Packet radio is computers talking to computers using radio rather than phone lines. A special
modem called a Terminal Node Controller (or TNC for short) is used to interface a computer to a
ham radio. A network of packet radio stations is setup so a user can connect to stations far away
by using other packet stations in between. Packet radio BBS's are common. They use a store and
forward concept to get mail to it's destination. Any given BBS therefore only needs to make
connections with its direct neighbors.
Please not that the packet system is no longer active. I keep these pages here for historical reference for your viewing pleasure.
The WN7C Packet node and bbs is located in Mt. Gilead, Ohio, 40 miles north of Columbus
Ohio. User frequencies are 145.070MHZ 1200 baud and 145.520MHZ 1200 baud. There are
also several other ports operating at 4800 baud and 9600 baud to interconnect the system with
other area's.
The BBS computer in use is a 386dx40 with 20 meg of ram. It is running MSYS BBS software under windows 95. This computer handles the user ports.
The Node computer in use is a 386sx33 with 1 meg of ram. It is running BPQ Node software. This
computer handles all the high speed networking ports.
USER PORTS
145.070 user port is runing an Alinco DR1200 data radio at 25 watts. The antenna is a Cushcraft
ADM4a dipole array at 80'. It is fed by 95' of 1/2" heliax.
145.520 user port is running a Kenwood 721 at 45 watts. The antenna is a commercial 4 bay
dipole array at 55'. It is fed by 60' of 1/2" heliax.
NETWORK PORTS
222.200 9600 baud network port is running a Clegg crystal radio at 10 watts. The antenna is a
stacked set of cushcraft 7 element 220 beams pointed south at 105' and is fed by 120' of 1/2"
hardline. This port is used to connect to Columbus.
6Meter 9600 baud port is running a Motorola Mitrek at 75watts. The antenna is an MFJ 3 element yagi pointed northwest at 90 fed by rg8 coax. This port is used to communicate with Findlay Radio Club's Node in Findlay Ohio.
144.970 1200 baud network port is running a Kenwood 721 radio at 45 watts. The antenna is a Cushcraft 13 element 2 meter beam pointed north by north-west at 105' This port is used to talk to N8XHZ node in northwest Ohio.
446.500 4800 baud network port is running a Kenwood 421 radio at 35 watts. The antenna is a phased pair of 11 element cushcraft beams pointing northeast. This port is used to talk to Mansfield, OH.
445.100 4800 baud network port is running a Kenwood 421 radio at 35 watts. The antenna is a
diamond X700HA antenna at 110' and is fed by 120' of 1/2" heliax and is shared with the 2 meter
repeater. This port is used to connect with N8LHG in Ostrander, Ohio..
send comments to wn7c@redbird.net