Rob rants 'n raves:
1) Where is incoming e-mail stored before you access it? Is there some kind of special server auto-hooked to a radio, or do you have to ask a humid bean to send your mail?Byron babbles in response:
BEANS to the beans, I say. Actually, yes, the software has been put together very nicely (by an
active RVer) which allows the email on the internet side to be stored on
the host's machine. In this case, by "Host" I'm referring to the radio
amateur who is providing the service to the RV'ing community. And as I
indicated before,
We designed and built (seems like decades ago) special radio modems
that we call "terminal node controllers". The TNCs are EXTREMELY intelligent
and typically have between a hundred and two hundred software commands
available to you (the operator) and/or the host software. The one I use
cost something around $125 new as I recall and does a superb job, even
with the 27 year old
The data itself is digital, while it resides on the pc, of course. But
before it can be spit out the radio port, it needs to be converted to analog,
by way of the TNC, just as a MO(ulator)DEM(odulator) would do for phone
line use. 'Course, that's all transparent -- and wonderfully simple --
from the
But the way *I* do it is with the High Frequency PACTOR systems. So
let's tally things up:
1. HF radio. Free. Had it (and one other just like it but newer) GIVEN
to me.
Cheap. But remember, once you have the gear, you can do MUCH MUCH MUCH
more than "just" email. You've got the whole world (literally) there at
your Airstream's fingertips.
Best regards,
Byron Hurder, KY1T
there are a fair number of them, all over the world. List upon request!
2) When the mail comes in, what's the link between the radio
and your computer? Are the data analog or digital? Is there a special A/D
converter, or some other kind of black box, between the radio and the computer?
Yes, yes, and yes. Wait, "yes" doesn't apply to a couple of those. :) So,
in explanation:
radio I'm using here in the Airstream.
perspective of the operator. That would be you.
3) What's the transmission rate?
Don't ask. PITIFULLY slow by modern standards. But nobody cares; they're
so delighted to have free access to their email, with no phone line, no
cell service, none of that stuph, that they'd sell their first-borns to
the TNC manufacturers in thankful payback.
are any 'net functions besides e-mail available this way?
Just this morning, I happened upon an article in CQ VHF which indicates
that you can spit out HTML (but ya better not even THINK about graphics
due to the puny size of the "pipeline") and if you're clever enough to
know how to use Linux, you CAN do some client-server web stuff. NOT for
the faint of heart, and definitely NOT in wide useage on amateur radio
circuits. Not yet,
anyway. For now, be thinking "email" and "text".
My response will be with regard to the way *I* do it. If you have a Technician
class of license, then you'd want to do things by way of the amateur radio
satellites (free, of course), but which means that the equipment will be
different and arguably more expensive.
5) Given that we already have computers-cum-modems, what kind
of $ are involved in getting the other necessary eqt?
2. Pactor modem. $125 bucks. Cheaper if used.
3. Antenna. Here, I splurged and spent $300 to experiment with a new
design. One of the "Hustler" brand antennas would do just perfectly for
a third (or less) of that amount.