winlink Express pre-installed. WiFi will be available. Packet Radio will be a future focus topic later this month. SDR is Here and Now NH6Z Annaliese presenter 8/24. Remote Ham Radio. On the air from anywhere. Pay for time. Free for youth. Compatible with Maestro from Flex Radio. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Round Table: What digital equipment do you have? What future topics would you like the net to focus on? Late check-ins Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-08-03 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements WinLink Training Class. August 31 from 6pm to 9pm at the Norkenzie Christian Church, 2530 Crescent Ave, Eugene, OR. Bob K6RMP will be the instructor. Bring your own laptop. Packet Radio will be a future focus topic later this month. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Late check-ins Round Table -- What have you been up to? What digital modes do you use? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-07-20 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements WinLink Training Class. August 31 from 6pm to 9pm at the Norkenzie Christian Church, 2530 Crescent Ave, Eugene, OR. Bob K6RMP will be the instructor. Bring your own laptop. AREDN Party in the Park. July 27 from 6pm to 9pm at Golden Gardens City Park (intersection of Jessen Dr. and Golden Gardens St. in Eugene). The event will take place in lieu of the Wednesday night Digital Radio Net. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Late check-ins Round Table -- What have you been up to? What digital modes do you use? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-07-13 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements WinLink Training Class. Target date 8/31 6pm to 9pm. Bob K6RMP is ready when we are. Still working with Matt WA7ARD to confirm space at the Norkenzie Christian Church. AREDN Party in the Park. July 27 at 7pm in lieu of Digital Radio Net. Brainstorm location. AREDN infrastructure build-out efforts. Eugene Science Center continues to move forward. Nathan and John will conduct a site visit on 8/6 at 1pm. New Wx3in1 Plus 2.0 APRS iGate/Digipeater named WINDY was activated this week on the Oregon coast with coverage in the Coos Bay / North Bend area courtesy of WA7JAW. Dave KJ7USS is the latest subscriber to the Lane County AREDN telephone system. His phone number is 74-1223. Welcome Dave. The Bachelor 145.45 repeater is now back on the air. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Late check-ins Focus Topic - Quarterly report on AREDN in Oregon - Brett KG7GDB Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-07-06 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Coming soon, WinLink Training Class. Mid August. Bob K6RMP is ready when we are. Coming soon, AREDN Party in the Park. July 27 at 7:00pm in lieu of Digital Radio Net. Brainstorm location. Gillespie butte park maybe? AREDN infrastructure build-out efforts. Eugene Science Center. Next week -- Quarterly report on WVMN by Brett KG7GDB Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Late check-ins General Roundtable Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-06-29 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Coming soon, WinLink training class. Mid August. Coming soon, AREDN Party in the Park. Late July. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Late check-ins General Update and Discussion about AREDN What do you need to get up and running. Microtik hAP AC Lite Website: arednmesh.org Infrastructure build-out efforts. LCcore Server move to WIX - Pending AREDN RF LCOG - Pending AREDN RF Eugene Science Center - Pending AREDN RF Prairie - Pending AREDN RF Buck - Pending AREDN RF Blanton - Pending AREDN RF Springfield - Pending AREDN RF AI7BQ - Active on Channel 170 AREDN RF AI7NC - Active on Channel 170 AREDN RF KC7RJK - Active on Channel 170 Quarterly Report on WVMN -- Canceled because Brett KG7GDB had family matters to deal with. Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-06-22 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Instead of having Bob K6RMP from Florence on this net to talk about Winlink, we are coordinating an in-person workshop. Stay tuned for the date. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Late check-ins Roundtable. More discussion about Field Day, Saturday, June 25, 2022. Postamble Secure Net discussion: Nathan: Provide Hap + laptop for showing AREDN resources via tunnel / APRS MAP for balloon. Potential igate/digi(local only) for APRS, DigitalVoice hot-spot Matt KJ7CNL+KK7GAB: Bring packet station for demonstrations into W7EUG-10 AI7BQ - AREDN demo gear, power cable W7EZN: FT8 Demo? Perhaps live using the TV screen so people can see? If too difficult we can have them go over to wherever you're set up at. TBD: Bringing Milton TV + Stand KJ7MCN: optional tripod/578/LMR400 Schedule: 12:00 Balloon Launch? 12:00 Simplex net? 12:00-13:15 after balloon ARRS with segway AREDN talk / show n' tell Bunny hunt? 14:30>15:00 FT8 talk/Demo by W7EZN, Time? 16:00 DMR talk and demonstration (mid afternoon)? Agenda 2022-06-15 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Soon we will invite Bob K6RMP from Florence to give a talk about Winlink. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Any follow-up questions regarding last week's Software Defined Radio presentation? Late check-ins Roundtable. Brainstorming field day. Are there any questions for Ken W7PL? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-06-08 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Soon we will invite Bob K6RMP from Florence to give a talk about Winlink. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Any follow-up questions regarding last week's Software Defined Radio presentation? Late check-ins Interview - Ken W7PL What was your first childhood experience with radio reception? Did you have a shortwave radio? When did you first transmit a radio signal and what equipment did you use? Was it a toy walkie-talkie? Did you use CB radio? What was your handle? What got you “hooked”? What was your first station license? Please tell us about your career. I understand you like to repair radios. Tell us a little bit about that. Any funny (or horror) stories? Have you ever been severely shocked by electricity or RF? Any words of advice? I understand you setup the first cell telephone tower in Eugene. Please tell us about that. Cell phones were originally analog, but now they’re digital. How have the cellular radios changed to accommodate this evolution? Are there any questions for Ken W7PL? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-06-01 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Soon we will be interviewing Ken W7PL about his career background in Cellular Telephone and how the evolution of that industry has influenced digital radio. Soon we will invite Bob K6RMP from Florence to give a talk about Winlink. Charlie N7CMP recommends https://greatscottgadgets.com/sdr/ to learn about AM/FM modulation and all things about RF hacking. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Tech Talk - What is Software Defined Radio? A basic overview. - AI7BQ John From the June 2018 issue of The Spectrum Monitor magazine. See: https://swling.com/blog/2018/09/software-defined-radio-primer-part-1-introduction-to-sdrs-and-sdr-applications/ Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-05-25 Net Control: N7CMP Charlie Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Soon we will be interviewing Ken W7PL about his career background in Cellular Telephone and how the evolution of that industry has influenced digital radio. Soon we will invite Bob K6RMP from Florence to give a talk about Winlink. Charlie N7CMP recommends https://greatscottgadgets.com/sdr/ to learn about AM/FM modulation and all things about RF hacking. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Round Table Follow-up Q&Q from last week's AnyTone 878 Workshop Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-05-18 AnyTone 878 Workshop in lieu of On-The-Air-Net Reference the DMR Presentation Transcript from September 2021 for background information on DMR. Agenda 2022-05-11 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements We are sponsoring an AnyTone 878 workshop Wednesday May 18th, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Norkenzie Christian Church, 2530 Crescent Ave, Eugene. There will be no on-the-air net. Soon we will be interviewing Ken W7PL about his career background in Cellular Telephone and how the evolution of that industry has influenced digital radio. Soon we will invite Bob K6RMP from Florence to give a talk about Winlink. Charlie N7CMP recommends https://greatscottgadgets.com/sdr/ to learn about AM/FM modulation and all things about RF hacking. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Round Table What would you like to learn at the AnyTone 878 Workshop? What have you been doing with digital radio in the past two weeks? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-05-04 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements We are sponsoring an AnyTone 878 workshop Wednesday May 18th, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Norkenzie Christian Church, 2530 Crescent Ave, Eugene. There will be no on-the-air net. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Focus Topic -- Installation of AREDN Antenna in SW Eugene Treecam https://mookienet.com/treecam.jpg Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-04-27 Net Control: N76CMP Charlie Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements We are sponsoring an AnyTone 878 workshop Wednesday May 18th, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Norkenzie Christian Church, 2530 Crescent Ave, Eugene. There will be no on-the-air net. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Round Table What have you been up to? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-04-20 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements We are sponsoring an AnyTone 878 workshop Wednesday May 18th, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Norkenzie Christian Church, 2530 Crescent Ave, Eugene. There will be no on-the-air net. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Round Table What would you like to learn at the AnyTone 878 workshop? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-04-13 Net Control: WA6OEM Mike Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements We are sponsoring an AnyTone 878 workshop Wednesday May 18th, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm in the Hendrick's Park Shelter. There will be no on-the-air net. Audio recordings of focus topics are now being posted to the PacketHackers Groups.IO page. Links can be found under the topic named Agenda which is permanently pinned to the top section of the Messages list. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Round Table What have you been up to with digital radio? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-04-06 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements We will be holding another AnyTone 878 outdoor workshop in May at the Hendrick's Park, Francis M. Wilkins Shelter. Stay tuned for scheduling. Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Focus Topic - W7OEC Blanton Heights Multi-Mode Repeater - N7GWA Ian - Link to audio recording ? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-03-30 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Summary of last couple of nets: Many people enjoy the net and find it educational. Several people are first timers and are new to digital radio. They're absorbing information and trying to get up to speed Future topics to include FT8, JS8, WinLink, Fusion, HF Digital Modes, Weather Stations, IP Telephones Next week we will have Ian N7GWA on as a guest speaker to talk about his W7OEC multi-mode repeater on Blanton Heights. We will be holding another AnyTone 878 outdoor workshop in May at the Hendrick's Park, Francis M. Wilkins Shelter. Stay tuned for scheduling. Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Focus Topic - Blue River APRS Station & APRS Features - AI7NC Nathan - Link to audio recording ? Blue River APRS Station APRS Features Link to features discussed How to operate the Weather Bot Automation Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-03-23 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Summary of last weeks net: Many people enjoy the net and find it educational. Several people are first timers and are new to digital radio. They're absorbing information and trying to get up to speed Future topics to include FT8, JS8, WinLink, Fusion, HF Digital Modes, Weather Stations, IP Telephones On April 6, 2022 we plan to have Ian N7GWA on as a guest speaker to talk about his W7OEC multi-mode repeater on Blanton Heights. Soon we will sponsor another AnyTone 878 workshop in May. Stay tuned for scheduling. The link to the Digital Radio Net has been fixed in the Interest Groups section on the Valley Radio Club website. A new Live APRS Map is now available on LCcore-Trackdirect.local.mesh Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, AREDN, or Digital Voice? Round Table What have you been up to with digital radio What kind of equipment do you have Discussion about WinLink Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-03-16 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements 120-degree AREDN sector antenna and high resolution IP camera to be installed on 200' fir tree in SW Eugene hills in mid April. Line of sight to Corvallis, maybe Albany, Jct. City, Harrisburg, Coburg, Brownsville, Prairie Peak, Mary's Peak, Buck Mountain, Coburg Hills, Fern Ridge, West Eugene, Churchill, Bethel-Danebo, River Road, Train Song, Irving, Santa Clara, Cal Young, Gillham, Whiteaker, Westside, Coburg Road, Oakway, and Crescent neighborhoods. No access to Downtown, Fairgrounds, UofO, Friendly, College Hill, Willamette, Amazon, Fox Hollow, Friendly, Springfield, or Crest neighborhoods. There have been some delays at the Blanton Heights AREDN site, but it's still a viable option and it remains on the roadmap for activation. Subscribers with 74-12xx phone numbers can now dial MeshPhone subscribers. e.g., 77-541-4192 for date/time. MeshPhone subscribers can now reach 74-12xx subscribers by dialing 77-541-41xx (but not to beta subscribers who have 41xx numbers) MeshPhone directory: http://n2mh-meshphone2.local.mesh/meshphone/whitepages.php KC7RJK autopatch users can dial WMVM phone numbers and MeshPhone numbers. Dialing procedure: Tune to 444.450 PL 100 FM Press PTT Dial 0* to start the autopatch Release PTT. You will hear dialtone. Use PTT and the DTMF keypad to dial WMVM 74-xxxx numbers using 6-digits. e.g., 74-1200 to dial the conference bridge. Use PTT and the DTMF keypad to dial local MeshPhone numbers using 4-digits. e.g., 4129 for the date/time recording. Use PTT and the DTMF keypad to dial long distance MeshPhone numbers using 9-digits. e.g., 77-541-4129 for the date/time recording or 77-973-3199 for New York City weather. Dial 0# to disconnect the autopatch. Nathan APRS announcement Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Round Table What subjects would you like us to cover in future nets? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-03-09 Net Control: N7CMP Charlie Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Round Table What have you been up to this past week? What subjects would you like us to cover in future nets? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-03-02 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Call for Help. Alpine Epic (formerly Cascade Cream Puff) mountain bike race. June 18, 2022. Contact WA6OEM or AI7BQ to sign-up. Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, AllStar / EchoLink, or digital voice? Focus Topic: Interview with Mark N2MH "Fusion of Telephony and Radio" - Link to audio recording ? Q&A after the interview beginning at 9:00pm Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-02-23 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Call for Help. Alpine Epic (formerly Cascade Cream Puff) mountain bike race. June 18, 2022. Contact WA6OEM or AI7BQ to sign-up. Interview with Mark N2MH to discuss the Fusion of Telephony and Radio is scheduled for next week's Digital Radio Net, Wednesday March 2, 2022 The K7EZR PBX serving the Southern WVMN is now being managed by a team of three administrators (KC7RJK, K7OWW, and AI7BQ). A trouble ticket system is being setup. Hams wanting an AREDN IP phone should contact an administrator. A new MeshPhone system is being beta tested in the Southern WVMN. Now accepting applications from hams who would like to test out and give feedback on this system. Regional PBX operators will get together soon to hammer out the details and coordinate the rollout, so stay tuned. The system uses different phone numbers from what we have now, but we're working on making the transition as smooth as possible. We'll discuss this topic in more detail on Wednesday March 2, 2022 during our interview with Mark N2MH. Features of the southern WVMN MeshPhone system include: Robust, dynamic routing of calls between PBXs over AREDN Carrier Class Hosting w/ Battery Backup and Resilient Network Connectivity Voicemail and Conferencing 4-Digit Local / 7-Digit Nation-Wide dialing Interoperability with the existing 74-xxxx system HamShack Hotline Connectivity Ability to Call Cellular and Landline Numbers Autopatch Connectivity through the KC7RJK Repeater Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, AllStar / EchoLink, or digital voice? Round Table What have you been up to this past week with digital radio? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-02-16 Net Control: WA6OEM Mike Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Call for Help. Alpine Epic (formerly Cascade Cream Puff) mountain bike race. June 18, 2022 To prevent cross-connecting AREDN with the public Internet, all operators must make sure to uncheck the following settings: [ ] Allow others to use my WAN (only this needs to remain unchecked - Nathan) [ ] Prevent LAN devices from accessing WAN (This doesn't affect devices outside your node's subnet, just your LAN devices. Checking blocks internet access for devices on your AREDN LAN) Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic EchoLink / Allstar AI7BQ John Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-02-09 Net Control: N7CMP Charlie Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Call for Help. Cascade Cream Puff bicycle race. June 18, 2022 (Sergio W7SY) Alpine Epic 50 https://www.trailforks.com/route/alpine-epic-50-race-course-2021/ Alpine Epic 25 https://www.trailforks.com/route/alpine-epic-25-2021-race-course/ Alpine Epic 15 https://www.trailforks.com/route/alpine-epic-15-2021-race-course/ Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Round Table Follow up on WSPR. What have you been up to this past week with digital radio? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-02-02 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Future guest speaker N2MH (MeshPhone Network) Future focus topic: JS8CALL (WA6OEM) Oregon DMR Talk Groups: Oregon 1: TG 3141 Oregon TAC: TG 31410 Central Oregon: TG 31411 - NEW Western Oregon: TG 31412 - NEW Transcript of Nathan's DMR Discussion posted to Groups.IO Click here to view. Sergio W7SY is recruiting ham operators to help with the Cascade Cream Puff Mountain Bike Race on 6/18/2022 Steve W7SHM is getting a bulk-buy of Ubiquity PBE-M5-400s used from Alyrica networks, looking to sell 8 units at $70/dish. Contact: W7SHM@ arrl.net Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic: WSPR - Weak Signal Propagation Reporter (WA6OEM Mike) Introduction History Operation. What do you need to make it work. Presentation. Discussion about Gray Line. Discussion about PSK Reporter from N7CMP Charlie Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-01-26 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Future guest speaker N2MH (MeshPhone Network) Future focus topic: WA6OEM (WSPR) 2/2/2022. HOMEWORK / PREP QUESTIONS Future focus topic: JS8CALL (WA6OEM) New AREDN firmware is now available (3.22.1.1). Take photos of your config pages to be safe. Router donation by A+ Towing, FortiGate with built in OpenVPN. This will be used in our LCOG Park Place interconnect installation. Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Round Table Any follow-up questions about last week's HOTSPOT presentation? Do you own a hotspot? What have you done with it? What's new with you relative to Digital Radio? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-01-19 Net Control: N7CMP Charlie Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Future guest speaker N2MH (MeshPhone Network) Future guest speaker T.B.D. (Whisper) Future focus topic: JS8CALL (WA6OEM) New AREDN firmware is now available (3.22.1.1). Take photos of your config pages to be safe. Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic: Pi-Star Digital Voice Hotspot (N7CMP Charlie) Hardware/Software Setup Features (Web Interface, etc.) Digital Modes (D-Star, etc.) Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-01-12 Net Control: WA6OEM Mike Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Moved AREDN APRS-IS Server to LCCore Added Automated Weather Reporting System to LCCore Salem group is working on a How to Get Started with AREDN guide Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Round Table Any follow-up questions about last week's AREDN presentation? Do you need equipment? Is my house a good location? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2022-01-05 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net Mike W7TGI -- All Hams interested in Emergency Communications are welcome to a show-and-tell of a variety of Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network Radios used in the AREDN Mesh and learn how they may be deployed in Northeast Eugene. This AREDN show-and-tell will be held this Saturday, January 8th from 1000 to 1200 hours at the Norkenzie Christian Church Rear Parking Lot at 2530 Crescent Ave, Eugene. Masks required. General Announcements A transcript of tonight's net will be available in about two months. Transcription of Nathan's DMR presentation is done, and will be posted to Packethackers The Nextcloud server has migrated to the LC-CORE Automated weather alerts for two NWS zones, ORZ008 and ORZ012, are now on APRS. Traffic flows over AREDN network. Most likely AREDN service activation sequence for Blanton: #1 Dish to Bolton, #2 Dish to Prairie, #3 120-deg & 90-deg sectors pointing North. Any late check-ins? Focus Topic - AREDN Mesh Networking - Guest Speaker Brett KG7GDB General introduction to AREDN (15 min) What is AREDN? What are the benefits? Simplex - Station to Station Tower Operator - Allstar, Telemetry, APRS iGate Provide and use data and network services (IP Telephones, Chat, File Sharing) EmComm / Experimentation Social Aspect / Learning from Each Other / Technical Innovation / Learn about Networking High Speed Network (Much faster than Packet) TCP/IP Network for Ham Operators (Separate from the Public Internet) Don't need an AREDN radio to start (OK to Tunnel over the Internet) Great way to get youth involved in Ham / STEM / Coding / Raspberry Pi / Arduino What makes a good AREDN station? Data producer (servers) / data consumer (clients, browsers, devices) Contribute to mesh topology by keeping your station on 24/7 Openness to sharing information and supporting other stations Willing to help build-out the larger network What do I need? hAP Internet Connection Microwave Dish (or Sector) Antenna Electricity Willingness to learn, or a good Elmer What does it cost? As low as $50 if you just want a tunneled hAP Up to $300 if you want to setup multiple microwave links How can I help? Find good locations for AREDN antennas Regularly participate in the radio nets Recruit other people and promote education and learning Consider writing a grant to bring financial resources forward Overview of recent regional growth, including HamWAN status. (5 min) Extensiveness of network We have largest network in link-miles in the world It works, and it has seen steady growth (over 200 nodes now) What does the AREDN 5-year vision look like? (10 min) All Oregon counties interconnected Enhanced network reliability and resilience All key nodes have backup power Large numbers of traditional repeaters using AREDN to link Self reliance -- no dependence on commercial facilities More governmental / hospital alliances How can Lane County best coordinate with Salem? (10 min) Join WVMN Groups.IO mailing list. Post questions / provide answers. Join Packethackers Groups.IO. Post questions / provide answers Join Thursday 7PM Radio Net "The 529 Mesh Net" 145.29 (no PL) WA7ABU Repeater 444.450 (PL 100) KC7RJK Repeater Echolink Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-12-29 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements On January 5th we welcome KG7GDB, Brett Popovich, as a Guest Speaker to talk about AREDN Mesh Networking Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Round Table General Chat about Digital Radio Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-12-22 Net Control: N7CMP Charlie Preamble Check-in General Announcements Tonight the Digital Radio Net celebrates its One Year Anniversary of weekly operation On January 5th we welcome KG7GDB, Brett Popovich, as a Guest Speaker to talk about AREDN Mesh Networking We now have 68 Mailing List Members on Packethackers 开云体育 Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic - AREDN PBX John AI7BQ, Matt K7OWW, Rob K7EZR, & Ross KC7RJK What is an IP PBX? What is an IP Phone? What is an AREDN PBX? How are IP Phones provisioned? How do I get a phone and a phone number? Who can I call? Is there a directory? Is an AREDN Phone good for EmComm? Who runs the PBX? What's in store for the future? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-12-15 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements KG7GDB Brett Popovich, AREDN Guest Speaker in January Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Round Table What topics would you like to discuss next year? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-12-08 Net Control: Mike WA6OEM Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Oregon HamWAN group Switches to AREDN Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic - HotSpots John, Michael, and Nathan Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-12-01 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Blue River Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Round Table What have you been up to? Brags? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-11-23 Net Control: Charlie N7CMP Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements T.B.D. Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic DMR Encoding Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-11-16 Net Control: Nathan AI7NC Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements John AI7BQ and Nathan AI7NC will visit LCOG to discuss placement of AREDN equipment in their data center and on their downtown Eugene radio tower. Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Round Table What have you been up to? Brags? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-11-10 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements The name of this net has changed to the Digital Radio Net Any late or missed check-ins? Any questions related to digital radio? Focus Topic (Analog to Digital Conversion) AI7BQ John. Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-11-03 Net Control: WA6OEM Mike Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements The name of this net has changed to the Digital Radio Net Any late or missed check-ins? Any questions related to digital radio? Round Table What have you been up to? Feedback / debrief of last week's DMR Simplex experiment. Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-10-27 Net Control: N7CMP Charlie Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements T.B.D. Any late or missed check-ins? Any questions related to digital radio? Focus Topic Software Defined Radio N7CMP Charlie Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-10-20 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements 147.44 MHz has been nominated for DMR simplex frequency use. No conflict with ORRC/ARRL. Will post on VRC mailing list for comments. We now have 65 members on Groups.IO Considering renaming our net to Digital Radio Net or something similar. 15 average check-in. High 28. Low 9. Any late or missed check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic AREDN 101. How do I play with this mode? PACKET 101. How do I play with this mode? In two weeks from now, what would you like the focus topic to be? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-10-13 Net Control: WA6OEM Mike Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements John is still making progress transcribing Nathan's DMR presentation. 147.44 MHz Nominated for DMR simplex frequency Mike learned out to setup AT878 to use FM Repeater and Transmit APRS Location "simultaneously" Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Round Table Discussing APRS enabled Bunny Hunting Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-10-06 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Transcription of Nathan's DMR Presentation - John AI7BQ Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic The AnyTone 878 -- A Newbie's Experience. Matching Answers to Questions. - Mike WA6OEM Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-09-29 Net Control: N7CMP Charlie Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Weekly DMR Related Net. Mondays at 7:00pm on Oregon 1 (TG 3141) Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Round Table What have you been up to? Have you been playing around with DMR? Do you have any questions about the AnyTone 878? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-09-22 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements TBD Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic: DMR Technology and Use in Oregon Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-09-15 Net Control: WA6OEM Mike Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements ARRL Digital Broadcast Bulletins (PSK31) Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Round Table / Casual Storytelling. Embarrassing or heroic moments. Last week we talked about FT8 Prior week we had AT878 workshop. Feedback. Second workshop? Share digital modes you've played with recently. Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-09-08 Net Control: N7CMP Charlie Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic -- What is FT8? Introduction (Charlie) Round-Table (Q&A and Stories) Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-09-01 Note: The Anytone 878 workshop took the place of the on-the-air net Agenda 2021-08-25 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements AnyTone AT878 Workshop for APRS and DMR on WED 9/1@1900 in lieu of the net. Location: Hendricks Park covered picnic area. It will get dark, but we'll bring portable lighting. We hope to cover the following topics: How to make a Simplex QSO using DMR digital voice mode How to make a Repeater QSO using DMR How to join a local talk group for shared communication. How to join international talk group 91 How to disconnect from a talk group (join TG 4000) How to setup your radio to send GPS coordinates using APRS Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Round Table Logistics for AnyTone AT878 Workshop Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-08-18 Net Control: WA6OEM Mike Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements AnyTone AT878 Workshop for APRS and DMR on WED 9/1@1900 in lieu of the net. Location: Hendricks Park covered picnic area. It will get dark, but we'll bring portable lighting. Special Edition of APRS Packet & Mesh Net: Brett KG7GDB will talk about AREDN. Tune into 444.45 MHz PL 100 Hz or WA7ABU 145.29 MHz PL 118.8 Hz on THU 8/19@2000 Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Round Table Please introduce yourself and let us know what of equipment have. How do you use APRS, Packet, Mesh Networking, or Digital Modes? What focus topics would you like to hear on this net? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-08-11 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net Webinar 8/15 @ 0900 PST. Orv W6BI will cover what's required to deploy a ham radio IP network (like the Internet) over ham radio frequencies, using the AREDN software. He'll discuss available equipment, deployment techniques, and some useful applications. N7CMP General Announcements AnyTone AT878 Workshop for APRS and DMR on 9/1@1900 in lieu of the net. Location: Hendricks Park covered picnic area. It will get dark, but we'll bring portable lighting. AREDN Plans Brett KG7GDB on 8/19 at 8pm on KC7RJK/WA7ABU will talk about AREDN infrastructure plans, the current state of AREDN and leadership opportunities. Future Topic (8/18). Mesh Networking 101 Revisited. What is it? What do I need to access the mesh? Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic AREDNs role in EmComm and LMARG. How can people get involved and what would an AREDN Go-Box look like? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-08-04 Net Control: Mike WA6OEM Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements AnyTone AT878 Workshop for APRS and DMR on 9/1@1900 in lieu of the net. Location: Hendricks Park covered picnic area. Guest Speaker. Brett KG7GDB on 8/18. Brett will talk about AREDN infrastructure plans, the current state of AREDN and leadership opportunities. (AI7BQ) Linked Repeaters: KC7RJK 444.450 MHz PL 100 FM linked to WA7ABU Salem (THU 7-8:30pm) to allow hams in Eug/Spfd to participate in the mesh networking Thursday night radio net. Future Topic. Mesh Networking 101 Revisited. This net. 8/11. What is it? What do I need to access the mesh? Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic AnyTone AT878 Workshop planning discussion. Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-07-28 Net Control: Charlie N7CMP Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements AnyTone AT878 Workshop for APRS and DMR on 9/1@1900 in lieu of the net. Location: Countryside Pizza 645 River Road. Guest Speaker. Brett KG7GDB on 8/18. Brett will talk about AREDN infrastructure plans, the current state of AREDN and leadership opportunities. (AI7BQ) Linked Repeaters: KC7RJK 444.450 MHz PL 100 FM linked to WA7ABU Salem (THU 7-8:30pm) to allow hams in Eug/Spfd to participate in the mesh networking Thursday night radio net. Packet BBS. Mr. August Johnson KG7GZ runs a BPQ32 Packet BBS accessible via AREDN and VHF. Possible guest speaker. (AI7BQ) Surplus Dish Antennas: Chris KJ7MQA has neighbor w/ 2x surplus DirectTV dish antennas. Call Chris by 10pm tonight if you want them. (AI7BQ) Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic TARPN http://tarpn.net/t/packet_radio_networking.html (N7CMP & K7EZR) APRS Paths (AI7NC) Time permitting / filler topic. Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-07-21 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Anytone AT878 Workshop for APRS and DMR on August 25th at 7pm. Location TBD. Inviting Brett Guest Speaker KC7RJK 444.450 MHz PL 100 FM linked to WA7ABU Salem (THU 7-8:30pm) Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Generic Check-In Round Table What have you been up to? What do you want to talk about during future nets? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-07-14 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements APRS Rx-only station on Buck using AREDN to gate the traffic to APRS-IS Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic - EchoLink What is it? Overview of different setups. How to link to stations around the world. EchoLInk nets. How does the W7PXL EchoLink node work? Q&A Any late check-ins? Round Table (time permitting) Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-07-07 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements New Connections in Eugene/Springfield area (We're up to 30+ link miles in our area) K7OWW 5 Ghz connection to Buck from Kendall Toyota. APRS igate is using the mesh to send traffic back to APRS-IS KC7RJK 5 Ghz connection to Buck from QTH. Chris, N7GYL, is working on proposal to add an East facing dish to Glenada to connect via Prairie. Proposal to their board is scheduled for the 28th of July AI7NC has an operating fire/med/police scanner operating for lane county that's accessible via the mesh network over RF or tunnels AI7NC has a new APRS-IS server on the AREDN mesh network for pulling or publishing APRS packets via the mesh Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Roundtable / Focus Topic What's new with you: Have you recently gotten any new equipment, is there anything new that your working on or experimenting with? Is there anything digital that you're wanting to explore in the near future. Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-06-30 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements No general announcements. Prep for roundtable: Grab a pen and paper. Write down three bullet points: "Future Topics" "Learn & Experience", "Field Day Feedback" Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Roundtable: What future topics would you like to discuss on this net? What did you learn or experience at field day? Do you have any feedback? What went well and what could be better next time? Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-06-23 Net Control: WA6OEM Mike Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements We are now up to 60 members on Groups.IO - WA6OEM Next week we'll poll members for topics of discussion - WA6OEM Disbanding AREDN Rollout Committee - AI7BQ Coburg Ridge AREDN Antenna Report - AI7NC Any late check-ins? Stories Using Digital to Connect from the Oregon Coast to the Valley - WA6OEM Using the K8JTK Digital VOIP Multimode Interlink System - AI7BQ Allstar 50394, DMR BM(TG) 3172783, DMR TGIF(TG) 31983, DSTAR XLX983A, Echolink 600008, HH 94026, NXDN(TG) 31983, P25(TG) 31983, Yaesu Fusion (HUB) 31983, Wires-X(Room) 40680 (Jeff's Private HH 4293 WED 5-6pm PT) Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic Roundtable: Do you plan to use digital modes (D-Star, DMR, Yaesu Fusion, etc.), on Field Day? Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-06-16 Net Control: K7OWW Matt Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Reminder that there's a Zoom Meeting for Field Day Planning Thursday night 6pm, John to send out the link to the meeting. Detailed posts regarding growing the AREDN Mesh network in the valley is moving over to the newly renamed Willamette Valley Mesh groups.io Check out the groups.io page and subscribe if you're interested in participating in the discussion. Willamette Valley Mesh 开云体育 Net controllers are working on coordinating a guest speaker, K7REA, to discuss the linked Yaesu Fusion repeater system he has set up in Eugene and along the Oregon coast K7REA Eugene Repeater Net controllers are also working on coordinating with a guest speaker to talk about NOAA weather balloon tracking and repurposing found equipment for ham 70cm use. Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? JOHN VOIP Presentation Q/A Session General Roundtable (time permitting): What's new with you? Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-06-09 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Schedule Zoom Meetings for Field Day Planning Hamwan Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? General Roundtable: What's new with you? Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-06-02 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements PBX Report - K7EZR Antenna Pointing Report - AI7NC Fundraising Report - AI7BQ Any late check-ins? Any questions related to APRS, Packet, Mesh networking, or digital voice? Focus Topic Roundtable: AREDN Demonstrations on Field Day 6/26 at the Science Center Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-05-26 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements PBX Report Antenna Pointing Report Looking into Expanding Groups.IO to the Full Featured Version Patch VOIP into W7PXL Fundraising: Foundation Research Any late check-ins? Focus Topic: APRS Demonstrations on Field Day 6/26 at the Science Center Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-05-19 Net Control: K7OWW Matt Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements Groups.IO new member [N9WNH Dan Dahms] Nathan AI7NC and John AI7BQ meet with LCOG staff last week. Next step: Schedule site tour. Nathan AI7BC & Ross KC7RJK had a successful AREDN QSO. Matt K7OWW & Ross KC7RJK now have a permanent RF AREDN connection, but it's low quality because of intervening buildings and trees. Any late check-ins? Brainstorm: Field day APRS / AREDN Demonstration Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-05-12 Net Control: N7JDL Joel Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements AI7NC Nathan has placed a File Sharing service on AREDN. AI7NC Nathan has placed a Mesh Chat service on AREDN. AI7NC Nathan has placed a Minecraft service on AREDN. K7EZR Rob setup a Mumble service on AREDN. AI7NC Nathan will say a few words about using Mumble over RF from Prairie. AI7NC Nathan will discuss recent successful 20 mile AREDN link to Milton. PBX Report by Rob K7EZR URGENT: Attempts to sell off upper parts of AREDN 5 GHz band. Please respond to checklist if you are using 5 GHz RF. (AI7BQ) Reminder not to enable ALLOW OTHERS TO USE MY WAN Review etiquette guide for W7OEC Blanton digital voice mode repeater. Repeater owner wrote email to VRC reflector on 5/11 and said "I’d greatly appreciate it if anyone who uses the W7OEC digital repeater could take a quick second to review this page." https://radiooregon.wordpress.com/repeater-ettiquette/ Nathan AI7NC and John AI7BQ meeting with LCOG tomorrow to ask if we can place AREDN antennas on their downtown Eugene rooftop antenna. Any late check-ins? Round Table: General in nature. Checking in. What would like to talk about next week? Expand on the kind of radio you have? What modes have you played around with? Are you running into any problems you'd like to talk about? Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-05-05 Net Control: WA6OEM Mike Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements AREDN Rollout Committee -- The 5/7 meeting has been canceled. Next Zoom meeting will be 5/14 at 7pm. Blanton Heights Test Node -- Milton N7ZWS is now in his second week, activating a 5.8 GHz Nano-station every night (except Friday) from approximately 8:00pm to 8:30pm for connectivity tests. He encourages everyone to point an AREDN antenna towards the south end of the valley and check for a signal. Milton will monitor W7EUG Prairie 146.68 MHz PL 100 and W7PXL Prairie 146.72 MHz PL 100 when the test node is active. AREDN RF Connections -- General reports of AREDN mesh over RF Any late check-ins? Focus Topic: Digital Voice Modes D-Star: AI7BQ John DMR: AI7NC Nathan Yaesu Fusion: W7SY Sergio Round Table: Have you operated DV? What mode? Do you have any stories or tips? Have you used a local repeater, hotspot, or tried simplex? Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-04-28 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net General Announcements New Members - We've had 3 new people sign up for our Groups.IO page in the past week [AF7U Michael, KC7DMF Mark, and Roberto B.] which brings our total membership to 50 people. AREDN Rollout Committee -- Had its second meeting last Saturday. Members decided to change their Zoom meeting schedule from Saturdays at 7:00pm to Fridays at 7:00pm. If you are interested in joining the team, please let us know. Blanton Heights Test Node -- Milton N7ZWS is activating a 5.8 GHz Nano-station every night this week (except Friday) from approximately 8:00pm to 8:30pm to be used for connectivity tests. He encourages everyone to point an AREDN antenna towards the south end of the valley and check for a signal. Milton will monitor W7EUG Prairie 146.68 MHz PL 100 and W7PXL Prairie 146.72 MHz PL 100 when the test node is active. AREDN RF Connections -- Successes in connecting using AREDN mesh over RF Matt K7OWW from his QTH to Milton N7ZWS on Blanton heights at 6.9 mi on Tuesday Ron N0RON from his QTH to Milton N7ZWS on Blanton heights at 5.75 mi on Tuesday Nathan AI7NC from near his QTH (Irving and NW Expressway) to Milton N7ZWS on Blanton Heights at 7.25 miles on Monday Nathan AI7NC was also successful on Tuesday night 4/27 in establishing a connection from Prairie to Blanton Heights at 30.26 miles on both of Milton N7ZWS's nodes. When Matt K7OWW connected as well, Nathan was tied into the Salem AREDN network via Matt's tunnel and was able to conduct throughput tests to Salem and Florence. Nathan was also able to send and receive an email through winlink via the mesh network. See the groups.io packethackers page for some screenshots of the results. Ron N0RON Activity -- In addition to making a successful link, Ron N0RON has been busy flashing AREDN nodes and setting up antenna aiming experiments. Florence Connection -- Julie AC0WN and Chris N7GYL from Florence are the points of contact for the FLO>GLENADA>HERMAN>PRAIRIE>EUG mesh connection initiative. They have identified funding for the Florence end of the link , but are looking to other entities to purchase and install equipment on the Prairie Mt. radio tower owned by Lane County. Possible sponsors include Lane County Sheriff and/or Lane Council of Governments. Local Node Count -- The OLSR report shows 11 AREDN nodes in the Eugene/Springfield area. KI7TGI Mike was the latest node to come online. Paul W8IEB and Matt KJ7CNL are expected to be online soon. Service Disruption -- The tunnel between Matt K7OWW and Salem collapsed on Wednesday April 28 from 8am to 11am. During this period, all Eugene nodes became an island. Any late check-ins? Round Table: T.B.D. Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-04-21 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net. QSTs. Second call. We're only discussing AREDN mesh networking this evening, so if you have any announcements or brags related to APRS, Packet or Digital Voice Modes, now's your time to chime in. Administration A reminder, the AREDN Rollout Committee meets this Saturday at 7:00pm on Zoom. We now have access to a paid Zoom account, so we won't be restricted to 40 minutes anymore. Today we had a new member join the Groups.IO page, VK2GX Paul from Sydney, Australia. Yesterday I gave a brief presentation of AREDN to the EARS ham radio group, and last week I was asked by a board member of the Valley Radio Club if I would like to give a presentation of AREDN to the membership. So, stay tuned. Last weekend Milton N7ZWS drove up to Harrisburg to meet Steve K7SHM, who drove down from Salem to loan us some portable AREDN equipment and a hitch mounted collapsible mast for doing antenna aiming and site surveys. Please contact Milton directly if you're interested in participating in some site-to-site RF experiments Any late check-ins? Free Discussion: What are the use cases for AREDN? Does it have a role in emergency communications? Will it survive the Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake? What services should be offered? How can we make it more compelling? Why do we need AREDN? What is it's real purpose? How would you go about convincing an agency to host an antenna site or service? Yes it's fun, and yes amateur radio operators gain new skills, but how do we turn AREDN into a dependable, viable public service? Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-04-14 Net Control: K7OWW Matt Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net There will be a Simulated Emergency Test (SET) exercise on Saturday April 17 from 9:00am to 11:00am. All amateur radio stations in Oregon with WinLink capability are encouraged to send an ICS Form #213 (flagged as an Exercise Message) or a plain email message addressed to station K7VV. Operators are encouraged to use a variety of communication pathways. Options include RF Packet, Telnet, and AREDN Mesh Telnet PostOffice. Outcome of 5.8 GHz AREDN dish-to-dish test between Matt K7OWW and Nathan AI7NC. The AREDN Rollout Committee will have its first Zoom meeting on Saturday April 17 at 7:00pm. The team currently has five volunteer members, and is looking for other ham operators who are interested in promoting, supporting, and installing AREDN Mesh Radio in Lane County. Any late check-ins? APRS & Packet Check-In: Before we launch into the focus of tonight's net, we'd like to take a moment and check-in with stations that are operating APRS and Packet. Please let us know what you've been doing with these modes lately. If you're doing Packet, you've got bragging rights! Please come now with your callsign and let us know what you've been up to. Focus Topic: AREDN Mesh Networking using RF Are you line-of-site to a repeater? Grab a pair of binoculars. Thoughts on mobile field testing. Would you like to help setup a temporary AREDN station on a hilltop? How about an AREDN Antenna Aiming Event. Any late check-ins? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-04-07 (Tentative) Net Control: N7JDL Joel Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net PACKET RADIO: A group of ham operators in Klamath Falls are pushing to revitalize packet radio with AXIP enabled VHF BPQ nodes. We will schedule Jon KK6GXG as a guest speaker in June so he can describe his vision for connecting the existing LANE OAK WALKER FLO packet network to the rest of the world. AI7BQ John APRS BALLOON LAUNCH: The Valley Radio Club board of directors has authorized the purchase of two APRS Balloons. The launch date hasn't been set, but the intent is to widely publicize the event and celebrate the launch day as a club-wide activity. Sergio W7SY Administration We've had 6 new people sign up for our Groups.IO page [KO4DCY John, KJ7DZ Frank, N1ACW Andrew, W7BDB Bryant, KC7RJK Ross, N7GWA Ian] which brings our total membership to 45 people. We are forming a committee of volunteers to promote and coordinate rollout and promotion of AREDN Mesh Networking in Lane County. Thus far, rollout been managed casually by the net control operators, but interest is booming and we have a lot of equipment to place around town. We are seeking people with experience in networking, repeater installation, computing, engineering, outreach, technical support, tower climbing, and general management. Milton N7ZWS is the first person to volunteer, and just today Ross KC7RJK said he wants to join. The committee has yet to schedule its first meeting, so stay tuned. Is there anyone on the net interested in volunteering to put Lane County AREDN on the map? If so, please come now with your callsign, and we'll get you signed up. Any late check-ins? Focus Topic: Dialog between Sergio W7SY and John AI7BQ to discuss Digital Weekend. AI7BQ John Any late check-ins? Round Table: What are your thoughts on organizing Digital Weekend? Are you working on any projects? Any brags or questions? Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-03-31 Net Control: K7OWW Matt Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net We are hatching a plan with Sergio W7SY to sponsor "Digital Weekend" where local hams use digital talk modes, talk groups, rooms, and reflectors to have fun and build operating experience. Date to be determined. Please stay tuned for further announcements. (AI7BQ John) Administration Reminder: The APRS, Packet & Mesh Net is now expanding its scope to include Digital Voice Modes. New members [KJ7DZ Frank, KO4DCY John, NF7Z Nelson] New AREDN node [N0RON] Any late check-ins? Focus Topic: Digital Voice Modes and the Ham Operator (K7OWW) Information source: https://www.electronics-notes.com/articles/ham_radio/voice-modes/digital-voice-summary.php Any late check-ins? Round Table: Are you working on any projects? Any brags or questions? Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-03-24 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net We are hatching a plan with Sergio W7SY to sponsor "Digital Weekend" where local hams use digital talk modes, talk groups, rooms, and reflectors to have fun and build operating experience. Date to be determined. Please stay tuned for further announcements. (AI7BQ John) Administration (AI7NC Nathan) The official NCO Schedule for this net can now be found on 开云体育 The APRS, Packet & Mesh Net is now expanding its scope to include Digital Voice Modes. We will swing back-and-forth between technical and relaxed discussion styles. We plan to have a guest speaker on 4/7. Subject to be determined. Round Table - What have you been up to since you last checked in? Any late check-ins? Round Table What have you done with APRS & Packet? Are you working on any projects? Do you have any questions we might be able to answer? Do you have any new equipment coming that you might need help with? Any brags? Any late check-ins? Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-03-17 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net We are working on getting an audio recording of the March 3rd available to everyone. Sorry, the Zoom meeting was not recorded. Administration Groups.IO Report No new members: [] Round Table - Show and tell. What have you been experimenting with lately? Any late check-ins Round Table - Conversation about Mesh Networking Net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-03-10 Net Control: N7JDL Joel Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net We are working on getting an audio recording of the March 3rd available to everyone. Sorry, the Zoom meeting was not recorded. Administration Groups.IO Report Five new members: [KI7TGI Michael, KN1X James, W7SHM Steve, KG7GDB Brett, N7GYL Chris] Discuss success of last week's mesh net and zoom meetings - N7JDL Joel Round Table 1 - What excited you and what did you learn? The first AREDN node in Eugene - AI7BQ John Round Table 2 - What's Possible? Any late check-ins, net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-03-03 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net W7ARD has 2 qty. Linksys 2.4 GHz routers flashed w/ HSMM firmware for sale. Asking $20 ea. Facebook Group: Packet Radio Systems and Information Temporary APRS iGate station at AI7BQ's QTH Mesh Network Zoom Presentation 3/4/2021 at 8:15pm. Signup information will be mailed later tonight. Administration Groups.IO Report Five new members: [W7VHN Frank, W0KMA Jeff, N0RON Ron, KA7RLV Richard, NB0X Matthew] Four new items added to Website & Software List [Linpac, Termite, PuTTY, and TNCAttach] Guest Presenter: Ham Mesh Networking - KG7GDB, Brett Popovich Round Table 1 - Q&A Any late check-ins, net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-02-24 Net Control: WA6OEM Mike Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net (AI7BQ) -- I wanted to take a couple of minutes and ask everyone to mark their calendars for next Wednesday. We are having our first guest speaker, Brett Popovich KG7GDB who will give a 20-minute presentation on Ham Radio Mesh Networking, how it fits into our hobby and the benefits that it can provide to our community. After Brett’s presentation, we’ll have a roundtable to ask questions and bat some ideas back and forth. Brett is an active member of the Willamette Valley Mesh Network, which is a group of over 100 interconnected amateur radio operators from around Salem, Oregon. Please take a moment to visit the Mesh Networking topic on our Packethackers Groups.IO page. There you’re going to find links to the Willamette Valley Mesh Network homepage and a link to their Groups.IO page. You can learn a lot about the mesh system like coverage maps, technical information, and equipment recommendations. We’re also planning a follow-up Zoom meeting where Brett will share live demonstrations of the mesh network, and show off some of its capabilities. As a licensed ham operator, I think mesh networking is an appropriate and fascinating new use for the Amateur Radio RF spectrum, and has plenty of use cases for users, developers, engineers, emergency communication, and community partners. I encourage its adoption and expansion. You’ll find the financial bar for entry is very low, and I hope someday we’ll have hundreds of ham operators in our community participating in our own mesh network to complement traditional RF communication modes. New members list their interest and experience in APRS, packet, and mesh networking, including an inventory of software & hardware Focus Topic: AX.25 300 baud Packet on HF (Mike) Round Table 1 - Q&A Round Table 2 - APRS Augmented Bunny Hunting (time permitting) Any late check-ins, net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-02-18 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net Administration Groups.IO Report No new members Working on Membership List Added AMPRNET Portal and Linpac to Website & Software List New members list their interest and experience in APRS, packet, and mesh networking, including an inventory of software & hardware Round Table 1 - Engaging people who are new to APRS & Packet Round Table 2 - APRS Augmented Bunny Hunting (time permitting) Any late check-ins, net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-02-10 Net Control: N7JDL Joel Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net Administration New members [AG7TH Gary, N7LAN Larry, KC3WSR Walter, KJ7MRL Raymond, WA7ABU Dan Bathurst] New addition [APRSLink, KISS Protocol Reference] New members list their interest and experience in APRS, packet, and mesh networking, including an inventory of software & hardware Featured Topic: APRSLink John, AI7BQ Round Table 1 - Q&A Round Table 2 - General Any late check-ins, net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-02-03 Net Control: WA6OEM Mike Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net New members list their interest and experience in APRS, packet, and mesh networking, including an inventory of software & hardware Round Table 1 - What's new with you? Round Table 2 - Who would like to talk about new subjects added to Groups.IO? Recent Additions to Website & Software List: - Nationwide Amateur Radio Packet Directory - Setting up Packet Radio on a Raspberry Pi - APRS Protcol Reference - Glossary of Packet Terms - Amateur Radio Software for Debian/Ubuntu Linux - How to Setup a Packet Radio Node and BBS on a Raspberry Pi - EasyTerm Tutorial New Information added to Lane County Packet System - Regional Packet Nodes - Regional RMS Gateways New Topics - PAT Winlink - Sending Email using Winlink - W7FLO-11 Digipeater on 223.42 MHz - APRS Augmented Bunny Hunt Round Table 3 - Questions (time permitting) Any late check-ins, net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-01-26 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net Administration Sign up with [email protected]. Activity Planning Team – Please reply to APRS Augmented Bunny Hunt if you have ideas to share. Help choose the next topic – Please reply to Future Topics and give us your feedback. New members list their interest and experience in APRS, packet, and mesh networking, including an inventory of software & hardware Round Table 1 - What's new with you? Do you have any APRS/Packet questions for the net? Winlink Preamble - Nathan Tonight we're starting our discussions on the topic of common software used in packet radio Round Table 2 - Tell us about your experience with Winlink, is this a topic you're interested in and would like to also discuss in future nets? Introduction - Nathan What is winlink What is needed What does it allow you to do? Via Gateway + Internet Via offline Gateway (Store+Forward) Via P2P Digipeaters Examples of local testing between AI7NC/AI7BQ - John Email from AI7BQ to AI7NC (Simplex) Email from AI7BQ to AI7NC (via W7EUG-10 144.03 MHz RMS Gateway) Round Table 3 - After the overview and the exercise example, do you have any questions or have anything to add to the discussion? Any late check-ins, net related QSTs before we secure? Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-01-20 Net Control: AI7BQ John Preamble Check-in QSTs related to this net Administration Sign up with [email protected]. See Standardized Display Name Format policy. Merging Membership Hardware & Software Inventory into Membership List – Please review Membership List for accuracy. Activity Planning Team – Please reply to APRS Augmented Bunny Hunt if you have ideas to share. Help choose the next topic – Please reply to Future Topics and give us your feedback. New members list their interest and experience in APRS, packet, and mesh networking, including an inventory of software & hardware Round Table (questions, accomplishments, discussion) APRS 101 Part 2 Capabilities – Mike WA6OEM Technical Information – John AI7BQ Equipment Settings – Joel N7JDL APRS Paths – Nathan AI7NC Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-01-13 Net Control: N7JDL Joel Preamble Check-in QSTs Groups.IO: Promotion. Thank members for signing up. Review recent traffic Administrative activity (Membership List) New members Please share your interest and experience with APRS, Packet, and Mesh Networking Please list your inventory of hardware & software used in your shack Get your computers ready for aprs.fi demonstration later in the agenda APRS 101 Part 1 Introduction – John AI7BQ History – Mike WA6OEM Network Overview – Nathan AI7NC Positions / Objects / Items – Joel N7JDL Status / Messages / Bulletins / E-Mail / SMS – John AI7BQ Group visit and demonstration of aprs.fi Round Table. Opportunity for stations to ask questions, share accomplishments, and have further discussion. Postamble Secure Agenda 2021-01-06 Net Control: WA6OEM Mike Preamble Check-in Ask new members to re-check Call on each new member to list their interest in APRS, Packet, and Mesh Networking Call on each new member to list their inventory of Software and Hardware Reveal result of last week's vote on topics to be discussed in future nets Announce that APRS 101 will be the focus for the next two nets Focus Topic: groups.io Demo some groups.io features (messages, sign-up, reply, email control) Ask members to review Interest and Inventory lists. Mention abbreviated callsigns. Ask members to submit corrections and amendments to the Interest and Inventory lists. Q&A Round Table Postamble Secure Agenda 2020-12-30 Net Control: AI7NC Nathan First Roundtable - Members asked to describe their interest, experience, and understanding of APRS, Packet, or Mesh networks. Second Roundtable - Members asked to vote on future discussion topics Third Roundtable - Inventory Intersection. Members asked to describe their hardware and software setup Agenda 2020-12-23 Net Control: AI7BQ John Charter meeting Description of Mission, Vision, and Values Introduced NCOs Brainstorm Future Topics ###

Members share their inventory of hardware and software used for APRS, Packet, and Mesh networking. Pending administrative actions: * Add full callsigns * Merge the information below into the Membership List ( /g/packethackers/message/16 ) * Deprecate this topic *K7MIL Lance ( http://www.qrz.com/db/K7MIL ) :* Merge complete. See Membership List ( /g/packethackers/message/16 ). *K7OWW Matt* ( http://www.qrz.com/db/K7OWW ) *:* Merge complete. See Membership List ( /g/packethackers/message/16 ). AI7BQ John ( http://www.qrz.com/db/AI7BQ ) : I use Dire Wolf under Linux on a Raspberry Pi as a part time bi-directional IGate and digipeater. This setup is interfaced to an Icom IC-9700 dual band base station radio by way of USB. I recently purchased a Kenwood TM-D710G and I am learning how to operate it. I also have an Anytone AT878 handheld radio with GPS and Bluetooth functions. I also have a dual node Allstar/Echolink node, and I am the control operator for the W7PXL Echolink system. In addition to Dire Wolf, I've used Winlink Express, PAT "A Modern Winlink Client", APRSIS32, and PinPoint APRS. I like playing with Raspberry Pi's, Linux, and Python. I've written a variety of Python scripts to control my radios, and send, receive, and decode APRS. I have a custom built APRS to MQTT gateway to handle some basic home automation tasks using APRS. I have sent Winlink messages using Packet and AREDN telnet. I use a hAP AC Lite that is tunneled over the Internet because I don't have line-of-site to other stations, including Buck, Blanton, or Prairie. I hope to hike a dish and beam antenna up to the top of a 120 foot fir tree in my backyard. WA6EM Mike ( http://www.qrz.com/db/WA6OEM ) : I have a Kenwood TM-D710GA which I enjoy using in the house and on the road, especially when I'm traveling long distance. I enjoy the nice messaging features that this radio offers, and I like how messages can be directly sent using the microphone keypad. I also have an Icom IC-9700 which has a built-in USB sound card which I can connect to a PC to run Sound modem, Winlink Express, and EasyTerm. I also have a TinyTrak3Plus which is a small GPS receiver that can interface to a radio to transmit APRS position beacons. KK7GAB Gerry ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KK7GAB ) : I have a Yaesu FTM-400XDR, which is really nice and will do APRS natively. I also have a Kantronics KPC-3+ TNC which I use to interface the radio to my laptop PC running Windows 10. On it I run Winlink Express and Outpost packet message manager. I also generate APRS directly from the TNC using PuTTY. I've just started to play with APRSIS32. K7EZR Rob ( http://www.qrz.com/db/K7EZR ) : I have a Yaesu FTM-400DR in my shack, usually running as a Wires-X node. I also have a Yaesu FTM-300DR in the car and a Yaesu FT-3DR handheld touch screen transceiver that I use when I'm hiking. I also have Icom ID-51A PLUS handheld, but lately I've been focusing on Wires-X mode. In addition to the FTM-400DR in the shack, I have a Yaesu FT-991A "shack-in-a-box" which I use sometimes to access Wires-X. That rig has built-in data support which I enjoy. And if that's not enough, I also have a much older Yaesu FT-817 multi-mode C4FM portable QRP transceiver that has no digital or built-in data modes. I love this radio though, and I mostly use it for monitoring and working the W7PXL repeater, however I have used it with the SignalLink to do FT-8 on VHF of all things. I’ve always meant to get into SOTA with it. Maybe someday. I've played around with Raspberry Pi computers, and I ran a receive-only IGate awhile back using Dire Wolf, but it's not running now. KG7PPA Dave ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KG7PPA ) : Right now I have an Icom IC-V8000 VHF FM transceiver. I don't have any hardware right now that supports packet, but I do have a Raspberry Pi on order. KJ7CNL Matt ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KJ7CNL ) : I have a General Dynamics 6000 laptop PC with a built-in RS-232 port. I also have a Kantronics KPC-3, and I run Winlink and PuTTY, or a the dumb terminal option within Winmail. I also have a USB SignalLink that I've used for SSTV. However, software TNCs frustrate me, as I can't get them to work. In my go-box I use a ROCK Pi X which is similar to a Raspberry Pi, but it will run Windows. I also have a TYT TH-9800 radio, but it doesn't have a data port. Instead, it has an Audio Out and an RJ-12 connector. I also have an A/B data transfer switch that I use to switch between a microphone and the SignalLink. *AB7JW Jeff* ( http://www.qrz.com/db/AB7JW ) *:* I have a dedicated Yaesu FT-7800M 2-meter radio with a data jack. I also have a Kantronics KPC-3+, and a master communication sound card. All battery powered. In addition, I have Yaesu FT-2DR and FT-3DR hand held transceivers, and a Yaesu FT-400DR mobile unit which, in addition to voice, I mostly use to receive APRS packets. I also use the data jack on back with a tablet Winlink sound card. I’ve been dabbling with NPR-70 (New Packet Radio) which is a custom radio protocol, designed to transport point-to-point bidirectional IP traffic over 430MHz radio links. I also use a Raspberry Pi and JS8call APRS over HF. *KJ7OZM Peter ( http://www.qrz.com/db/KJ7OZM ) :* I have a Yaesu FT-65R handheld radio. Considering the significant investment involved with antennas and stations, I need some direction to go. *N7JDL Joel ( http://www.qrz.com/db/N7JDL ) :* I have a Byonics TinyTrak4 APRS tracker controller, digipeater, and KISS TNC and a Raspberry Pi. *W7EWM Elmer ( http://www.qrz.com/db/W7EWM ) :* I run two full-time packet stations using Kantronics KPC-3+ TNCs, Windows PCs, and two old Yaesu 5 Watt handheld radios. I also use Kantronics TNCs on HF and VHF. I have a Yaesu FT-8800R mobile radio in my shack connected to a KPC-3 TNC. In the truck I also have a radio with a KPC-3 mounted to it – I simply connect a laptop to run packet. For HF, I use an Icom IC-706 with a wire antenna. *AI7NC Nathan ( http://www.qrz.com/db/N7CMP ) :* I use APRS on many radios, namely an AnyTone AT-D878UV handheld which can only transmit APRS, an AnyTone AT-D578UVIIIPRO mobile rig and a Kenwood TH-D74A handheld transceiver both of which transmit and receive APRS. I also have a Kenwood TM-D710G which is similar to the TM-D710GA, but doesn’t have a built-in GPS receiver. When mobile, I need to use an external GPS device if I want to transmit APRS position reports. The TM-D74A has a built-in TNC which can connect to a computer or smart device through Bluetooth or USB to send and receive AX.25 packets, and the Kenwood TM-D710G has a built-in TNC accessible through a data port. I have exchanged APRS messages with Matt K7OWW when I’m in the wilderness. I have also sent and received SMS messages using APRS from the wilderness while backpacking. I also have a Kenwood TM-281 paired with a Microsat WX3-in-1plus2.0 controller for digipeating and IGating. I’m looking for good locations in the Oregon coast range and the Cascades to place fill-in digipeaters. I’m interested in playing around with software and hardware to get a feel for APRS and Packet functionality. On the software side, I have used Winlink Express on the TH-D74A and the TM-D710G to exchange packets into a number of nodes in the local area. I have exchanged packets directly and relayed through digipeaters. Additionally I've done Igating and short digipeating with APRSIS32 and PinPoint. I also periodically transmit waypoint objects using UI32 on a virtual machine. If you have APRS, you've probably seen some of these waypoints. I try to include properly formatted QSY information. For example, I send out a periodic announcement of the Valley Radio Club monthly meeting. In the message I include the frequency and tone of the W7PXL repeater. Many radios that receive these packets can switch to this repeater frequency with the push of a button. ###

How the D-STAR Radio Network Works Compared to DMR (BrandMeister & More) D-STAR (Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio) and DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) are both digital voice and data communication systems used in amateur radio, but they differ significantly in their architecture, networking, and how they handle calls and routing. D-STAR Network Overview D-STAR was developed by the Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) and uses Internet Protocol (IP) networking at its core. It is specifically designed for amateur radio use, supporting both voice (DV mode) and data (DD mode). How D-STAR Works: D-STAR Transceivers & Modulation Uses 4.8 kbps digital voice (DV) and 128 kbps digital data (DD). Modulation: GMSK (Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying). Codec: Uses AMBE+ (Advanced Multi-Band Excitation) vocoder for voice compression. D-STAR Repeaters A D-STAR repeater consists of multiple modules: VHF/UHF Voice Module (DV) 1.2 GHz Data Module (DD) Repeaters are linked via the Internet to a D-STAR Reflector or Gateway. D-STAR Reflectors & Routing Repeaters can connect to DCS, REF, or XRF Reflectors, which act like conference servers. Callsigns are used for routing instead of talkgroups. You can call: Local station on the repeater. A station on another repeater using callsign routing. A reflector for group communication. D-STAR Gateways & Trust Server Each repeater can be connected to a gateway server that connects it to the wider D-STAR network. The D-STAR Trust Server keeps track of where users are located and allows callsign-based routing. DMR Network Overview DMR is a commercial radio standard adopted by amateurs, and it is a Time-Division Multiple Access (TDMA) system, allowing two simultaneous voice conversations on a single channel. How DMR Works: DMR Transceivers & Modulation Uses 2-slot TDMA on 12.5 kHz channels, allowing two users to share the same frequency. Modulation: 4FSK (Four-Level Frequency Shift Keying). Codec: Uses AMBE+2 vocoder (similar to D-STAR but a different variant). DMR Repeaters DMR repeaters manage two simultaneous conversations using TDMA slots: Slot 1: Typically used for worldwide or national talkgroups. Slot 2: Often used for local or regional talkgroups. Repeaters connect to DMR networks like BrandMeister, DMR-MARC, or TGIF. DMR Talkgroups & Reflectors Instead of callsign routing, DMR uses talkgroups (TGs) for organizing communication. Talkgroups can be: Worldwide (TG91 on BrandMeister) Regional (e.g., TG3100 for the USA) Local or custom (TG9 for local repeater use) Some DMR networks use Reflectors (like D-STAR Reflectors), but these are less common today. DMR Network Structure Users register with DMR ID numbers instead of callsigns for routing. Networks like BrandMeister allow dynamic linking, where users can select talkgroups on demand. Unlike D-STAR, there is no Trust Server for callsign-based routing. Key Differences Between D-STAR and DMR Feature D-STAR DMR Modulation GMSK 4FSK Channel Access Single-channel per user TDMA (2 slots per channel) Vocoder AMBE+ AMBE+2 Addressing Callsign-based routing DMR ID (numeric) Networking Callsign-based routing, reflectors, trust servers Talkgroups, repeaters, dynamic linking Repeaters Typically single-user per channel Two simultaneous users per channel Internet Linking Reflectors (REF, DCS, XRF) Talkgroups, BrandMeister, TGIF Usage Focus Designed for amateur use Adapted from commercial systems Which is Better? D-STAR is better for callsign-based routing and ham-specific applications. It allows direct station-to-station communication without needing a predefined talkgroup. DMR is more efficient for repeater-based operation since two users can talk simultaneously on a single frequency. It also has larger network infrastructure with talkgroups for global connectivity. D-STAR allows faster data transfer (DD Mode at 128 kbps), while DMR only allows very limited text messaging. Both systems have strengths, and many hams use hotspots like Pi-Star to connect to both networks. ###

Slow Scan Television (SSTV) is often categorized as a digital mode in ham radio discussions, even though it primarily uses analog frequency modulation techniques to transmit images. The reason for this classification is due to how modern SSTV operates: Encoding & Decoding via Software – While SSTV signals are modulated in an analog manner (typically using frequency modulation of an audio subcarrier in SSB), the images are digitally encoded before transmission and digitally decoded upon reception using software like MMSSTV or QSSTV. Structured Protocols – SSTV uses specific tone sequences and synchronization signals to encode pixels, which is similar to digital communication methods that use structured, predefined protocols. Computer-Based Transmission – Unlike pure analog voice or CW, modern SSTV is almost always generated and received by computers or microcontrollers, much like digital modes such as PSK31 or FT8. Error Correction & Synchronization – Many SSTV modes include sync pulses and calibration signals, akin to digital error correction techniques. Analog vs. Digital in SSTV Analog Nature: The modulation itself is analog, using varying audio tones to represent different pixel intensities. Digital-Like Processing: The image is handled digitally before and after transmission. Thus, while SSTV is not a true digital mode like FT8 or RTTY, it is often grouped with digital modes due to its reliance on digital processing and computer-assisted transmission. ###

Title: Digital Hotspots for Amateur Radio: A Practical Guide Introduction Welcome, everyone. Today, we’re going to explore the world of digital hotspots in amateur radio. Digital hotspots serve as personal, low-power gateways that connect you to digital voice networks over the internet. Whether you operate on DMR, D-STAR, System Fusion, NXDN, or P25, a hotspot can keep you connected, even in areas without a local repeater. So why would you use a hotspot? First, it allows access to digital networks when no repeater is available nearby. Second, it gives you more control over your connectivity. Finally, it enables experimentation with digital voice modes. Having a personal hotspot means you are not reliant on club-owned or public repeaters, and you can experiment with different modes, talk groups, and reflectors without affecting other users. Types of Digital Hotspots There are two main categories of digital hotspots: commercial and DIY solutions. Let’s start with commercial options. One of the most well-known is the OpenSpot series from SharkRF. These are high-quality, plug-and-play devices that support multiple modes and even cross-mode operation, allowing communication between different digital voice modes. The OpenSpot 4 Pro, for example, supports full-duplex operation, making it ideal for applications like cross-mode bridging between networks. Another option is the ZumSpot, which is Raspberry Pi-based and offers robust multi-mode support. Then there are MMDVM-based devices, which serve as a more flexible alternative but require a bit more setup. On the other hand, DIY options give you a hands-on approach. One of the most popular is building a Pi-Star-based hotspot. By using a Raspberry Pi with an MMDVM board, you can create a versatile and cost-effective hotspot. If you want an even more custom solution, you can build one from scratch using 818 radio modules and an MMDVM hat. Building your own hotspot allows you to fine-tune parameters such as transmit deviation, power levels, and network settings to better suit your needs. Building a DIY Hotspot If you decide to build your own hotspot, here’s what you’ll need: A Raspberry Pi—models Zero, 3, or 4 work well. An MMDVM board, preferably with an 818 RF transceiver module. An OLED screen for real-time status (optional). A case and cooling options for heat management. Once you have the hardware, the next step is software. Pi-Star is the most popular option for managing a digital hotspot, as it simplifies setup and operation. If you prefer a more technical approach, MMDVMHost allows direct configuration and tuning. To configure your hotspot, first set up your Wi-Fi and network access. Then, program the correct frequency and mode based on your needs. Finally, connect to digital networks like BrandMeister for DMR or YSF Reflectors for System Fusion. When setting up your hotspot, consider these additional factors: Power supply: Ensure a stable 5V power supply to avoid instability. Heat dissipation: Some hotspots generate heat, so using a heatsink or fan is recommended. Antenna placement: Position your hotspot's antenna away from interference sources for optimal performance. Half-Duplex vs. Full-Duplex Hotspots One important decision when selecting or building a hotspot is whether to use half-duplex or full-duplex operation. A half-duplex hotspot transmits and receives on the same frequency, meaning only one transmission occurs at a time. This is the most common and affordable option, and most Pi-Star-based hotspots fall into this category. A full-duplex hotspot transmits and receives on separate frequencies, allowing simultaneous transmission and reception. This is ideal for certain applications, such as cross-mode operation, and is available in high-end models like the OpenSpot 4 Pro. Full-duplex operation allows real-time interactions without the delay of waiting for a transmission to finish. When selecting a duplex mode, consider whether you need real-time bridging between networks or if simple access to talk groups and reflectors is sufficient for your needs. Frequency Selec

Hi, In the net tonight I talked about working on an ADS-B receiver trial before working to install it at its permanent home of the Deathball Mt. repeater site above Blue River, OR. The primary intention of this station is to provide much improved firefighting aircraft ADS-B coverage in the cascades with a secondary goal to augment Western Oregon ADS-B coverage. The device is set to feed all the public ADS-B aggregators. I thought some of you may want to take a look at it. Below are some temporary links so you can see the locally hosted info for the receiver. Live Aircraft Map Station Performance Graphs Last 24h of tracks received For those that are curious the raspberry pi is running an image from ADSB.im. This distribution runs a collection of open source projects that are containerized, primary of which is Ultrafeeder, which contains tar1090 for the live mapping, graph1090 for the stats, readsb for the decoding, et.al. The image is a great way to go if you want to stand up a receiver quickly with some of the best packages currently available that isn't aggregator specific. Nathan, AI7NC

Statewide MeshPhone Conference call Thursday 3/13 at 8:15 PM Where: LCcore MeshPhone Conference Room (MeshPhone number 4193) Topic: Brainstorming Ideas, Dates, and Locations for AREDN in the Park 73, John AI7BQ

Hi, I'm sending out a notice on all email reflectors that we've made a change on the Thurston hills 441.650 repeater. It is no longer narrowband and is now set to wideband so when you get the chance adjust your radios accordingly. We have measured this should result in about a 5dB signal-to-noise ratio improvement in the demodulated audio based on a number of direct A/B measurements we collected while using both deviations this repeater. The downside is the repeater will not be mixed mode any longer so P25 will only be offered on request as we don't currently have a way to offer both wideband analog plus P25. We've only had P25 used by hams twice in the last 2 years while analog gets used daily so we made the decision to improve performance on analog at the cost of offering a P25 repeater for now. 441.650 +5MHz | DCS125 | FM Nathan, AI7NC

Tonight on the digital radio net, one of the participants mentioned a free software package to receive utility meter information using an SDR. I haven't tried playing with this yet, but here are a couple of links I found. This Standford class has a nice overview. https://web.stanford.edu/class/ee26n/Assignments/Assignment6.html Here's a github site with the software. https://github.com/bemasher/rtlamr/tree/master 73, Craig N7RWB

Willamette Valley DX Club - February 2025 meeting EVERYONE WELCOME! Tuesday, February 25, 2025 Schmooze & dinner starts at 6 p.m. Pacific. Meeting & presentations start at 7 p.m. Pacific IN-PERSON Rogue Eastside Pub 928 SE 9th Ave. Portland, OR 97214 ONLINE https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88045942525?pwd=xgfOK2rf2s4v977Pjg6UzbUIGAwrim.1 Meeting ID: 880 4594 2525 Passcode: 751814 PRESENTATIONS Preview of SeaPac Preview of Pacific Northwest DX Convention www.wvdxc.org Scott N7JI VP, WVDXC