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Fred McKenzie · August 15th 12, 10:52 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.digital.misc

In article ,
(Bill Gunshannon) wrote:

This group seems as dead as the 2 Meter Packet Frequencies around here
but I'll ask here anyway.

Is packet radio dead? Has the proliferation of Internet and Cell Phones
made it so meaningless that no one is doing anything anymore?

I have been pretty much out of Ham Radio for a long time but now
that retirement has reared it's ugly(?) head I find myself with
time and a renewed interest.

I am monitoring all the 2 Meter Packet Freqs here (in the home of
K3RLI) and hearing nothing. Not even the dubious DX Cluster traffic
that used to go on around here!!

Is there any interest in old fashined packet radio any more or should
I just put it all back in a box and relegate it to the cellar once more?

Oh yeah, Is Howie Goldstein, N2WX around here by any chance? I would
still like to get a copy of the source for the "Howie Code" that ran
in my DR-200's back in my digi-peating days. And a copy for the TNC-2
as well if there ever was one. I have always wanted to experiment with
it and if packet is pretty much dead then there is probably no problem
with me doing some stuff on two meters around here. Especially if I
could find some kindred spirits who shared some of my interests.

Bill-

I am over seven years into retirement, and my memory is getting a bit
dim. I have an old PK-232 stashed somewhere. Many times I have thought
about firing it up, but haven't found time yet. I would need to build
some adapter cables first!

At one time I had 2 PacComm TNCs with "The Net" firmware, connected
back-to-back between the 144 and 220 MHz bands.

I recently reprogrammed an old FM rig that had 441.000 MHz in it from
back in the 90s. My notes indicate that was a Packet Backbone
frequency. Sure enough, I can hear a steady chatter of packet signals
there. I'm listening through a magnet mount antenna stuck to the top of
some metal shelves, here in central Florida.

According to the FCC, N2WX renewed in May, and is living in Sarasota,
FL. You might take a look at http://www.tapr.org. If you search
their archives for N2WX, you will find several related articles. Their
software library is at http://www.tapr.org/software_library.php.

I don't know if PacComm is still in business, but their website is on
line at http://www.paccomm.com. A note at the bottom of the home page
says "Last updated 7/19/2004".

Fred
K4DII

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