The w5jas 2 meter packet page

The w5jas-1 node is on 145.01 mhz and uses a Kantronics tnc with ka-node. There are 2 types of packet on 2 meters, aprs and standard ax25 packet. The object of aprs is to beacon your location and weather information. The object of standard ax25 packet is to communicate and link nodes for dx. The w5jas-1 node is standard ax25 packet. In standard ax25 packet there are 2 modes unproto and connected. Unproto mode is for casual conversation to multiple stations. It is like several people sitting around a table however, there is no guarantee of message delivery. Connected mode is a more formal connection normally between 2 stations. There are automatic retries on missed packets. This mode is also used to link chains of nodes for dx communication.

Usage notes
Connect to w5jas-1 and issue the command j l.
You will get a list of stations heard by the digi.
The clock is not set so your call will be the latest time.
The digi can hear more than it can get back to so
you won't be able to contact everything in the list.
Look at the times. If it was heard over an hr ago the band
may have changed and they may be no longer available.
To connect to another digi type c followed by the digi call.
To connect w5jas-1 to Lake Charles type c LCH.
Below is a list of digi's I have found. I have worked all these
from w5jas-1 or a link chain.

ANGL         Angleton, Tx. digi only (South of Houston)
BCARES     Red Rock, TX (90 mi east of San Antonio) (KE5AMB)
btr1           WB5BTR Baton Ruge
BTR2         KD5CQB-5 Baton Ruge
KE5RXY-2 West of Baton Ruge
W5SSV-1   Beaumont
KI5EE-10   Lake Charles
LCH          W5BII Lake Charles -1 pbbs
W5DSC-10 Victoria Tx.
W5RGV-1   HARLINGEN, TX.
WB5NET-1 Hammond, LA
K5MNY-7   Manny, La
W5SLA-4   Slidel, La. (digi only)

The neat part of packet is the ability to link digis together.
It is not how far can I transmitt, it is how to link digis.
Keep in mind the geography. Should digi1 be able to talk to digi2?
Here is a fairly dependable path to Hammond, LA.
w5jas-1 --> lch --> KE5RXY-2 --> WB5NET-1 via W5SLA-4
The commands would be c w5jas-1, c lch, c KE5RXY-2, c WB5NET-1 v W5SLA-4

Free Perl script for Linux
Although a tnc does the best job on packet, a soundcard can be used.
Below is a perl program I wrote. It uses soundmodem to communicate
with a computer soundcard in kiss mode. It will copy both connected and
unproto but transmitts only unproto. I also included an interface circuit
I designed.
Linux kiss mode software

Soundcard to radio interface with (T)one (O)perated (X)mitt


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