From: gary@ke4zv.uucp (Gary Coffman)
Subject: Re: KA9Q - What is it?
Reply-To: gary@ke4zv.UUCP (Gary Coffman)
Organization: Gannett Technologies Group
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 16:33:18 GMT

In article <9212150123.AA06823@westport.trirex.com> bmehlman@trirex.COM (Ben Mehlman) writes:
>> The KA9Q package includes AX.25 protocols (and NET/ROM). You don't  
>need
>> another terminal program to connect to regular AX.25 packet  
>stations
>> (including PBBSs and PacketClusters). 
>
>I was under the impression that the KA9Q software is a router,  
>period, and that all contacts I made through tcp/ip would be  
>accomplised by using tcp/ip based network protocols/programs such as  
>telnet and ftp on my workstation...
>
>Can someone please explain what exactly the KA9Q software is used  
>for, the basic gist of how it is used, and what other solutions it  
>replaces or enhances.

KA9Q is a router, and a telnet client and server and a ftp client
and server and a smtp client and server and a bbs and a netrom node
and an ax25 terminal program and digipeater. Plus it makes mountains
of cole slaw in minutes. :-)

The official name for the KA9Q software is NOS, or Network Operating
System. It's a lightweight multitasker running on top of DOS or Unix
that serves many purposes at once. Unfortunately it's not a real OS
and requires any applications that it multitasks to be compiled in.
But nearly everything you'd want is already in there. It is a memory
and CPU hog, however, and the latest versions really require a fast
PC to run properly when heavily loaded. A 12 MHz 286 will do, but
a 16 MHz 386 would be nice. Note the software runs in real mode so 
memory usage is tight. There's little room for your favorite TSRs.

The Sys V Unix varient is an older version of the program, ported
DOS warts and all, over to Unix. Again it's a monolith and doesn't
take advantage of Unix's native multitasking.

There's also an OS/2 port that is more up to date and a Linux port
that apparently takes advantage of the native OS. I haven't actually
used the latter two versions.

When you start the program, it looks for a startup file and configures
itself from that file. The file is just ASCII text that you could also
manually type in at the command prompt. There are a couple dozen commands
that manage the routing tables, configure interfaces, open various
kinds of sessions, and switch windows from one running session to
another. Most versions used the virtual terminal concept for managing
sessions, but I think there's a version that uses Windows or Presentation
Manager to handle screens.

>My basic goal here is to get my unix workstation to the point where I  
>can telnet, smtp, etc with other hams and (maybe)to the internet, ie  
>make my machine a presence on the TCP/IP network.  What software is  
>used to accomplish the interface to the TNC??  If there's more to  
>TCP/IP packet networking than I'm stating here, could someone please  
>set me straignt on it?

Probably the easiest way to get your Unix box onto the radio network
is to run KA9Q on a DOS PC as a router between your Unix ethernet and
the radio equipment. This works fairly well, but there are a couple
of gottchas. First your native TCP on the Unix box is going to be
too agressive in it's initial packet timing. This will result in a
flurry of wasted packets until it backs off sufficiently for the
radio channel. Second, your native TCP isn't going to know diddly
about AX25 so all BBS and simple AX25 chat sessions will have to
be done at the DOS machine keyboard. Everything else native to
your Unix network applications will work seamlessly, however,
so this is a good way to go if AX25 chat sessions aren't important
to you, you can always use telnet to other TCP/IP stations.

Your other option is to use the KA9Q varient for Unix. This will
give you all the program's functionality including simple AX25
chat sessions from your Unix keyboard, but it won't interface
properly with your native mode TCP/IP on the Unix box. This can
be a major pain if you intend to use your own application programs 
through a socket interface to a distant networked machine. SMTP
mail can be made to work with Smail3 and elm and your other Unix
tools, however.

I've seen bits and pieces of an AX25 driver and a command system
that would allow you to use your native Unix TCP/IP on the radio 
through a serial port to a KISS TNC. It sort of works, but isn't 
ready for public consumption yet. It's also specific to your brand
of Unix and TCP/IP support.

Gary KE4ZV