Newsgroups: comp.archives
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!ox.com!msen.com!emv
From: YU3FK%CATHY%yubgef51@pucc.princeton.edu (Iztok Saje, IJS-E1, YU3FK)
Subject: [packet-radio] TheNET 1.16 & 2.06
Message-ID: <1991Apr19.004954.226@ox.com>
Followup-To: rec.radio.amateur.packet
Sender: emv@msen.com (Edward Vielmetti, MSEN)
Reply-To: YU3FK%CATHY%yubgef51@pucc.princeton.edu (Iztok Saje, IJS-E1, YU3FK)
Organization: UCSD Usenet Gateway
References: <8B0B55ACC77F00301B@yubgef51>
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 1991 00:49:54 GMT
Approved: emv@msen.com (Edward Vielmetti, MSEN)
X-Original-Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.packet

Archive-name: rec/radio/thenet/1991-04-18
Archive-directory: tomcat.gsfc.nasa.gov:/public/thenet/ [128.183.10.100]
Original-posting-by: YU3FK%CATHY%yubgef51@pucc.princeton.edu (Iztok Saje, IJS-E1, YU3FK)
Original-subject: TheNET 1.16 & 2.06
Reposted-by: emv@msen.com (Edward Vielmetti, MSEN)

Hello friends !

Maybe I can help to clarify a little TheNET confusion.

NORD><LINK made theNets (VERY strongly influenced by WA8DED work)
available in source and binary forms a long time ago.

A month or two ago I received a floppy with all compilers and
tools needed to make own version.
I got sources for TheNET 1.1 normal,interlink, user-access;
as well as COVERSE and TF21d. So, this are official versions
from NORD><LINK.

There are two versions widely circulated, both based on TheNET 1.1.
TheNET 1.16 is an intermin version toward 1.20 (I hope !) made by
HAMs close to NORD><LINK (but not DF2AU himself); while 2.06 is
made in USA. I saw several other versions which are definitely pached
EPROM images... Just count number of characters !
Most versions just play with user commands processor - but
nobody tried to make faster interrupt routines and better level 3
routing.

2.06 has very nice documentation, so it is worth FTPing from TOMCAT;
but I do not beleive it is worth climbing to the mountains to
replace EPROMs. Single usable function, not found at
1.1, is HEARD list of last few calls. This is not usable on our
busy 2m channells - because node hears much more stations
as can be connected. Routes list use IDENT instead of CALLS, what
just add confusion. Another nice feature is NOT FOUND message answer
to "N UNKNOWN" command. At least in our region 2.06 is used mainly
by SysOps who collect versions (must get TheNET 3.13 for them !).

1.16 is really next step. They throw away useless code for
user terminal, so RS-232 port is NET/ROM ASYNC protocol only.
They got space in EPROM for few nice changes.

Reasons, why we put 1.16 to work in YU3 network:
- T 60 command puts TX to transmit 60 seconds of test signal.
  This was badly needed for antenna tuning on 23cm.
- Remote adjustable TXDELAY
- "N UNKNOWN" command is replayed by "Not found"
- Several flags to set mode of level 3 beacons
- RESTART commands clears links, but keeps routes and nodes

Another features, liked by users
- CTEXT message (QRM, as all CTEXTes - but HAMLETs like them !)
- QUIT command, which RECONNECTS back
- NODE ? gives nice sorted list of known nodes.
- LED 0,1,2,3 instead of HI/LOW

Now... BUGS:
We run several TheNET nodes on 38400 bd radio speed/ 9600 bd RS-232.
They are connected to other nodes via diode matrix or FKROM (EPROM
with logic for 4 TNCs, using TTL level ASYNC TNC lines. I hate
diodes ...). All tested versions have a bug in LEV3 or LEV4:
With nodes going up/down memory become corrupted and node blocks.
But, after I enforced stable network (NO nodes with 0 quality),
keeping maximum number of nodes at 20, they are quite stable.
Users know: To go to OE, call 4N3P. To go to Italy, call 4N3K. To south,
call 4N2Z.

1.16 bugs
User interface on RS-232 is out. SIO pin 22 is no more needed.
But - take care with single node - it attemps to send routing
beacons to RS-232, and they eat memory, waiting for port to be ready.
So, FLAGS 5 1 is MUST for single nodes (AND remote reset). It works
fine in company.
1.16 sends CTEXT for EVERY lev.2 link - and if you block CTEXT,
blank INFO frame with PID F0 is send on any connection, G8BPQ hates
this, and they like to exchange several QRM lev.2 frames with PID F0.
There are also some minor bugs in output messages for SYSOPs, like
entering INFO and reading it in same QSO.

1.1y is yu3fk version - I try to get better results on 38400 bd by
lowering link number (25 is too much for interlink nodes) etc. Only
few mods to 1.1 - I do not want to make big changes on old version !


Best 73 and happy networking !
   Iztok, YU3FK@YT3A.YUG
          YU3FK@ijs.ac.mail.yu

-- comp.archives file verification
tomcat.gsfc.nasa.gov
convers.arc      24,991 10:53  2/12/89   nrtn13.arc       10,645  6:40  2/03/89
tn-doc.arc       25,879 17:35  2/28/89   tn206.exe        96,768  1:24  1/29/91
tnpc-090.zip    290,214  1:05  6/01/90   tnpn122b.zip    114,666  1:03  6/01/90
6 files. 53,411,840 bytes free. Disk size 157,204,480 bytes.
found thenet ok
tomcat.gsfc.nasa.gov:/public/thenet/