Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: karn@thumper.bellcore.com (Phil R. Karn)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: "First" BBS in USSR
Message-ID: <2494@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 31 Dec 89 00:29:15 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 9, Issue 602, message 4 of 12

I was interested to read of the claim that the BBS in Estonia is the
first in the USSR. This is incorrect. Earlier this year, an amateur
packet radio bulletin board system was established in Moscow with the
callsign RA3AT. I believe it can be accessed over HF radio through a
HF/VHF gateway switch also in Moscow.

Amateur packet radio technology was first known to have been used in
the Soviet Union during the Soviet/Canadian SKITREK arctic expedition
of 1988. Donated amateur packet equipment was also delivered to Moscow
a year ago for use in Armenian earthquake relief efforts.

I also know that my TCP/IP package for the PC has found its way into
the USSR, so it probably won't be long until we see the first Soviet
site on the (amateur radio) Internet. Maybe I can persuade them to
name one of their machines "kremvax". :-)


Phil