Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site mouton.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mouton!karn
From: karn@mouton.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.ham-radio
Subject: Re: packet help
Message-ID: <202@mouton.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 1-Nov-84 19:05:16 EST
Article-I.D.: mouton.202
Posted: Thu Nov  1 19:05:16 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 2-Nov-84 07:04:30 EST
References: <168@zps.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Inc
Lines: 17

Packet repeaters are actually fairly easy to build, as they can be much
simpler than full TNCs. Many of the current TNCs can also function
simultaneously as digipeaters, and in many areas the "local digipeater"
is just the personal TNC of a ham who happens to be in a good location
and makes a point to leave his rig on.

If you want to build a "dedicated" digipeater, you can make do with
less $$. All a digipeater has to do is receive HDLC frames, check
the address, set a bit and retransmit.  The old VADCG boards, which
without the upgrade kit have too little memory to be truly useful
as TNCs, can perform this job easily; the software has been written by
KE3Z and WB4JFI, and is available from AMRAD.

Many other "ad-hoc" digipeaters have been constructed, but the VADCG
board will probably be the easiest route for most people.

Phil