FBB : PACTOR interface

PACTOR / PACTOR-II has been implemented in FBB software using the PTC-II Pactor/Packet TNC. Information on this controler may be found in SCS web pages.

This TNC includes one pactor channel and two optional packet modules working 1200/2400 bds (afsk) or 9600 to 38400 Bds (G3RUH compatible fsk)

These three modems totalling a maximum of 31 channels are fully managed by FBB software. Other features like the built-in transceiver remote control (frequency and scanning) may also be activated from FBB.

There is no special configuration in FBB software. As before, the configuration files are compatible with DOS/WIN and LINUX versions. You will find hereafter some examples of INITTNCx.SYS, PORT.SYS and FORWARD.SYS files.

When using a pactor TNC, a new menu item is added to the menu-bar and two buttons are added to the control-bar. The first button start/stops scanning, and the second button sends a change-over (only while connected). The menu is only the duplication of these commands.

INITTNCx.SYS

The three modems of the PTC-II are connected to the PC using a single COM-PORT. All commands including the transceiver remote control is using this COM-PORT. So the programming of the TNC may be done in a single INITTNCx file (the first port for instance).
Programming of the TNC is made using DED hostmode commands. Any command must be preceeded by a '!' to be sent to the standard command mode.
The controler is fully reset during FBB initialisation, so all previously programmed parameters will be lost.
Some parameters are already programmed by the software. They can be changed later by the INITTNC file (not recommanded). They are:

!MYCALL xxxx
!PDUPLEX 0
!BOX 0
!REMOTE 0
!MAIL 0
!CMSG 0

Here is the minimum INITTNC file for the PTC-II :

#
# INITTNC for PTC-II interface
#
# C MAIL
U 0
N 10
M IUSC
#
# PROGRAMMING THE PTC-II
#
# CWID configuration
!CWID 4
!CWSPEED 100
#
# ARQ counter
!MAXSUM 60
#
# Brightness
!BR 2
#
# End of file
#

Here is a more complex INITTNC file for the PTC-II including the scanning programmation:

#
# INITTNC for PTC-II interface
#
# C MAIL
U 0
N 10
M IUSC
#
# PROGRAMMING THE PTC-II
#
# CWID configuration
!CWID 4
!CWSPEED 100
#
# ARQ counter
!MAXSUM 60
#
# Brightness
!BR 2
#
# Transceiver interface (ICOM IC725, 1200Bds adress 28Hex)
!TRX TYPE ICOM 1200 40
#
# Scanning timing
!TRX DWELL 50
!TRX WAIT 15
# Frequency offset
!TRX OFF 1.250
# 3 programmed frequency channels
!TRX CH 1 14074
!TRX CH 2 14076
!TRX CH 3 14078
# Allow scanning on the 3 channels
!TRX XS 1 1
!TRX XS 2 1
!TRX XS 3 1
# Start scanning
!TRX SCAN 1
#
# End of file
#

PORT.SYS

The PTC-II uses extended hostmode. This is an extension of the standard WA8DED hostmode which makes it more secure avoiding lost of frames.
This new communication protocol is selected using the letter 'H' (instead of 'D' for the WA8DED protocol).
The three ports of the PTC-II share the same COM-port and the selection is made using the MultCh value :

0 = Pactor port
1 = First packet module
2 = Second packet module

The rest of parameters conforms to the PORT.SYS documentation.
Example of a PORT.SYS for WINDOWS for the PTC-II :




# FBB7.00

# File for programming of channels and TNCs.

#

# Ports : How many ports (COM1, COM2, Etc...)

# TNCs : How many TNCs and modems in use. With multiplexer

# there can be up to 4 TNCs per port.

#

#Ports TNCs

1      3

#

# Interface : 2 = BPQ-node (BPQ in AA4RE-mode)

#             3 = Telephone-modem with FBBIOS

#             4 = DRSI

#             5 = TFPCR/TFPCX interface.  Interrupt MUST be 0xFD

#             6 = Windows-driver, replaces both ESS, ESSKAM and FBBIOS.

#             7 = TCP/IP.  Needs WINSOCK.DLL.  Put port-address as 17.

#                 TNC-emulation is T (see below) 

#             8 = TFWin.dll

#             9 = Linux.  Can work via serial port (D),via AX25 domain

#                 socket (X) or via Telnet port (T).

#

# Address   : Address of port in hexadecimal (Needed for multiplexer).

#             Address is the device name (/dev/cua0).

#             Be sure you have the rights to access to the device (rw-rw-rw-).

#             When using kernel AF_AX25 socket, address is not used.

#             When using Telnet, address is the Telnet port in Hex (Hex 17 = Telnet port 23)

# Baud      : Ports baud rate. Ignored by BPQ, kernel AF_AX25 socket and Telnet.

#

# Use same number of lines as number of ports.

#

#Com Interface Address (device)   Baud

1    6         3F8                19200

#

# TNC     : Number on TNC in use.  Use 0 for file-forward !

# NbCh    : Number of channels I want to use in the TNC.

#           Maximum available channels depend on firmware.

# Com     : Number of the COM-port. Com1, Com2 etc.

# MultCh  : Number of channel if port-multiplexer is used, otherwise 1.

#           In DRSI use values from 0 to 7, by KAM use 1/VHF and 2/HF.

#           When using kernel AF_AX25 socket in Linux, MultCh is the

#           interface name (eg: ax0)

# Paclen  : PACLEN on this TNC.

# Maxframe: The maximum nb of frames the TNC will send at a time.

# NbFwd   : Number of channels for OUTGOING forward at same time.

# MxBloc  : Size of forward-block in kb.

# M/P-Fwd : Minute of the hour for start of forward, and period

#           (how many minutes between each forward-start).

# Port mode, one of these:

#           B : BBS-mode.

#           G : "Guest"-mode.

#           U : Normal-mode.

# Type host-mode, one of these:

#           D : WA8DED

#           H : Extended Hostmode

#           K : KAM hostmode.  Must use ESSKAM driver.

#           P : PK-232

#           Q : BPQ v 4.x

#           T : Ethernet/TCP-IP

#           X : AX25 domain socket (for Linux)

# Addition: One or more of these letters can be used too

#           L : Send unproto beacon after each arriving mail.

#           M : Telephone-modem.

#           Y : Yapp allowed on this QRG.

#           W : Gateway allowed TO this QRG.

#           R : Port allowed in Read-only mode.

# Freq.   : Text to describe this port (max 9 characters, no space)

#

# Same number of lines as TNCs:

#

#TNC NbCh Com MultCh Pacln Maxfr NbFwd MxBloc M/P-Fwd Mode  Freq

1    1    1   0      250   2     1     10     00/10   HU    PACTOR

2    10   1   1      250   2     1     10     00/10   HULWY VHF-1200

3    10   1   2      250   5     4     10     00/10   HUWY  UHF-9600

#

# End of file.

#

FORWARD.SYS

There is no change in FORWARD.SYS commands added for PACTOR.
Only a built-in program can send commands to the tranceiver remote control. This program is named PTCTRX and accepts all options of the TRX command of the PTC-II
For instance the line "X PTCTRX F 14074" will change the frequency of the transceiver to 14074 KHz, added to the offset programmed by the command TRX OFST in the INITTNC file, so in my case 14075.25 KHz.
Example of a FORWARD.SYS file including the PACTOR port (The name of the port must match the one taken from PORT.SYS) :


#

#****************************

#                           *

# FORWARD FILE OF F6FBB BBS *

#                           *

#****************************

#

# Include the forward file for UHF

#

Example of the included forward file fwd\pactor :


#

#**********************

#                     *

# PACTOR FORWARD FILE *

#                     *

#**********************

#

A SM3HUA

  #

  # We are on the PACTOR port. The port may be defined by

  # its index (A..H,1..8) or by its name taken from PORT.SYS

  P PACTOR

  #

  # Send bulletins via EU

  G EU

  #

  # Stop scanning and goto 14075

  X PTCTRX SCAN 0

  X PTCTRX F 14075

  #

  IF H 7-18

    C C SM3HUA

  ENDIF

  #

  B SM3HUA

  F SM3HUA

  #

----

#

A OZ4SCA

  #

  # We are on the PACTOR port.

  P PACTOR

  #

  # Send bulletins to PACTOR

  F PACTOR

  #

  # Send bulletins via EU

  G EU

  #

  # Stop scanning and goto 14074

  X PTCTRX SCAN 0

  X PTCTRX F 14074

  #

  IF H 7-18

    C C OZ4SCA

  ENDIF

  #

  B OZ4SCA

  F OZ4SCA

  #

----

Comments will be welcome.