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VK2TV > BBS 06.05.09 09:51l 135 Lines 6145 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 700299VK2TV
Read: GUEST
Subj: Re: Packet Seems Alive to Me!
Path: IZ3LSV<IK2XDE<F5GOV<F4BWT<W4AKH<KD4YAL<VK2TV
Sent: 090506/0741Z @:VK2TV.#MNC.NSW.AUS.OC #:57573 [Kempsey, QF68JX] $:700299VK
From: VK2TV@VK2TV.#MNC.NSW.AUS.OC
To : BBS@WW
G6KUI wrote:-
> From : G6KUI
> To : BBS@WW
> Type/status : B$
> Date/time : 06-May 01:57
> BID (MID) : 27544_G6KUI
> Message # : 319685
> Title : Re: Packet Seems Alive to Me!
>
> Path: !GB7LDI!N9PMO!ZL2BAU!GB7PZT!GB7MAX!GB7DBY!GB7DBY!
>
>
> Tony G0WFV wrote....
> }
> } Definition of being "on packet"
> }
> } Is it...
> }
> } a) The ability to connect to the packet network (be that via RF or
> } t'interweb) and peruse the bulletins, but not neccessarily send a great
> } deal.
> }
> } b) Item a) plus a few SPs to a few friends who are also "on packet" just
> } to keep in touch now and again when 80m isn't quite making the trip.
> }
> } c) Items a) and b) plus actively contributing to the bulletin discussions
> } that are ongoing.
> }
> } d) Items a) through c) plus send out 3 or 4 useful bulletins to seed
> } interest (thanks G8MNY - some of your technical bulls do catch my
> } attention and are appreciated, which I believe is the point!)
> }
>
> To me it is a lot more than any of the above.
>
> There is a parallel packet network that is tranparent to most , I of course
> refer to the DXCluster network. This has a lot more participants than the
> BBS network. I suppose it's success is that it actually serves a proper
> pupose to radio amateurs.
>
> One of the main contributors to packet software is John G(M)8BPQ who wrote
> a lot of node software. The initial surge in NETROM use was down to John's
> efforts. His main interest was always to support DXCluster and he still
> develops his node software today.
>
> The DXCluster and BBS sides of packet are fully integrated in various parts
> of the country, with a lot of network nodes supporting both.
> The DXCluster provides something that BBS cannot supply, and that is
> "instant messaging", both private and public.
>
> There are also a number of isolated packet RADIO networks in various parts
> of the country that don't appear to have any connectivity to the main
> network. These become apparent during lifts when they become visible to a
> wider populous. I believe such networks still exist around Manchester and
> Sheffield. They probably survive on one-to-one contacts and a DXCluster link.
>
>
> So there you have it, Packet (Radio) is alive and kicking but invisible to
> you unless you go out and look for it.
>
> 73, Pete G6KUI
Hi Pete,
I think my position in supporting and promoting packet is well known here,
so I consider myself qualified to make comment on dead vs alive.
I think packet is more dead than alive, but I think we'd be foolish to
start digging the grave. Sure, the quantity of traffic has diminished, and
some of what we see might be viewed as questionable by some, but we still
have, in my opinion, a great tool for amateur radio. If only we could
learn to use it wisely and productively!
There's been many reasons put forward for the decline in packet popularity
- cluttered networks (in days gone by), packet policemen, sysop
censorship, offensive users, delivery speed, and so on. We've heard them
all, over and over again. Are any of them valid? Maybe, or maybe not.
Perhaps they're just excuses, and not reasons. Human nature being what it
can be, it's often easier to come up with excuses than to face reality -
I'm sick of packet but it will make me look better if I can lay the blame
for my departure on some lame excuse, rather than just being honest. I
believe that in many cases departure from packet was due to the fad
passing. I tried it, I liked it, I stopped liking it - move on to a new
toy.
From a sysop's perspective it's certainly frustrating at times to be
running four radio ports for the bbs/node and have just one local user on
VHF and another one or two on HF. I forward with more bbs's than I have
end-users, and most of thse bbs's have less users than I do. Sysops are a
determined, optimistic mob.
I have Rose (fpac) and/or Netrom networking to some overseas countries, as
well as domestically. The Florida (USA) fpac network is quite extensive
but I think they're light on for users, just as we are here. Still, the
network is there for those who wish to try it. I'll keep plodding along
for now with both the bbs/node and the three aprs ports (1 x VHF and 2 x
HF) and Igate. It costs me somewhere in the vicinity of $200 a year for
electricity to run the system 24/7 but since I don't frequent pubs or
clubs and I don't gamble, my return on that investment is much greater
than for those who do. It's entertainment, it's educational, it's self
development, it's satisfying and it helps others. That's good value for
$200/year.
I've never been interested in DX and consequently haven't seriously
considered a DXCluster, although my users have access to other clusters
via the fpac/netrom network.
Your comments on G8BPQ node software are interesting. A majority of FBB
BBS's running under DOS or Windows also ran BPQ for TNC/modem interfacing,
but only a small percentage were part of a netrom network, in VK. In the
early days of packet our licencing authority deemed netrom to not comply
with ident requirements and that caused the development of a serious Rose
network in some states. However, netrom network development also took
place, creating two isolated networks. There was also a small TCP/IP
network, again, isolated. The licencing authority ruling didn't stop the
development of netrom networks and nobody was ever cautioned or punished
for using netrom, to my knowledge. Most netrom networking was X1J or JNOS
and, later, Linux, rather than BPQ, which would appear to be different to
the UK experience. Back when I ran FBB 5.15C under DOS (1996 - 1998), and
also under Win95 (1998/1999) I also ran BPQ and it was faultless, which is
more than I could say about Win95. I moved to Linux in 1999 and no longer
had a need for BPQ.
DXClusters aren't the only "invisible" aspects of packet, there is still
the chance to do some network hopping, "if you go out and look for it".
Maybe I've reached 6k but I don't care, the network is more than able to
handle ten times that.
Cheers ... Ray vk2tv
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