Epson MFJ-1278B manual Ctrl-C, Cmd Connect K5FLU VIA WB0QRP, Cmd Connect WB0QRP VIA K5FLU

MFJ-1278B MULTI-MODE BASIC OPERATION

Exchange several messages to get a feel for this new mode. If you monitor the radio transmit indicators and listen to the speaker audio from the two rigs, you will have a better idea of what is happening. Your radio will be inactive most of the time, even while you are actually typing. When you come to the end of a line while typing, press the <ENTER> to send the data to the MFJ-1278B. The MFJ-1278B will key the radio briefly, after it receives the data you typed. When the MFJ-1278B keys the radio, data will be sent to the radio, and your friend will hear a "brrraaappp" sound on his speaker. As your friends TNC displays your message on his screen, his radio will key for even a shorter time. When your friends TNC sends data back to your station, you will hear a short "brrapp" sound on your speaker. The short "brrapp" sound on your speaker is an ACK, or packet acknowledgment. The MFJ- 1278B takes note that the packet was received correctly, but nothing is displayed on your screen.

Digipeating

Now that you are on the air, you and your friend can try out the MFJ-1278B's digipeating capabilities. This is actually more interesting if you have at least three stations participating, but you can get the feel for it with two stations.

Return to the Command Mode and disconnect from the other station:

<CTRL-C>

cmd: DISCONNE

***DISCONNECTED

Now issue the following command.

cmd: CONNECT K5FLU VIA WB0QRP

As before, substitute your call for K5FLU and your friend's call for WB0QRP. You are requesting a connect to yourself, as you did before in digital loop-back mode, but this time you are using a sort of RF loop-back. You transmit packets to your friend's TNC, which relays them back to you. When the connection is established you will see

*** CONNECTED to K5FLU VIA WB0QRP

and you will be in Converse Mode. Your friend will not see anything displayed on his computer and his TNC's state will not be affected at all by your QSO. In fact, your friend could issue this connect request,

cmd: CONNECT WB0QRP VIA K5FLU

and you can carry on two separate conversations completely independently. Monitor the radio transmit indicators and listen to the speaker audio. See if you can follow the packets and the acknowledgments back and forth.