January 1988 Amigan Beacon Issue # 3 Greetings: Happy New Year to all. Our list of Amigan Amateurs has grown to 100 ! Ham Radio oriented Amiga software is increasing, and our first Public Domain disk is almost completed, it looks like another good year for Amigan Amateurs. AmigaNet: The 75 meter AmigaNet ( 3882 khz + or - for QRM, Tuesday Evenings, at 7:00 PM EST ) had a bit of a rocky start in October 1987. Doug Frie - NG2G is the Net Control Station. There have been as many as 8 stations checking in, with many less some nights. We sure would like to hear more folks getting in on the fun, so if you can get on 75 meters, check in ! If you are interested in participating in a 20 meter AmigaNet, please contact me with your suggestions for the time, day, and frequency. We are looking for several Net Control Stations for this Net, spread out across the Continent. Amateur Radio PD Software: Amateur Radio Public Domain Disk # 1 should be ready for release by the time you read this. It contains programs for Morse Code training, MUF calculation, Satellite Tracking, Contest Logging, Packet BBS, all previous "Amigan Beacon" Newsletters, a list of Amigan Amateurs, and more. If you want a copy of the Amateur Radio PD Disk, send me a disk (blank, or one with PD software on it), along with enough postage included inside to get it mailed back to you, and an self addressed label. Another PD disk (#2) will be started soon. If you have any Public Domain software which you think should be considered for inclusion on a future PD disk, please send it to me. I've received word of several interesting programs which should be ready for PD use "soon", stay tuned. Packet: KA5CNK has converted the popular W0RLI Packet Bulletin Board System software so it can be run on the Amiga. He is currently converting the latest version of the PBBS software, and has indicated that he will send me a copy so that it can go on the next PD disk. N3ET's (Randy) PBBS software is KAM oriented. It has limited forwarding capabilities, but is small in size. It multitasks well, so it can run in the background without stealing many CPU cycles while the PBBS is quiet. This means it can run WHILE you work on something else. N3ET and I have successfully sent IFF pictures via the packet mail forwarding system. Starting with a simple 8 color message created using Deluxe Paint II, to test the concept, I then sent a lo-res digitized picture of myself with color text. The total number of colors in the palette was 32. File size was 29k, and it took 29 minutes to send to the local PBBS. Obviously, hi-res pictures will probably not be attempted until higher baud rates and clear channels are used for mail transfer between PBBSs. We used ARC to compress the pictures, and software which Randy wrote converted the file from binary to ASCII and back. These programs for sending pictures and object code are on the PD disk, plus a text file on how to use them. END OF PAGE 1 LOOK ON THIS PBBS FOR PAGE 2 WB3KRN @ K3RLI Amigan Beacon Issue # 3 Page 2 Packet Distribution: One of the areas I'd like to improve this year is packet distribution of this newsletter. The last issue was sent out via US mail to all known Amigan Amateurs, and a packet version was sent out via "skip-net" to "all". The packet version resulted in some Amigan Amateurs reading the newsletter and hearing of the Group for the first time, so our database grew, and some of these folks also sent in PD software, so our PD disk benefited also ! Ideally, if I knew everyone who received the newsletter via packet, I'd mail out copies only to Amigan Amateurs who are not on packet, but with the current packet distribution, I don't know of any way to be sure that everybody on packet (who wanted one) got one. Also, we want to continue to use "skip-net" to spread the Newsletter to all PBBSs in hopes of finding more Amigan Amateurs. I'm looking for suggestions on this one, folks ! Note to PACKET readers of this newsletter: If you are reading the packet version of this newsletter, and are an Amiga user, please send a packet message to me (WB3KRN @ K3RLI) so I can tell where the packet readers are. Fax: I've received word that someone is working on a program to convert FAX files to IFF for use in paint programs. No information yet on when it will be available. Hardware hack: Bud - KV2U passed along this hardware project one night on the AmigaNET. Several of us were discussing how difficult it is to take a digital video picture of one's self using Digi-View and a video camera, without having another person in the room to rotate the 3 color (red, green, blue) camera filter. Bud solved that problem long ago by fastening a 60 cycle clock motor to the 3 color filter, and running the power switch to beside the Amiga. This way, when one color is finished digitizing, he can activate the motor switch to advance the color filter to the next color, and press the Amiga keys to begin the digitizing process without much movement ! Thanks for the great idea, Bud. Thank you: Several people wrote to me via mail and packet, about the PK-232 Fax interface problem I had, which I mentioned in the last Amigan Beacon. With their helpful information, I can now receive FAX pictures too. Thanks to all who took time to assist. Software Request: Several hams have asked about Amiga software which would be usable with radios that have RS-232 type interfaces (like the Icom 761, and Kenwood 940, 440 rigs) If you are using your Amiga with these radios, please send info. Call for "Articles": Some of the letters I receive from Amigan Amateurs briefly mention hardware and software projects which sound like they would be of interest to the whole group. Projects like RS-232 driven switches to control tape decks, and using Amigas with ATV (Amateur Television). If you are using your Amiga in a way which other hams could benefit by knowing about, please write a little information down, and send it to me so I can pass it along to the group in a future newsletter. I also appreciate your comments about the newsletter. Till next time, 73 & Happy Amiga-ing... Kathy Wehr - WB3KRN ( @ K3RLI for packet mail ) RD#1 Box 193 Watsontown, PA 17777