TZUTC: -0500
MSGID: 84.fidonet-ham@1:19/33 24ce4b8d
REPLY: 83.fidonet-ham@1:19/33 24ce1694
PID: Synchronet 3.18c-Win32 master/643e3b213 Apr  2 2021 MSC 1928
TID: SBBSecho 3.14-Win32 master/643e3b213 Apr  2 2021 MSC 1928
BBSID: TBOLT
CHRS: ASCII 1
Steve,

 SW> Hello - Steve K9ZW here.

  We've got to quit meeting like this...folks are going to talk (hi hi).

 SW> I've been exploring some of the ham radio orientated BBS systems, and
 SW> am very interested to hear from people who see ways that BBS can
 SW> support ham radio in a world of high speed internet and cell coverage?

  I used to run a door under Synchronet, done by the late Dave Perry, W4KGU
(SK), which worked with an MFJ 1270-C TNC and a rig, to allow licensed hams
to access the area packet network, courtesy of the Sysop's TNC...plus to
leave a message for the Sysop in the TNC mailbox, if logging on via packet.
Unfortunately, I think something with Windows 10 screwed things up, as I
could never get it to allow folks in...it always said the TNC was busy. So,
I had to take that door offline. I still have the TNC, but no rig or cables
to work with it. I'm not sure if MFJ still makes the cables or not.

  Years ago, when QRZ published a database CD, W4KGU also had a door where
you could look up data...that was ended back in 2016, if I remember right.

  While Buckmaster offers a callsign CD, with monthly updates (I use the
Doorway program to have it online), it only updates once a month. But, you
can use your Hamcall password to logon on their website, to get callsign
data for most any ham in the world. However, with some countries, the hams
have chosen not to have their contact info published. I did set up a separate
door with the Doorway program (noted below) and a utility when I ran GT Power
to show an ANSI screen on other callsign database sources on the internet.

 SW> Not wanting to seed discussions with my developing ideas I won't offer
 SW> up too much more than I see some very useful features that mesh well
 SW> with certain parts of hame radio.

  I added a file area with several files that are also in my D-Rats shared
folder...and on the hyperlink off of my bio on QRZ. With the BBS, I'm using
the 8.3 DOS filename syntax...and will likely continue with that once
Synchronet 3.19 is released. There is a bulletin and file on my BBS with
the history of the BBS...and a lot of older files can be found on many
BBS's...that you can't find anywhere else.

  Years ago, a fellow ham radio operator in the area found a truly portable
computer, but it wasn't a laptop. It had a monitor, a 3.5" and a 5.25" 
drive, a keyboard, and a mouse, but no hard drive. So, I created a 3.5"
startup disk with Command.Com from Windows 95 and 98. Then, on a 5.25"
floppy disk, I put the terminal only version of a dial-up BBS program,
GT Power. So, once he powered up the system with the A: drive...he went
to the B: drive, launched the batchfile, then with his modem, was able
to logon to dial-up BBS's on a computer that didn't have a hard drive!!

 SW> If the mods/sysops feel it okay, I will summarize peoples ideas in a
 SW> future post.  Otherwise in an internet way you can find me at
 SW> http://k9zw.wordpress.com and I am good at qrz.com

  I put a hyperlink on my QRZ bio, for Excel Spreadsheets of selected
D-Star, D-Rats, and Echolink Nets...in the 4 main US time zones...plus,
2 dozen PDF files related to ham radio. I started the spreadsheets, as
the net info at dstarinfo.com was (and still is) very outdated. The ONLY
link I noted on that site, is for new D-Star Users to get registered on
the gateway. A fellow ham termed D-Star as "Echolink On Steroids".

  Back to the doors that W4KGU did...

1) Amateur Radio Packet Door -- as noted above, it allowed a Sysop
who had packet privileges in their license...to allow licensed hams
to use their TNC to access the packet network. It worked best with
an MFJ 1270C TNC, and a related rig and cable. Unfortunately, the
door does NOT work with the TNC's out there today...even the ones
made by MFJ. I would love to have that door back online.

2) QRZ Callsign Door -- as noted above, when QRZ was putting out a
data CD, one could look up data...but now, the majority of the data
in that door is now out of date...and they no longer produce a data
CD...never mind the data files you could download. As noted above,
Buckmaster produces a CD, with monthly subscription updates...but,
there are several websites where you can get more current callsign
data.

3) Worked All States -- track your progress in the ARRL WAS 
competition. A special mode was available for Sysops to place
whatever mode they wanted in there. I use "VoIP/Inet"...for those
like myself who have to operate "internet only". While this makes
the purists shudder, it means I'm on the air, and my ham radio
license is NOT just "a sheet of paper".

4) Bulletin -- set up 26 categories on various items...and it can
be used for things besides ham radio...such as weather, the BBS,
etc.

5) RegScan -- search Part 97 of the FCC Rules for info. But, you
had to create a DOS version of the file (usually saved to text
from a PDF download). With the recent changes, I need to get an
updated copy, and modify it for the door.

  There were 3 caveats to Dave's doors:

A) They were freeware. Since Dave became a Silent Key years ago,
obviously no further support is available.

B) They had to run on a DORINFO1.DEF dropfile -- no other dropfile
would work.

C) They were created without a fossil driver, which is needed for
telnet BBS access. 

  The options you have with them was to create a generic DORINFO1.DEF 
dropfile with COM0 as the comport, then run the Doorway program 
(originally done by Marshall Dudley...now done by Mike Ehlert of 
pcmicro.com) for it to echo out on most telnet BBS's, such as Virtual 
Advanced (VADV32). However, the generic dropfiles only worked with 
doors 2, 4, and 5, of Dave's doors, that I noted. You had to have a
valid dropfile for doors 1 and 3 above. 

  There was a VScript done for VADV32 by the late Tim Cornett, which 
would allow you to use Doorway, and comport 0 with the DORINFO1.DEF 
file, and have a user name with it. Tim passed away awhile back from 
cancer...but I used his voice in "The Triple Play", where I united Ham
and Radio in Holy Telephony. You can find that, and a bunch of other
ham radio humor in a link off of my QRZ bio (look for Ham Radio Humor
Compilation), in my D-Rats shared folder, or in the D-Rats shared folder
area on the BBS. He was the part of "Ham"...via "third party traffic", 
as he had just passed his exam, but hadn't gotten his callsign yet. In
real life, Tim was never an amateur radio operator...but he was a big
help with I ran VADV32.

  However, if you ran Synchronet (preferably 3.16 or later), under 
the External Programs setup, choose "Console" mode. It would use an 
internal utility to trick the software to make it look like the door 
did have a fossil driver after all...you would set it up like the
regular fossil driver doors, but copy the dropfile to the directory
where the door was. This is how items 3-5 noted above are run here
on The Thunderbolt BBS...which will celebrate its 29th birthday on
May 1.

Daryl Stout, WX4QZ, Sysop
The Thunderbolt BBS, Little Rock, Arkansas

... When you dial a wrong number, you NEVER get a busy signal.
=== MultiMail/Win v0.52
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
 * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (1:19/33)
SEEN-BY: 1/19 123 15/0 16/0 18/200 19/25 33 36 38 90/1 105/81 106/201
SEEN-BY: 106/633 987 116/18 120/302 331 340 123/130 131 140 124/5014
SEEN-BY: 124/5016 128/2 129/305 130/803 142/926 153/7715 203/0 218/700
SEEN-BY: 221/0 222/2 226/30 227/114 229/101 200 312 424 426 664 700
SEEN-BY: 229/1016 1017 230/150 152 240/1120 2100 5138 5411 5832 5853
SEEN-BY: 249/206 317 400 250/1 261/38 100 266/512 267/155 275/100
SEEN-BY: 282/1038 1056 291/100 111 292/854 317/3 320/119 219 319 322/0
SEEN-BY: 322/757 340/400 341/66 342/200 387/21 25 26 396/45 640/1321
SEEN-BY: 712/848 801/161 189 2320/105 2432/390 2452/250 2454/119 3634/12
SEEN-BY: 5020/1042
PATH: 19/33 396/45 261/38 320/219 240/5832 229/426