[aprssig] Truce?

Wes Johnston aprs at kd4rdb.com
Mon Feb 21 16:06:44 EST 2005


Dare I say that we need to agree to disagree.  This thread(s) has gone on for a
week or three, and we are getting nowhere fast.  We keep running up against the
limited hardware that we have installed.  We've outgrown it.  This hardware
limit is causing a great deal of friction between all of us since there is _no_
solution.

Bob is suggesting the best fix he can come up with given the hardware we've got
on air right now.  Problem is, that hardware is not robust enough to fix the
problems at hand.  and we start getting edgy towards one another.

I wrote to kantronics and asked them if they'd write an 'N' limit into the older
kpc3 non-plus model.  I asked them to estimate how many hours it would take and
what their per hour rate was.  The answer I got was a very polite 'no'.  They
consider that hardware dead, and will not be releasing any more firmware for
it.  So that is a dead end.  I don't hold this against them (I might get a
little ticked if the WIDEn-n hop limit doesn't show up in the next release of
KPC3plus, but that's another issue... hihi).  The good news is that it's
confirmed that the UIDIGI function uses a checksum dupe checker in their v9
firmware.

Given that kantronics will not be releasing any new firmware for the kpc3
non-plus models, we have to stop beating up on each other pursue other avenues.

Right now, it looks like Scott and Curt are working on two seperate
digipeater/tnc projects.

It's been suggested that you can take your average junker 100mhz PC and convert
it to 12v operation for $35.  Or you can take your average 286/386 laptop and
run it on 12v.  In either case you strip out the CDROM, HDD and keep the floppy
drive.  Then install digined onto a floppy disc and interface your 12volt PC to
any existing TNC in kiss mode.  People who don't trust a floppy drive ( I am
one of those) can use a $25 compact flash to IDE adapter and the old (now
usless) 32m CF card from that first digital camera you bought years ago.

Who's not willing to spend $35 to fix the problems in their area?  It's one
month's cell phone bill.  Dinner and a movie for you and noone else.... lol.

So I think the time is upon us to 1)wait for Scott or Curt to produce their
TNCs, 2)go ahead and install digined in the problem areas.

Wes

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