I am interested in using my HP 48gx for a HT packet setup. Does anyone
out there have any advice regarding hardware/software for doing this? I
have the serial cable, so I think that I am good with the hardware, but
would like any advice.

Thanks

Mike Boersma

In article .com,
(known to some as mike boersma) scribed...

I am interested in using my HP 48gx for a HT packet setup. Does anyone
out there have any advice regarding hardware/software for doing this? I
have the serial cable, so I think that I am good with the hardware, but
would like any advice.

Maybe it's just me, but... Is there a specific reason anyone would
want to use a scientific calculator as a packet terminal?

Seems to me it'd be a lot easier just to use... a terminal! Or a PC
with appropriate software.

Just a thought.

Happy tweaking.


--
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Institute
(Known to some as Bruce Lane, KC7GR)
http://www.bluefeathertech.com -- kyrrin a/t bluefeathertech d-o=t calm
"Salvadore Dali's computer has surreal ports..."

In article ,
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee wrote:

| Maybe it's just me, but... Is there a specific reason anyone would
| want to use a scientific calculator as a packet terminal?

Don't hams usually have an urge to tinker with things, use them in
ways they're not really meant to be used?

| Seems to me it'd be a lot easier just to use... a terminal! Or a PC
| with appropriate software.

Well, it does have a serial port, keyboard and screen, and it's very
small and uses very little power. It sounds like a great serial
console to me if done right ...

--
Doug McLaren,
Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.
--Robert F. Kennedy

Good points.

The HP 48 is small. Its portable. It has as much or more computing
power than some of the early computers used for packet. It has a 4 pin
to DS9 serial cable. It also has a 9600 modem built in. These are all
features suggestive of a terminal for packet, especially packet with a
HT.

OTOH, there may be good technical reasons for not trying this (size of
or lack of keyboard, lack of appropriate cable [it is difficult, but
possible, to use a HP48 with a telephone modem due to cable issues],
lack of appropriate software, or TNC incombatability).

Thus my question for this learned forum.

Mike
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee wrote:
In article .com,
(known to some as mike boersma) scribed...

I am interested in using my HP 48gx for a HT packet setup. Does anyone
out there have any advice regarding hardware/software for doing this? I
have the serial cable, so I think that I am good with the hardware, but
would like any advice.

Maybe it's just me, but... Is there a specific reason anyone would
want to use a scientific calculator as a packet terminal?

Seems to me it'd be a lot easier just to use... a terminal! Or a PC
with appropriate software.

Just a thought.

Happy tweaking.


--
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Institute
(Known to some as Bruce Lane, KC7GR)
http://www.bluefeathertech.com -- kyrrin a/t bluefeathertech d-o=t calm
"Salvadore Dali's computer has surreal ports..."

In article , dougmc+usenet-
(known to some as Doug McLaren) scribed...

In article ,
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee wrote:

| Maybe it's just me, but... Is there a specific reason anyone would
| want to use a scientific calculator as a packet terminal?

Don't hams usually have an urge to tinker with things, use them in
ways they're not really meant to be used?

Of course we do. ;-) I'm not saying 'Don't do it,' I'm just saying
it didn't make much sense to me. A calculator, in my eyes, is just that:
A handy tool for doing math. That's all I want it to be, that's all I
ever need it to be.

| Seems to me it'd be a lot easier just to use... a terminal! Or a PC
| with appropriate software.

Well, it does have a serial port, keyboard and screen, and it's very
small and uses very little power. It sounds like a great serial
console to me if done right ...

Perhaps, but typing on the thing would be a bloody nightmare from
the get-go.

Keep the peace(es).





--
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Institute
(Known to some as Bruce Lane, KC7GR)
http://www.bluefeathertech.com -- kyrrin a/t bluefeathertech d-o=t calm
"Salvadore Dali's computer has surreal ports..."

I wrote some stuff on this. Search old Packet Perspectives in QST (May
1994, pg. 110.) It was mostly for DX packet clusters, but would also
serve as a dumb term. There are serious problems with the keyboard and
small screen with this. In the near future, I may do something similar
with APRS, expecially if I can figure out how to get my hands on an
HP-50G and use the serial port option!


Dr. Anton T. Squeegee wrote:
In article , dougmc+usenet-
(known to some as Doug McLaren) scribed...

In article ,
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee wrote:

| Maybe it's just me, but... Is there a specific reason anyone would
| want to use a scientific calculator as a packet terminal?

Don't hams usually have an urge to tinker with things, use them in
ways they're not really meant to be used?

Of course we do. ;-) I'm not saying 'Don't do it,' I'm just saying
it didn't make much sense to me. A calculator, in my eyes, is just that:
A handy tool for doing math. That's all I want it to be, that's all I
ever need it to be.

| Seems to me it'd be a lot easier just to use... a terminal! Or a PC
| with appropriate software.

Well, it does have a serial port, keyboard and screen, and it's very
small and uses very little power. It sounds like a great serial
console to me if done right ...

Perhaps, but typing on the thing would be a bloody nightmare from
the get-go.

Keep the peace(es).





--
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Institute
(Known to some as Bruce Lane, KC7GR)
http://www.bluefeathertech.com -- kyrrin a/t bluefeathertech d-o=t calm
"Salvadore Dali's computer has surreal ports..."

mike boersma wrote:


Maybe it's just me, but... Is there a specific reason anyone would
want to use a scientific calculator as a packet terminal?

Seems to me it'd be a lot easier just to use... a terminal! Or a PC
with appropriate software.

Will a 48SX do it too?

tom

I agree with the keyboard and small screen. Any problem with the cable
(4 pin from Hp48 to DB9 to a DB9/DB25 to the TNC), ie. is it necessary
to build a cable or can the stock 4 pin -- DB9 with a DB9/Db25
converter work?

Thanks

Mike Boersma
KD8EIB
Goog wrote:
I wrote some stuff on this. Search old Packet Perspectives in QST (May
1994, pg. 110.) It was mostly for DX packet clusters, but would also
serve as a dumb term. There are serious problems with the keyboard and
small screen with this. In the near future, I may do something similar
with APRS, expecially if I can figure out how to get my hands on an
HP-50G and use the serial port option!


Dr. Anton T. Squeegee wrote:
In article , dougmc+usenet-
(known to some as Doug McLaren) scribed...

In article ,
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee wrote:

| Maybe it's just me, but... Is there a specific reason anyone would
| want to use a scientific calculator as a packet terminal?

Don't hams usually have an urge to tinker with things, use them in
ways they're not really meant to be used?

Of course we do. ;-) I'm not saying 'Don't do it,' I'm just saying
it didn't make much sense to me. A calculator, in my eyes, is just that:
A handy tool for doing math. That's all I want it to be, that's all I
ever need it to be.

| Seems to me it'd be a lot easier just to use... a terminal! Or a PC
| with appropriate software.

Well, it does have a serial port, keyboard and screen, and it's very
small and uses very little power. It sounds like a great serial
console to me if done right ...

Perhaps, but typing on the thing would be a bloody nightmare from
the get-go.

Keep the peace(es).





--
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Institute
(Known to some as Bruce Lane, KC7GR)
http://www.bluefeathertech.com -- kyrrin a/t bluefeathertech d-o=t calm
"Salvadore Dali's computer has surreal ports..."

mike boersma wrote:
I agree with the keyboard and small screen. Any problem with the cable
(4 pin from Hp48 to DB9 to a DB9/DB25 to the TNC), ie. is it necessary
to build a cable or can the stock 4 pin -- DB9 with a DB9/Db25
converter work?



You can use the stock HP cable with a null modem (swap pins 3 and 4).
This was described in QST. At the time, I didn't know what a null
modem was.