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Timewave PK-12 Operating Manual

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PK-12
Operating Manual
Timewave Technology Inc.
1025 Selby Ave, Suite 101
St. Paul, MN 55104
http://www.timewave.com
TW P/N VA.06012
May, 1997

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  • Page 1 PK-12 Operating Manual Timewave Technology Inc. 1025 Selby Ave, Suite 101 St. Paul, MN 55104 http://www.timewave.com TW P/N VA.06012 May, 1997...
  • Page 2 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual Welcome Thank you for purchasing an Timewave/AEA product! Before you go any further, please fill out and return the enclosed Warranty Registration Card. Periodically, Timewave offers updates to its prod- ucts—we can only tell you about these updates if we have your warranty card on file, so send it in if you haven’t already done so.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Computer Installation ....3 Overview ..........................3 Connecting Power ......................... 3 Turning it On ......................... 3 Re-Initialization ........................3 Connecting Your Computer to the PK-12 ................4 The Cable..............................4 Dumb Terminals............................4 The Computer ........................5 The Software......................... 6 PC Compatible Computers ..........................
  • Page 4 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual 5. Packet Operation................ 53 The Packet Modes ....................... 53 Tuning in Packet Stations — VHF/UHF ................53 What It Means ............................54 Who’s Out There? ............................55 Talking to Yourself ......................56 Setting Up for Transmitting ....................57 Calling CQ ..............................
  • Page 5 Connecting the APRS adapter cable ......................89 Schematic Diagram for the APRS Adapter Cable ..............90 PK-12/ULTIMETER II® Stand Alone Weather Station Set Up ..........90 Wireless Data/Location Tracking Applications ..............91 Connecting the GPS Adapter Cable to the TNC: ..................93 8.
  • Page 6 Input/Output Connections ....................120 Controls and Indicators ....................120 General ..........................120 Appendix D: Battery Power ............121 Setting the PK-12 to Low Power mode ................121 Power Cable ........................121 Additional Power Conservation ..................121 Appendix E: Upgrading the PK-12 ..........122 Appendix F: Limited Warranty .............

  • Page 7: Introduction

    Take heart: You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand how to hook up your PK-12 and op- erate it, but you do need to have an understanding of basic electronics so you can make the neces- sary (and correct) connections to your station equipment.

  • Page 8: Abbreviations Used Throughout The Manual

    / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual Abbreviations used throughout the manual Acknowledge call Call sign CTRL Control Data Carrier Detect Escape High Frequency Line feed Milli-second A variable which you substitute a number or letter nack Not Acknowledge Push-To-Talk...

  • Page 9: The Pk-12

    You’ll need a computer or dumb terminal that has an RS-232 serial communications port so it can com- municate with your PK-12. If you plan to use a computer, you will need software that makes the com- puter act like a terminal. This is typically the same software you would use with a telephone modem.
  • Page 10 XMT. This LED, when lit, indicates the transmitter is keyed. • DCD. This LED, when lit, indicates the PK-12 hears data on the channel. • CON. This LED, when lit, lets you know that you are connected to another packet station.

  • Page 11: Power Supply & Computer Installation

    Computer Installation Overview In this chapter, you’ll power up the PK-12 and connect it to the RS-232 serial port of your computer. Af- ter the connections have been made, you’ll do a quick check of the PK-12’s internal firmware and inter- nal modem by performing the all-important “loop-back”...

  • Page 12: Connecting Your Computer To The Pk-12

    Once you’ve tested the cable to make sure it’s pinned correctly, plug one end into your computer’s serial port and the other end to the RS-232 I/O port on the back of the PK-12. Then, proceed to the System Start-up and Loop-back Test section in this chapter.

  • Page 13: The Computer

    PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 5 The Computer If the type of computer you plan to use with the PK-12 wasn’t mentioned earlier in this chapter, you may find specific connection information below. You’ll also need a communications program to use with your computer.

  • Page 14: The Software

    The Software If you’re going to use your PK-12 with a computer, you’ll need to read parts of this section to set up your communications or terminal (modem) program software. If you’ll be using your PK-12 with a dumb ter- minal, you won’t need any software and can skip to the next section, System Start-up and Loop-back...

  • Page 15: System Start-Up And Loop-Back Test

    Plug the cable into the RADIO socket on the PK-12’s rear panel. Set the TX LEVEL pot on the rear of the PK-12 to 50% rotation (straight up and down) using a small screwdriver. Turn on your computer. Load your communications program. (Choose the TTY option, if avail- able.)
  • Page 16 After you’ve entered this, the PK-12 will print the following on the screen: MYcall was PK12 MYcall now AAA 10. The PK-12 recognizes the letter “C” to mean “connect to...”. Try to connect to yourself by entering: C AAA After a few moments, your monitor should display: *** CONNECTED to AAA 11.

  • Page 17: Radio Installation

    Push-To-Talk (PTT) circuits. The best way to connect the PK-12 to your transceiver is through its rear panel accessory port (if it has one)—it will free up the mike jack so you don’t have to swap connectors with your mike and the PK-12.

  • Page 18: Basic Connections And Adjustments

    Appendix A contains notes and diagrams for connecting the PK-12 to many VHF/UHF transceivers. Lo- cate the transceiver you’ll be connecting to your PK-12. At the same time, refer to your radio’s Operating Manual to verify the pin assignments. (If you don’t find your transceiver in Appendix A, locate a model from the same manufacturer that has the same accessory or mike connector and pinouts as the unit you’ll...

  • Page 19: Transceiver Adjustments

    AFSK audio (check Appendix A). Transceiver Adjustments Make sure your PK-12 and radio are turned off and all the cables are correctly wired and connected. Connect a dummy load to your radio and be prepared to monitor your transmissions with a devia- tion meter.
  • Page 20 12 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual Turn on your radio and computer. Go ahead and load your terminal program so that you’re operating the PK-12 in the Dumb Termi- nal mode. Enter the CALIBRATE mode by entering: CAL next to the cmd: prompt.

  • Page 21: You're In Command

    When using hexadecimal notation, you must type a $ in front of the number to tell the PK-12 that this is a “hex” number. For numeric parameters, the arguments ON or Y set the parameter value to its default. Arguments OFF or N set the value to zero.

  • Page 22: Changing Commands

    When you change a command’s value, the PK-12 will let you know a change has been made and the change will be automatically saved. Say you want to enter your call sign. If your call sign is WF7A, then this is what you’ll type:...
  • Page 23 This command allows you to customize the output of the TNC to meet your screen width. The parameter n tells the PK-12 how wide your screen is. The PK-12 will insert a carriage return and line feed after n characters have been sent to your screen, making the display easier to read. Since computers and termi- nals do this automatically, you should only change this parameter if your screen is hard to read.
  • Page 24 ‘*’. You will most likely not be able to read the message; it will appear as junk charac- ters if the PK-12 is using a different baud rate than your terminal is. Simply press the ‘*’ key to get the...
  • Page 25 In addition to the baud rate, the number of data bits used to send characters between your terminal and the PK-12 must also be identical. Using this command, you can set the number of data bits to either 7 or 8 depending on your terminal’s requirements.
  • Page 26 Commands available in the CALIBRATE routine are: Toggles the PK-12’s PTT circuit on and off. Quits the calibration routine. The PK-12 has a timer circuit that will automatically shut off the transmitter after it has been on for sixty seconds.
  • Page 27 Default: ALL CFROM determines how your PK-12 responds to connect requests from other stations. CFROM is set to ALL when you first start your PK-12. This means your PK-12 will respond to all the connect requests ad- dressed to it.
  • Page 28 CONNECT—by using the CHECK timer as follows: • If a Version 1 link is inactive for CHECK x 10 seconds, your PK-12 tries to save the link by starting a reconnect sequence. The PK-12 enters the “connect in progress” state and sends “connect request”...
  • Page 29 0 to 6 specifies a code from the list below. (RX = Receive; TX = Transmit) CODE is used to change the way the PK-12 displays square brackets (ASCII $5B, $5D) in packet head- ers and MailDrop prompts. Setting CODE to 0 allows the use of square brackets, while setting CODE to 6 changes all square bracket use to parenthesis.
  • Page 30 CONPERM allows you to establish a permanent connection with another TNC. When CONPERM is ON, the PK-12 is forced to maintain the current connection, even when the number of frames to the other station exceeds RETRY attempts for an acknowledgment. For standard packet use, CONPERM should remain OFF.
  • Page 31 MONITOR ON or YES will force the MONITOR value to 6. Bit 2, position $0004: If bit 2 is set to 1 (default), a break on the RS-232 line will put the PK-12 into the Command mode (except from Host mode). If set to 0, a break on...
  • Page 32 SS is seconds (optional) If you want the PK-12 to keep current time, either keep its power supply on, have the software you’re us- ing set the clock upon start-up, or install a dedicated clock chip. The clock chip of choice is the...
  • Page 33 DCDCONN also works in the RAWHDLC and KISS modes. In RAWHDLC and KISS, no packet con- nections are known to the PK-12. With DCDCONN ON, the state of the radio DCD is sent to the RS-232 DCD pin (pin-8). This may be necessary to some Host applications that need to know when the radio channel is busy.
  • Page 34 Other commands may be entered while a disconnect is in progress, although new connections aren’t al- lowed until the disconnect is completed. If another disconnect command is entered while your PK-12 is trying to disconnect, your PK-12 will in- stantly switch to the disconnected state.
  • Page 35 Default: ON Depending on the terminal program you use with the PK-12, you may not see what you type, or you may see double characters. If you don’t see the letters that you type, but the PK-12 responds to the com- mands, you need to enable the ‘echo’...
  • Page 36 FRICK is a short version of FRACK, meant to be used in packet radio meteor scatter work. If FRICK is 0 (default), the FRACK timer is then used and the PK-12 operates as before with the retry timer in units of whole seconds.
  • Page 37 Any combination of characters up to a maximum length of 60 characters. This text will be sent to the serial port when the PK-12 is powered up with GPSMode NOT equal to zero. This text is intended for an initialization string for OEM GPS cards requiring setup after power-down. If not programmed, the PK-12 will send nothing at power-up.
  • Page 38 4. The PK-12 receives an Unproto frame addressed to its POLLCALL Upon reception of one of these types of frames, the PK-12 will begin to parse its programmed NMEA sentences. If the PK-12 successfully parses one or both of its NMEA sentences, it will transmit the infor- mation parsed as a single UI frame.
  • Page 39 GPOLLcall of the PK-12. Example: Let’s say you have a PK-12 in your car as a stand alone tracker with its GPOLLcall set to CAR. In your house, you would program your TNC’s Unproto to CAR (U CAR). Now place your TNC in converse mode by typing either (K or CONVerse).
  • Page 40 HID ON | OFF Default: OFF Set HID ON to force your PK-12 to send an ID packet every 9.5 minutes when it’s used as a digipeater. Otherwise, leave HID OFF (default). The ID consists of a UI-frame with your station identification (MYCALL) and MYALIAS in the data field.
  • Page 41 (HID must also be set ON). The identification consists of a UI-frame, with its data field containing your MYALIAS (if it’s entered), MYCALL, and the word “digipeater.” The ID packet is sent only if your PK-12 has digipeated any transmissions since the last automatic identification.
  • Page 42 KIss n Default: OFF The KISS mode must be entered to prepare the PK-12 for KISS operation. TCP/IP and other special ap- plications have been written that require the KISS mode be on. For normal AX.25 packet operation, this command should be left at OFF (default).
  • Page 43 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 35 MBEll ON | OFF Default: OFF MBELL can be used to alert you to activity from particular packet stations. MBELL will send 3 BELL characters to the terminal when the call sign(s) of the station(s) monitored match the MFROM and MTO lists.
  • Page 44 SEND, or KILL MailDrop messages. To use MDCHECK, your PK-12 must not be connected to or linked to any packet stations. For monitor- ing purposes, local access of the MailDrop is considered a connection. Enter “B” (B)ye to exit the MailDrop.
  • Page 45 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 37 MEmory n Default: NONE MEMORY works with ADDRESS (ADDRESS $aabb) and permits access to memory locations. Use the MEMORY command without arguments to read a memory, and with one argument ($0 to $FF) to write to a memory location.
  • Page 46 If you want to save your PK-12’s buffer from filling up with unwanted packets, set MONITOR to zero. That way, you’ll still be able to store mail sent to you and receive connect requests, but the PK-12’s buffer won’t fill up with “junk mail.”...
  • Page 47 MStamp ON | OFF Default: OFF MSTAMP activates time stamping of monitored packets. When your PK-12’s internal software clock is set, date and time information is available for automatic logging of packet activity and other applications. Remember to set the date and time with the DAYTIME command, first! With MSTAMP OFF, the packet header display looks like this: KB6IUX-4*>KA2EYW-1>AI2Q:...
  • Page 48 MYcall call [- n ] Default: PK12 Use MYCALL to load your call sign into your PK-12—a default call sign is present in the ROM when the system is manufactured. This artificial call must be changed for operation. The SSID is usually added so the PK-12 can respond to two different tasks—as a “base” station and digi- peater, a digipeater and MailDrop, or a base station and MailDrop.
  • Page 49 128 bytes for routine VHF/UHF packet services. Your PK-12 au- tomatically sends a packet when you reach “n” bytes. For example, if you set PACLEN to 256, the PK-12 will send out a packet burst after you enter 256 bytes’ worth of information.
  • Page 50 When the channel clears, the PK-12 generates a random number between 0 and 255. If this number is less-than or equal to PERSIST, the PK-12 transmits all the frames in its queue. If the random number is greater than “P”, the PK-12 waits .01 x SLOTTIME (seconds) and repeats the attempt.
  • Page 51 In Host mode, the REINIT command is acknowledged by a RESTART response (RT). RELink ON | OFF Default: OFF Set RELINK ON if you want the PK-12 to automatically try to reconnect to another packet station if the link fails. RESET RESET resets all of the PK-12’s parameters to their default settings and reinitializes the unit to the point...
  • Page 52 The AX.25 protocol uses the retransmission of frames that haven’t been acknowledged as a means to en- sure that all transmitted frames are received. The number of retries that the PK-12 will attempt is set from 0 to 15 using this command. If the number of retries is exceeded, the packet link may be lost.
  • Page 53 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 45 STOp n Default: $13 (CTRL-S) Use the STOP command to select the character you’ll use to stop output from your PK-12 to your com- puter. Valid entries are any ASCII character from 0 to 127. See the XFLOW command.
  • Page 54 PK-12’s internal clock and then sends the time to the radio in the data transmission code in use at that time. If the DAYTIME has not been set, a control-T will cause the PK-12 to send an asterisk (*).
  • Page 55 ON: Remote user dialog and Connect status messages with the MailDrop are shown only if MDMON is ON. UBIT 14: OFF: In packet, the transmit buffer for data sent from the computer to the PK-12 is limited only by available memory.
  • Page 56 UBIT 19-21: Not used. UBIT 22: ON: The PK-12 will respond to the receipt of an UNPROTO frame addressed to QRA by sending an UNPROTO ID packet frame within 1 to 10 seconds. This feature is com- patible with TAPR’s ANSWR QRA command.
  • Page 57 Xoff n Default: $13 (CTRL-S) Use XOFF to select the Stop character to be used to stop input from the computer to the PK-12. Any ASCII character from 0 to 127 may be used. The Stop character default value is (CTRL-S) for computer data transfers.

  • Page 58: Pk-12 Command Quick Reference

    50 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual PK-12 Command Quick Reference COMMAND DEFAULT FUNCTION 3Rdparty Enables 3rd party MailDrop messages. 8Bitconv Enables 8-bit data in packet Converse. ACKprior Enables priority acknowledgment in packet. ACRDisp Sets terminal output screen width. ACRPack Adds (RETURN)’s to transmitted packets.
  • Page 59 Sets the second string the PK-12 will parse from the NMEA device. None GPOLLCal Sets the callsign to any callsign other than the one already programmed in the PK-12. GPSAuto Allows PK-12 to automatically detect a connected GPS receiver. GPSMode Selects a mode of operation specific to GPS.
  • Page 60 Starts Raw HDLC mode. $12 (CTRL -R ) REDispla Re-displays current terminal input buffer. REINIT Reinitializes the PK-12, but preserves the contents of the MailDrop. RELink Re-connects after link fails due to retries. RESET Resets PK-12 and bbRAM to factory defaults.

  • Page 61: Packet Operation

    The KISS mode is used primarily for TCP/IP packet networking. Although not used for “normal” packet operation, it is used if you are part of a network; you’ll need to have your PK-12 and radio up and run- ning continuously. KISS is explained in Chapter 4.

  • Page 62: What It Means

    Since the PK-12 has the capability of monitoring all the packet activity on a channel, it would be wise for you to observe what scrolls up on the screen for awhile to see how stations interact with each other.

  • Page 63: Who's Out There

    The call signs in the list are the stations heard by your PK-12 with the most recently heard station at the top of the list. As mentioned earlier, the asterisks (*) indicate that the station was heard directly by the...

  • Page 64: Talking To Yourself

    Pin 1 of the RADIO port and the other bare end into Pin 4. With your communications program and PK-12 running so that the cmd: prompt is displayed, you’re now all set to have a thrilling mono- logue.

  • Page 65: Setting Up For Transmitting

    With this message, the connected station has the option of waiting for you to “pick up the phone” or to leave a message in your MailDrop. To enable your CTEXT message, turn CMSG ON. If you don’t want your PK-12 to send the message, leave CMSG OFF.

  • Page 66: Calling Cq

    If you see this, you have just connected to your first packet station! Since you initiated the contact, you speak first. As you type, you may notice that the XMIT light on the PK-12’s front panel comes on. This means you’ve typed in a PACLEN’s worth of text and the PK-12 is sending it; just keep on typing until you’ve finished with your message.

  • Page 67: More Packet Features

    More Packet Features Once you have worked a packet station or two, you can learn a little more about the other capabilities of the PK-12 by reading about them in Chapter 4 — You’re In Command. Nodes and Node Operation In the early days of packet radio, amateurs had to “digipeat”...

  • Page 68: Operating Your Node

    “help” line to remind the user of the commands it knows, which are listed below its I.D. Your PK-12’s on-board Gateway firmware supports local acknowledgment (acks) of packets like a full- service BBS/node does. Now, instead of users having to digipeat through your MYALIAS or MYCALL call sign to connect to a destination station, they can now simply connect to your MYGATE call sign.
  • Page 69 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 61 The commands’ functions are: B(ye) This is similar to the Bye command used in the Timewave MailDrop and BBS stations. When a user enters a B, the Gateway will “disconnect.” C(onnect) n Similar in operation to the CONNECT command in the packet mode.

  • Page 70: Digipeating

    PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 62 If the connect attempt to the destination station retries out or is busy, your Gateway sends the user a Retry count exceeded or (Remote) busy message, and remains connected to the user even if STAY wasn’t entered.

  • Page 71: Are You A Digipeater

    To monitor the text the other stations are sending through you, set MDIGI ON. Identifying as a Digipeater If your PK-12 is being used as the primary digipeater in a local area, you may want to enable HID—it will automatically identify your station for others to see.

  • Page 72: Setting Up

    PK-12 is currently on. If, while talking on Channel 1, the station still connected to you on Channel 0 sends data to you, it will be held in the PK-12’s memory until you return to Channel 0, whereupon the data will scroll up on your screen.

  • Page 73: Chcall

    Don’t operate the unit with multiple packet connections while FRICK is active (1-250). In contrast to FRACK, which provides one retry timer per multi-connect channel, there is only one FRICK timer in the PK-12. Each logical channel will try to use the same FRICK timer, causing interference with the other channels.

  • Page 74: Intermediate And Advanced Commands

    When you’re connected, MCON determines what packets are shown. The default of MCON is 0 (zero), which tells the PK-12 not to monitor any packets while you’re connected. Most users prefer it this way, so they’re not disturbed with monitored channel data while they’re connected with another station. However, if you want to monitor packets while connected, refer to MCON in Chapter 4 for user settings.

  • Page 75: Beacon Operation

    TXDELAY for your transmitter as described below. Radios vary in the time it takes it to switch from receive to transmit. If your PK-12 starts sending data be- fore your transmitter is up to power, the packet will not be received properly at the distant end.

  • Page 76: Packet Formatting And Editing

    SENDPAC character, but you’ll find the (RETURN) or (ENTER) key to be a natural choice. Similarly, your PK-12 will include a (RETURN) in the packet you send to the other station since this makes for a more natural conversation. ACRPACK controls this feature, though most people will never want to change this.

  • Page 77: Reducing Errors Through Collision Avoidance

    The following describes briefly how the protocol does this. FRACK and RETRY When the PK-12 sends a packet to another station, it expects an ack packet back from the other station confirming that the packet was received. The AX.25 packet protocol will automatically retransmit (retry) packets when an acknowledgment isn’t received from the distant end of the link within a specified time.

  • Page 78: Dama Support

    RELINK sets what happens after the CHECK timer has expired. If RELINK is OFF, the PK-12 will change to the disconnected state to terminate the link. If ON, the PK-12 will attempt to reconnect to the distant station to reestablish the link.

  • Page 79: Full-Duplex Operation

    The QRA Feature The PK-12 recognizes UI frames with a destination field of “QRA” and will respond by sending an ID packet. This is helpful for others new to your area that are looking for other packet stations to talk to. To disable this feature and remain anonymous, simply set UBIT 22 OFF.
  • Page 80 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 72...

  • Page 81: Maildrop Operation

    RAM space will decrease until there isn’t any space left for messages or other activities. When this happens, the MAIL light will blink on the front panel of the PK-12 to let you know that all the RAM memory has been used up . If someone tries to connect to your station when this happens, they’ll...

  • Page 82: Console Commands

    MailDrop. By the way, you have full control of your PK-12 while your MailDrop is on. You can connect to, and chat with, other stations while someone is using your MailDrop, provided the user has connected to the call you entered in MYMAIL.

  • Page 83: Maildrop Prompts And Operation

    You can change it to your liking. For example: cmd:MTEXT You’ve reached KG6ZL’s mailbox. If you need help, enter H. MTExt was Welcome to my AEA PK-12 MailDrop. Type H for help. MTExt now You’ve reached KG6ZL’s mailbox. If you need help, type H.>...
  • Page 84 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 76 been received. Although you can’t use the Abort command, you can use (CTRL-X) to do the same thing. B(ye) Logs you—or the calling station—off the MailDrop. As the console operator, you’ll see the standard cmd: prompt; a calling station will be simply disconnected.
  • Page 85 Another command available only to the user, “J” will cause your MailDrop to send your PK-12’s MHEARD list. (This command isn’t available to you as the console op- erator since you can simply enter MHEARD in the command mode to obtain the same list.)

  • Page 86: Sending Mail

    Enter message, ^Z (CTRL-Z) or /EX to end Go ahead and enter your message; you can either have the PK-12 “wrap” your text as you reach the end of the line or press (RETURN) to go to the next line. You won’t have text that breaks in the middle of a word if you use a (RETURN) to start a new line.

  • Page 87: Sending Other Types Of Messages

    Sending Other Types of Messages Each message in the PK-12’s MailDrop has a flag to show whether it’s designated as Private, Traffic or a Bulletin. A “P,” “T,” or “B” after the message number shows the status of every message. A user sets this with the SP, ST, and SB forms of the Send command.

  • Page 88: Message Numbers

    PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 80 He sees the list of messages and the one in particular that’s addressed to him. He types “R 6” to (R)ead MSG# 6. [AEA PK-12] 16508 free (A ,B,H,J,K,L,R,S,V,?) > Msg#Size From @ BBS...

  • Page 89: Forwarding And Reverse-Forwarding

    Leave your PK-12 and radio on and set to the appropriate frequency so that the BBS can connect to your MailDrop. If your packet station isn’t on when the BBS tries to connect, mail won’t be for- warded and its SYSOP will mutter unprintable things.
  • Page 90 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 82 Use the Edit command to set the forwarding flag for each message that will be reverse-forwarded to the call sign in HOMEBBS. For example, to mark message number 53 for reverse-forwarding, type: E 53 F After you’re finished, log off from your MailDrop using B.

  • Page 91: Gps Operation

    Mode (HSP) operation possible. The reason we chose to put special firmware in the PK-12 and develop the APRS Adapter Cable for the PK-12 is because this TNC is perfect for going mobile; which is what Global Positioning Systems are all about.

  • Page 92: Hardware Configurations

    Using Timewave’s APRS Adapter Cable, you can connect a GPS receiver and a PK-12 to a single COM port on a computer running APRS, see Figure 2. Without Timewave’s APRS Adapter Cable, the PK-12 and GPS receiver would need to be connected to separate COM ports.
  • Page 93 APRS users can see your location and the weather at your location. The remote polling features of the PK-12 make it easy to set up a weather station in a remote location and receive the remote weather data via APRS at your house, office, or wher- ever.

  • Page 94: Getting Started

    Set up procedures for the PK-12 are described below for three Packet/GPS configurations: Stand Alone Tracking, APRS Hardware Single Port mode, and APRS Dual Port Mode. APRS software automatically sets the parameters for your TNC, except when the PK-12 is used as a Stand Alone Tracking Device (be- cause APRS isn’t connected).
  • Page 95 The neat thing about the PK-12 is that you can choose not one, but two NMEA strings to parse. You can, for instance, use Position-Only and Course/Speed. To program the second NMEA string for the PK-12, type GNMEA2 $GPVTG and press ENTER.

  • Page 96: Aprs Hardware Single Port Mode (Hsp) Set-Up

    88 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual When done using the PK-12 as a Stand Alone Tracking Device, connect your TNC to the computer again, verify that your terminal baud rate is at 4800 baud, 8 bits, no parity, one stop bit. A few sec- onds after powering up, the PK-12 should display its sign-on message and command prompt.

  • Page 97: Aprs Dual Port Mode Set-Up

    APRS Dual Port Mode Set-up: To set up APRS for dual mode operation, follow these steps: Connect your PK-12 to one of the COM ports on your computer. Get the TNC up and running fol- lowing the directions in Chapter 2 of this manual.

  • Page 98: Schematic Diagram For The Aprs Adapter Cable

    Schematic Diagram for the APRS Adapter Cable PK-12/ULTIMETER II® Stand Alone Weather Station Set Up Connect the ULTIMETER II to the PK-12 following the illustrations of Figure 3, Figure 4, and Figure 5. Once the connections are made, follow the directions below to configure the TNC.

  • Page 99: Wireless Data/Location Tracking Applications

    Timewave offers the Commercial GPS Adapter Cable for Wireless Data/Location Tracking Applications. This cable allows the GPS receiver and computer to share the TNC’s serial interface. The PK-12 itself is designed to parse the incoming GPS information, that is, the TNC does the switching between the GPS receiver and the computer as illustrated in Figure 6.
  • Page 100 The nice thing about the Timewave TNCs is that you can choose not one, but two NMEA strings to parse. You can, for instance, use Position-Only and Course/Speed. To program the second NMEA string for the TNC, type GNMEA2 $GPVTG and press ENTER.

  • Page 101: Connecting The Gps Adapter Cable To The Tnc

    PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 93 Now type GPSMode 3, then press ENTER. This prepares the TNC to accept the NMEA strings from the GPS receiver through the GPS Adapter Cable. Now turn your TNC off, disconnect your TNC from the computer and follow the GPS Adapter Cable connection instructions below.
  • Page 102 94 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual...

  • Page 103: Troubleshooting

    Although the PK-12 is a complex piece of equipment, we’ve found that most troubleshooting problems are directly attributable to four simple sources: •...

  • Page 104: The Power Supply Cable

    (+) terminal on your power supply to the center conductor of the connector that plugs into the PK-12; the other conductor, of course, goes to the (–) of the power supply and “sleeve” (outer ring) of the PK-12’s power connector. If you have these connected incorrectly or the supplied cable is polarized incorrectly, the PK-12 won’t work at all.

  • Page 105: If You Need To Call For Help

    Central time, weekdays. Please have your PK-12’s serial number and firmware version date available; the version date is listed on the first screen that comes up on the computer when you turn on the PK-12. We’ll also need to know the specifics of any other equipment connected to the PK-12.

  • Page 106: General Error Messages

    General Error Messages An error message is displayed if the PK-12 doesn’t understand what you typed or it needs more informa- tion. If you see this message, look up the command you want to enter to make sure you’re entering it cor- rectly.

  • Page 107: Packet Error Messages

    PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 97 This message means you’ve changed TBAUD, word length AWLEN, or PAR- ITY. When you type the RESTART command, the new baud rate will take effect. Packet Error Messages In addition to the general error messages described in the previous section, the following messages may appear when entering packet related commands.

  • Page 108: Maildrop Error Messages

    PK-12 Status and Error Messages From time to time, the PK-12 will generate messages informing you of its status. Error messages will also be generated if the PK-12 doesn’t understand a command you’ve entered. This section describes the...

  • Page 109: Out-Of-The-Box Problems

    No lights come on. Possible Causes: • No power to PK-12. • Blown power supply or PK-12 fuse. Try This: First, check the power supply to see if it’s on. Check the PK-12’s power cord for an open connection or wrong polarity.

  • Page 110: Computer To Pk-12 Problems

    Problem: Computer won’t talk to the PK-12. Symptom: You don’t receive the sign-on (autobaud) message when you power up the PK-12. Possible Causes: • An open line in the cable.

  • Page 111: Packet Problems

    When scanning the message list you see “..” in the date and time fields. Possible Causes: • The PK-12 has been “restarted” since the clock was last set, the power failed, the PK-12 was turned off, or RESTART was issued. Try This: First, set the clock.
  • Page 112 102 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual Try This: Make sure that SQUELCH is turned OFF. If your squelch input is connected, we do recommend in al- most all cases that the Squelch input not be used. Problem: Unable to transmit.
  • Page 113 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 103 • TXDELAY is too small for your radio; radio takes longer than the period of TXDELAY to key up on the air. Try This: First, adjust the AFSK level control following the procedures outlined in Chapter 3 for calibration.
  • Page 114 104 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual Symptom: With obvious activity on the channel, there’s no activity on your screen. WHYNOT reports -MBX. Possible Cause: • You have entered one or two calls into the special monitoring setting called MBX.

  • Page 115: Pk-12 Problems

    Match settings between the PK-12 and computer program. For example if your computer is set for 8 data bits and no parity, set the PK-12 for AWLEN 8 and parity 0, then issue a RESTART to cause these changes to take effect in the PK-12.
  • Page 116 106 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual...

  • Page 117: Appendix A: Radio Connections

    Connection figures appear following the table of radios. All pin type wiring connections are viewed from wiring/solder side of plug. The wire colors used on the diagrams refer to the wires in the radio cables supplied with your Timewave data controller.

  • Page 118: Radio Listings

    108 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual ICOM Figure Note Radio Listings IC-02 SERIES ALINCO Figure Note IC-03 SERIES ALD-24T IC-04 SERIES ALR-22HT IC-12 ALR-22T IC-120 ALR-72T IC-1201 DJ-100 IC-1271 SERIES DJ-120T IC 1275 SERIES DJ-160T IC-12G SERIES DJ-162T IC-2 SERIES...
  • Page 119 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 109 IC-3230 SERIES IC-781 IC-375 SERIES IC-781 IC-37A IC-901 IC-38A IC-970 IC-3S SERIES IC-D1A IC-4 SERIES IC-P2 SERIES IC-402 IC-P3 SERIES IC-449 SERIES IC-P4 SERIES IC-45 SERIES IC-U2 SERIES IC-451 IC-U4 SERIES IC-47 SERIES...
  • Page 120 110 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual TM-431 TS-530 TM-441 TS-60 TM-531 TS-60 TM-531 TS-670 TM-541 TS-680 TM-621 TS-680 TM-631 TS-690 TM-631 TS-690 TM-641 TS-700 TM-701 TS-701 TM-721 TS-711 TM-731 TS-711 TM-731 TS-780 TM-732 TS-790 TM-741 TS-790 TM-742 TS-811 TM-941...
  • Page 121 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 111 ARGONAUT II FT-411 DELTA II FT-415 PARAGON FT-416 UNIDEN Figure Note FT-470 HR-2510 FT-4700 HR-2600 FT-480 WILSON Figure Note FT-5100 MARK II FT-5100 MARK IV FT-5200 WE-800 FT-530 YAESU Figure Note FT-6200 CPU-2500...

  • Page 122: Radio Connection Diagrams

    112 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual Radio Connection Diagrams...
  • Page 123 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 113...
  • Page 124 114 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual...
  • Page 125 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 115...
  • Page 126 116 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual...

  • Page 127: Appendix B: Parts List, Schematic, And Pictorial Diagram

    PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 117 Appendix B: Parts List, Schematic, and Pictorial Diagram I ntegrated Circuits Capacitors 7805 C7-C11,C21,C22,C24 .001 µF LM358 C2,C3,C17,C18 22 pF U6,U9 74HC00 MONO .001 µF 74HC08 C4,C5,C6,C12 MONO .1 µF U12,U5 74HC14 C13,C14,C35,C35,...
  • Page 128 118 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual...
  • Page 129 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 119...

  • Page 130: Controls And Indicators

    120 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual Appendix C: Specifications Modem Characteristics Modulator/Demodulator: Texas Instruments TCM3105 Modem Tones: Bell 202 Ω Output Level: 5 - 100mV into 600 Z, adjustable by a rear-panel control Processor System Microprocessor: Motorola 68HC11D0 microprocessor RAM: 32K standard;...

  • Page 131: Power Cable

    Appendix D: Battery Power Your PK-12 can be powered by an external 9-volt battery. This is a great feature for users who want to go mobile, but have a limited supply of power. There should be no confusion between powering the unit from a 9-volt battery and the lithium battery backed memory.
  • Page 132 The PK-12 comes standard with a 15K mailbox (32K RAM). However, you can purchase a replace- ment EPROM and a larger RAM chip from Timewave, (upgrade part# A.06220), to increase the mail- box size to 100K (128K RAM). To order your upgrade, call Timewave at (651) 489-5080, or write to Timewave for pricing and availability.

  • Page 133: Product Warranty

    Timewave Technology Inc. products carry the following warranty: Timewave hardware products are warranted against defects in materials and workmanship. If Timewave receives notice of such defects during the warranty period, Timewave shall, at its option, ei- ther repair or replace hardware products which prove to be defective.
  • Page 134 124 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual...
  • Page 135 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 125 Inde Inde x x x x x Inde Inde Inde Symbols 3RDPARTY command 14, 50 8BITCONV command 14, 50 9-volt See Battery Power CALIBRATE command 12, 18, 50 call viii Calling CQ 58...
  • Page 136 126 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual ?not while disconnected 97 ?range 97 ?too long 97 DAMA 1, 48, 52, 70 ?too many 97 DAYSTAMP command 24, 50 ?VIA 97 DAYTIME command 24, 50 ?What? 96 DB-25F 4 bbRAM scanned, checksum failed! 99...
  • Page 137 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 127 GPSAuto 30, 51, 83, 87 GPSMode 1 GREMprog 31, 51, 83 GSYMChar 1 Macintosh 4 GUNSTart 1 MAIL 2, 3, 34, 55, 64, 73, 105 GUSERS command 32, 51 MAILDROP command 34, 51...
  • Page 138 128 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual NOMODE command 41, 52 remotely polled 83 NUCR command 41, 52 RESET command 14, 43, 52 NULF command 52 RESPTIME command 43, 52 NULLS command 41, 52 RESTART command 14, 44, 52 Numeric Arguement 13...
  • Page 139 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 129 Upgrading the PK-96 122 UPlink 48, 70 Uplink 48, 52 USERS command 48, 52, 64 watchdog timer 12 WHYNOT command 48, 52 Wireless Data/Location Tracking Applications 91 XFLOW command 5, 6, 49, 52...
  • Page 140 130 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual...
  • Page 141 PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual / 131...
  • Page 142 132 / PK-12 Packet Controller Operating Manual...

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