Timewave DSP-232, Operating Manual, Page: 71 / 271

Chapter 5 Packet Operation
To solve this problem, Amateurs began working on more efficient “higher level” ways of routing packets over long
distances. NET/ROM
™
, ROSE, TCP/IP, TheNet, and TEXNET are some of the higher level protocols that emerged
and are currently in use around the world. An analogy to packet node operation is your body: say you stub a toe
against the wall. The nerve impulse starts at your toe, is transmitted by branch nerve fibers in your leg, then on to
your spine (backbone) and finally the impulse reaches its destination, the brain. Packet communications work pretty
much the same way: you (the toe) would send to a node (a branch station) that would be retransmit along a digital
backbone to a final destination. Instead of a central clearinghouse for signals, like your brain, packet signals are
routed along nodes that would retransmit a message until it reaches its destination. (This doesn’t mean you don’t
need brains to use packet.)
In practice, you’d never connect directly to a backbone station; backbone stations typically operate in the 220 MHz
and 440 MHz bands (in the U.S.) are used strictly as retransmitters of packets, not originators in the usual sense.
With these stations
not used for local traffic, they can speed packet traffic along faster and without interruption.
In summary, you don’t connect to a distant station anymore but to a node which will do all the connecting and
retransmitting for you so you can send mail, or chat with, another station. . . and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a
distant station. In mountainous or hilly areas, it’s common practice for all stations to connect to a node and have it
retransmit your signals, rather than have you connect directly to a nearby station. This method, rather than direct
connecting, helps solve the packet crash problem that you read about a few paragraphs ago.
When you connect to a NET/ROM node you won’t initially see a prompt. Since NET/ROM commands are few and
easily memorized, they’re not transmitted so airtime will be reduced. Like other automatic systems however, if you
send an “H” or a “?” for Help you can expect to get a response. For Seattle’s SEA node, you’d see:
cmd:
c sea
*** CONNECTED to SEA
?
SEA:WN7ANK-8} Invalid Command - Choose from :
Connect CQ Bye Help Info Nodes Routes Talk Stats BBS MHeard Users Quit
In the above example, the Seattle node is addressed as
SEA
and it’s operated by WN7ANK-8.
Invalid
Command
means that the node didn’t understand the command a connected station sent, so it returned the above
“help” line to remind its user of the commands it knows, which are listed below its I.D.
Your DSP acts as a node!
Your DSP-232 node firmware supports local acknowledgment ( acks ) of packets like a full-service BBS/node does,
so instead of users having to digipeat through your MYALIAS or MYCALL callsign to connect to a destination
station, they can now simply connect to your
MYGATE
callsign. From there, they can then issue a connect request
to the station they want to reach and your station will be responsible for accepting and sending packet data and acks .
(Users can’t digipeat through your
MYGATE
callsign.) All this allows for increased throughput. Users can also
enter the MHEARD command to see the last 18 stations your TNC has heard.
The features of your node firmware are as follows:
• AEA packet “node”helps eliminate the need for digipeating.
• In AMTOR-listen mode, link and conect attempts are shown.
• Enhanced packet MHEARD function identifies TCP/IP, NET/ROM, and TheNet stations.
• EXPERT command is included so you’re no longer burdened with a large number of commands to view.
• MOPTT command simplifies full brea-in CW operation.
• Automatic selection of AMTOR mode when a received signal is tuned with the ARXTOR command.
• The CODE command includes upper/lower case extensions used by many AMTOR MSO and APLINK stations.
For your node to work, simply enter a call into
MYGATE
—but not the same one as your
MYCALL
,
MYALIAS
or
MYMAIL —and set GUSERS to a value greater than zero. To disable the node function, enter MYGATE NONE or
GUSERS
to zero.
5-10 September, 05