SCS Pactor Driver for BPQ32 switch.

SCSPactor

This driver allows BPQ32 applications to make and receive Pactor calls using the SCS PTC range of Controllers. You can also use the packet port(s) if you have any for ax.25 with some restrictions:

Only Level 2 calls are possible. It can't be used for NETROM Node<>Node links.

Note that Calls to the VHF port use the normal BPQ connect format - C PORT CALL, You don't have to ATTACH.

The driver configuration is specified in the bpq32.cfg file

Note that MYCALL is set to the PORT config PORTCALL if specified, otherwise to NODECALL. Any MYCALL in the config file is ignored.

Configuration.

The driver is defined to BPQ32 as an External port, and needs some driver-specific configuration

The first line of the config defines what BPQ Application incoming calls should connect to. If omitted, calls go to the command handler.

APPL PMS ; Autoconnect to BPQ32 PMS Application

If you are using the Rig Control feature for scanning, add the RIGCONTROL command next.

If you provide direct access to the WL2K system you can send Frequency info to the WINLINK database by including a WL2KREPORT line. See here for details.

All commands that are essential to run with BPQ32 are sent automatically. You only need to include any special setup you need, such as setting levels, and ax.25 params, such as TXDELAY if you are using the packet port.

You can also set the maximum Pactor level to use with the MAXLEVEL command. The default is 3.

There are two commands that can be used to modify the way the Channel Busy signal is used. By default, the node will consider the channel free 3 seconds after the Controller reports it free, and will wait for up to 10 seconds if the channel is busy before failing a connect request.

BUSYHOLD n
This changes the time the software waits after the Controller has reported the channel free before considering it free from the default of 3 seconds.
BUSYWAIT n
This changes the time the software will wait for a clear channel before failing a connect request.

Note that if you are sharing a radio between a WINMOR and SCS Pactor port, the busy signals from both controllers will be combined - ie both must be clear before an outgoing connect will be allowed.

PACKETCHANNELS
Enables use of the Packet Modems if your PTC is fitted with one. Set to the number of channels to use.

USEAPPLCALLSFORPACTOR
This causes the Rigcontorl Module to set the PTC MYCALL to the Application Call specified in the Scan entry. This allows connects to different applications on the same frequency.

DRAGON
Include if you are using a Dragon
To comply with US regulations, the Dragon will be limited to P3. If your administration permits P4, also add MAXLEVEL 4

You can set a limit to the maximum time of a Pactor session
SESSIONTIMELIMIT n
Time is in minutes, and setting to zero or omitting statement sets no limit.

Robust Packet.

If you have a single port SCS PTC (the PTC-IIex or PTC-IIusb, but not the PRO models) or an SCSDragon you can run Robust Packet as well as Pactor on the same port. You can scan for and make calls in either mode.

The setup is a little different for the PTC and Dragon Controllers. The Dragon can listen for Pactor and Packet simultaneously, but the PTC has to be told to switch between the two. To enable this feature, add the following commands to your SCSPactor configuration:

PTC

PAC BAUD R600            ; Sets the PTC Packet Modem to Robust Packet Mode
SCANFORROBUSTPACKET n    ; The PTC will listen for Robust Packet calls for the first n seconds
                         ; of each scan interval, and for Pactor for the rest
USEAPPLCALLS             ; PTC will respond to packet connects to your APPLCALLS

Dragon

DRAGON SINGLE            ; Tells BPQ to use the same port for Pactor and Packet
PAC PRPORT 1             ; Tells the Dragon to use Port 1 for Packet (by default the 7800 uses port 2 for Packet)
PAC BAUD R600            ; Sets the Packet Modem to Robust Packet Mode
USEAPPLCALLS             ; Dragon will respond to Packet connects to your APPLCALLS

To enable monitoring of Robust Packet activity to the BPQTerminal Monitor window, add

PAC MCON 6
PAC MON 6

If you are using a PTC then as by default Robust Packet mode retries connects every 5 seconds, I suggest you set SCANFORROBUSTPACKET 7, and your Rigcontrol Scan Interval to 10. The PTC will then listen for Robust Packet for 7 seconds, and Pactor for 3.
With a Dragon a Scan Interval of around 7 seconds should be ok.

You can also use the following commands with a PTC.

DEFAULT ROBUST
Set Robust Packet mode in initialisation.

FORCE ROBUST
Only allow operation in Robust Packet Mode.

To call in Robust Packet mode, enter RC Callsign, instead of C Callsign

Default Configuration

The commands that are preset are in two groups. One set is sent before the commands you specify, so can be changed. The others are sent after your commands, as they are essential for correct operation with BPQ32.

Sent before your config:

TONES 4
MAXERR 30
MODE 0
MAXSUM 20
CWID 0 2

Sent after your config:

ADDLF 0
ARX 0
BELL 0
BC 0
BKCHR 2
CHOBELL 0
CMSG 0
LFIGNORE 0
LISTEN 0
MAIL 0
REMOTE 0
PAC CBELL 0  
PAC CMSG 0  
PAC PRBOX 0
	
MYCALL

Sample SCS Pactor Configuration

PORT
 ID=Pactor Link
 COMPORT=1;            COM Port Address
 SPEED=19200;          COM Port Speed
 DRIVER=SCSPactor
 INTERLOCK=n;           ; Optional - set if you have two ports sharing the same radio.
                        ; Set the same Interlock value on both ports.
 
 CONFIG                 ; Driver-Specific Configuration
 
 APPL RMS               ; Autoconnect to BPQ32 RMS Application
 
 RIGCONTROL
 COM2 19200 ICOM IC700 70
 4,14.103,USB,F1,P123
 4,14.112,USB,F1,P123
 ****
 
 PSKA 140               ; PSK TX Output level.
 FSKA 100               ; TX Level for FSK modes.
 
 # If you wish to use any packet ports, you will need to set suitable ax.25 param, for example:

 PACKETCHANNELS 10      ; Enable Packet Ports
 
 PAC TXD 1:250
 PAC TXD 2:200
 
 # if you are using a Dragon, uncomment the following
 
 # DRAGON
 # To comply with US regulations, the Dragon will be limited to P3. If your administration permits P4,
 # also add MAXLEVEL=4


ENDPORT

Rig Control Port

If your controller has a Rig Control Port, it can be used by the RigControl module for frequency control. To use this feature, replace COMm in the RIGCONTROL line with PTCPORT, eg:

RIGCONTROL PTCPORT 19200 ICOM IC700 70 4 14.103/U1W 14.112/U1 18.1/U1N 10.12/L1

You should set up your SCS with the appropriate TRX: TYPE command before running BPQ32

John Wiseman GM8BPQ/G8BPQ
Updated September 2019