Packet Software

Packet Software

There are several types of packet software available. Most packet software falls under one of the following categories.

BBS

AA4RE

AA4RE BBS is fairly well established, though I am not sure if it being actively maintained anymore. Here is a site with several links to various versions and addons: http://www.bbsdocumentary.com/software/IBM/DOS/AA4RE/

There appears to be a yahoo group for the AA4RE software too. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/4re/

G1NNA

G1NNA has been developed by a couple of Hams over in the UK. Their homepage is here: http://www.gb7esx.co.uk/

F6FBB

Probably one of the more popular BBS packages. F6FBB runs on DOS, Windows as well as Linux. It has been around for awhile and offers message compression when forwarding messages. http://www.f6fbb.org/

LINBPQ32/BPQ32

Based on the original DOS program BPQCODE. Written by John Wiseman, G8BPQ. Available for Windows and Linux, supports chat and Winlink as well. https://www.cantab.net/users/john.wiseman/Documents/BPQ32.html

MSYS

This is a unified package to handle both BBS service as well as Net/Rom Node services. This is very popular in Northern Ohio (where the author lives) and across the country.

http://www.gadgettech.org/msys/msys.html

W0RLI

This is probably one of the oldest packet BBS systems available. There are also neat pictures of W0RLI's house. http://home.comcast.net/~w0rli/

DX Cluster

There are several DX Cluster systems available.

• DX Spider http://www.dxcluster.org/main/index.html
• AR Cluster http://www.ab5k.net/

Node

G8BPQ

G8BPQ is a fairly flexable Net/Rom node system. It can run in the background on a PC for other applications (BBSes, DX Clusters, Chat Nodes) as well as be burned onto an eprom of a Kantronics Data Engine for dedicated node service.

http://www.cantab.net/users/john.wiseman/Documents/

FlexNet

Flexnet is a European implementation of Net/Rom aimed to provide the fastest speed possible. http://www.afthd.tu-darmstadt.de/~flexnet/

TheNet X1J

One of the more popular standalone packet node software packages that runs natively in a TNC2 clone (MFJ-1270B, 1270C, etc). http://www.qrz.com/download/packet/index.html

TheNetPlus

Another flavor of TheNet that runs natively in a TNC2 clone (MFJ-1270B, 1270C, etc). http://www.qrz.com/download/packet/index.html

K-Net

K-Net is a unique option available only for Kantronics based TNCs. It allows you to have a fully functional Kantronics TNC, but also allows full Net/Rom operation. I was unable to find a source for ordering K-Net eproms, but the Kantronics website would probably be a good place to start: http://www.kantronics.com/

XRouter

XRouter is another versatile software package with version that run on DOS (XR16), Windows (XR32) and Linux, including the Raspberry Pi and similar architectures (XRLin/XRpi) XRouter 16 bit https://www.qsl.net/gb7syp/pztnode.htm XRouter Linux/Pi http://vk2dot.dyndns.org/xrpi/ or http://ohiopacket.org/xrpi/

Terminal/Keyboard

WinPack

This is a fairly popular program to use when connecting to packet from a Windows based PC. http://www.winpack.org.uk/

Buxterm

Written by K4ABT, this is a free program to enjoy keyboard to keyboard, BBS and DX Cluster operations. http://www.buxcomm.com/PKTprimer.html

Kagold/Pkgold

Commercially written, this software is fairly flexable to get the most out of Kantronics or AEA based TNCs. http://www.interflex.com/

TCP/IP

JNOS

One of the more popular *NOS packages, originally written WG7J and now picked up by VE4KLM, it is widely used today for many applications.

http://www.langelaar.net/projects/jnos2/

TNOS

Another popular implementation of *NOS is from KO4KS. http://tnos.sourceforge.net/ & http://www.lantz.com

SNOS

SimpleNOS is written by W0RLI and is also available at his website: http://home.comcast.net/~w0rli/