I didn't really get that your response was an answer to Jayne's question about the Kantronics TNC.
Your response seemed to be canned for another question not asked.
There isn't one 'fixed' answer to the question.
To get to a '
yes' or a '
no' to the question means that you'd need to know who you were connecting to on the other end and what gear they are running and what band and frequency gets used to build out that particular link and whether or not it can support a higher bitrate or is limited to the Kantronics speed.
We see a LOT of general inquiries here on CFF about amateur radio communications. Firearms users are often interested to learn more about what can be accomplished for various reasons of preparedness. Many wish to be independent of commercially operated infrastructure, as these can easily disappear for all the possible reasons you might think of.
NC PACKET is simply a local implementation of a TARPN: terrestrial amateur radio packet network.
All links in a terrestrial amateur radio packet network (TARPN) are
point to point and
engineered (managed frequencies, power levels, signal-to-noise levels, fade margins, modulation types, beamwidth, and bandwidth). Definitely NOT like the old packet radio from the 1980s, which died a slow death because people used the technology incorrectly, or APRS, which cannot correctly scale or ever be reliable.
Each node (the setup at your home, often consisting of multiple radios, controllers, and antennas) could be capable of hosting not only your own communications but all the rest on your 'path'
so there is no central infrastructure.
The network nodes are generally made of extremely low cost parts that are either surplus radio gear or purpose-made elements that are available at the cost of the parts. Power supplies are often repurposed from other uses. Many use custom equipment enclosures made by several of the participants. All code is open. Each node operator is a hands-on owner, fully capable of all their own maintenance and improvements and expansion.
The goals go beyond simple communications to include learning, resiliency, and independence. These are themes that definitely map to many of the desires of the firearm owning community.
There are multiple weekly nets, on UHF and on 75m, to discuss these topics, as well as a groups.io reflector. All you have to have is any amateur radio license, a place to operate a node within link ability of at least one other, a sincere desire, and a willingness to learn hands-on.
My posting here is simply to make the presence of this system more well known. It's up to the participant to learn more and decide whether to become part of the network.
