TZUTC: -0500   
   MSGID: 84.fidonet-ham@1:19/33 24ce4b8d   
   REPLY: 83.fidonet-ham@1:19/33 24ce1694   
   PID: Synchronet 3.18c-Win32 master/643e3b213 Apr  2 2021 MSC 1928   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.14-Win32 master/643e3b213 Apr  2 2021 MSC 1928   
   BBSID: TBOLT   
   CHRS: ASCII 1   
   Steve,   
      
    SW> Hello - Steve K9ZW here.   
      
     We've got to quit meeting like this...folks are going to talk (hi hi).   
      
    SW> I've been exploring some of the ham radio orientated BBS systems, and   
    SW> am very interested to hear from people who see ways that BBS can   
    SW> support ham radio in a world of high speed internet and cell coverage?   
      
     I used to run a door under Synchronet, done by the late Dave Perry, W4KGU   
   (SK), which worked with an MFJ 1270-C TNC and a rig, to allow licensed hams   
   to access the area packet network, courtesy of the Sysop's TNC...plus to   
   leave a message for the Sysop in the TNC mailbox, if logging on via packet.   
   Unfortunately, I think something with Windows 10 screwed things up, as I   
   could never get it to allow folks in...it always said the TNC was busy. So,   
   I had to take that door offline. I still have the TNC, but no rig or cables   
   to work with it. I'm not sure if MFJ still makes the cables or not.   
      
     Years ago, when QRZ published a database CD, W4KGU also had a door where   
   you could look up data...that was ended back in 2016, if I remember right.   
      
     While Buckmaster offers a callsign CD, with monthly updates (I use the   
   Doorway program to have it online), it only updates once a month. But, you   
   can use your Hamcall password to logon on their website, to get callsign   
   data for most any ham in the world. However, with some countries, the hams   
   have chosen not to have their contact info published. I did set up a separate   
   door with the Doorway program (noted below) and a utility when I ran GT Power   
   to show an ANSI screen on other callsign database sources on the internet.   
      
    SW> Not wanting to seed discussions with my developing ideas I won't offer   
    SW> up too much more than I see some very useful features that mesh well   
    SW> with certain parts of hame radio.   
      
     I added a file area with several files that are also in my D-Rats shared   
   folder...and on the hyperlink off of my bio on QRZ. With the BBS, I'm using   
   the 8.3 DOS filename syntax...and will likely continue with that once   
   Synchronet 3.19 is released. There is a bulletin and file on my BBS with   
   the history of the BBS...and a lot of older files can be found on many   
   BBS's...that you can't find anywhere else.   
      
     Years ago, a fellow ham radio operator in the area found a truly portable   
   computer, but it wasn't a laptop. It had a monitor, a 3.5" and a 5.25"    
   drive, a keyboard, and a mouse, but no hard drive. So, I created a 3.5"   
   startup disk with Command.Com from Windows 95 and 98. Then, on a 5.25"   
   floppy disk, I put the terminal only version of a dial-up BBS program,   
   GT Power. So, once he powered up the system with the A: drive...he went   
   to the B: drive, launched the batchfile, then with his modem, was able   
   to logon to dial-up BBS's on a computer that didn't have a hard drive!!   
      
    SW> If the mods/sysops feel it okay, I will summarize peoples ideas in a   
    SW> future post.  Otherwise in an internet way you can find me at   
    SW> http://k9zw.wordpress.com and I am good at qrz.com   
      
     I put a hyperlink on my QRZ bio, for Excel Spreadsheets of selected   
   D-Star, D-Rats, and Echolink Nets...in the 4 main US time zones...plus,   
   2 dozen PDF files related to ham radio. I started the spreadsheets, as   
   the net info at dstarinfo.com was (and still is) very outdated. The ONLY   
   link I noted on that site, is for new D-Star Users to get registered on   
   the gateway. A fellow ham termed D-Star as "Echolink On Steroids".   
      
     Back to the doors that W4KGU did...   
      
   1) Amateur Radio Packet Door -- as noted above, it allowed a Sysop   
   who had packet privileges in their license...to allow licensed hams   
   to use their TNC to access the packet network. It worked best with   
   an MFJ 1270C TNC, and a related rig and cable. Unfortunately, the   
   door does NOT work with the TNC's out there today...even the ones   
   made by MFJ. I would love to have that door back online.   
      
   2) QRZ Callsign Door -- as noted above, when QRZ was putting out a   
   data CD, one could look up data...but now, the majority of the data   
   in that door is now out of date...and they no longer produce a data   
   CD...never mind the data files you could download. As noted above,   
   Buckmaster produces a CD, with monthly subscription updates...but,   
   there are several websites where you can get more current callsign   
   data.   
      
   3) Worked All States -- track your progress in the ARRL WAS    
   competition. A special mode was available for Sysops to place   
   whatever mode they wanted in there. I use "VoIP/Inet"...for those   
   like myself who have to operate "internet only". While this makes   
   the purists shudder, it means I'm on the air, and my ham radio   
   license is NOT just "a sheet of paper".   
      
   4) Bulletin -- set up 26 categories on various items...and it can   
   be used for things besides ham radio...such as weather, the BBS,   
   etc.   
      
   5) RegScan -- search Part 97 of the FCC Rules for info. But, you   
   had to create a DOS version of the file (usually saved to text   
   from a PDF download). With the recent changes, I need to get an   
   updated copy, and modify it for the door.   
      
     There were 3 caveats to Dave's doors:   
      
   A) They were freeware. Since Dave became a Silent Key years ago,   
   obviously no further support is available.   
      
   B) They had to run on a DORINFO1.DEF dropfile -- no other dropfile   
   would work.   
      
   C) They were created without a fossil driver, which is needed for   
   telnet BBS access.    
      
     The options you have with them was to create a generic DORINFO1.DEF    
   dropfile with COM0 as the comport, then run the Doorway program    
   (originally done by Marshall Dudley...now done by Mike Ehlert of    
   pcmicro.com) for it to echo out on most telnet BBS's, such as Virtual    
   Advanced (VADV32). However, the generic dropfiles only worked with    
   doors 2, 4, and 5, of Dave's doors, that I noted. You had to have a   
   valid dropfile for doors 1 and 3 above.    
      
     There was a VScript done for VADV32 by the late Tim Cornett, which    
   would allow you to use Doorway, and comport 0 with the DORINFO1.DEF    
   file, and have a user name with it. Tim passed away awhile back from    
   cancer...but I used his voice in "The Triple Play", where I united Ham   
   and Radio in Holy Telephony. You can find that, and a bunch of other   
   ham radio humor in a link off of my QRZ bio (look for Ham Radio Humor   
   Compilation), in my D-Rats shared folder, or in the D-Rats shared folder   
   area on the BBS. He was the part of "Ham"...via "third party traffic",    
   as he had just passed his exam, but hadn't gotten his callsign yet. In   
   real life, Tim was never an amateur radio operator...but he was a big   
   help with I ran VADV32.   
      
     However, if you ran Synchronet (preferably 3.16 or later), under    
   the External Programs setup, choose "Console" mode. It would use an    
   internal utility to trick the software to make it look like the door    
   did have a fossil driver after all...you would set it up like the   
   regular fossil driver doors, but copy the dropfile to the directory   
   where the door was. This is how items 3-5 noted above are run here   
   on The Thunderbolt BBS...which will celebrate its 29th birthday on   
   May 1.   
      
   Daryl Stout, WX4QZ, Sysop   
   The Thunderbolt BBS, Little Rock, Arkansas   
      
   ... When you dial a wrong number, you NEVER get a busy signal.   
   === MultiMail/Win v0.52   
   --- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32   
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