Jack Twilley wrote on 27/01/2004 09:14:

Steve The rigblaster just uses the DTR and RTS signals of a serial
Steve port. Here's some code I wrote in Linux to play with mine. It
Steve basically just changes the state of the DTR and RTS signals.

Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong question.

Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can do, and
what modifications need to be made to programs that expect a standard
TNC?

It's nothing like a TNC - it's basically just a switch / cable connecter
for use with sound card modem programs. (It tells you that on the web page.)

--
Roger Barker, G4IDE -
For UI-View go to - http://www.UI-View.com
For WinPack go to - http://www.peaksys.co.uk

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 01:14:17 -0800, Jack Twilley wrote:
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"Steve" == S Sampson writes:

Steve The rigblaster just uses the DTR and RTS signals of a serial
Steve port. Here's some code I wrote in Linux to play with mine. It
Steve basically just changes the state of the DTR and RTS signals.

Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong question.

Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can do, and
what modifications need to be made to programs that expect a standard
TNC?

I think you're severely confused about what the rigblaster is...
it's a serial interface, used primarily to assert PTT and do
some audio level management for digital modes. It has
absolutely nothing even REMOTELY close to having TNC
functionality.

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 01:14:17 -0800, Jack Twilley wrote:
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"Steve" == S Sampson writes:

Steve The rigblaster just uses the DTR and RTS signals of a serial
Steve port. Here's some code I wrote in Linux to play with mine. It
Steve basically just changes the state of the DTR and RTS signals.

Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong question.

Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can do, and
what modifications need to be made to programs that expect a standard
TNC?

I think you're severely confused about what the rigblaster is...
it's a serial interface, used primarily to assert PTT and do
some audio level management for digital modes. It has
absolutely nothing even REMOTELY close to having TNC
functionality.

"Jack Twilley" wrote

Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong question.

Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can do, and
what modifications need to be made to programs that expect a standard
TNC?

No. The rigblaster (and the rascal--I own both) are merely soundcard
interfaces. That is, they have transformers to isolate the audio circuits, and relays
to operate the PTT. The rigblaster is popular for its professional look
and adjustments, while the rascal is popular because it is cheap and can be
thrown behind the table. Both are just audio and relay devices, and there is
no TNC in them. The TNC is the Linux/FreeBSD computer.

I haven't messed with TNC's since I ran JNOS on a linux box (about 10 years
ago), and now pretty much have my rascal on my windows box with either
AGWPE for my APRS soundcard interface, or the various soundcard digital
modes (MT63, PSK31, etc). As a matter of fact I took all my TNC's to a
swap meet and sold the whole box for $5 (and it took about 2 hours to find a
buyer). About the only stuff I have left is a couple of 19k baud Kantronics
Radios and DRSI modems that were crap when they were new :-)

"Jack Twilley" wrote

Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong question.

Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can do, and
what modifications need to be made to programs that expect a standard
TNC?

No. The rigblaster (and the rascal--I own both) are merely soundcard
interfaces. That is, they have transformers to isolate the audio circuits, and relays
to operate the PTT. The rigblaster is popular for its professional look
and adjustments, while the rascal is popular because it is cheap and can be
thrown behind the table. Both are just audio and relay devices, and there is
no TNC in them. The TNC is the Linux/FreeBSD computer.

I haven't messed with TNC's since I ran JNOS on a linux box (about 10 years
ago), and now pretty much have my rascal on my windows box with either
AGWPE for my APRS soundcard interface, or the various soundcard digital
modes (MT63, PSK31, etc). As a matter of fact I took all my TNC's to a
swap meet and sold the whole box for $5 (and it took about 2 hours to find a
buyer). About the only stuff I have left is a couple of 19k baud Kantronics
Radios and DRSI modems that were crap when they were new :-)

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"Steve" == S Sampson writes:

Jack Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong
Jack question.

Jack Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can
Jack do, and what modifications need to be made to programs that
Jack expect a standard TNC?

Steve No. The rigblaster (and the rascal--I own both) are merely
Steve soundcard interfaces. That is, they have transformers to
Steve isolate the audio circuits, and relays to operate the PTT. The
Steve rigblaster is popular for its professional look and
Steve adjustments, while the rascal is popular because it is cheap
Steve and can be thrown behind the table. Both are just audio and
Steve relay devices, and there is no TNC in them. The TNC is the
Steve Linux/FreeBSD computer.

That explains a lot. I understand a little more now. What Unix
software do you use for TNC purposes? I see a bunch of Windows
support, but there's no obvious documentation or example code for Unix
boxes. I have read that the RigBlaster comes with CDs of software,
but there's no specifications out there that I can see.

Steve I haven't messed with TNC's since I ran JNOS on a linux box
Steve (about 10 years ago), and now pretty much have my rascal on my
Steve windows box with either AGWPE for my APRS soundcard interface,
Steve or the various soundcard digital modes (MT63, PSK31, etc). As
Steve a matter of fact I took all my TNC's to a swap meet and sold
Steve the whole box for $5 (and it took about 2 hours to find a
Steve buyer). About the only stuff I have left is a couple of 19k
Steve baud Kantronics Radios and DRSI modems that were crap when they
Steve were new :-)

I'm happy with my PK232 at the moment, but it'd be nice to lower the
startup cost for packet radio for Unix users.

Jack.
- --
Jack Twilley
jmt at twilley dot org
http colon slash slash www dot twilley dot org slash tilde jmt slash
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"Steve" == S Sampson writes:

Jack Thanks for the code segment. I may have asked the wrong
Jack question.

Jack Here's another try: can this box do everything a good TNC can
Jack do, and what modifications need to be made to programs that
Jack expect a standard TNC?

Steve No. The rigblaster (and the rascal--I own both) are merely
Steve soundcard interfaces. That is, they have transformers to
Steve isolate the audio circuits, and relays to operate the PTT. The
Steve rigblaster is popular for its professional look and
Steve adjustments, while the rascal is popular because it is cheap
Steve and can be thrown behind the table. Both are just audio and
Steve relay devices, and there is no TNC in them. The TNC is the
Steve Linux/FreeBSD computer.

That explains a lot. I understand a little more now. What Unix
software do you use for TNC purposes? I see a bunch of Windows
support, but there's no obvious documentation or example code for Unix
boxes. I have read that the RigBlaster comes with CDs of software,
but there's no specifications out there that I can see.

Steve I haven't messed with TNC's since I ran JNOS on a linux box
Steve (about 10 years ago), and now pretty much have my rascal on my
Steve windows box with either AGWPE for my APRS soundcard interface,
Steve or the various soundcard digital modes (MT63, PSK31, etc). As
Steve a matter of fact I took all my TNC's to a swap meet and sold
Steve the whole box for $5 (and it took about 2 hours to find a
Steve buyer). About the only stuff I have left is a couple of 19k
Steve baud Kantronics Radios and DRSI modems that were crap when they
Steve were new :-)

I'm happy with my PK232 at the moment, but it'd be nice to lower the
startup cost for packet radio for Unix users.

Jack.
- --
Jack Twilley
jmt at twilley dot org
http colon slash slash www dot twilley dot org slash tilde jmt slash
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"Bob" == Bob Nielsen writes:

Jack That explains a lot. I understand a little more now. What Unix
Jack software do you use for TNC purposes? I see a bunch of Windows
Jack support, but there's no obvious documentation or example code
Jack for Unix boxes. I have read that the RigBlaster comes with CDs
Jack of software, but there's no specifications out there that I can
Jack see.

Bob I don't know about FreeBSD, but most of the soundcard digital
Bob modes are supported in Linux. See http://radio.linux.org.au for
Bob appropriate links. To emulate a TNC, use soundmodem (originally
Bob a kernel driver, now a standalone user program which talks to the
Bob sound drivers) in conjunction with kernel AX.25 support (plus
Bob libax25, ax25-apps and ax25-tools).

Kernel drivers are bad news for me. I'll look into the user-level
soundmodem to see how it works and if anyone's already tried to make
it go on FreeBSD.

It's not really on topic for rradm, but I'd also like to hear from
anyone who has any Linux/Unix software to generate those pretty
"waterfall" displays I've seen on Windows software packages.

Bob 73, Bob N7XY

Jack.
- --
Jack Twilley
jmt at twilley dot org
http colon slash slash www dot twilley dot org slash tilde jmt slash
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"Bob" == Bob Nielsen writes:

Jack That explains a lot. I understand a little more now. What Unix
Jack software do you use for TNC purposes? I see a bunch of Windows
Jack support, but there's no obvious documentation or example code
Jack for Unix boxes. I have read that the RigBlaster comes with CDs
Jack of software, but there's no specifications out there that I can
Jack see.

Bob I don't know about FreeBSD, but most of the soundcard digital
Bob modes are supported in Linux. See http://radio.linux.org.au for
Bob appropriate links. To emulate a TNC, use soundmodem (originally
Bob a kernel driver, now a standalone user program which talks to the
Bob sound drivers) in conjunction with kernel AX.25 support (plus
Bob libax25, ax25-apps and ax25-tools).

Kernel drivers are bad news for me. I'll look into the user-level
soundmodem to see how it works and if anyone's already tried to make
it go on FreeBSD.

It's not really on topic for rradm, but I'd also like to hear from
anyone who has any Linux/Unix software to generate those pretty
"waterfall" displays I've seen on Windows software packages.

Bob 73, Bob N7XY

Jack.
- --
Jack Twilley
jmt at twilley dot org
http colon slash slash www dot twilley dot org slash tilde jmt slash
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Jack Twilley writes:

It's not really on topic for rradm, but I'd also like to hear from
anyone who has any Linux/Unix software to generate those pretty
"waterfall" displays I've seen on Windows software packages.

At one time I had linpsk running on OpenBSD, so it probably wouldn't
be too hard to get running on FreeBSD. A screenshot is at:

http://linpsk.sourceforge.net/screen...npsk-0.7.1.png

Is that the display you were looking for? http://linpsk.sourceforge.net/

// marc