[nos-bbs] NOS NET

[Demetre Valaris]

Bill Vodall wrote:

>With NOS we have a fun and useful radio interface.  We have an Internet client/server.  We
>have the technology to hook up dynamically with some folks running as hosts.
>
>What we don't have is a simple, relatively open, generic system for "getting on the
>network" from a NOS system.
>
>For example,  after compiling up a new NOS installation, it could be possible to
>do something like:
>
>  attach nosnet  rotate.jnos.org  call=wa7nwp  password=topsecret
>
>Where rotate.jnos.org would resolve to one of any number of nosnet server systems.
>
>Once joined, it would be like being on a simple ax25 packet network for packet
>traffic, netrom's etc.   
>
>The next step would be to bring that to RF so local stations would be on "nosnet"
>via the radio.
>
>NOSNET would be a high speed packet backbone.
>
>APRS has this with the APRS-IS  (http://www.aprs-is.net) and Winlink has it
>with their network of Telpac nodes.   Both are universal systems with access
>anywhere that all looks the same for the users.
>
>This is a new idea and my first attempt at writing things up.  Any thoughts or
>suggestions?
>
>73,
>Bill - WA7NWP
>http://www.jnos.org
>  
>
Hi Bill,

Good idea. The problem is how can we implement this in NOS? My JNOS 
system here in Athens already connects 4 radio ports (on 
144.625/144.650-1k2 and 430.650/438.025-9k6) to the global AMPRnet . Of 
course the users (not that they are many) have to know these frequencies 
and ask for an IP address. We could perhaps use DHCP in order to make 
things easier for them but I have not personnaly played with DCHP over 
an 1k2 or 9k6 link before and I do not know if it works OK. It should 
work though. Also the problem is that the PACKET infrastructure here in 
Greece, and I believe the same happens in USA, is in 1200 bps and the 
owners of the DIGIS grow spots in their faces when they see IP traffic 
especially if they know that it comes from JNOS and really I do not 
blame them! So we must either install our own 9k6/19k2/76k8 DIGIS or use 
AMPRnet, as we have been doing up to now!

I think everything we need is already there since anyone can access any 
NOS MBOX with any client they have available (from a TH-D7 with their 
Palm PDA to a fancy radio with a fancy TNC and a Laptop running DOS, 
WINDOWS, LINUX or whatever they like).

The good thing is that you are not tied to any specific client or a 
limited number of clients, like WINLINK for example, and now that Maiko 
is making the nice driver for the PTC-II and PACTOR I think JNOS is 
going to be more popular than it is.

What we do not have in the NOS community is people that are willing to 
advertise AMPRnet and enough people who are willing to be elmers for 
newcomers. These elmers should not try to push people into using only 
Linux because AMPRnet can work with all platforms and people get angry 
if you tell them that WINDOWS is crap and LINUX is the best. I use LINUX 
but I also use WINDOWS when I feel like it.

I think it is a matter of showing users that AMPRnet or NOSNET if you 
like it, has got some advantages over the other modes of PACKET RADIO, 
such as getting your e-mail via radio whether you are at 
home/mobile/portable and that you are not tied to any specific client 
setup such as other "NETWORKS". I know that we all have Internet (I 
personally get my Intrnet feed via a WiFi link) but it is best if we 
have AMPRnet or NOSNET as a backup link and receive all our e-mail via 
AMPRnet over a radio link. I have always got my e-mail via AMPRnet over 
a 9k6 radio link until last year when  SV1AAW had to close the Athenian 
AMPRnet Gateway down. Now I am running the AMPRNet Gateway from my home 
and I get all my e-mail from my WiFi Internet access but my AMPrnet 
Gateway is there for anyone to use it. Most users though today use it 
for DX-Cluster and CONVERS.

So any ideas about this NOSNET are more than welcome Bill and others. 
Please let us know what you think! I am more than interested to try 
anything new!


73 de Demetre SV1UY
e-mail sv1uy at ham.depa.gr
http://www.athnet.ampr.org