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PBBS (Personal Mailbox)
Introduction
Your TNC includes a Personal Bulletin Board System (PBBS), a mailbox, which is
capable of storing and forwarding messages for you and other users. This PBBS
provides the same message facilities as a computer based packet radio BBS, normally
referred to as a full-service BBS, including the forwarding of Bulletins, Private mail, and
NTS traffic (for more information on the national network of full-service PC-based
packet BBS systems, see a current ARRL operations manual).
Historical note: The first BBSs in packet radio were PC-based, using software
developed by Hank Oredson, WØRLI. A national system of packet-radio based BBSs
has developed, permitting the automatic forwarding of messages, and files, from one
BBS to another. Today, the large capacity packet radio BBSs are still PC-based, but
TNC-based BBSs now provide similar facilities, with medium capacities.
The personal mailbox is compatible with the large community bulletin board systems
(RLI, MBL, etc) and will allow them to forward mail for you directly into your TNC. You
may also place messages in your mailbox, and if the local Community BBS system
allows, your TNC mailbox will reverse forward these messages from your personal
mailbox into the community system on request. You can even set up your TNC mailbox
to automatically connect to the community BBS and forward any messages it has.
Using Your PBBS
In order to use any Kantronics TNC PBBS (even your own), first get the cmd: prompt on
your TNC, and then connect to the callsign of the PBBS. For instance, if your MYPBBS
is NØKN-1, you would connect to it simply by typing ―C NØKN-1". In this example, the
PBBS is in your own TNC, so no packets would be transmitted, but you would connect
to the PBBS and receive the same prompt as if you had connected to someone else‘s
PBBS.
When you connect, you will first see the message from your TNC indicating that you are
connected:
*** CONNECTED to NØKN-1
The PBBS will then send you its SID (Status ID - e.g., equipment ID) and initial sign-on
message. If a PTEXT is defined, the TNC will send it as the next line, and then send the
PBBS command prompt. For example, a Kantronics KPC-3 Plus might respond to your
PBBS connect with the following:
[KPC3P-9.1-HM$]
475000 BYTES AVAILABLE IN 15 BLOCK(S)
PTEXT would be here (if any)
ENTER COMMAND: B,J,K,L,R,S, or Help >
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