Timewave DSP-232, Operating Manual

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Chapter 4 Terminal Interfacing
to character by character --these sort of configuration changes are made in the Command mode and are realized in
the Converse mode.
Transparent Mode
Transparent mode is used to transfer binary files. No data is echoed, so you don’t see the actual data appearing on
your screen. The
TRANS
command switches the DSP-232 from the Command mode to the Transparent mode.
Host Mode
In Command mode, the DSP-232 presents a reasonably user-friendly human interface that uses plain-language to
describe exactly what is going on.
All of the DSP-232’s Command mode features that make life easy for the user unfortunately produce substantial
difficulties for the computer and for the programmers that write terminal control programs.
Host mode does not use human-type dialog. By communicating directly with the ‘host’ or computer, Host mode
provides the computer with much greater direct control over the DSP-232. Host mode permits programmers to
eliminate, reduce, or greatly simplify the transfer and subsequent encoding and decoding of critical information. In
Host mode, the DSP-232 is unfriendly; humans would find it difficult to operate the DSP in Host mode.
KISS Mode
The DSP-232 provides a simple, asynchronous, computer-to-TNC protocol for a raw HDLC TNC or “KISS” TNC
developed by Phil Karn (KA9Q). The computer must provide all AX.25 headers and timing functions. KISS
protocol is similar to the Raw HDLC protocol where data from the computer is converted into pure packet frames
without adding headers or protocol bytes. However, Raw HDLC is available only in Host mode, whereas KISS is its
own mode.
Parameters and Arguments
If a command requires an argument, the type of argument is indicated after the command name as well as its default
value. There are three different types of parameters used: Boolean, Numeric, and Text.
Boolean
Boolean arguments use one value out of a choice of only two possible values, such as
ON
or
OFF
,
YES
or
NO
, or
EVERY or AFTER . Boolean arguments can also be changed back and forth (toggled) with an argument of
TOGGLE
or
T
. This is useful, for example, in the case of
RXREV
and
TXREV
.
Numeric
An argument designated as “ n ” is a numeric value. Numeric values can be entered by typing them in familiar
decimal numbers, or in hexadecimal numbers. When using hexadecimal notation, you must type a $ in front of the
number to tell the DSP that this is a “hex” number.
For numeric parameters the arguments
ON
or
Y
set the parameter value to its default. Arguments
OFF
or
N
set the
value to zero. The UP ( U ) or DOWN ( D ) can be used to select the next higher or lower baud rate.
Text Arguments
A text parameter, such as the CTEXT message, can hold most any ASCII character including uppercase and
lowercase letters, numbers, spaces, and punctuation.
Some commands, such as
CONNECT
, require callsigns as arguments. These arguments are usually callsigns, but
may be any string of numbers of at least one letter (and up to six characters) in length. Some commands, such as
CFROM , have arguments which are actually lists of callsigns. You must separate multiple callsigns with either
spaces or commas.
Changing Commands
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