Bill Gunshannon wrote:
Yes, in particular the Netherlands.
In Germany I think there is something left.

Is PA0VRZ still around? :-)

I think you mean PIxVRZ (PI1VRZ/PI8VRZ etc).
They have remained active very long but I think they are off the air.

Or you mean PA0VRC, a local amateur that has moved to another part
of the country but is still alive and kicking.
He built the local 2M repeater PI3PYR in 1977 or 1978 with some friends.

I did digipeating and played with IP quite a bit but it saw much
resistance around here and I wasn't interested in playing politics.

We had so many channels allocated to packet that it was possible to
separate the traffic. A channel for local chat, one for the BBS,
one or two for the access of the local node, and then separate channels
for the interlinking of all the nodes.
This was part of the reasons why TNC's were no way to go and we needed
those SCC cards. Larger systems typically had between 8 and 12 channels.

When I first moved back to Northeastern Pennsylvania my job was to
put the first University (actually, the first anything) on the
Internet. Gave me a lot of leeway. I had a connection between my
house and the University that provided Internet access in the late
80's before was even one ISP. I used to love going to ham club
meetingsd and listening to all the people discussing why it was
technically impossible when I was already doing it. :-)

I had UUCP at work, and later when Linux became available also at home.
Internet came later (1994 or so) and was time-tariff so it was not so
attractive for radio related applications. Not to mention that it was
strictly forbidden to make a connection between amateur radio and the
telephone network.

bill
KB3YV formerly DA1WO (1978-1979 just east of Venlo)

Ah, probably stationed in Germany. We had a local airbase (Soesterberg)
here but it is now closed. I worked next to it for a couple of years
and remember the overflying F15s.

Rob PE1CHL

In article ,
Rob writes:
Bill Gunshannon wrote:
Yes, in particular the Netherlands.
In Germany I think there is something left.

Is PA0VRZ still around? :-)

I think you mean PIxVRZ (PI1VRZ/PI8VRZ etc).
They have remained active very long but I think they are off the air.

Or you mean PA0VRC, a local amateur that has moved to another part
of the country but is still alive and kicking.
He built the local 2M repeater PI3PYR in 1977 or 1978 with some friends.

Nope, PA0VRZ from Apeldoorn. Bulletin station for "vereniging van
radio-zend-amateurs". I used to copy the bulletins on RTTY and
even talk with them once in a while.


I did digipeating and played with IP quite a bit but it saw much
resistance around here and I wasn't interested in playing politics.

We had so many channels allocated to packet that it was possible to
separate the traffic. A channel for local chat, one for the BBS,
one or two for the access of the local node, and then separate channels
for the interlinking of all the nodes.
This was part of the reasons why TNC's were no way to go and we needed
those SCC cards. Larger systems typically had between 8 and 12 channels.

Yeah, we had plenty of channels, too. But that never got in the way
of politics. I started running IP on an unused frequency and still
got complaints about it not belonging on ham radio. (And I probably
shouldn't even go into the local Army MARS fiasco. :-)


When I first moved back to Northeastern Pennsylvania my job was to
put the first University (actually, the first anything) on the
Internet. Gave me a lot of leeway. I had a connection between my
house and the University that provided Internet access in the late
80's before was even one ISP. I used to love going to ham club
meetingsd and listening to all the people discussing why it was
technically impossible when I was already doing it. :-)

I had UUCP at work, and later when Linux became available also at home.
Internet came later (1994 or so) and was time-tariff so it was not so
attractive for radio related applications. Not to mention that it was
strictly forbidden to make a connection between amateur radio and the
telephone network.

UUCP is exactly what I was talking about. I was doing UUCP long before
the Internet opened up to the public. I once ran UUCP between a couple
TNC's to see how it would work and it wasn't bad. Basicly it already
had email and Netnews so I had a hard time seeing what was accomplished
by writing yet another BBS system (we had dozens of them on the phone
as well, but they were never as well connected as UUCP.)


bill
KB3YV formerly DA1WO (1978-1979 just east of Venlo)

Ah, probably stationed in Germany. We had a local airbase (Soesterberg)

Moenchen-Gladbach (actually, Rheindahlen) but went into Holland a lot.

here but it is now closed. I worked next to it for a couple of years
and remember the overflying F15s.

Rob PE1CHL

When I saw your call I had to run and take a quick look at my logbook.
But it was PE1CHS that I worked. But, you never know!!!

bill
KB3YV

--
Bill Gunshannon | de-moc-ra-cy (di mok' ra see) n. Three wolves
| and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.
University of Scranton |
Scranton, Pennsylvania | #include std.disclaimer.h

Bill Gunshannon wrote:
I think you mean PIxVRZ (PI1VRZ/PI8VRZ etc).
They have remained active very long but I think they are off the air.

Or you mean PA0VRC, a local amateur that has moved to another part
of the country but is still alive and kicking.
He built the local 2M repeater PI3PYR in 1977 or 1978 with some friends.

Nope, PA0VRZ from Apeldoorn. Bulletin station for "vereniging van
radio-zend-amateurs". I used to copy the bulletins on RTTY and
even talk with them once in a while.

Ok the VRZA clubstation. It is now called PI4VRZ. They are active
weekly on saturdays (after the holiday break) 0900 UTC.
The main operator Ron PB0ANL was also active in the packet group that
ran PI1VRZ/PI8VRZ.
I listen to their bulletins weekly on 2M. You can also listen on
Internet at www.pi4vrz.nl

UUCP is exactly what I was talking about. I was doing UUCP long before
the Internet opened up to the public. I once ran UUCP between a couple
TNC's to see how it would work and it wasn't bad. Basicly it already
had email and Netnews so I had a hard time seeing what was accomplished
by writing yet another BBS system (we had dozens of them on the phone
as well, but they were never as well connected as UUCP.)

The problem was that UUCP ran on Unix, and Unix was an expensive system
requiring a high-end machine that only some lucky people had.
The average HAM had at most a 286 PC, and that was already in the
later years (1990), before that it was an 8088 system.
In those days I had an Atari ST (68000 system) and many packet users
had a Commodore 64.
In december 1992 I assembled a 386 system with 16MB memory, 800MB disk,
1024x768 graphics card and 17" monitor, paying about $3500 for it.
I installed Linux on it. Then I could run UUCP from home!

When I saw your call I had to run and take a quick look at my logbook.
But it was PE1CHS that I worked. But, you never know!!!

He lived very close to here but I think he is no longer active.

PE1 calls are "technicians license" (no morse code) and originally
that meant "VHF-UHF only". PE1CHS was a DX-er, maybe you worked him
while in Europe.
However, after 2002 or so (don't remember exactly) the morse code
requirement was dropped and all PE1 calls are now allowed to use
HF as well.
I have never been active on HF, but I have used amateur satellites
before I moved in 1995 and had to take down the yagi antennas.
Both SSB and packet satellites.

In article ,
Rob writes:
Bill Gunshannon wrote:
I think you mean PIxVRZ (PI1VRZ/PI8VRZ etc).
They have remained active very long but I think they are off the air.

Or you mean PA0VRC, a local amateur that has moved to another part
of the country but is still alive and kicking.
He built the local 2M repeater PI3PYR in 1977 or 1978 with some friends.

Nope, PA0VRZ from Apeldoorn. Bulletin station for "vereniging van
radio-zend-amateurs". I used to copy the bulletins on RTTY and
even talk with them once in a while.

Ok the VRZA clubstation. It is now called PI4VRZ.

I wonder why the callsign change?

They are active
weekly on saturdays (after the holiday break) 0900 UTC.
The main operator Ron PB0ANL was also active in the packet group that
ran PI1VRZ/PI8VRZ.
I listen to their bulletins weekly on 2M. You can also listen on
Internet at www.pi4vrz.nl

I'll have to give that listen for old times sake.


UUCP is exactly what I was talking about. I was doing UUCP long before
the Internet opened up to the public. I once ran UUCP between a couple
TNC's to see how it would work and it wasn't bad. Basicly it already
had email and Netnews so I had a hard time seeing what was accomplished
by writing yet another BBS system (we had dozens of them on the phone
as well, but they were never as well connected as UUCP.)

The problem was that UUCP ran on Unix, and Unix was an expensive system
requiring a high-end machine that only some lucky people had.

I guess I was lucky, then. I had Unix (XENIX actually) on a M68K at
home from about 1984. Added more as time went on. We won'r even go
into what I have at home now but it ain't all PC's. :-)

The average HAM had at most a 286 PC, and that was already in the
later years (1990), before that it was an 8088 system.
In those days I had an Atari ST (68000 system) and many packet users
had a Commodore 64.
In december 1992 I assembled a 386 system with 16MB memory, 800MB disk,
1024x768 graphics card and 17" monitor, paying about $3500 for it.
I installed Linux on it. Then I could run UUCP from home!

And, of course, there were versions of UUCP for a lot of non-unix
computers in those days, too. MIght have even been one for CP/M.


When I saw your call I had to run and take a quick look at my logbook.
But it was PE1CHS that I worked. But, you never know!!!

He lived very close to here but I think he is no longer active.

PE1 calls are "technicians license" (no morse code) and originally
that meant "VHF-UHF only". PE1CHS was a DX-er, maybe you worked him
while in Europe.

I did. On 2 meters during one of the many VHF contests.

However, after 2002 or so (don't remember exactly) the morse code
requirement was dropped and all PE1 calls are now allowed to use
HF as well.
I have never been active on HF, but I have used amateur satellites
before I moved in 1995 and had to take down the yagi antennas.
Both SSB and packet satellites.

I used to do satellites, too. Might get back into that as well, but
it takes a lot more gear and a lot more money today. I worked mostly
the HF satellites inb those days especially the russian ones.

Great nostalgia. Talking with you brings back a lot of memories.

All the best.

bill
KB3YV

--
Bill Gunshannon | de-moc-ra-cy (di mok' ra see) n. Three wolves
| and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.
University of Scranton |
Scranton, Pennsylvania | #include std.disclaimer.h

Bill Gunshannon wrote:
In article ,
Rob writes:
Bill Gunshannon wrote:
I think you mean PIxVRZ (PI1VRZ/PI8VRZ etc).
They have remained active very long but I think they are off the air.

Or you mean PA0VRC, a local amateur that has moved to another part
of the country but is still alive and kicking.
He built the local 2M repeater PI3PYR in 1977 or 1978 with some friends.

Nope, PA0VRZ from Apeldoorn. Bulletin station for "vereniging van
radio-zend-amateurs". I used to copy the bulletins on RTTY and
even talk with them once in a while.

Ok the VRZA clubstation. It is now called PI4VRZ.

I wonder why the callsign change?

At some point it was decided that all club stations would have a
PI4 prefix, and the existing PA0 calls were changed to PI4.

PI prefixes with other digits are/were used for repeaters, nodes, bbses
and other special applications.

Later a vanity callsign system was introduced and now all prefixes
from PA to PH are used by radio amateurs, and PI for special stations.

I used to do satellites, too. Might get back into that as well, but
it takes a lot more gear and a lot more money today. I worked mostly
the HF satellites inb those days especially the russian ones.

Not having a HF license, I set up a azimuth/elevation controlled set
of crossed yagis and later added computer control. Convenient for
the low orbiting packet satellites (that no longer exist). My
station could completely automatically find the next satellite that
would pass (out of 6 or so that were active), turn the yagis, set
the frequencies of the transceivers, watch for the corresponding
callsign to appear on packet, and upload/download the files that
were queued. It was like satellite UUCP :-)
Neat to build it and to watch when it was all running... but boring
after a while.

Great nostalgia. Talking with you brings back a lot of memories.

All the best.

bill
KB3YV

Yes, great! It was a nice time and good memories remain.

73/55,
Rob