[aprssig] Need EPROM Burned

[Stephen H. Smith]

Ray McKnight wrote:
> Great!  But now I'm a bit confused.
> I see two EPROMS a HI and a LO.  I thought
> It only used the LO unless you installed special
> DIGI firmware.  But maybe I'm thinking of the TNC2's.
> So I guess I need both.  Let me know how much you want.
> I see my other firmware is 7.0 and not sure what vers I
> Downloaded but I can send the .hex file as an attachment
> If you can read it.  It's possibly newer.
>
>   

The PK-232 is NOT a TAPR TNC2 clone.   

It CANNOT run the various firmware alternatives like TheNet or UIdigi 
used on TNC2 clones (such as the MFJ-127x series, PacCom units or even 
PK88s).  

Further, the '232 is a power hog, consuming over an amp at 12 VDC 
compared to 200-300 mA for a TNC2 clone.

Finally, there is no explicit support for APRS in the PK-232 firmware.  
It will not do call-sign-substituting decrementing-N  digipeating 
stand-alone.   You have to run it in KISS  mode with a program on a 
computer to do modern WIDEn-N digipeating.  By itself, it is only 
useable as a basic WIDE1-1 home fill-in digipeater.  

It is far more valuable as an HF device for RTTY, AMTOR and especially 
PacTOR (for Winlink/Airmail) than for VHF APRS due to it's excellent 300 
baud HF filters and modem.  With recent firmware that supports PacTOR, 
they should be an easy sell to the boating/yachting  types that are 
always looking for WinLink appliances.  




--

Stephen H. Smith    wa8lmf (at) aol.com
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