When it comes to portable solution, there are very few options for HF.
The LiNK500 is currently supported as a device, but it’s assumed to be operating in 1200 AFSK KISS TNC mode for VHF/UHF. Changing modes requires a serial interface. And the device needs external power. It also does not support CAT control.
If you’re using packet on HF, share your setup and describe what you use it for. This will help mer better understand whether adding support makes sense.
Hi Georges,
LiNK500 gives Control via BT to the complete command set of the TNC. The interface can be KISS, terminal mode or WA8DED Hostmode. There’re commands to switch between RPR and AFSK also baudrate and center frequency as well. And tons of other commands to configure the TNC , e.g. from RX and TX modulation level to delay parameters of the acting PTT signal for the radio….
What the LiNK500 does not support (yet) ist the CAT-pass-through option. there’s no way via BT (in moment) to change/control the radio settings like frequency or type of modulation.
Via USB (not via BT) there’s an extra UART port available to have an excess to the CAT port of the connected radio.
If packet-commander can switch dynamically between KISS and terminal mode or if packet-commander use WA8DED hostmode (like winlink express doing), all setup parameters of the LiNK500 internal TNC are accessible. With that option e.g. baudrate and type of modulation (RPR , AFSK) are configurable .
I hope I understand your concerns in a correct way, and I could help to understand what kind of configuration options the LINK500 supports.
I really appreciate all your efforts to make it happen that packet-commander cold support HF frequency options to support LiNK500 fully for all operating modes.
73
Oliver
DL4KA
DiY599.com
It turns out that sending the 0xC0 0xFF 0xC0 sequence over BLE does indeed exit KISS mode. I didn’t expect that, since the docs mentioned using the KISS tools, so I assumed (wrongly) terminal mode wasn’t available via Bluetooth BLE, only serial. Looks like I got a prompt from terminal mode doing this.
I’ll have to explore some more but this opens some good possibilities.
Hi Georges,
Yes, if the device is in KISS mode , you can jump out an be back in terminal mode.
In terminal mode you have all the freedom to config parameters. You can jump back into KISS with ESC@K (escape+@K)
73,
Oliver
I only use my iPad and my iPhone 95% of the time. So far there have been few good programs for it. So I’m all the happier about the RadioMail and Packet Commander apps. This is a great development. Unfortunately, there are only a few local VHF/UHF nodes left in Germany. So it really makes sense to consider HF as well. The TNC LiNK500 is a great device for this, especially because it can also do robust packet radio. It would be great if RadioMail and Packet Commander fully supported this TNC. Many thanks, 73 Karl DL1GKK