Kantronics KPC–3 Plus User Manual - page 156

Other manuals for KPC–3 Plus: User Manual, User Manual

Summary of KPC–3 Plus

  • Page 1

    1 kantronics kpc –3 plus users guide: introduction, getting started, modes of operation, command reference, and hardware specifications.

  • Page 2: Contact Us:

    2 contact us: kantronics 14830 w. 117 th st. Olathe, kansas 66063 orders / inquiries (913) 825-0680 fax (913) 322-9234 e-mail sales@kantronics.Com website: www.Kantronics.Com service / technical support (913) 825-0390 (8 am to 12pm and 1 to 5 pm central time, m-f) fax (913) 322-9234 e-mail service@k...

  • Page 3: Revisions

    3 revisions revision date description a 2003-11-11 inserted warranty form and revisions page. Deleted reference to previously supplied molded audio plug with shielded cable. B 2005-04-28 added uidupe command definition and reference in a number of locations to the gps port. Updated “expanding the ra...

  • Page 4: Warranty Registration

    4 warranty registration please take the time to fill out the warranty registration form (or a copy of the form) and mail it to kantronics, including a copy of your sales receipt, to register your purchase. Kantronics must receive warranty registration within 60 days of purchase of the kantronics kpc...

  • Page 5: Important

    5 important read this page before you install your new kantronics product this product contains software on programmable read only memory (prom) and/or diskette and/or cd, which is protected by both united states copyright law and international treaty provisions. If you install or use this product, ...

  • Page 6

    6 licensee acknowledges having read and understood this agreement and agrees to be bound by its terms. Licensee further agrees that this agreement is the complete and exclusive statement of the agreement between licensee and licensor and supersedes any proposal or prior agreement, oral or written, a...

  • Page 7

    7 table of contents contact us: ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 revisions ...................................................................

  • Page 8

    8 appendix a: advanced installation ................................................................................................................................................... 209 precautions .......................................................................................................

  • Page 9: Limited Warranty

    9 limited warranty kantronics co., inc. Limited warranty effective january 1, 1997 to receive notice of future updates, new product information and prompt warranty service, please fill in the kantronics warranty registration form completely and return it along with a copy of proof of purchase (to es...

  • Page 10

    10 adjuncts or accessories to the units. Hardware units and the media containing firmware, software and documentation are sold to the consumer purchaser and become property of the purchaser. Firmware and software are licensed for use by the consumer purchaser in return for a fee included in the purc...

  • Page 11

    11 return of any applicable product for the enforcement of rights under this limited warranty shall be at your expense. Any product returned for warranty service, which kantronics determines to be without defect or not covered by this limited warranty shall be subject to the minimum charge for labor...

  • Page 12: Return/repair Procedures

    12 return/repair procedures important: our repair statistics show that over 70 percent of the units returned for service do not, in fact, require any service. Therefore, we advise you to please double-check the following list of common, user-solvable, sources of difficulty before contacting kantroni...

  • Page 13

    13 returns to the factory for refund or exchange are strictly regulated. Any return for refund or exchange, must be approved by the service department. Charges consult the limited warranty policy in this manual for the service provisions offered by kantronics at no charge. This warranty is considere...

  • Page 14

    14 contains ―u.S. Goods returned without improvement/enhancement‖. However, if the words ―u.S. Goods returned for repair/replacement‖ are on the paperwork, the number is not really necessary. Provide a value for customs purposes. This is usually the value of the item(s) in their current condition. A...

  • Page 15: Rfi Suppression

    15 consult the dealer or an experienced radio/tv technician for help. The user is cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user‘s authority to operate the equipment. The user is also cautioned that any peripheral device...

  • Page 16

    16 fcc declaration of conformity: note: this equipment, kantronics‘ kpc–3 plus, has been tested and found to comply with the essential emission and immunity requirements of the emc directive fcc title 47, part 15, subpart b. The test results are on file at the corporate offices of kantronics. Type o...

  • Page 17: Introduction

    17 introduction welcome welcome to the kantronics kpc-3 plus, your pathway to amateur radio packet communication. Please review this chapter before you install your kpc-3 plus as part of your packet radio station. Overview of this “user’s guide” manual this user‘s guide provides documentation on the...

  • Page 18: Package Contents

    18 serve as a digipeater for other stations serve as a network node point for other stations, using ka-node and/or the optional k-net feature and much more. Package contents check to see that you have the items listed below (later you will see how these items are used in your system): kpc-3 plus uni...

  • Page 19: Our Assumptions About You

    19 our assumptions about you we assume that you are familiar with the following or that you can get help on these topics if necessary: general familiarity with your radio equipment and its intended uses basic use of your computer and its operating system, including copying disks and files, working w...

  • Page 20

    20 packet radio gives you the ability to send essentially error-free digital communications to other packet radio stations. As a sender or receiver, you see just the messages, or files, being sent and received. But there is much going on beneath the surface. You will get more out of packet radio, an...

  • Page 21

    21 let‘s assume that an originating station, wØxi, wants to send the message ―hello‖ to a destination station, kbØnyk. Also, assume that wØxi knows that his signal might not reach kbØnyk‘s station directly, but that it can be picked up and repeated by an intermediate station, nØgrg, and then receive...

  • Page 22

    22 step 4. Now that wØxi is in ―conversation‖ mode, the operator types in the message, ―hello‖, and presses the enter key on the computer to indicate the end of the message and the beginning of the message‘s journey. Step 5. The computer sends the message, ―hello,‖ to the tnc for processing. Step 6....

  • Page 23

    23 the series of 1‘s and 0‘s in the incoming bit-stream, and identifies the burst as an ax.25 packet of information containing the message, ―hello.‖ also, and most significantly, nØgrg registers that the packet designates nØgrg as the first (and only) intermediate station on a path between a source,...

  • Page 24

    24 packets: dividing messages into segments an efficient way to send a message from one place to another is to break the information into small segments, called packets or frames, and send each packet separately. Note: the correct technical term is ―data frame‖, not ―packet‖ or ―frame,‖ but we will ...

  • Page 25

    25 communication is ended by the parties, or until the sender ―times out‖ after trying a number of times to get feedback and not succeeding. Hint: in most cases, communication by packet radio is like mail, not the telephone, in that it is not done in real-time, but via messages that are routed from ...

  • Page 26

    26 which there are several kinds) and unnumbered packets. To learn more about these, see the documentation for the kpc- 3 plus‘ mcom command. As noted at the beginning of this section, the organization of amateur radio packets is defined by the ax.25 protocol. Now it is useful to give a brief discus...

  • Page 27: Inside A Tnc

    27 inside a tnc – the kpc-3 plus to better understand the workings of your packet radio station, it is helpful to have an overview of the major components of the tnc device at the center of your station. In the early days of packet radio, tnc‘s consisted primarily of a modem for communicating with a...

  • Page 28

    28 this concludes the introduction to packet radio. The next chapter guides you through the steps of installing your kpc-3 plus. Micro-processor (optional) real time clock kpc-3 plus firmware/eprom kantronics software, stored in ―electrically programmable read- only memory‖ * programs to support int...

  • Page 29: Installing Your Kpc-3 Plus

    29 installing your kpc-3 plus the goal of this chapter is to guide you as quickly as possible through the steps of setting up your packet radio station. The major steps involved in installing (i.E., connecting the parts) your packet radio station are as follows: connect your kpc-3 plus to a power so...

  • Page 30: Back Panel

    30 the major components of your station this section describes the basic components needed for your packet radio station and the connections between components that will be involved in the installation of your station. The kpc-3 plus your kpc-3 plus is going to be at the center of your packet radio ...

  • Page 31

    31 personal mailbox inside the kpc-3 plus without using your computer. And your kpc-3 plus can serve as a relay station for other stations without your computer being connected. This independence from the computer is possible because the tnc contains the intelligence necessary to carry out these fun...

  • Page 32

    32 the computer-end of your rs232 cable must be female, to connect to the computer's male serial (com) port. Hint: since, the kpc- 3 plus‘ ―computer‖ port has a female dsub-25 connector, the kpc-3 plus end of your modem cable must have a male dsub-25 connector. Be sure the cable between your kpc-3 p...

  • Page 33

    33 how the parts of your station are connected the following diagram shows how the components of your kpc-3 plus packet radio station will be connected and the kinds of connectors that will be used. As you assemble your station, you may wish to refer to this diagram. With this overview, we are now r...

  • Page 34

    34 connect your kpc-3 plus to a power source as illustrated on the right side of the station cabling diagram on page 33, there are three ways to supply power to your kpc-3 plus. You may use external power by connecting the kpc-3 plus to a 12 v dc source on your bench you may use external power by co...

  • Page 35

    35 caution: do not exceed the power specifications for the kpc-3 plus (see specifications). If you elect to install a fuse in the positive lead, do not use a fuse of greater than 200- 250 ma. External power transformed from 120-v ac mains you can use external power from a 120-v ac power source after...

  • Page 36

    36 step 1. Open the kpc-3 plus case step 2. Confirm that a battery connector (pig tail, snap connector) has been installed or install one, as described above, if needed. If there is a protective clip over the battery connector, remove it step 3. Attach a 9-v battery step 4. Close the case step 5. Pr...

  • Page 37

    37 make your serial cable this section is for those making your own cable instead of purchasing one. We assume that if you are making your own cable you are familiar with the process and just need to know: (1) what parts are needed, and (2) how the parts are connected. Parts needed: a male dsub-25 c...

  • Page 38

    38 5 ——> 5 cts 7 ——> 7 sg case 1-b: wiring if computer has a 25-pin connector and the cable has 9 (or more) wires. Same as in case 1-a, and also: kpc-3 plus computer 1 ——> 1 fg 6 ——> 6 dsr 8 ——> 8 dcd 20 ——> 20 dtr case 2-a: wiring if computer has a 9-pin connector and the cable has 5 wires: kpc-3 p...

  • Page 39: Configure Your Kpc-3 Plus

    39 the software (terminal program) requirements are also the same as that used for a telephone modem. Installing the rs232 cable once you have purchased or made your serial communication cable, connect it as follows: step 1. Make sure that power to both your computer and your kpc-3 plus is turned of...

  • Page 40

    40 install and start terminal software in your computer to enable communication between your kpc-3 plus and your computer, use the terminal communication software to establish communication with your kpc-3 plus, including setting the speed of communications back and forth, and configure your kpc-3 p...

  • Page 41

    41 now turn on the kpc-3 plus. Autobaud the first time your kpc-3 plus is used, it runs an autobaud routine to assure that the kpc-3 plus baud is the same as that of whatever communication software you are using. The kpc- 3 plus‘ autobaud routine works as follows: step 1. Autobaud sends and resends ...

  • Page 42

    42 required tnc parameter settings the following tnc parameter settings are needed: command = $03 (ctrl+c) (default = $03, so unless this has been changed, you do not need to do anything). Canline default = ctrl+x (hex $18) canpac default = ctrl+y (hex $19) pass default = ctrl+v (hex $16) optional p...

  • Page 43

    43 problem: go to terminal screen, but nothing happens one possibility is that the current com port does have a device on it, but it is not a tnc. It might be a mouse or an internal phone modem, for example. To see if it is a mouse, go to the terminal screen, start moving your mouse and see if seque...

  • Page 44

    44 what are the exact wiring requirements for connecting your transceiver to the kpc-3 plus, as determined by information given in this document and also by requirements for your own particular make and model of transceiver (as determined by the documentation for your transceiver)? What are the step...

  • Page 45

    45 these diagrams may also apply to transceivers from other manufacturers, but you need to check to be sure how your transceiver needs to be wired. See the section on ―interfacing hand-held radios‖ in the ―advanced installation‖ appendix for further information..

  • Page 46

    46.

  • Page 47

    47.

  • Page 48

    48 your transceiver’s microphone connections to the kpc-3 plus. For the microphone on your transceiver, you may wish to make notes of the following connections, which you will use, for wiring your assembly: identify and make a note of the microphone input (which will be wired to pin 1, transmit audi...

  • Page 49

    49 (looking at pins/sockets or looking at the wiring side, where the wires are actually connected). Hint: make notes of which wires (colors, cables) you use for each connection, so you will be able to keep track of which connection is which. To construct your transceiver cable assembly, proceed as f...

  • Page 50

    50 wiring between your transceiver microphone and the kpc-3 plus: follow the notes taken above and wire the cable assembly in the following order: step 1. Using a user-supplied microphone connector appropriate for your transceiver and the notes taken above, attach wires as follows: attach the wire f...

  • Page 51

    51 important: keep your wiring notes for future reference. This completes the construction of your transceiver cable assembly. Now it needs to be connected. Connecting the transceiver cable assembly now you are ready to use this cable assembly to finish assembling your packet radio station. Step 1. ...

  • Page 52

    52 now the receive volume control on your transceiver is properly adjusted for sending signals to your kpc-3 plus. Your kpc- 3 plus is now installed and ready to use. You may now go to the ―getting started‖ chapter, to learn how to do the basic operations with your kpc-3 plus. If you do not see the ...

  • Page 53

    53 connecting to a gps device (optional) to use your kpc-3 plus with a gps device, you can connect the data output from the gps device to either the dsub- 25 ―computer" port (i.E., serial port) on the back of the kpc-3 plus or alternately, to a pin on its radio port. Since you need to remove the com...

  • Page 54: Getting Started

    54 getting started this chapter gives you important information and examples to get you started using your packet radio station. We assume you have installed your station and familiarized yourself with the use of with your kpc-3 plus, as covered in the chapters on ―installing your kpc-3 plus‖. If yo...

  • Page 55: Beginning A Packet Session

    55 the front panel of the kpc-3 plus you have already used the power switch on the kpc-3 plus to turn power on and off. This is a good time to get familiar with all the indicators on the front panel of the kpc-3 plus. The following diagram shows the placement and function of the controls and indicat...

  • Page 56

    56 a new session is a sign-on message from the kpc-3 plus (sent to hyperterminal and displayed on your computer screen) such as the following: kantronics kpc3pmx version 9.1 (c) copyright 2002 -2005 by kantronics inc. All rights reserved. Duplication prohibited without permission of kantronics. Cmd:...

  • Page 57: Newuser Commands

    57 trans (transparent) mode a second way to transmit data is to instruct the kpc- 3 plus to ignore the ―control characters‖ (e.G., ―backspace‖) and just transmit every character as data. This is called the ―trans‖ (transparent) mode of communication. For example, if data received by the kpc- 3 plus ...

  • Page 58

    58 echo - when on characters you type on the keyboard will be echoed back to your terminal. When off characters you type will not be echoed. Help - displays a complete list of all available commands on your screen. Intface - selects the newuser command set or the complete (terminal) command set. Als...

  • Page 59: Using Newuser Commands

    59 monitor - when on allows the kpc-3 plus to display monitored packets on the screen. When off, no packets will be displayed unless someone actually connects to you. Mheard - displays a short list of stations that have recently been heard by your kpc-3 plus. Mycall - used to set the callsign of you...

  • Page 60: Connect To Your Mailbox

    60 step 3. The kpc- 3 plus will send a short ―help‖ message about the command, for display on your monitor. View current values of parameters to see the current value of parameter(s) for any variable (other than the ―immediate‖ commands, like convers, that are simple actions, not settings): step 1. ...

  • Page 61

    61 step 1. Go to command mode (if you are not already there), where you will see the ―cmd:‖ prompt. Step 2. Type connect call (where ―call‖ is your mypbbs) and press the enter (return) key to enter the command. By default, mypbbs is the callsign you entered right after the autobaud routine, with ―-1...

  • Page 62

    62 amateur packet-radio activity in the us is typically on vhf, on 2 meters, with 145.010 mhz being the most common packet-radio frequency. The most common baud is 1200. To monitor communications from nearby stations (after you have tuned in to an appropriate frequency): step 1. Set monitor to on (i...

  • Page 63

    63 step 3. Once the connection has been made, you‘ll receive a message back on your screen from the kpc-3 plus that says *** connected to kbØnyk (or, if you are using relay stations, *** connected to kbØnyk via wØxi, nØgrg). At that point you are ready to start talking to the other station since the...

  • Page 64: Modes Of Operation

    64 modes of operation this chapter covers the major ways in which you may use your kantronics tnc. For details on particular commands, see the ―command reference‖ chapter. Packet mode of operation this section adds to the information presented earlier (in the getting started and other sections) on h...

  • Page 65

    65 command mode in order to change parameters, or give any other instructions to the tnc, you must be in command mode. This is the mode you will be in when you first turn on the tnc or after resetting it. Once you have left command mode for any reason, there is a parameter called command that determ...

  • Page 66

    66 while pressing ―c‖. You will be going between command and convers modes depending on whether you want to talk to the tnc or have the tnc packetize what you type to go out on the air. A simple connect once you see a station you would like to connect to, be sure you are in command mode, and issue a...

  • Page 67

    67 digipeating everything we have done so far will only be heard by those within range to hear your signal. With packet radio it is possible to go farther than that. The digipeat parameter in the tnc comes defaulted on. This makes your tnc a possible relay station, or digital repeater —digipeater, o...

  • Page 68

    68 kantronics‘ tncs support additional, advanced ui digipeating commands. For a description of kantronics‘ ui digipeating commands, see ―advanced gps (or aprs) digipeating‖, in the gps mode of operation section of this chapter. Gateways in kantronics‘ multi-port devices (e.G., kantronics‘ kam plus, ...

  • Page 69

    69 occurs. Turning this command on will make the stream designators show on every connected packet received. Turning streamca on will also add the callsign of the ―from‖ station beside the stream designator. Round table discussions several people talking together present a difficult situation for pa...

  • Page 70

    70 number was 83, then the tnc would not start the key-up of the transmitter since 83 is greater than the 63 persist value. Instead, it would wait an additional 100 ms, and if the channel is still clear, generate a new random number. This time, let‘s say it comes up with the number 27. Since this is...

  • Page 71

    71 let‘s assume that station a sends frame number 3 to station b. Station b does not receive the frame and therefore no acknowledgment is received by station a. With version 1, the entire packet is retransmitted (with the same frame number) to station b and this continues until station a receives an...

  • Page 72

    72 software flow control software flow control sends special characters on the txd and rxd lines of the rs232 cable. These are the same lines used for sending regular data between the tnc and computer. Software flow control normally sends a to stop data and a to restart data. When a buffer gets clos...

  • Page 73

    73 hyperterminal uses hardware flow control, but some communication software does not. Convers mode vs. Transparent mode in the convers mode there are many special characters. To list a few: command default description sendpac causes a packet to be formed delete backspace character redisplay redispl...

  • Page 74: Remote Access To Your Tnc

    74 within 1 second type a second within 1 second type a third wait 1 second and the cmd: prompt should appear if the guard time of one second before and after the three s is not there, the tnc assumes that they are data and sends them to the radio, so be sure to allow at least one second before and ...

  • Page 75

    75 if you fail to properly decode the password, the tnc will send three new lines of numbers. You will be given a maximum of three attempts to properly decode the password string. If you fail in three attempts, the tnc will disconnect you and disable connects to the myremote for 15 minutes. Also, if...

  • Page 76: Pbbs (Personal Mailbox)

    76 pbbs (personal mailbox) introduction your tnc includes a personal bulletin board system (pbbs), a mailbox, which is capable of storing and forwarding messages for you and other users. This pbbs provides the same message facilities as a computer based packet radio bbs, normally referred to as a fu...

  • Page 77

    77 using anyone else‘s kantronics-based pbbs would result in a similar prompt sequence. At this point you are ready to send a message to another user, read a message to yourself (if any has been received), or issue any other mailbox command. Let‘s assume you want to send a message to kbØnyk. You wou...

  • Page 78

    78 this command is available only to the system operator (sysop) or to a user at the keyboard of a computer connected directly to the tnc (i.E., not to a remote connection, except for the sysop). For an explanation of this command, see the section below on ―editing message headers.‖ h(elp) displays ...

  • Page 79

    79 using the lc command by itself will cause the pbbs to list the to field of all bulletins in the mailbox. This will just be a list of the actual to fields, and not a list of the messages. If you specify a category (i.E. Lc races) the pbbs will list the full message headers of all bulletins address...

  • Page 80

    80 reads a specific message by number. Only private messages addressed to you, or sent by you, may be read, as well as any bulletin or traffic messages. After you read a private message addressed to you, the status flag will automatically be set to y —it has been read. Rh n the rh (read with headers...

  • Page 81

    81 call is the callsign of the station the message is addressed to. Bbcall is the callsign of a full service bbs to deliver the message to. Haddr is the complete hierarchical address designator for the bbs system or destination of the message (see the section below on ―hierarchical addresses‖ for mo...

  • Page 82

    82 messages entered from the local keyboard connected to the tnc do not require editing in order to be reverse forwarded, but must include at least an @bbs field to enable the reverse forwarding. Listing messages when you list messages with any of the list commands, you will get a display similar to...

  • Page 83

    83 reading messages to read a message (e.G., a bulletin such as that in the previous section listed as being to all), use the read command (see pbbs command section for details on using this command). Editing message headers the following command can be used to edit message headers: e(dit) n [bptynf...

  • Page 84

    84 and the subject or text of the message when a message is listed, the ―tocall‖ and ―fromcall‖ appear in the to and from columns, respectively. If a message has been entered with an ―@bbs‖ for forwarding, the complete hierarchical address is shown when the message is read: msg2 02/10/92 10:30:58 fr...

  • Page 85

    85 a hierarchical address consists of your state, country, and continent codes, separated by periods. Some areas (in large states particularly) use sub-state designators. For instance, a station in rhode island might use a hierarchical address of ri.Usa.Noam. This means rhode island (ri) which is in...

  • Page 86

    86 you can customize a greeting message to be sent to a user who connects to your pbbs by using the ptext command. This command accepts up to 128 characters as a text string to be sent to the user immediately after the sid is sent. If it becomes necessary to disconnect a station from your pbbs, you ...

  • Page 87

    87 if you choose the first set of numbers, you should send the following as a response: tairia (t is the 1st letter, a is the 12th letter, i is the 3rd letter, and so on. See the rtext command in the commands section for a more detailed explanation.) note: spaces do count as characters, and case is ...

  • Page 88

    88 beginning of the pbbs section. You can use a ―home‖ full service bbs for sending and receiving mail, much as you would use a p.O. Box at a postal facility. The full-service bbs should always be on and available to handle mail for you. Each pbbs user should select one (and only one) pc-based, full...

  • Page 89

    89 command (rh or v) that will display more routing information. A routing list from a bulletin appears below. R:931012/1107 27268@nØkn.#neks.Ks.Usa.Noam r:931012/1025 16433@n0lly.#neks.Ks.Usa.Noam r:931011/2021 928@n0oer.#neks.Ks.Usa.Noam r:931008/1814 20728@n0obm.#ncks.Ks.Usa.Noam r:931008/2003 19...

  • Page 90

    90 knows tx means texas and knows that this message needs to be relayed to a station in that area. Once the message reaches the first bbs in texas, that system must use the previous field for forwarding (#wtx). Once it reaches a system in west texas, the forwarding occurs based on the @bbs. When the...

  • Page 91: Gps Nmea Interfacing

    91 gps nmea interfacing most kantronics‘ tncs, e.G. Kpc-3 plus, kpc-9612 plus, kam xl, and others, support the gps mode, explained below. Each contains firmware to interface with a gps device supporting the nmea 0183 interface standard; commands to configure and control unproto (path) retransmission...

  • Page 92

    92 gps equipment (or weather station) requirements to set up a pa cket gps station that can be tracked, you‘ll need the following equipment: a transceiver and antenna, a kantronics tnc that supports the nmea 0183 interface standard. A gps unit with an nmea interface and portable or external antenna....

  • Page 93

    93 connect the ―data output pin‖ of the gps data port to pin 2 of the tnc serial port. The data output pin may be identified as ―nmea+‖ by some gps vendors; this is the line that supplies the nmea sentences to your tnc. Some gps units may allow for programming of parameters. If so, this is accomplis...

  • Page 94

    94 in addition to transmitting the beacons periodically, your tnc can store the transmitted beacons in a location buffer (ltrack) for later review. The size of the ltrack buffer is set by a command from the keyboard. Setting parameters in the tnc to add gps capability to your portable packet station...

  • Page 95: Gps Operations

    95 gps unit initialization from the tnc some gps receivers require reception of a special string of characters for initialization before they will send any information. You can tell your tnc to send the initialization string to your gps unit by entering the required string using the gpsinit command....

  • Page 96

    96 minutes from the time the user sets the time that the beacon should be transmitted. As an example, if you set the blt command for lt 1 (blt 1) with the command: blt 1 every 00:30:00 start 00:00:01 the tnc would transmit a beacon at 00:00:01 (time after midnight) and every 30 minutes after that. T...

  • Page 97

    97 the lt buffers will be transmitted based on the blt and ltp commands and stored according to the ltrack command even when the tnc is not in gps mode. Gps command summary the following gps commands are listed here for convenience and explained in detail in the command reference section. Blt n{ever...

  • Page 98

    98 advanced gps (or aprs) digipeating the ―ui‖ digipeating commands described in this section add flexibility in reporting gps (or aprs) station positions. It is an established procedure of the reporting stations to digipeat with generic callsigns and through a number of repeaters (e.G., ―aprs‖ repe...

  • Page 99

    99 using generically named digipeaters does result in wider coverage of gps stations, but several inefficiencies may arise from this common practice (depending upon the availability and names of the digipeaters). Among the problems that may arise in this situation are that: (1) ui packets can be rep...

  • Page 100

    100 the purpose of the uigate (which is in multi-port devices only) is to prevent heavy high speed ui frame activity from congesting (―flooding‖) the low speed (port 1) frequency. Each of these commands is documented in the ―command reference‖. Note: digipeater priority for call signs is as follows:...

  • Page 101

    101 wØxi>gps,c,b*,trace: :5 wØxi>gps,a,c,b*: :5 wØxi>gps,c,a,b*: :5 wØxi>gps,c,b,a*: :5 all digis hear the first ui frame and store it. Due to the setting of uidwait, some stations may wait longer than others to digipeat; hence, when they do, they may have several frames stored up - for example, the...

  • Page 102

    102 configuring digis for hf/vhf gateway operations this example assumes the use of at least one multi-port tnc that supports both hf and vhf operation. In this example, we demonstrate cross-band (gateway) digipeating, using selected kantronics‘ tncs. A ui frame is launched on hf and repeated on vhf...

  • Page 103

    103 etherington, michael, ―fm subcarrier network extends differential gps nationwide‖, mobile radio technology, february 1994. Kaplan, elliot, ―the global positioning system (gps)‖, communications quarterly, summer 1994. Langley, r., ―the mathematics of gps‖, gps world magazine, july/august 1991. ―n...

  • Page 104: Ka-Node

    104 ka-node overview most kantronics tncs (e.G., kpc-3 plus, kpc-9612 plus) include, as a part of their firmware, the kantronics ka-node, a packet networking node. If you turn this node on, others may use your station (unattended) not only as a digipeater, but as a node, enabling them to find pathwa...

  • Page 105

    105 pathway is considered a connect and all acknowledgments of packets are kept local. Hence, if only one link of a pathway (chain) is troublesome, the local nodes take care of it. The following material is provided to assist you in configuring your ka-node and telling others how to connect to and u...

  • Page 106

    106 to use the ka-node as a means of connecting to some other node or end-user, you must first connect to the ka-node. At the cmd: prompt on your tnc, issue a connect request to the callsign of the ka- node, let‘s say it‘s been named law. When you make connection you will see the following messages ...

  • Page 107

    107 ###link made ###connected to node kc (nØapj-2) channel a enter command b,c,j,n,x, or help ? At this point you are ―patched‖ through the ka-node law to the node kc. When law issued the connect request to kc it used your own call but subtracted a count of one from your ssid. For example, if you co...

  • Page 108

    108 you‘ll get the usual disconnect message from your tnc, as noted. If however, your distant partner, in this case nØkn, disconnects the link, you‘ll see the following (due to the ―stay‖ in ―c nØapj stay‖ in the example earlier): ###disconnected by nØapj at node kc enter command b,c,j,n,x, or help ...

  • Page 109

    109 the response you receive will be: ### link made ### connected to nØgrg you can also determine from the response to the node command, which port a node is on. Below is an illustration of a ka-node response to a node command: lawkan* 12/02/87 15:45:00 n66046/x 12/02/87 15:49:15 olakan/x 12/02/87 1...

  • Page 110

    110 causes the ka-node to initiate a disconnect. Connect callsign [stay] causes the node to issue a connect request to ―callsign‖ in the usual ax.25 mode. If the connect is successful, a link will be made to the next node or end-user station called. The optional stay feature provides a way to discon...

  • Page 112

    112 introduction to basic packet networking a network node is a "collection point" in a packet network. It is at these node locations that packets are collected and routed to other nodes and end-users. Many network nodes operate at high data rates, usually at 9,600 or 19,200 baud. End-user access to...

  • Page 113

    113 basic networking guidelines the intent of this section is not to dictate how to configure a packet network. However, certain goals and concepts of design should be carefully considered. The primary goal of any data network should be the efficient transfer of data from point a to point b (high sp...

  • Page 114: K-Net Network Node

    114 k-net network node quick start the factory default values in the k-net prom have the network node operation disabled. To enable the k-net node, the netalias and the netcall must be entered. The netalias is usually a mnemonic that gives users an idea about where the node is located (other network...

  • Page 115: K-Net Node Commands

    115 this will cause the kpc-3 plus to do an "internal connect" to the k-net node alias sutne, much like connecting to your own pbbs. When you connect to your k-net node in this manner, you will not receive a command prompt (cmd:). Hitting the enter key will display the commands available to you. To ...

  • Page 116

    116 destination node - a destination node is a node that your node knows how to connect to, either directly (i.E. Neighbor node), or, in the case of a distant node, by using one or more intermediate network nodes. All known destination nodes (neighbor nodes and distant nodes) are displayed with the ...

  • Page 117

    117 this would add the york node with the netcall of wa0cps-1 to the nodes table. Since wk5m-1 is an existing route (neighbor) a new route is not added. Example - addnode crt:kg5dt-1 1 wk5m-1 700 k-net responds: node added in this case, the optional obscnt (obsolescence count) has been specified as ...

  • Page 118

    118 k-net responds: route added and locked this adds the w4nga-1 node to the routes table with a locked quality of 0. This node, and any distant nodes associated with it, will not appear in the nodes table since the locked in quality of zero is probably less than minqual. Note - the w4nga-1 node can...

  • Page 119

    119 the node will transmit a packet addressed to cq from the node-modified callsign of wa0cps-15. Wa0cps-15>cq: this is ed in york, nebraska - please connect to me for a short qso. The node automatically subtracts ed's ssid (0) from 15 (15 minus 0 = 15) since the callsign wa0cps is already being use...

  • Page 120

    120 example - delroute 1 w0xi-1 110 k-net responds: route deleted example - delroute 1 wk5m-1 110 k-net responds: route unlocked in this case, the route was not deleted, and the "route unlocked" response simply indicates that the route is not locked in the routes table. This response will be receive...

  • Page 121

    121 links the links command displays a list of current ax.25 links existing in the node. Links displays the callsign of the two connected stations, the ax.25 state (normally 5), the port number, the type of link (u = uplink, d = downlink, and x = crosslink), and the ax.25 version in use (1 or 2). Ex...

  • Page 122

    122 this command sets the limit on the number of times a packet originated by an uplink (normally a user) at this node may be transferred through other nodes. Each time a message is handled by a node, the time-to-live for that message is decremented. If the l3ttl counter reaches zero, the message is...

  • Page 123

    123 l4window n (n = 1 - 127) default 4 the l4window sets the maximum number of outstanding frames that may exist in the network for a given circuit. When the node has l4window unacknowledged frames, it will not transmit any more frames until a level 4 info-ack is received. Network nodes may allow up...

  • Page 124

    124 this list shows the three best routes k-net will attempt to use (in descending order) to connect to the york node. The first number is the route quality, the second number is the obsolescence count, and the third number is the assigned port. Nodesint n (n = 0 - 255) default 60 this command sets ...

  • Page 125

    125 this command sets a text message that is sent to users when they enter the ports command after connecting to your node. Example - ports 145.01 mhz @ 1200 baud this text can be cleared by entering a % as the port text (ports %). Quality m/n (n = 0 - 255) default 255/70 this is a two-port command ...

  • Page 126

    126 routes the routes command will display the list of neighbor nodes. In order for a new neighbor to be contained in the nodes and routes tables, minqual must be equal to or less than quality. The routes table shows the port number, the neighbor callsign, quality value, the number of destination no...

  • Page 127

    127 stats this command displays a summary of statistics concerning level 3 and level 4 activity on this node. A typical display: karl:wk5m-1} time active 3986 min buffers: 200 max, 199 available, 169 min, 0 out known nodes: 19 l4 connects: 26 sent, 5 rcvd l4 frames: 205 sent, 392 rcvd, 6 resent, 0 r...

  • Page 128

    128 kslvn:wd0emr-1} k-net packet switch v1.0 (145) uplink 1 (wa0pws) circuit (ksblc:wz0m-3 wa0pws) circuit (kslaw:wk5m-1 wa0cps) downlink 1 (wa0cps-15 kb0va) uplink 1 (ka0dnv) kslvn:wd0emr-1} k-net packet switch v1.0 (145) there are currently 145 buffers available (145) at the kslvn:wd0emr-1 node. U...

  • Page 129

    129 static node the default values for the k-net node will cause every neighbor node that you hear to be included in both the routes table and the nodes table (quality = 255/70 and minqual = 70). Initially, this may be a bit of a problem since weak neighbor nodes and their distant nodes may be saved...

  • Page 130

    130 node should know about, and your neighbor's neighbor will also have "good" nodes, as well as your neighbor's neighbor's neighbor, and so on. Once "good" neighbors have been established, the quality to assign to each neighbor will have to be determined experimentally in order to control the listi...

  • Page 131

    131 useable network configuration that makes good use of all possible paths. Coordination of efforts and philosophies should result in an expanding network that is low in frustration and fun to use. Node stacking although the k-net firmware in the kpc-3 plus provides a quick and easy method to incre...

  • Page 132

    132 net/rom or thenet firmware), and a special serial cable to connect the kpc-3 to the other tnc. Construction of the serial cable is straightforward. Using two male dsub-25 connectors, connect pin 1 to pin 1, pin 2 to pin 3, pin 3 to pin 2, and pin 7 to pin 7. Kpc-3pmx (ver. 9.1) kpc-3pmx (ver. 9....

  • Page 133

    133 when a k-net node has data to send to the other nodes in the stack, it first checks the rts line for a true (logic high) state. If rts is true, then the node drops cts and the data is sent to the other nodes in the stack. The dropping of cts by any node in the stack will inhibit all the other no...

  • Page 134

    134.

  • Page 135

    135 thenet x1-j i k-net cross-reference guide this cross-reference guide is included to assist in the coordination of node parameters if an x1-j node is located in your area. The basic x1-j parms can be listed by connecting to an x1-j node and giving the p command. This should precipitate meaningful...

  • Page 136

    136 22. Active check (t3) cmd: check 23. Ax.25 digipeat cmd: digipeat 24. Validate callsigns n/a 25. Id beacon cmd: idint 26. Cq broadcasts cqbc 27. Acl (access control list) cmd: supcalls/llist to completely ignore uplinks from and downlinks to specific user callsigns and neighbor node callsigns (n...

  • Page 137: Wefax Mode

    137 wefax mode overview black and white weather facsimile charts referred to as ―wefax‖ by hf radio operators, have been transmitted by shore stations for years and received by commercial ships, yachts, and radio amateurs. By coincidence, the signal format used for wefax broadcasts, 800 hz shift key...

  • Page 138

    138 washington, dc 4.795, 10.185, 12.205, 14.672 in addition, many of the frequency guides for sale by various radio equipment suppliers list wefax station frequencies. Tuning wefax signals on hf wefax broadcasters use an 800 hz shift key (fsk) format, using mark and space frequencies of 1500 and 23...

  • Page 139: Other Modes Of Operation

    139 other modes of operation other ways of using your tnc are covered in this section. Some of the following modes of operation require special software, so they may not be available if you are using standard terminal programs such as hyperterminal or procomm plus. Remote sensing and control you can...

  • Page 140: Modem Mode

    140 remote sensing and control example: controlling the level of liquid in a tank as noted earlier, the command reference section and the advanced installation section provide details needed to adapt these broad capacities to your own situation, with your own sensors, controls, and remote locations....

  • Page 141

    141 copying weather broadcasts nws emwin modem mode can be used to copy emergency weather broadcasts by the national weather service. The nws emergency managers weather information network (emwin) is a wireless direct-to-computer information service that the national weather service (nws) provides w...

  • Page 142: Kiss Mode

    142 kiss mode amateur packet radio communications can use the tcp/ip suite of protocols instead of ax.25 by switching to kiss mode and running software that supports the kiss code designed by phil karn (see references at end of this section). The kiss protocol specifies the communication between a t...

  • Page 143: Dama (Slave Mode) Capacity

    143 if the terminal program you are using sent all those characters, you will be out of the kiss mode now. References on kiss mode karn, p.: ―tcp/ip: a proposal for amateur packet radio levels 3 and 4", pp. 4.62-4.68 arrl amateur radio computer networking conferences 1-4, newington, ct: arrl, 1985. ...

  • Page 144

    144 program which is used in the computer of a dama master along with one tnc, with a special eprom for each radio frequency used on the system. Rmnc/flexnet software is another program, which is very popular in germany. With in each local area network (lan), end users set themselves up as dama ―sla...

  • Page 145

    145 bibliography bertrem, eric, f5pje. ―rmnc/flexnet: the network of choice in western europe.‖ in ―packet perspective‖ conducted by stan horzepa wa1lou. Qst april 1995: 88. Jost, gunter, dk7wj, sonnabend, joachim, dg3fbl, and flexnet- group. ―flexnet. The european solution‖. Proceedings of the 9th ...

  • Page 146: Command Reference

    146 command reference introduction this chapter documents all kpc-3 plus commands. There are many commands which affect operation of the kpc-3 plus. Some commands affect performance under specific conditions, some change parameters affecting general operation and others direct a one-time action. The...

  • Page 147

    147 the kpc-3 plus scans an internal list of commands —which is not in alphabetical order —and selects the first match with the string you enter. The command name is followed by a space. After the space, there may be one or more parameters that need to be used, or that may optionally be used, with t...

  • Page 148

    148 n (range) any number within the range is permissible. The unit of measure (s, ms, baud, count, etc.) for the number will be given in the description. These are decimal numbers. N ($00 - $ff) special functions: some parameters are used to control special functions, such as specifying the characte...

  • Page 149

    149 but rather than indicating that something is ―on‖ or ―off‖, they select one of two ways of doing things. Some of these parameters have the values every or after indicating operating modes for data transmission. The possible choices are separated by a vertical bar. Some of the flag parameters wil...

  • Page 150

    150 when you are at the command mode prompt, you enter a command for the kpc-3 plus by typing the command name (in upper or lower case) and any required and optional parameter values (argument settings or values). The command name and each parameter value must be separated from each other by at leas...

  • Page 151: Commands

    151 commands all kpc-3 plus commands are documented below, in alphabetical order. The underlined characters in a command‘s name show the short-cut version of the command. Required or optional parameters are shown after the command name, as are allowable ranges of values, where appropriate. 8bitconv ...

  • Page 152

    152 entering the analog command returns a string of 8 values, based on the current voltage readings from 8 a-to-d lines. Only the first two of these values are relevant to the user, reporting two external voltages. At any given time, each of the 8 a-to-d lines will have a voltage value somewhere in ...

  • Page 153

    153 an6, input (6), is intended for internal use. It reports the current status of the rts pin for the serial port, which is either 0 (or near 0) for logic low or 255 (or near 255) for logic high. An7, input (7), is intended for internal use. It reports the current status of the dtr pin for the seri...

  • Page 154

    154 for more information, see the book ax.25 amateur packet-radio link-layer protocol version 2.0 october 1984, which can be obtained from the arrl. Axdelay n (n = 0 - 255) default 0 the value of ―n‖ is the number of 10 millisecond intervals to wait, in addition to txdelay, after keying the transmit...

  • Page 157

    157 this command is used to change the cancel-line input editing command character. When in convers or command mode entering a will cancel all characters input from the keyboard back to the last un-passed carriage return (unless pactime has expired, cpactime is turned on, and you are in convers mode...

  • Page 158

    158 check n (n = 0 - 255) default 0 this ―timeout‖ command is used to prevent a ―hang-up‖ in a connected mode when a link failure occurs as a result of conditions beyond control of the connected stations. The value entered for ―n‖ is the number of 10 second intervals to wait during ―no activity‖ bef...

  • Page 159

    159 when off, the custom connect text stored in ctext will not be sent to the connecting station upon receiving a connect request. When on, the custom ctext string will be sent. When cmsg is set to disc, the custom ctext string will be sent to the connecting station, and then your tnc will disconnec...

  • Page 160

    160 already in convers or transparent mode when the connection is completed, the mode will not be changed. If you have typed part of a command line when the connection is completed, the mode change will not take place until you complete the command or cancel the line input. See also: canline, connec...

  • Page 161

    161 when off, connect requests from other tncs will not be acknowledged and a packet will be sent to the requesting stati on. The message ―connect request: (callsign of whoever is trying to connect to you)‖ will be output to your terminal if intface is terminal or newuser. When conok is off, you can...

  • Page 165

    165 daystr setting displayed date/time mm/dd/yy hh:mm:ss 07/16/02 12:14:22 d.M.Y h:mm:ss 16.7.02 12:14:22 d.Mm.Yy h:mm 16.07.02 12:14 mmm d 20yy h:mm cst jul 7 2002 12:14 cst time hh:mm date: mmm dd, 20yy time 12:14 date jul 07, 2002 this command is used to define how date and time are to be display...

  • Page 166

    166 speed up the clock. Each count corresponds to 0.64 seconds increase or decrease per 24 hours. Ambient temperature will affect the clock to some degree. Daytweak has no effect on the (optional) battery-backed clock (bbc); that clock is set only by using the daytime command. The software clock sto...

  • Page 168

    168 see also: display listings section  dwait n (n = 0 - 255) default 0 dwait defines a delay to be used to avoid collisions with digipeated packets. The value entered for ―n‖ is the number of 10 ms intervals, after last hearing data on the channel, for the kpc-3 plus to wait before it begins its o...

  • Page 172

    172 gga and gll strings do not include a date. The zda string does not include a ―valid‖ bit. Some gps units do not include a ―valid‖ bit with the gll string. Hbaud n (n = 300, 400, 600, 1200) default 1200 this baud specifies the rate of data exchange between the radio stations. The value of hbaud h...

  • Page 173

    173 when on, an id packet will be sent every 9.5 minutes, provided that packets are being digipeated through your station, or routed through your ka-node, or into your pbbs. This command should be on if digipeating, ka-node or pbbs is enabled. If off, periodic identification packets will not be sent...

  • Page 174

    174 when set to newuser, the tnc will operate with a standard terminal or computer running a terminal emulation program with a limited command set available. When set to terminal, the full command set of the tnc is available. When set to bbs, the tnc deletes certain messages (i.E. *** connect reques...

  • Page 177

    177 ltp n dest [via call1[,call2,...]] (n =1-4) default gps (for n = 1-4) this command sets the destination callsign and the digipeaters used to transmit the lt strings. N specifies which string (1-4). The destination callsign defaults to gps; however, you may want to change it to aprs, locate, posi...

  • Page 178

    178 maxframe sets an upper limit on the number of unacknowledged information packets, which can be outstanding at any one time. The tnc will send maxframe number of packets in a single transmission, if they are available. See also: paclen maxusers n (n = 1 - 26) default 10 this command causes the tn...

  • Page 179

    179 disconnect request disconnected mode unnumbered acknowledge in addition, the following bracketed information will be added to the information packets as appropriate: unconnected information frame information frame (connected); s = send sequence number see also: ax25l2v2, monitor, mresp for detai...

  • Page 180

    180 stations, an asterisk would show by the call or alias of the last digipeater heard. When listed short, the asterisk would show beside nØgrg. Whenever passall is on, packets will not be checked for errors and no additions will be made to the mheard list. If the c option is used, the list is clear...

  • Page 181

    181 when on, monitored packets include the following ax.25 response packets, if monitor and mcom are on. If connected, mcon must also be on. The bracketed information will appear at the end of the header information. The ― are used to bracket and denote packets received as version 1 or version 2, re...

  • Page 183

    183 this command accommodates differential gps operation. In gps mode only, if a ui packet is received addressed to the call in mydgps, the data from the ui packet is output on the rs232 port. Mydrop n (n = 0-15) default 0 this command sets the kiss address of the radio port in the kpc-3 plus. A kis...

  • Page 185

    185 netbuffs n (n = 1 - 255) default 32 the netbuffs command sets the number of node buffers available in the node. If the netbuffs reach zero, node operation may become unstable. Changing netbuffs will cause a soft reset as memory is reallocated. Each netbuff allocated uses 320 bytes of ram. Netcal...

  • Page 186

    186 nodes that are listed in your nodes table are reliable paths. The value that you enter for netdests should be greater than this number, allowing room for other nodes as they become available. In any case, never allow the node destination table to become so large that it is filled with unusable a...

  • Page 188

    188 have a 1kbyte mailbox. In this case, if n is larger than 5, a message saying ―not enough ram‖ will be returned to you. Note: while you need to enter all the letters of the command name to change the value of numnodes, you can enter the short-form, nu, to see the current value of numnodes. See al...

  • Page 190

    190 after the pbbs has initiated a forward, it will also request a reverse forward if pbrevers is on. Note that full-service bbs systems must be configured to allow your station to reverse forward mail to you. Note: your pbbs will not forward or reverse forward unless htext is set. See also: pbrever...

  • Page 191

    191 several pbbs commands (listmine, readmine, and killmine) operate on mail addressed to your callsign (mycall) or to your mypbbs. Pblist allows you to add up to ten more callsigns to the set of callsigns included as ―mine‖ for use with the ―mail‖ indicator and the pbbs commands (listmine, readmine...

  • Page 193

    193 this command controls the maximum number of connects allowed to the pbbs. This command causes a soft reset if n is different from its previous value. Persist n (n = 0 - 255) default 63 this command, used with slottime, implements an algorithm for channel access to send packets. The algorithm use...

  • Page 195

    195 redispla n (n = $00 - $ff) default $12 this command is used to change the redisplay input editing character. The parameter n is the ascii code for the character you want to type in order to redisplay the packet or command currently being entered. You can type this character to cause the tnc to r...

  • Page 196

    196 see also: intface, maxusers, myremote, numnodes, pbbs, restore restore default immediate when restore d is given, the kpc-3 plus will revert to its factory default settings, perform its autobaud routine, and erase pbbs memory (deleting all messages and non-default pbbs parameter settings). See a...

  • Page 197

    197 the kpc-3 plus with the myremote callsign) to send a string to a unit attached to the kpc-3 plus serial port. The string content could be used to change the configuration of a gps unit. Rtext text (text up to about 250 characters) default (blank) this command sets the password string for use whe...

  • Page 198

    198 screenl n (n = 0 - 255) default 0 this value is used to format what is sent to your terminal. A ―cr‖ sequence is sent to the terminal at the end of a line when n characters have been printed. A value of zero inhibits this action. See also: autolf sendpac n (n = $00 - $ff) default $0d (cr or ente...

  • Page 199

    199 entering long will cause the tnc to display the status of all streams allowed by maxusers, pbbs, numnodes, and myremote. The current ka-node input and outp ut (io) stream is also indicated. A pound sign ‗#‘ (octothorpe) indicates that there is unacknowledged data in the buffers for that stream. ...

  • Page 201

    201 the maximum number of callsigns allowed in suplist is 10. Up to 10 callsigns may be entered at once, using the format shown after the command name, and the new list of from 1 to 10 callsigns will replace whatever list was there before. The suplist command can be used to add a single callsign (+c...

  • Page 202

    202 a telemetry beacon is sent every n*10 seconds. If n = 0, the beacon is disabled. The telemetry beacon is a ui frame sent to beacon. If there is a current unproto digipeat path, it will be used to transmit the telemetry beacon. The data in the ui frame is in the form: ―t#nnn,an0,an1,an2,an3,an5,b...

  • Page 205

    205 the packets waiting to be digipeated will be subject to the same wait times as not-to-be- digipeated packets awaiting transmission. By subjecting ―special‖ to-be-digipeated packets to a delay determined by slottime and persist, it is more likely that to-be-digipeated packets of two or more stati...

  • Page 206

    206 call1 = destination address (this is really just a ―dummy‖ address, as no connection takes place, people often put their name or cq here) call2 ... Call9 = optional stations to be digipeated through. A maximum of 8 digipeat addresses (callsigns or aliases) can be specified. This is referred to a...

  • Page 209: Precautions

    209 appendix a: advanced installation this appendix gives you additional information on installation and configuration beyond that given in the chapter on “installing your kpc-3 plus”. We assume you have already read that chapter. Precautions the kpc-3 plus is grounded through its connections to you...

  • Page 210

    210 cable wiring all kantronics software requires five wires between the computer and the kpc-3 plus. The pins that must be connected from your kpc-3 plus to the computer for these programs are txd, rxd, sg, rts, and cts. If you are using other software, you should refer to that documentation to det...

  • Page 211

    211 rts - request to send: the kpc-3 plus checks this line to see if it is permitted to send data to your computer. This pin is controlled by your computer software program to provide this information to the kpc-3 plus. This pin is used for hardware flow control. Cts - clear to send: the kpc-3 plus ...

  • Page 212: Connecting To Your Radios

    212 if you are using a baud above 9600 baud and have an older computer, we strongly recommend that you consider installing special high-speed, buffered uarts in the serial port of your computer. These uarts are available through many parts suppliers and will improve the reliability of high-speed com...

  • Page 213

    213 pin 4: this pin is the control b output from the kpc-3 plus which may be used as a control line to your radio or other devices. It is an open-drain circuit, and will apply a ground on this pin when controlled by the ctrl command in your kpc-3 plus (not to exceed 50 v dc or 200 ma). This pin can ...

  • Page 214

    214 a 0.1 f capacitor (non-polarized) usually is required in the transmit audio line from the tnc to any handheld transceiver (ht) radio. Even if a capacitor is not required for connection to a particular radio, it can still be installed, and the transmit audio (packets) will pass through to the rad...

  • Page 215: Assembly And Disassembly

    215 appendix b: advanced information assembly and disassembly should you require access to the kpc-3 plus to reposition jumpers or for other purposes, disassemble as follows: 1. Turn off power to your kpc-3 plus and remove all cables from the unit. 2. Using a small phillips screwdriver, remove the t...

  • Page 216: Calibration/equalization

    216 5. Observe on the computer display (your terminal program must be set at 1200 baud): checksum ok ram ok 100,000 bytes no clock replace test jumper 6. Turn power off. 7. Return jumper j11 to the normal position (one pin only). 8. Reassemble the kpc-3 plus and return to operation. Note: after a ha...

  • Page 217: A/d Converter

    217 or ‗+‘ key (and holding it down) until you achieve the drive level you need. Adjust deviation to achieve about 3 to 3.5 khz deviation from your radio. Equalization. If you have another kantronics user nearby, have that station transmit a calibrate square wave and choose the r option in your cali...

  • Page 218: Kpc-3 Plus Jumpers

    218 kpc-3 plus jumpers jumper locations to locate jumpers listed below, use the schematic shipped with the unit and (for locations on the printed circuit board) the parts layout in appendix e. Printed schematic circuit jumper # location location name . J1 a-6 d-4 battery option j2 a-6 d-4 battery op...

  • Page 219

    219 pin 9 is connected to the reset circuit. This allows you to perform a soft reset by applying a momentary ground to pin 9. Default: ground. J6: (reset/input) this three-pin jumper, in conjunction with jumper j5 or j7 provides an alternate means to supply dc power to the unit or to perform a reset...

  • Page 220

    220 j19: mx fulldup option. (does not apply in smt version) j20: mx fulldup option. (does not apply in smt version).

  • Page 221: Low Power Operation

    221 appendix c: options for the kpc-3 plus low power operation your kpc-3 plus is capable of very low power operation. In order to achieve the lowest power consumption possible, you must turn the front panel leds off with the command leds off. Also, the modem must be set for internal carrier detecti...

  • Page 222

    222 install the clock chip with pin 1 toward the right (as you are looking at the unit) in socket u15. You will need to initialize the clock with the current date and time after installing the clock chip. Just enter the daytime as described in the commands section of this manual. The real-time clock...

  • Page 223: Kpc-

    223 appendix d: in case of difficulty your kantronics kpc-3 plus is manufactured to very stringent quality standards. If you have followed the installation procedures outlined in this manual, it is highly unlikely that you will encounter a failure. If you do have difficulty, use the procedures descr...

  • Page 224

    224 2. If using a ―fixed level‖ (i.E., the rcv led stays on all the time) receive audio from the radio, which the volume and squelch do not change, set the cd parameter to software. Cannot return to command mode the single most common cause of this is that the stop character (and usually xoff) have ...

  • Page 225: Specifications

    225 appendix e: additional information specifications size: 0.8" x 5.2" x 5.2" (21 mm x 133 mm x 133 mm) weight: 11 oz (0.32 kg) power requirements: 6 v dc to 25 v dc, less than 30 ma (leds on, unit active) 6 v dc to 25 v dc, less than 15 ma (leds off, unit inactive) power plug polarity: center pin ...

  • Page 226

    226 messages from the kpc-3 plus the following are brief explanations of the most important messages that may be sent by your tnc. Note: since these messages are also sent by other kantronics tncs, they refer to ―tnc‖, not to ―kpc-3 plus‖. ***(callsign) busy the packet station you were attempting to...

  • Page 227

    227 checksum ok when performing a hard reset, this message indicates that the kantronics firmware eprom has passed the internal checksum test. Cmd: this is the command mode‘s prompt for input. Any characters entered after the tnc prints ―cmd:‖ will be used as command input and not packet data. Comma...

  • Page 228

    228 ***frmr received: a frame reject packet has been received for an unknown reason. The information field of this packet will display in hexadecimal value. This display may be useful in determining why the receiving station rejected your packet. ***frmr sent: frame reject packet has been sent due t...

  • Page 229

    229 both tncs involved in the connection are unable to accept any more data. Connected to (callsign v path) your tnc is currently connected to the indicated station, using the path given. Connect in progress your tnc is attempting to establish a connection. Device busy your tnc is unable to accept a...

  • Page 230

    230 no known nodes an ndheard list has been requested and the tnc has not heard any other nodes (e.G., ka-nodes). Not enough ram this message indicates that you have attempted to set the numnodes, maxusers, or pbbs to a value, which requires more ram memory than is currently available. It may also o...

  • Page 231

    231 value out of range if the syntax of the command is legal, but the value specified is too large or too small for this command, the value out of range message is returned. A $ is used to point to the bad value. Was whenever one of the parameters is changed, the previous value is usually displayed....

  • Page 232: Ascii Chart

    232 ascii chart ctrl dec hex code dec hex code dec hex code dec hex code @ 0 00 nul 32 20 sp 64 40 @ 96 60 ` a 1 01 soh 33 21 ! 65 41 a 97 61 a b 2 02 stx 34 22 ― 66 42 b 98 62 b c 3 03 etx 35 23 # 67 43 c 99 63 c d 4 04 eot 36 24 $ 68 44 d 100 64 d e 5 05 enq 37 25 % 69 45 e 101 65 e f 6 06 ack 38 ...

  • Page 233: Kpc-3 Plus Parts List

    233 kpc-3 plus parts list bt1 2032 c1 .001uf c2 .001uf c3 .001uf c4 .001uf c5 .001uf c6 .001uf c7 .001uf c8 .001uf c9 .001uf c10 .001uf c11 .001uf c12 .001uf c13 .001uf c14 .1uf c15 .1uf c16 .0022uf c17 .001uf c18 1uf c19 .001uf c20 .001uf c21 .01uf c22 10pf c23 1uf c24 .001uf c25 .001uf c26 .1uf c2...

  • Page 234: Kpc-3 Plus Mx Parts List

    234 kpc-3 plus mx parts list bt1 2032 c1 .001uf c2 .001uf c3 .001uf c4 .001uf c5 .001uf c6 .001uf c7 .001uf c8 .001uf c9 .001uf c10 .001uf c11 .001uf c12 .001uf c13 .001uf c14 .1uf c15 .1uf c16 .0022uf c17 .001uf c18 1uf c19 .001uf c20 .001uf c21 .01uf c22 10pf c23 1uf c24 .001uf c25 .001uf c26 .1uf...

  • Page 235: Kpc-3 Plus Parts Layout

    235 kpc-3 plus parts layout a b c d 1 2 3 4.

  • Page 236: Kpc-3 Plus Mx Parts Layout

    236 kpc-3 plus mx parts layout a b c d 1 2 3 4.