BPQ32 now supports WINMOR. WINMOR is a soundcard-based protocol, and is implemeted as standalone program, the WINMOR Virtual TNC, supplied by
The Amateur Radio Safety Foundation. It operates in two modes, ARQ which is an
error free connected mode, and FEC which is a datagram mode with some error correction, but is not error-free. ARQ is optimised for
message transfer on HF, I see it's main use to be mail forwarding on HF between BBS systems, or from a user PMS to the BBS.
It can be used for interactive access to the network, but isn't optimised for this use. BPQ32 supports using
FEC as a simple unconnected realtime QSO mode.
The Virtual TNC may be downloaded from the files section of the Yahoo WINMOR group.
I suggest you install it in a subdirectory of your BPQ32 directory. Some configuration is done using
the Help/Basic Setup option of WINMOR TNC.exe. Set your Callsign and Locator, registration key if you
have one, and select the sound devices that you want to use. Normally you can leave the TCPIP
port number at the default of 8500. You only need to change this if you are already using that port,
or want to run two or more copies of WINMOR TNC.
The driver supports PTT control via a serial port, using the DTR and/or RTS control lines, or ICOM CI-V commands,
via the Rig Control Driver.
The driver now accepts calls to any of your APPLnCALLS, and routes connects to the specifed application.
The Autoconnect Application in BPQtoWINMOR.cfg is no longer needed, and will be ignored if present.
I have had a few problems with the Winlink TNC locking up, so I've added code to kill and restart the TNC if I don't
get a message from it for 30 minutes. This is pretty aggressive, and will often restart the TNC when it
is working ok, but this should only happen when the channel is idle, so shouldn't do any harm.
The driver is defined to BPQ32 as an External port:
PORT
ID=WINMOR Port 1
TYPE=EXTERNAL
PROTOCOL=WINMOR
DLLNAME=WINMOR.DLL
PORTCALL=CALLSIGN ; Optional - set if you want to accept connects to a call other than the Node Call.
INTERLOCK=n; ; Optional - set if you have two ports sharing the same radio.
; Set the same Interlock value on both ports.
QUALITY=0
ENDPORT
The WINMOR driver is configured via file BPQtoWINMOR.cfg.
The first line defines which BPQ Port this config relates to, the IP address and Port of the WINMOR TNC,
and an optional PTT paameter If PTT is omitted, VOX operation is assumed.
Typical first lines are:
PORT 3 127.0.0.1 8500 No PTT (ie use VOX) PORT 3 127.0.0.1 8500 PTT DTR PTT control via DTR Line PORT 3 127.0.0.1 8500 PTT CI-V PTT cotrol via CI-V commands Other PTT options are PTT RTS, PTT DTRRTS
; Config file for BPQtoWINMOR ; PORT 3 127.0.0.1 8500 CWID True DEBUGLOG True LOG True BW 1600 DRIVELEVEL 100 MODE AUTO ROBUST False SHOW True BUSYLOCK True ****
You can have more that one WINMOR port. Just create a separate directory for each copy, and set a different
TCP Port in the Winmor TNC.ini and the BPQWtoWINMOR.cfg. Normally you would have a separate soundcard and
radio for each, but it is possible to run two copies on the same soundcard, so that one could accept connects
to the node, and the other to the BBS. In the latter case add an INTERLOCK parameter to both BPQ32 port definitions,
so the node won't try to use both at the same time.
The software will append the BPQ32 Port Description to the Winmor TNC Window title, so you can tell which TNC corresponds to each port.
As a WINMOR TNC only supports a single connection (unlike ax.25 packet), a WINMOR
port must be allocated to a user before making connects. This is done using the ATTACH command. So if your WINMOR
port is BPQ32 port 3, enter
ATTACH 3
Possible responses are:
#BPQ11:GM8BPQ-2} Ok
#BPQ11:GM8BPQ-2} Error - Invalid Port // Port is not a WINMOR port.
#BPQ11:GM8BPQ-2} Error - Port in use // Port is in use.
Once attached to a port, you can issue commands to the Virtual TNC. See the documentation for the Virtual
TNC for a list of commands. Additionally, the "D" command disconnects and releases the TNC.
Connections are initiated using the C command (not CONNECT as shown in the TNC Documentation).
FEC mode is initiated by entering the FEC command after ATTACHing the port.
FEC can use either the 500 Hz or 1600 Hz Winmor modes. The 1600 mode is around 4 times as fast,
but needs around 6 dB more signal. Commands are:
FEC 1600 or
FEC 500
Once this command is entered, anything typed will be transmitted as an FEC datagram, preceeded by the user's callsign,
and will be displayed by any other stations in FEC mode. As the protocol is not able to correct all errors,
packets may have some corruption. Received blocks with an error will be preceeded by STX and followed by ETX.
These will display on BPQterminal as a 'blob'. Error checking is done in blocks of 16 chars.
While in FEC mode any Winmor ID packets will also be displayed.
Use the "D" command to exit FEC mode.
An ID Packet and CWID (if enabled) will be sent every 10 minutes and on leaving FEC mode.
The WINMOR module creates a status window, so you can keep an eye on your connection to the WINMOR TNC.
Several options are available under the Actions menu
Kill Winmor TNC
Kills the Winmor TNC.
Kill and restart Winmor TNC
Kills and restarts the Winmor TNC.
Hide Popups
Hides the Registration Reminder windows. Not really needed anynore, as the Popup can now be closed.
John Wiseman GM8BPQ/G8BPQ
19th March 2010