X.25 Packet Network via Telnet/SSH BBS

[WA1TRY]

MARC has quite a history with the original AX-25 Packet radio system.   We ran W1NRG-4 BBS which was a Packet Radio MSYS BBS on 2 meters for several years.   

It had a couple nodes and provided a link that established packet radio text messaging from Florida to Maine.  

The BBS had an on the air chat room with three transmitters running 1200, and 2400 baud TNCs and had 9600 Bd capability.  Traffic was relayed via nodes up and down via our BBS's nodes with TNCs and their radios on 220 Mhz.  We had a Southern Link to a Norwalk BBS's node and a Northern link to a Northern BBS's node with two 30 watt radios and amplifiers. 

The main 2 meter transmitter's antenna was an array of four dipoles off-set on a 30 foot tower on the roof of the old Wallingford EOC (that was recently demolished)   

It was outfitted with APRS.  It actually had a "buy and sell area" and a extensive library where you could type in (for example) G5RV and get a listing of hundreds of articles by publication for that subject.   

It was the source and example for much of the information regarding packet radio bulletin boards in the ARRL's publication "Your Packet Companion".   In Chapter 4, you can read all about the Meriden Amateur Radio Packet BBS and see a picture of the original set up.  

 Thanks for bringing up some pretty old memories.    I think this spring I'll resurrect my own old AX-25 packet radio and see if anyone is still around ?    I remember enjoying the "predecessor" of telephone "voice mail" which was of course our packet radio personal BBSs.   I had a tnc, 2m radio running 24/7 with a gel cell battery  power backup.   Was fun coming home from work and seeing the TNC "mail" light blinking and then reading  and answering the mail.    Packet radio didn't need phone lines,  internet or commercial power ... always there, always worked.  <grin>  

As far as telecom and such I remember the days of 100 and 300 baud land line modems (rubber cupped things) where you could lay your wired telephone hand set to audibly get the data transferred.   It was a banner day when I got my first 1200 baud modem and later I though I died and went to heaven with a new 56K US Robotics modem.