SWPPG

A question was asked several months ago as to why the SouthWestern Pennsylvania Packet Group sent out requests for users to join the club and for those who have joined to pay their dues. I will try to answer that question by showing you what the club offers.

When you send a message over the packet system to a friend or for a request for information, where and how does that message get where it is supposed to go? The answer is simple. There is a vast network of like minded Amateurs that feel that while the Internet is faster, Packet can be just as fast under the proper circumstances. Those circumstances are providing and maintaining a forwarding system as well as a users system. This is what the SWPPG is attempting to do.

What do we have that requires these resources? Currently our system consists of:

Eastern End

N3LGY Garner Pa Users Port 1200baud Radio,Power supply,TNC,Antenna

KA3YTW Mt Holly Springs,Pa Forwarding 12/96baud 2 Radios,Power supplies,TNC's Antenna

East Central

W8IOU-4 Breezewood,Pa Users Port 1200baud Radio,Power supply,TNC,Antenna

W8IOU-5 Forwarding 12/96baud 2 Radios,Power supplies,TNCs.Antenna

W8IOU-6 Forwarding 9600baud Radio,Power supply,TNC,Antenna

W8IOU-7 Forwarding 12/96baud Radio,Power supply,TNC,Antenna

West Central

N3IAT-2 Somerset,Pa Users Port 1200baud Radio,Power Supply,TNC,Antenna

Forwarding 12/96baud 2Radio,Power Supplies,TNC,Antennas

Southwest Central

K3IOU-2 Connellsville,Pa Users Port 1200baud Radio,Power Supply,TNCAntenna Inet Gate 1200baud 2 Radios,Power Supplies,TNCs,Antenna AF3O-2 Test Bed 9600baud Radio,Power Supply,TNC,Antenna

Southwest

WA3IOU-1 Elizabeth,Pa Users Port 1200baud Radio,Power Supply,TNC,Antenna

WA3IOU-2 Users Port 12oobaud Radio,Power Supply,TNC,Antenna

W8IOU Club BBS 1200baud Radio,Power Supply,TNC,Antenna

K3IOU-3 DX Cluster 1200baud Radio,Power Supply,TNC,Antenna

AF3O Test BBS 9600baud Radio,Power Supply,TNC,Antenna

Western End

K3ZBI-3 Cross Creek,Pa Users Port 1200baud Radio,Power Supply,TNC,Antenna

What does this cost?

Average cost of one Radio..............................$100.00

Average cost of one Antenna..........................$125.00

Average cost of one Power Supply.............$150.00

Average cost of one TNC..................................$145.00

Total Cost of inplace equipment..................$10,920

This doesn't include back-up equipment for each site, end connectors, co-ax etc. Average cost of round trip to a site to repair or replace any piece of equipment is about $25.00. Most repairs are relatively easy. A lightning strike is devastating.