NCPACKET.net is presently a non-incorporated group in North Carolina.
NCPACKET is building an educational, and fun, data network using hobbyist owned and operated data links.
We are using packet-radio over ham-radio.
It is the intention of the founders of this organization that hams in North Carolina and surrounding states will
construct a Terrestrial Amateur Radio Packet Network, or TARPN
which allows for multi-state email exchange, live chat, and post&comment social interaction, across the entire region, and will completely avoid data traffic to and from commercial networks.
Mission Statement:
build an impressive and fun Amateur Radio social-network over ham radio to attract people to our hobby
attract young hams to Amateur Radio
expand the ranks of Amateur Radio operators
offer education in digital communications over radio
work as a group on a long term, geographically large, technical project
support (and guide) the TARPN group in its goals and use the TARPN group to make our project practical
be available as a technical and communications resource in times of emergency.
Existing connected NCPACKET network
The map is getting complex enough that portraying it on a mobile display in web format is no longer practical.
Our network is in Person, Alamance, Chatham, Orange, Durham and Wake Counties, though it was born in Wake County and is considerably denser in Wake.
If you are interested in joining in on our project, please join our email reflector and make your interest known.
Here is a low-resolution map of the network. The links are represented as yellow for 6m, blue for 2m and red for 70cm.
Note that the maps are always out of date, sometimes inconsistant, and are updated by volunteer labor!
The tables later on this webpage represent what we know of your stations.
Please contact KA2DEW via CHAT or email if you can offer corrections to the tables!
Click on these map-clippings for a geographically drawn map based on Google Earth, or for a detailed logical map of the network showing callsigns, bit-rates and frequencies.
We have a groups.io email reflector for NCPACKET North Corolina (and nearby) participants.
This email reflector is about building a TARPN-based, educational, and fun, data network in and near North Carolina.
Please subscribe if you are in or within a couple of counties of North Carolina and wish to participate.
Please do not post to this group with advocacy for automatic or continuous tie-ins between our ham radio systems and commercial networks.
We don't need Internet for our conversations.
We have ham radio.
If your default web browser is already logged into groups.io, then clicking the Subscribe button will just take you to the Groups IO page.
At that point, click Find or Create a Group at the top of the page, and type NCPACKET into the search box.
Voice nets for NCPACKET
These nets help people working to join the network to get connected, and help the community stay aware of our project.
In addition, since the NCPACKET network is a text service, the voice nets give us an opportunity to interact verbally, regularly.
The Net is a forum where questions about NCPACKET may be asked (and often answered on the spot).
The nets are open to any licensed amateur who is curious about NCPACKET.
We welcome your inquiries!
The nets are moderated and are intended for NCPACKET matters only, not for general ragchew.
All but the HF net use standard analog FM on local repeaters, with standard offsets.
Join the net whose repeater is nearest you.
We are grateful to the clubs in the Triangle area that make these repeaters available for our nets. But you don't have
to be a member of a club to join an NCPACKET net on that club's repeater.
All nets meet weekly except as announced.
All times Eastern.
Watch for info on these nets on the TARPN and NCPACKET groups.io email reflectors.
Thursday, 7 pm: 442.150, PL 131.8. NCPACKET info net. This repeater is southwest of Chapel Hill.
Friday, noon: 444.525, PL 82.5. NCPACKET info net. This repeater is in north Raleigh.
Sunday, 9:00 pm: 3.966Mhz LSB. TARPN info net. Please check [email protected] email reflector for latest news.
In addition, there have been monthly or semi-monthly gatherings of NCPACKET participants for a weekday lunch.
They will be announced in advance on the [email protected] email list (see above).
Youtube Videos
NCPACKET Callsign Badge
We'd love you to have one of these to wear at ham club meetings, at hamfests, and at NCPACKET gatherings.
Our networks will depend on Amateur Radio Operator controlled infrastructure, including HF, VHF, UHF, microwave and wired links.
Our network won't be disrupted by short term or long term disruptions in the CATV, Cellular, or other Internet systems.
We get to build and operate our own network for fun and education and to build a community for social value, for the ease of cooperation, and for mutual inspiration.
No Internet required. No Internet desired.
Why Off The Grid?
It has been shown (to the founders) that packet networks which combine Amatuer Radio with Internet do not attract or promote Amateur Radio operation, and instead results in a network which is the worst combination of fragility of Internet and Amateur Radio.
By cutting off the Internet connection we're forcing any station, who wants access to our group and our network features, to do the work required to build onto the independent ham radio based network.
While this will discourage some potential Internet users, it has been shown to increase the amount of individual participation in the network's operation.
Everybody you meet on the network will be actually on the Amateur Radio network.
Our separation from commercial networks will require manual cut and paste by a ham-in-the-middle for any traffic which bridges the divide.
Our participants and group members will enforce this requirement and will absolutely not do station remote control (of the packet station) via commercial means or perform automatic relaying of our content into commercial networks, including via VPNs.
All links of data into and out of our network will be by ham-in-the-middle.
We insist on separation from commercial networks and any other Amateur network which does not insist on separation from commercial networks.
Any bridge to commercial networks (or other merged networks) must be by ham-in-the-middle manual cut and paste.
Why TARPN?
TARPN has a very usable installation package which gives access to the powerful G8BPQ suite of tools with almost no learning or effort.
They have decent instructions and plans for hardware, including cabinetry.
TARPN is a collaborative group (which many NCPACKET people should participate in) which creates new solutions to make setting up a sophisticated, multi-radio, high performance, Amateur Radio packet switch easy, and inexpensive, for anybody.
What about Winlink, APRS, ARES, and MARS?
There are many ways to use ham radio.
Most of them can co-exist in the same community.
APRS and Winlink are ham radio and Internet systems.
Both can be used without Ham Radio involved, and both can be used without Internet involved.
Winlink
Webpage for WinLink
Winlink is a system for connecting remote radio hams to an Internet email address, and for creating a common Internet email presence which can be accessed by hams from the Internet and from ham radio using various packet radio schemes.
Winlink does not specifically create a vhf/uhf packet radio network, or create a resource for training new digital networking technologists.
TARPNs are not particularly useful for Winlink and also don't compete for resources, much.
A single ham can do both a TARPN and be part of WinLink.
Just don't share the data back and forth except by cut and paste.
APRS
Webpage for Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS)
APRS has multiple facets.
APRS is well known for serving as a last-hop extension of the Internet, providing a web-page map of the positions of many items.
But it doesn't have to end there.
On the Internet side, APRS carries data from thousands of ham radio transceivers which are called digipeaters and igates.
That data is agregated by Internet servers which perform a switching duty to allow a stations on ham radio APRS in one region to have messages relayed back to ham radio in a different region.
In addition. the Internet servers permit access to traffic relayed to and through the Internet so one can look at one's own historical beacons, or message traffic to and from other APRS participants.
On the ham radio side, APRS is what we call a Sparse Network in that the channel is usually quiet.
APRS ham radio transmissions are not immediately acknowledged, and failure to deliver does not result immediately in a retransmission.
APRS works very well, especially considering the unpredictable presence of participants, but a lack of guaranteed delivery creates a very different experience than a TARPN.
APRS is also well known for being a way for stations to send their locations to their friends who would be watching, or for alerting event coordinators of what stations are in the area.
APRS could be used for a chat protocol, allowing multiple stations within range of each other to send text messages to one another.
In practice, the terminals used for text entry and display are almost always Internet connected and don't even need ham radios to participate.
A TARPN is not currently competition for APRS because we don't have a mobile instantiation of the TARPN plan and TARPNs don't operate on 144.39 Mhz.
It's possible that some people who are active with APRS might also be interested in participating in a local TARPN.
There's nothing stopping a ham doing both.
Your author is a participant in both APRS and TARPN.
I acquired a Kenwood TM-D710G for the purpose of exercising the real-time ham-radio chat aspect of APRS.
I think the ham radio community can do better than the TM-D710G in ham-radio exclusive operation, and I'm willing to work towards that.
ARES
Webpage for Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES)
ARES can use a TARPN.
It may not be what they'd have designed, but if we have a state-wide TARPN, they may become interested.
Let's find out.
Warning:: Some organizations, in support of emergency preparedness, will pre-position club-owned or county-financed packet radio equipment including networking capability.
It has been the experience of some of our membership that government financed equipment often times is a dampener to Ham financial involvement.
Please do not ask for funding to build a TARPN.
TARPNs are supposed to be fun.
That they could become critical in times of emergency is just what Amateur Radio does.
It's not a reason for us to become non-amateur.
MARS
Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society
The Mecklenburg County ARS, Charlotte and vicinity, has one of the few over-the-air packet networks in North Carolina, and it has been continuously running since the 90s.
The idea for using Raspberry PIs and low-cost TNCs together with G8BPQ to create packet network nodes (which led to the creation of TARPN!) was presented to the TARPN founders by MARS members.
We have nothing but appreciation for the hard work members of MARS have put in to keep their system updated and operational.
That said, the scheme they have been using since the early 2000s may be counter productive if the goal is to get more people using and practicing Amateur Radio packet.
I think the goal of MARS is to maintain a capability to do messaging using Internet, with a fallback to packet radio.
The TARPN is not compatible with the MARS packet radio projects so long as they automatically tie-in to commercial networks.
However, there are plenty of radio resources and hams to permit both to coexist.
I'd like to think that if we get big enough across the state that the members of MARS will join us, hopefully without having to dismantle what they've maintained all these years.
How do we build the NCPACKET network?
There are two paths to take, depending on what TARPN nodes exist in your area.
If there are any TARPN nodes, make contact with the operators and see if they can find a way to get a link to you.
A link requires a pair of radios and TNCs, but we're on a pay-it-forward model mostly.
Anybody who already has a TARPN node will probably be eager to add new links, within limits.
If you are not in range of an existing TARPN node, consider building a couple of your own, even if just to run across your hamshack.
The cost of building 2 nodes on the bench are right around $200.
Getting them on the air to span a distance is where the expense lies because it takes antennas and coax.
It's all fun, and the unique TARPN-specific equipment is all resellable.
The TNC we're mostly using comes as a the easiest soldered-kit known to man, for $45 or so,
and once assembled is easily re-sold if you decide this was a bad direction to go.
If you can create a new TARPN network which is geographically separated from the existing networks, you'll also create a vacuum which will attract new node developers.
This is a very good thing.
It is quite fun and rewarding to be the key-stone to finally get two disparate networks to be connected.
Check out the shopping list and more youtube videos.
Repeater Sites?
Almost anybody doing packet radio in the mountains is going to quickly turn to the idea of repeater sites.
Some of the people we'll attract to the hobby won't be 2-way radio/repeater professionals (no kidding, right?).
Click here for information about how to coexist with repeater sites.
Hamfest Photos
Concord NC (Charlotte MARS) is in March ?? 2019photos
Kinston NC (Down East Hamfest) is April ??? 2019photos
Catawba Valley Hamfest, Morganton NC is late April 2019photos
Reidsville NC (Rockingham County ARC) is early May
Durham NC (DFMA DurhamFest) is late May 2019photos
Salisbury NC (Rowan ARS) is July 6
NCPacket news
Historical news entries when I was able to keep up. 2015-2020
July 9, 2020
NinoTNC has revolutionized the network. We have half a dozen 9600 baud links now as well as a couple 2400 baud links.
REED node is up but the connection needs work. This is true also of GEORGE and MARKDM
ED, KEITH, JACK, BRNTLY, BEN, JAY, ELIJAH and JP nodes are new with ELIJAH, JP, BEN, JAY connected to the network.
JACK node is up and connected to BRNTLY using 9600 baud Tait radios but they are isolated for the moment
ED and KEITH are also up, also with TAIT radios but isolated.
IAN has moved and is now connected into ERECH and BILLY from Wendel.
DAN has three 2m cavity filters and can work ADRO, REED and FFVC without interference now.
Many things are pending, as is usual.
March 22 2020
NinoTNC A2 units have shipped. NCPACKET has about 60 of them.
REED node is on the air in Apex working with a temporary connection to DAN in Pittsboro
KEVIN K4KDE moved and is now linked to TILL with an excellent and shorter path.
DAN to ADRO is down pending arrival of cavity filters at DAN. This orphanned GEORGE
FIN to AARONJ is off pending the new NinoTNCs.
ANOIA is back off-line with more antenna work.
ERECH to BILLY is intermittent
Jan 21 2020
We're now testing several NinoTNCs in IL2P mode at 1200 baud and 9600 baud. See the map.
GEORGE put a 6m vertical moxon in a tree in Swepsonville and is now linked to ADRO on 51.56, though it is intermittent still
FIN to AARONJ is offline temporarily. We're having RFI problems where 6m causes TNC-PI to corrupt.
ANOIA node is back on, having moved his antenna. IAN1 o ANOIA is having trouble.
AARON to ERECH moved to 2m. ERECH now linked to BILLY on 446.975.
Our nodes now show show on APRS.FI
Dec 17, 2019
GEORGE put a 6m vertical moxon in a tree in Swepsonville and is now linked to ADRO on 51.56
FIN to AARONJ is offline temporarily. TNC-PI malfunction at AARONJ maybe?
KILMER is back online.
ANOIA node is still off, moving his antenna. MARKDM is still cut off .
ERECH got a new antenna in a tree and AARONL to ERECH is now on 440.1.
Aaron KN4ORB is working on getting our nodes to show on APRS.FI
Dec 8, 2019
BOBS has his new 6m antenna up and the BOBS to DAVE link is working
KILMER went down to rebuild.
ANOIA node is off, moving his antenna. MARKDM is cut off for a bit.
FIN to JOHN is now up. Welcome N8ZU to the network.
DAN is now linked to ADRO.
Nov 17, 2019
BOBS and TADD are now linked on 438.025. BOBS is working on his new 6m antenna to fix the BOBS to DAVE link
KILMER and FIN 927.2 link is working now.
ANOIA node will need some work soon. The tree in which his packet antenna is hung
has died and removing the tree will require relocating the node hardware.
TADD and DOUG are linked using the NinoTNC-A0 and that's working about 10x as fast as the TNC-PI with Kenwood radios
Nov 9, 2019
ERECH and GREG are both back on the air this weekend.
DAN:K4FD amd BOBS:W4TTX have joined our netework.
BOBS is in north Raleigh and is linked into DAVE on 51.14. He's having some RFI issues so it's still a work in progress.
DAN is in Fearington, part of Pittsboro NC, and is linked to FFVC.
Dan is interested in linking to people around him using several SD125 data radios he bought from Jim WB2LHP in Michigan.
KEN node is intermittent. Work required.
IAN is now connected to ANOIA and FFVC.
ANOIA node will need some work soon. The tree in which his packet antenna is hung
has died and removing the tree will require relocating the node hardware.
Sept 29, 2019
IAN is linked to ANOIA -- IAN to ADRO coming soon
Sept 24, 2019
We had a pretty rotten summer with the divided network.
Several links went fallow with the 4-month long split of the network.
The good news is that due to the work of half a dozen hams,
including Billy's eagle-eye slingshot work,
TADD node now has a 70' high antenna providing a link to FFVC,
so our Capital District Network is back together!
ADRO node is off the air, temporarily
ERECH node and GREG node are both off the air, but neither has anounced quits so hopefully will be back.
KEN node is intermittent. Work required.
ADAM node has called it quits.
The good news: BOBR:W4GIA and IAN:KC2BXN have joined us.
Bob:W4TTX is almost ready.
IAN will pick up ADRO and maybe ANOIA as well with a 3 link UHF-only node
May 6, 2019
The good news is that we now have two substantial networks in North Carolina.
The bad news is that they are both half the size of what we had when we had only one network!
VON node is gone, and due to a lack of redundancy, the network is split.
AI4WV is moving to Chapel Hill.
VON will return at a new location but we're now short a Durham to Raleigh link!
We have two possible new nodes coming in the next month or so that might link the two network fragments.
Testing will tell!
SKIP node is returned.
MARKDM to ANOIA link is suffering.
ANOIA to ADRO is back up but needs adjusting. A signal generator and scope will need to come for a visit.
We've given up on the ANOIA 22 element beam project. We couldn't get the signal levels to be even as good as the high omni.
DAVID node is off temporarily. DAVID:N4DBZ joined the network a month ago with a temporary antenna. He's creating a new outdoor antenna setup.
Apr 25, 2019
SKIP node is still off.
MARKDM to ANOIA link is suffering.
ANOIA to ADRO is back up but needs adjusting. A signal generator and scope will need to come for a visit.
The plan for ANOIA is to add a 22-element yagi array to link to MARKDM, then use the high 2m omni for another future link
VON node is going away in a few weeks. AI4WV is moving to Chapel Hill. VON will return at a new location but we're now short a Durham to Raleigh link!
DAVID node is off temporarily. DAVID:N4DBZ joined the network a month ago with a temporary antenna. He's creating a new outdoor antenna setup.
Apr 6, 2019
ERECH node is now linked to AARONL.
Mar 21, 2019
AARONL node link to TADD is back up.
DAVID:K4DBZ-2 is now up, linked to AARONL.
Mar 19, 2019
ANOIA to ADRO down because of a TNC-PI i2c reset?.
Feb 25, 2019
SKIP node is removed from service to be rebuilt. It will come back as a 4-port node.
MARKDM to ANOIA link is suffering.
W4EIP and KM4JRH are now linked.
KEVIN link moved to TILL node.
AARONL node link to TADD broken. New coax for Tadd site shortly.
Jan 31, 2019
DANIEL to AARONJ link is now on its new frequency and tuned up very well.
W4EIP and KM4JRH are still looking at antennas to do their link.
FIN to KEVIN link is now excellent.
Jan 27, 2019
TADD-AARONL is now running PAR SM50 Moxon beams and the link is up to 10% NB and 2% Southbound.
DANIEL to AARONJ link is barely scratching by now. AARONJ needs some adjustments we think.
However, we're about to move that link from 145.75 to 147.585 to avoid some ham project in Clayton that
we didn't interfere with back when DANIEL yagi was facing west.
W4EIP and KM4JRH are still looking at antennas to do their link.
KEVIN:K4KDE node is now up.
FIN to KEVIN link needs improvement.
Work in progress
Jan 14, 2019
TADD-AARONL link still not working great.
We ordered a pair of Moxon beams, one for each end.
Maybe fix it this coming weekend?
FIN-AARONJ just needed adjustment and is working well again.
W4EIP and KM4JRH are working on antennas to do their link.
AARONJ:KF4EZU to DANIEL is working well now. AARONJ is now a 3 port FIN modbox
Jan 2, 2019
TADD-AARONL link isn't working very well. We need a mid-site maybe or better antenna at one end.
TILL is now linked to KILMER KM4JRH node.
The plan is that Mark will do a link to FIN on 927 and also a 2m link to W4EIP.
W4EIP and KM4JRH are working on antennas to do their link.
FIN-AARONJ is also not working well.
AARONJ:KF4EZU added a 2m port to try AARONJ to DANIEL instead.
December 6, 2018
KN4ORB, Aaron, joined us with a 6m link to TADD.
Aaron has an Austinantennas GP52 1/4 wave antenna hanging in a tree at 50 feet.
K4DSP, Doug, decided not to proceed.
Mark KM4JRH is taking over his link to TILL.
The plan is that Mark will do the link to FIN on 927 and also a 2m link to W4EIP.
W4EIP and KM4JRH are working on antennas to do their link.
November 26, 2018
KEN:AC4RD is back in the network via DANIEL but the FIN-DANIEL link is not working well.
There is some possibility that RF noise ingress is bugging the link.
K4DSP, Doug, is running a demo node off of TILL node.
If all goes well, that will become a 927mhz link from FIN to HALL:K4DSP.
November 11, 2018
MARKDM is working pretty well though we'll want to address this by Spring when leaves come back
DAVE:W4EIP and DANIEL:AG4DB are in the network.
W1KES is not in the network anymore.
GREG is looking to link to either KN4ORB or KM4IFU. Hopefully by Christmas
KEN node will be testing against DANIEL real soon.
ADAM is back in the network.
September 24, 2018
ADRO to ANOIA is back up
ANOIA has a 147.555 radio on the omni now, to link to MARKDM:KN4BTI, and 144.45 is linking to SKIP via a 4-element yagi
MARKDM is now on the air though link quality wasn't great. We'll try a different radio in a week.
SNELL is moving to Fuque Varina. He's actually in range of KK4QMB.
TILL to TADD is moving from 2m to 900Mhz. This will free up the 5-el 2m yagis at both sites for future links
August 18, 2018
DOUG to GREG is up
ADRO to ANOIA died. We don't know why yet. It's a good thing we now have ANOIA - SKIP - CHRIS - FFVC - ADRO as a backup.
July 26, 2018
CHRIS-to-SKIP is up on 441.025
July 19, 2018
CHRIS node is up with 1 link. Link CHRIS-to-SKIP may happen.
GREG was up and testing. Hopefully he'll be back. GREG links to DOUG.
DOUG node is on. He'll be linking to GREG
ADAM KM4DLS is off, hopefully for not very long.
We're working on nodes at GREG, DANIEL, MARK, KEVIN, SCRCCO.
There is thunder in the west. People are talking about starting one or more TARPN hatchlings in High Point through Boone.
June 9, 2018
ADRO is back
TILL now has 3 links, to FIN, VON and TADD
DOUG node is on. He'll be linking to GREG
ADRO site antenna is back up.
AC4RD:KEN is disconnected -- foliage killed the link. DANIEL node will serve in the middle when it comes on.
March 31, 2018
SCOTT off the air. Hasn't come back
GREG temporarily off the air.
VON is linked to TILL
ADRO site having antenna problems for a couple of weeks. Expected back after RARSfest.
AC4RD:KEN is on the network connected to TADD.
January 12, 2018
VON to TADD moved to 433.7Mhz
TADD to GREG added on 144.41
October 15, 2017
ADAM node is connected to FFVC node on 433.
SCOTT node temporarily offline due to in-house remodeling work
July 09, 2017
ANOIA is now linked to SNELL on 6m.
We're planning to replace VON to TADD with 433Mhz.
June 17, 2017
SCOTT node is up with 3 radios on 4 ports. 50.97 is linked to FFVC, and 145.75 is linked to SNELL.
I've decided that multipath is a big problem when working with Omni vertical antennas.
The link from VON to TADD and VON to FIN on 2m were both plagued with multipath.
Now I think the problem is that there is a water tower just hundreds of feet away from VON node and the path from the VON antenna up to the water tower and over to FIN or TADD is as good as the non reflected path.
Our solution is going to be to move VON to TADD to a pair of 10 element beams on 433Mhz.
That should fix it.
March 27, 2017
SKIP node is up with two ports. 144Mhz to ANOIA and 51Mhz to BRYAN
March 25, 2017
ANOIA node is up with two ports, 440Mhz to ADRO, and 145Mhz to SKIP
FIN and TILL link is now at 7% or so.
SCOTT node is coming soon. That will link into FFVC and bring SNELL back in the network.
March 5, 2017
K4RGN, TILL, has a new dual band corner reflector beam aimed at FIN.
This improved the situation.
We're at 15% retry rate now and working on a radio replacement, aiming at < 5% retry rate.
JENRET is off permanently. W4JSK:SCOTT node, coming soon, will take over the link to SNELL
FIN to AARONJ is working mighty well now.
FIN bought a 4-element yagi to link to AARONJ and this made a big difference.
Aaron KF4EZU did some work on the 6m radio at his end as well.
HANK node is going off the air. FFVC is now directly linked to VON node. HANK equipment will end up in another node shortly.
ANOIA:KW4KZ is still coming soon. Chuck has his GP15 up 80' in a tree and has tested it by talking directly to Billy KE4VNC on 2m.
He also was able to talk to FFVC and easily hear ADRO.
The plan is to tie ADRO to ANOIA on 440, and SKIP to ANOIA on 2m.
Then ANOIA may use 6m to talk west, possibly to KJ4OLI in Efland.
John, N4RMV, is looking to establish a node in Archer's Lodge, Johnston County.
Billy KE4VNC is working with him on antennas.
October 22, 2016
TILL node got a new antenna. This should improve the FIN to TILL 440 link.
FIN node got a new antenna for 6m FIN to AARONJ link, but that didn't help it enough. So Fin, NC4FG, got an even better 6m antenna. 4 element Arrow 6m yagi. Not up yet.
W4AUV. Dale, said he'd have a node if somebody wants to help with it. Dale's site would make a great midpoint and alternate path to the now weak AARONJ to FIN link.
The idea is to link Dale with AARONJ on 2m and TILL on 70cm.
KA2DEW put up a node at work called FFVC:KA2DEW-3 in RTP. That is linked to ADRO and to HANK.
DAVIS is off the air entirely. Charlie says he'll be back but he's repairing antennas on his tower.
ANOIA:KW4KZ is completely assembled except for stringing a tree. It turns out that node cannot talk to SNELL but it can talk to SKIP and ADRO. We're going to link them up.
VON to FIN never worked very well so we moved it to VON to TADD.
FIN 2m can now be used to expand, hopefully we can get a station in Cary to link to FIN
JENRET node, maintained by ka2dew, is off the air, maybe due to stress-broken coax. The run was hanging in free space for quite a distance. Bad
June 5, 2016
TILL node is up.
ANOIA:KW4KZ node is coming soon.
We're going to delete the 440 link from SKIP to ADRO and instead put CHUCK in the middle.
DAVIS to BILLY link is off the air, temporarily. WA3UTC:DAVIS took a lightning hit. It didn't hurt packet, but Charlie, WA3UTC, borrowed the packet node's coax to restore HF functionality
ANOIA:KW4KZ is also in range of SNELL so that may give us a complete loop.
March 29, 2016
KF4EZU:AARONJ node is up. FIN to KF4EZU:AARONJ on 50.99 horizontal and AARONJ to BILLY on 431.1 vertical, soon to be horizontal. Welcome Aaron!
March 20, 2016
Billy started working on a new plan for his link to FIN. The 6m link from BILLY to FIN has been unreliable. The new plan
involves getting a new site AARONJ:KF4EZU-2 on the air at Knightdale. Welcome Aaron. The 6m link moves from BILLY to FIN over to AARONJ to FIN.
AARONJ to BILLY is short range and can be done on 440. Hopefully that will be running in March. However, for much of January and February
the BILLY site was completely off-line, breaking the network into two pieces. As of Feb 29th, BILLY is back up in the old capacity of linking
to FIN and to DAVIS.
SAM:KM4WUF joined us with a 440 link to TADD. Welcome Sam!
VON:AI4WV - name Steve - joined us with a 2m link to FIN. Welcome Steve!.
HANK node is on-the-air linked into VON. Welcome Hank!
KEITH:W1KES joined us with a 2m link to ADRO. Welcome Keith. Keith is working with Chuck KW4KZ north-west of Durham, to do a 6m link between the two.
We have lost ERECH and BRYAN, at least for the moment.
Oct 11, 2015
Adding 4th port to ADRO to support KEITH node. JOE, KEITH, DOUG, CHUCK testing simplex paths and acquiring parts.
WILSON acquiring parts.
ADRO node rebuilt into Skip-box.
Oct 1, 2015
FIN to BILLY now reliable due to change of frequency and away from a noise emitter on 6m and improved antenna and RF susceptibility on both ends.
FIN to TADD now moved to 220 to eliminate in-band interference at TADD. This frees up the 2m rig at FIN.
As soon as we can we're moving the 2m link ADRO to DAVIS to 144.31 from 144.35. 144.35 is apparently co-opted for a Chinese satellite uplink.
Aug 30, 2015
Added FIN site. Link from TADD to BILLY replaced by TADD to FIN and FIN to BILLY
THEDON is up but we stole his 2m link at BILLY and will be moving THEDON over to 440 with BILLY or with DAVIS.
SCOTT and JEFF are now on-line but BRYAN got hit by lightning.
That should be back on shortly.
The lightning probably came in via the landline Internet provider and killed many items connected to the Ethernet including the HF rig and the Raspberry PI.
We're working on links west from ADRO and SNELL to eventually make a loop of the network, providing decent robustness.
Dave, W4VU has a node up west of Burlington that will hopefully be connected as part of the western plan.
Everybody on the list below has acquired Raspberry PI and TNC-PIs so they can connect to our network.
Some are working on antennas, others waiting for a neighbor to tie into.
North Carolina TARPN Nodes:
site
neighbor
freq
quality
radio
antenna
miles
TADD:KA2DEW
North Raleigh
April 2014
WILL
147.585 @3600 IL2P
working
TAIT TM8110
F-22A omni @ 70ft
12
PAUL
144.95 @9600 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
horizontal yagi
9.5
PATMH
145.55 @9600 IL2P
working
Tait TM8110
horizontal yagi
9.5
FIN
222.32 @4800 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8235
Arrow Horz Yagi
3.1
TILL
425.1 @9600 IL2P
offline
TAIT TM8100
vertical yagis
1.5
ERIC
440.1 @4800 IL2P
brok en
Tait TM8100
10 el horz yagi
2
BILLY:KE4VNC
Wendel
September 2014
FIN
146.67 @4800 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
10 el horizontal yagi
6.4
AARONJ
440.025 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
10 el horizontal yagi
6.4
IAN
421.025
offline
Kenwood TK880
3 el vertical yagi
1
ADRO:KV7D
Blackwood NC (near i40 and Chapel Hill/Hillsborough line)
January 2015
MARKDM
147.525 @9600 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
70ft vertical omni
16
FIN
144.370 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
70ft vertical omni
22
ANOIA
446.050 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
70ft vertical omni
9
FFVC
440.100 @9600 baud
off line
Tait TM8105
70ft vertical omni
14
KEITH
145.?? @9600 baud
future
Tait TM8105
70ft vertical omni
2.5
VANCE
51.140 @1200 baud
off line
Vertex FTl1011
70ft vertical omni
7
FIN:NC4FG
north Raleigh
August 2015
ADRO
144.370 @1200 IL2P
excellent
TAIT TM8105
tower vertical yagi
22
DOUG
144.990 @4800 IL2P
excellent
TAIT TM8105
tower horizontal yagi
4
TADD
222.320 @4800 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8245
horizontal yagi
3.1
PAUL
425.125 @2400 IL2P
future
Kenwood TK880
horizontal yagi
1
BOBBY
440.125 @4800 IL2P
excellent
TAIT TM8105
vertical yagi
3
AARONJ:KF4EZU
Knightdale
March 2016
BILLY
440.025 9600
excellent
Tait TM8105
Horizontal Diamond A430s10
6.4
DANIEL
446.925 4800
working config
Tait TM8105
11-element vertical Cushcraft
5
future
145.53 9600
future config
Tait TM8105
Vertical dipole
5
TILL:K4RGN
North Raleigh
June 2016
DOUG
147.585 @9600 IL2P
excellent
TAIT TM8105
5 el Diamond yagi horizontal
4
TADD
446.475 @9600 IL2P
excellent
TAIT TM8105
5 el vertical yagi
0.6
open
440.??? @2400 IL2P
future
Kenwood TK705d
Arrow corner reflector
6
DANIEL
145.530 @9600 IL2P
bad config
TAIT TM8105
Arrow corner reflector
8
ANOIA:KW4KZ
Eno Township
November 2016
ADRO
446.050 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
tree omni switching to low yagi
9
VANCE
440.125 @4800 IL2P
intermittent?
Tait TM8105
tree omni
4
DOUG:N3LTV
north Raleigh
May, 2018
FIN
144.99 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
home brew attic horz yagi
3.6
TILL
147.585 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
Diamond A144S5 attic horz yagi
1.2
DAVE
440.15 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
homebrew attic vert yagi
0.5
CHRIS:KK4VBE
south Durham
July, 2018
FFVC
446.975
offline
Tait TM8105
6 element vertical attic yagi
3.4
JASON
440.025
working
Tait TM8105
6 element vertical attic yagi
3
MARKDM:KN4BTI
Mebane
September, 2018
ADRO
147.525 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
Diamond A144S10
15
LARKIN
440.075 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
vert Ailunce 5-el
6
BFRS
144.31 @1200 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
vert HyGain VB25FM 5 el
13
DANIEL:AG4DB
east Raleigh
November, 2018
TILL
145.53 9600
offline config
Tait TM8105
tree vertical omni
8
AARONJ
446.925 4800
offline config
Tait TM8105
tree vertical omni
5
KEN
51.18
offline
Vertex FTL-1011
Horz Maxon
9
DAVE:W4EIP
north Raleigh
November, 2018
DOUG
440.150 @9600 IL2P
intermittent
Tait TM8105
vertical omni
0.5
BOBS
145.73
working
Kenwood TK?
1/4wv ground plane in tree
2
KEN:AC4RD
southwest Raleigh
April 2018
DANIEL
51.18
poor
Vertex FTL-1011
Horz 3 el yagi
9
JAI
144.43
future
Tait TM8105
Vert HyGain 5-el
4
JOHN
147.525
future
Tait TM8105
Vert HyGain 5-el
5
AARONL:KN4ORB
north Raleigh
December 2018
FIN
146.51 @3600 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
vertical yagi to vertical omni
8
DAVID
147.525 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
vertical omni to vertical omni
6
DAVID:K4DBZ
Grissom
March 2019
STEPHN
144.97 @4800 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
vertical something to vertical omni
9
AARONL
144.97 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
vertical yagi to vertical omni
9
IAN:KC2BXN
Wendell
July 2019
BILLY
421.025
excellent
Kenwood TK880
vertical yagi
1
RICH
440.050 @9600 IL2P
future
Tait TM8105
vertical yagi
2.7
future
2m ?
survey
2m radio
vertical yagi
13
BOBS:W4TTX
N. Raleigh
October 2019
DAVE
145.73
working
Kenwood TK?
Comet GP-15
2
ERIC
446.450
working
Kenwood TK805d
attic omni
1
RYAN:N7RYN
Apex
March 2020
WILL
145.63 @1200 IL2P
working
Yeasu FT2980
vertical yagi
14
PAT
446.375 @4800 IL2P
working
Kenwood TK8180
vertical yagi
1
TONY
440.150 1200 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
vertical yagi
4
AL116
147.555 2400 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
vertical omni
9
ELIJAH:KO4BAC
n Raleigh
April 2020
ERIC
144.43
working
Kenwood TK762G
indoor groundplane
0.1
AARONB
twisted pair
excellent
Kenwood TK762G
USB-serial card
1 inch
KEITH:W1KES
Carborro
February 2020
ADRO
440.100 @9600 IL2P
broken
Tait TM8105
tree vertical GP15
2.5
PAT:KS4PE
Apex
August 2020
RYAN
446.375 @4800 IL2P
working
Kenwood TK8180
vertical yagi
2
DBURT
441.475 @1200
working
Kenwood TK8180
vertical yagi
3
DCLAPX
449.975 @4800 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
vertical attic yagi
1
DBURT:W4OFO
Cary
October 2020
PAT
441.475 @1200
working
Kenwood TK8180
vertical yagi
3
JAI
446.125 @9600
working
Tait TM8105
vertical yagi
0.9
LARKIN:NC4AU
downtown Mebane
October 2020
MARKDM
440.0759600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
Comet GP15
6
JOHN
147.585 @4800 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
Comet GP15
19
ERIC:WO2S
N. Raleigh
February 2021
ELIJAH
144.43
working
Kenwood TK762G
homemade groundplane
0.1
KARL
144.97 @2400 IL2P
working
Kenwood TK762G
5 element home-brew attic-yagi horz
1.3 miles
TADD
440.1 @4800 baud
excellent
Kenwood TK862G
horz homebrew 5 el yagi attic
2
BOBS
446.450
working
TK860
homemade groundplane
1
TONY:K1OC
Apex
March 2021
RYAN
440.150 @1200 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
5 element vertical yagi
4?
PATMH
446.275 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
horz yagi
5
BFRS:K4BFR
Bushy Fork
April 2021
MARKDM
144.31 @1200 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
vertical something
12.4
AARONB:KE4NQG
n Raleigh
December 2021
ELIJAH
twisted pair
excellent
Kenwood TK762G
USB-serial card
1 inch
RICHRD:K7RLH
Apex
December 2021
AL116
144.310 @1200 IL2P
working
Kenwood TK760
vertical omni
8
AL116:N4SWC
Fuquay-Varina
July 2022
RYAN
147.555 @2400 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
vertical omni
9
RICHRD
144.310 @1200 IL2P
working
Kenwood TK760
vertical yagi
3
SNELL
440.025 @9600 IL2P
offline
Tait TM8105
vertical yagi
1
SNELL:W4RFQ
Holly Springs
July 2022
AL116
440.025 @9600 IL2P
offline
Tait TM8105
vertical yagi
1
KARL:K4LNX
nw Raleigh
July 2022
ERIC
144.97 @2400 IL2P
working
Kenwood TK762G
6 element home-brew attic-yagi horz
1.3 miles
VANCE:KV4P
nw Durham
September 2022
ADRO
51.14 @1200 IL2P
working
Vertex FTL-1011
vertical tree GP15
7
BILL
147.555 @1200 IL2P
working
Kenwood TK762HG
DIY vert yagi tree
4
ANOIA
440.125 @4800 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
attic vert yagi
4
WILL:WA4GK
south Durham
October 2022
JASON
144.330 @2400 IL2P
future
Kenwood TK762HG
tree omni
3.5
SCOTTS
440.050 @2400 IL2P
future
Tait TM8105
outdoor vertical yagi
1
FFVC
446.975 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
outdoor vertical-yagi
2
BOBBY:KO4JTR
north Raleigh
November 2022
FIN
440.125 @9600 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
tree dual band Jpole
3.3
AARONL
446.950 @9600 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
attic dual band omni
1.3
LARRY
144.330 @4800 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
attic dual band omni
1.3
DCLAPX:KD4UNX
Apex
December 2022
PAT
449.975 @4800 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
vertical attic yagi
1
JAI:WJ0J
Cary
September 2022>
DBURT
446.125 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
tree dual band Jpole
1
TOM
144.43 @2400 IL2P
future
Kenwood TK760H
tree dual band Jpole
2
HECTOR:W2NPR
west Wake Forest
February 2023
idle
144.41 @2400 IL2P
future
Kenwood TK762HG
dual band omni
16
idle
50.32 @1200 IL2P
future
Vertex FTL1011
80ft Par Omniangle Horizontal
18
STEPHN
446.975 @1200 IL2P
broken
Tait TM8105
dual band omni
4
JEREMY:K2HJX
west Wake Forest
February 2023
AARONL
145.61 @9600 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
dual band omni
3.2
BRIAN
440.125 @9600 IL2P
future
Tait TM8105
dual band omni
2.7
PATMH:K3PMH
Cary
March 2023
TONY
446.275 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
horz yagi
5
TOM
440.125 @9600 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
vert yagi
0.3
TADD
145.550 @9600 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
horz yagi
9.5
ED
144.330 @2400 IL2P
future
Tait TM8105
horz yagi
10
JOHN:W3KHG
Kimesville
April 2023
LARKIN
147.585 @4800 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
vert yagi
19
DREW
144.33 @4800 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
vert yagi
10
DREW:WB4IHY
Pleasant Garden
May 2023
JOHN
144.33 @4800 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
vert omni
10
SCOTT
440.075 @4800 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
vert omni
4
BILL:KY4ZC
nw Durham
May 2023
VANCE
147.555 @1200 IL2P
working
AnyTone AT-778UV
tree vertical omni
4
LARRY:K4LBX
n Raleigh
July 2023
BOBBY
144.33 @4800 IL2P
excellent
Yeasu FTM3100R
attic vertical yagi
1.3
SCOTT:ND4L
Pleasant Valley
July 2023
PHIL
144.310 @4800 IL2P
future
Tait TM8110
vertical omni
7
DREW
440.075 @4800 IL2P
working
Tait TM8105
vert omni
4
MARKH
147.585 @4800 IL2P
working
Yaesu FTM3100R
vert omni
7
MARKH:KD4NA
Randleman
July 2023
SCOTT
147.585 @4800 IL2P
working
Yaesu FTM3100R
vertical yagi
7
STEVEN
440.025 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Yeasu ?
vertical yagi
3
STEPHN:NY4NC
Wake Forest
November 2023
DAVID
144.97 @4800 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
vertical omni
8
AARONL
446.975 @1200 IL2P
future
Tait TM8105
vertical omni
9
AL187
440.200 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
vertical omni
1
SCOTTS:KQ4KVW
Durham
November 2023
WILL
440.050 @9600 IL2P
intermittent
Tait TM8105
vertical yagi
1
STEVEN:N2DMR
Randleman
December 2023
MARKH
440.025 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
vertical yagi
3
ROBERT
446.975 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
vertical yagi
3
ROBERT:NW2Z
Asheboro
future
STEVEN
446.975 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
vertical yagi
3
FRIEND
144.37 @9600 IL2P
excellent
Tait TM8105
vertical yagi
3
PAUL:KO4PZA
Wake Forest
December 2023
TADD
144.95 @9600 IL2Pc
future
Tait TM8105
horizontal yagi
2
PATRIC
440.05 @9600 IL2Pc
future
Tait TM8105
vertical yagi
1
PAULAL
440.05 @9600 IL2Pc
future
Tait TM8105
vertical yagi
1
PHIL:KN4VQE
Greensboro
sometime
SCOTT
144.310 @4800 IL2P
future
Tait TM8110
vertical omni
7
RICH:N4AED
Wendel
sometime
IAN
440.050 @9600 IL2P
future
Tait 8105
vertical yagi
2.7
SEAN:W4SRA
Shotwell
sometime
ED
145.59 @9600 IL2P
future
Tait TM8110
tree mounted omni
8
JON
144.43 @9600 IL2P
future
Tait TM8110
tree mounted omni
8
JON:W1RDU
Clayton
sometime
SEAN
144.43 @9600 IL2P
future
Tait TM8110
vertical yagi
8
Frequencies in use or planned in our network.
See TARPN FAQ freqs for packet for info about available frequencies.
6 meter band
50.32
HECTOR to ?
par-omniangle
51.12
TADD to AARONL
6 miles horizontal moxons
51.14
VANCE to ADRO
7 miles vertical omnis
51.16
unused
51.18
KEN to DANIEL
9 miles horizontal yagis
51.54
unused
unused
51.56
unused
51.58
unused
2 meter band
144.31
Greensboro area - DX spotting??
144.31
AL116 to RICHRD
vertical yagi to tree omni, 2.6 miles
144.31
BFRS to MARKDM
vertical yagis
144.33
DREW to ?
high omni
144.33
DBURT to PATMH
indoor yagi to ?
144.33
BOBBY to LARRY
1.3 miles indoor vertical antennas
144.35
Chinese Satellite 144.35
144.37
ADRO to FIN
22 miles, tree-omni to 50ft vert yagi
144.37
TONY to GREG
vertical antennas
144.39
A.P.R.S. digipeaters
144.41
KEN to HAMFST
1.5 miles, vertical yagi to mobile
144.41
KNOX to HALL
vertical omnis, 6 miles
144.41
JOHND to HECTOR
vertical yagis 16 miles
144.43
JAI to TOM
tree omni to attic yagi, 2 miles
144.43
ELIJAH to ERIC
vertical omnis?, low power, .1 miles
144.43
RICH to JON
vertical yagis, 45 watts, 8 miles
144.45
ANOIA to VANCE
vertical yagi, 3.6 miles
144.47
OSCAR/AMSAT reserved
144.49
OSCAR/AMSAT reserved
16 miles vertical yagis
144.91
unused
144.93
unused
unused
144.95
PAUL-TADD
3.5 miles horizontal yagis
144.97
KARL to ERIC
horz attic yagi 1.3 miles
144.99
FIN-DOUG
?? miles, horizontal yagis
145.01
145.03
145.05
145.09
145.51
simplex repeater, Clayton
145.53
TILL to DANIEL
8 miles, corner reflector to mast mounted vert yagi
145.55
PATMH-TADD
9.5 miles horizontal yagis
145.57
unused
unused
145.59
unused
unused
145.63
DAN to RYAN
14 miles vertical omnis to yagi
145.65
unused
unused
145.69
unused
145.71
ADRO to WILSON
5 miles 2m vertical omni to vertical yagi
145.73
BOBS to DAVE
2 miles 2m vertical omnis
145.75
Used in Clayton N4JDL
145.77
auto-Morse-ID heard in north Raleigh July2015
145.79
too close to International Space Station freq.
147.495
demo network
0 miles, low power
147.525
Avoid near Burlington -- this freq used for simplex
147.525
ADRO to KEITH
16 miles, 20' vert yagi to 70' tree omni
147.525
AARONL to DAVID
vertical yagis, 9 miles
147.525
KEVIN to AARONJ
planned vertical yagi to omni
147.555
AL116 to ?
tree vert omni
147.555
VANCE to BILL
attic vert yagi to tree omni, 4 miles
147.585
LARKIN to east
vertical yagi to vertical omni
147.585
WILL to TADD
13 miles, high vertical omni to high vertical omni
1.25m band
222.30
222.0->222.3 is weak signal portion of the band
222.32
TADD to FIN
3 miles, 20' horz yagis
222.32
ADRO to FFVC
14 miles, tree omni to 4 el yagi
70cm band
421.025
BILLY-IAN
1 mile, vertical yagis
421.125
unused
?
425.125
PAULEA to FIN
1 mile horizontal yagis
425.125
unused
?
433.2
AARONJ to BILLY
6.7 miles 24' horz 10el yagi to 10el yagi
433.3
unused
433.725
unused
433.775
unused
438.025
BOBS to TADD
defunct 1 miles, 20' GP15 to 10 el yagi
440.000
unused
440.025
AL116 to SNELL
1 mile vertical yagi to vertical yagi
440.025
JASON to CHRIS
3 miles vertical yagis
440.025
AARONJ to BILLY
6.7 miles 24' horz 10el yagi to 10el yagi
440.050
SCOTT to WILL
1 miles vertical yagis 25 watts
440.050
RICH to IAN
2 miles vertical yagis 45 watts
440.050
PAUL to PATRIC
1 miles vertical yagis 40 watts
440.075
TILL expansion
corner reflector
440.075
LARKIN to MARKDM
6 miles vertical GP15 omni to 5 el vert yagi
440.100
KEITH to ADRO
3 miles? GP6 to GP15
440.100
ERIC to TADD
0.1 miles attic vertical antennas
440.125
TOM to PATMH
under 1 mile with indoor yagis
440.125
ANOIA to VANCE
4 miles, vertical yagis
440.125
FIN to BOBBY
3 miles, horizontal yagis
440.125
JEREMY to BRIAN
2.7 miles, vertical omnis
440.150
RYAN to TONY
440.150
DAVE to DOUG
1 mile attic horizontal yagi
440.175
LUCAS to DANIEL
3 miles vertical antennas
440.200
441.025
441.075
unused
441.425
repeater link
Heard somebody calling K4ITL on here from N. Raleigh
