Bulletins from the Pacific Packet Radio Society - page 082

On June 2, 1982, the Tucson Amateur Packet Radio Corporation was licensed in the state of Arizona as a non-profit scientific corporation. The stated purposes of the corporation are: "...scientific testing and research into the development and improvement of communication systems for use in the Amateur Radio Service, including but not limited to digital packet radio communications; the research and testing of systems, hardware and software for packet radio local area networks and computer network systems; and disseminating to the public information obtained as a product of such research and testing ... ". The TAPR Corporation was formed to serve as a liaison between standards organizations, profit and nonprofit corporations and the amateur radio groups interested in this new technology.

TAPR and AMRAD will be forming formal affiliation later this month, and will be working together closely on very common grounds.

TAPR Hardware Report de Lyle Johnson, WA7GXD

The Southwestern Division ARRL Convention in San Diego was a smashing success from the Packet Radio standpoint. Alpha TNCs were connected via hardwire link, and two terminals were connected up so folks could send packets back and forth. ARRL President Vic Clark, W4KFC, visited the TAPR booth and was given a brief demonstration of this exciting new mode. The Saturday A.M. forum was so successful that TAPR ran an unscheduled "Introduction to Packet Radio" presentation that afternoon. The hall was packed, with the overflow lining the walls. Eventually, the doors were opened and people were crowding in the hallway, straining to catch every word. Many an ASCII/RTTY buff appeared ready to convert, with plenty of active audience participation. An unqualified success.

Alpha boards are currently running some diagnostic software that reports on CRC status, etc., for hardware/modem debugging. This software allows direct interface to the TAPR/FORTH kernel for hardware interaction. The net effect is to greatly accelerate hardware debugging and patching.

Alpha boards appear to be about 95% functional as of this writing (10 June 1982). The weekly TAPR net of 9 June 82 witnessed the first TAPR packet transmission when WA7GXD surprised everyone with a couple of test messages. The real "acid test" of exchanged packets via radio link is anticipated for the weekend of 1 2- 1 3 June 1982, barring any unforeseen interference from jobs and other such meddling.

The Beta Test of the TAPR TNC is planned to start sometime in July. While Alpha Test is primarily hardware-related, with software/protocol feasibility testing thrown in. Beta Test is primarily soft ware/protocol oriented, with interfacing the primary hardware goal.

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