RMS Express P2P over VHF/UHF

Getting the software TNC working was in preparation for getting RMS-Express point to point working.   It worked and was very simple.

I used the 441.025 and listened for a few min to make sure no one was using the frequency.

Both sides were set to use 1200 baud packet on the RF side.

Side A was a PC connected to an Icom IC-7100 using a USB cable and that was it.
   On this PC I had the RMS-Express, Direwolf and C7200 software packages running.

Side B was a second PC connected to a Kenwood TH-D72 using a USB Cable
   On this PC only RMS-Express was needed and the builtin software in RMS-Express
   The TH-D72 was set to use the Packet12 TNC (selected using the TNC button on the faceplate)

I set Side A to be KK4SIH-4 and Side B to be KK4SIH-7

On the A side I started up the Packet P2P server inside of RMS Express

On the B side I created a message destined for KK4SIH-4 and clicked on the P2P button before moving it to the outbox.   Then opened a Packet P2P session and hit start.

The message transferred with no issues.   It also worked in reverse.

The next step is to see if I can get 9600 baud working .

APRSIS32 and the IC7100

I continue to play with packet radio using the ICOM IC-7100.   Today I verified things were working using APRSIS32.   There are several versions and you can get it here: http://aprsisce.wikidot.com

APRSIS32 is an APRS application for the PC.   It has a nice graphical interface with maps and everything would would like to see for APRS including messaging.  Take a look:

How I got it to work and what you need to work:

Needed:
  APRSIS32
  CAT7200
  DIREWOLF software TNC

So the keys -
- Install the USB drivers for the 7100 on the PC -  This is a one time thing.

- You have to start CAT7200 before you you start direwolf.   CAT7200 is the software that makes the PTT work on the 7100.  The quick hints are this is that I and using com6 for the Application Port and I have the CAT port set to com4, 19200, 88.   Remember to click the "open" button or you will be scratching your head as to why nothing transmitting.

- Start up direwolf next.   The lines I changed in the direwolf configuration are:
    ADEVICE 0 0
    Channel 0
       MYCALL KK4SIH-4
       PTT COM6 RTS
    Channel 1
       MYCALL KK4SIH-4
       KISSPORT 8100
And that was if for the changes to the direwolf configuration
The start up direwolf

- Set radio to 144.390 FM-D   (North American APRS channel)
     (make sure it is in data mode or the sound card tone are not modified in the radio)

- Start up APRSIS32
     Had to set up the port but it walked me through that
     Make sure the PORT settings have Bulletin/Obj, Messages, Xmit Enable and Beacon Checked
          (could not get messages to work until then)
      Make sure the GENERAL configuration has your callsign-ssid set correct

- Click transmit at the top of the screen and see if everything is working.

To verify things are working you can check at http://aprs.fi

Looking there you can see it was working and can pass messages:
2015-04-11 15:59:58 EDT: KK4SIH-4>APWW10,KD4MOJ-7,WIDE1*,WIDE2-1,qAR,AE4S::KK4SIH-7 :message test
2015-04-11 16:01:49 EDT: KK4SIH-4>APWW10,KD4MOJ-7,WIDE1*,WIDE2-1,qAR,AE4S::KK4SIH-7 :message test [Duplicate message content]
2015-04-11 16:03:00 EDT: KK4SIH-7>APK003,KD4MOJ-7,WIDE1*,WIDE2-1,qAR,AE4S::KK4SIH-4 :got message{13
2015-04-11 16:03:03 EDT: KK4SIH-4>APWW10,KD4MOJ-7*,WIDE1*,WIDE2-1,qAR,KD4MOJ-9::KK4SIH-7 :AA:okk
2015-04-11 16:03:03 EDT: KK4SIH-4>APWW10,KD4MOJ-7*,WIDE1*,WIDE2-1,qAR,KD4MOJ-9::KK4SIH-7 :ack13

Hopefully these tips will help me remember, and anyone out there who may want to do it as well.

ICOM 7100 PTT

OK -  Last night the ICOM 7100 drove me insane.  I am working on getting a software TNC working and could get everything working but nothing was being transmitted.  I ran around in circles until I read on the net that the ICOM USB radios (like the 7100) will only do PTT using CAT commands.   Well that explained everything.

I found a program a nice gentleman in the UK wrote, G8BPQ called CAT7200 (http://www.cantab.net/users/john.wiseman/Documents/CAT7200.html)  that works around the problem.   It creates a virtual COM port to do the PTT with and when it sees RTS on that virtual port it sends the corresponding ICOM CI-V PTT command down the right port and everything works as expected.

His web page explains the process for installing it very well.   Worked like a charm.

Now I have APRS running through the 7100 

Note that this works for not just the ICOM IC-7100, but also for the IC-7200,  IC-7410, IC-7600 and the IC-9100 as well.


To give credit where credit is due, Google brought me to the following website as a starting point:
http://www.vk3bq.com/2014/12/04/icom-ic-9100-rts-cat-control/