Kantronics KPC-3Plus User guide

1

Kantronics

KPC–3 Plus

Users Guide: Introduction,

Getting Started,
Modes of Operation,
Command Reference, and
Hardware Specifications

2

Contact Us:

Kantronics

14830 W. 117th St.
Olathe, Kansas 66062

Orders / Inquiries [phone]

FAX [phone]
E-mail [e-mail]
Website: www.kantronics.com

Service / Technical Support [phone] (8 AM to 12PM and 1 to 5 PM Central Time, M-F)

FAX [phone]
E-mail [e-mail]

3

REVISIONS

Revision

Date

Description

A

2003-11-11

Inserted warranty form and revisions page. Deleted reference to
previously supplied molded audio plug with shielded cable.

B

2005-04-28

Added UIDUPE command definition and reference in a number
of locations to the GPS port. Updated “Expanding the RAM”.

C

2005-09-21

Deleted further references to previously supplied molded audio
plug with shielded cable. Deleted reference to Warranty
Registration card. Changed time to file Warranty Registration
from 10 to 60 days. Added e-mailing of Warranty Registration
information. Other cleanup.

D

2005-09-26

Deleted reference to Kantronics HSP cable.

E

2006-05-10

Changed Kantronics address to 3115 W. 6th St., Ste. A.

F

2006-08-22

Removed CE mark pending RoHS Compliance.

G

2011-07-31

Updated contact information, minor text revisions.

H

2015-05-28

Updated to a searchable format.

The KPC-3 Plus is a Kantronics hardware and software design incorporating the AX.25 Level 2 Version 2
Packet protocol as adopted by the American Radio Relay League.

We have attempted to make this manual technically and typographically correct as of the date of the current
printing. Production changes to the TNC may add errata or addendum sheets. Your comments and/or
suggested corrections can be sent to us (see our contact information).

This document was compiled in the U.S.A.

The KPC-3 Plus is manufactured in the U.S.A.

© Copyright 2007-2015 by Kantronics. All Rights Reserved.
Contents of this publication or the firmware within the KPC-3 Plus may not be reproduced in any form without

the written permission of the copyright owner.
KPC-3 Plus is a registered trademark of Kantronics Co., Inc.

KPC-9612 Plus is a registered trademark of Kantronics Co., Inc.
KAM XL is a registered trademark of Kantronics Co., Inc.
NET/ROM is a registered trademark of SOFTWARE 2000.
APRS is a registered trademark of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR.
HyperTerminal is a registered trademark of Microsoft.

4

Warranty Registration

Please take the time to (print this page) fill out the warranty registration form and mail it to Kantronics,
including a copy of your sales receipt, to register your purchase. Refer to the warranty policy in this manual for
further information.

Mail form and sales receipt to:

Kantronics
14830 W 117th Street
Olathe, KS 66062

Warranty Registration

Last Name: First Name:
Call Sign: .
Mailing Address:
City:
State: Zip/Postal Code: Country:
Telephone: E-Mail:
Product: KPC-3+ Serial #:
Date of Purchase: Dealer:

5

IMPORTANT

READ THIS PAGE BEFORE YOU INSTALL YOUR NEW KANTRONICS PRODUCT

This product contains SOFTWARE on Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) and/or diskette
and/or CD, which is protected by both United States copyright law and international treaty provisions.

If you install or use this product, you will be deemed to be bound by the terms of the SOFTWARE
license shown below. If you do not wish to be bound by such license, return such product and all
associated documentation unused to your supplier for refund of the amount you paid.

License Agreement

1. License. In consideration of payment of the License Fee, which is included in the price of the
product, the Licensee (you) is granted by the Licensor (Kantronics Company, Inc. - Kantronics) a
non-exclusive right to use the SOFTWARE and associated documentation. No ownership rights to
the SOFTWARE or its Documentation are transferred from Kantronics to you.

2. Term. This License Agreement is effective until terminated. You may terminate this Agreement by
destroying the PROM or diskette or CD and documentation. You may not rent or lease the
SOFTWARE, but you may transfer the SOFTWARE and accompanying written materials on a
permanent basis provided you retain no copies and the recipient agrees to the terms of this
Agreement. Kantronics may terminate this Agreement without notice if you violate any terms or
conditions of the Agreement. In the event of termination of the Agreement, provisions relating to

Kantronics’ disclaimers of warranties, limitation of liability, remedies, or damages and Kantronics’

proprietary rights shall survive.

3. Object Code. The SOFTWARE is delivered in object code only. You shall not reverse compile or
otherwise reverse engineer the SOFTWARE.

4. Limited Warranty. This product is covered by the standard Kantronics Limited Warranty, which is
enclosed.

5. General. This License Agreement constitutes the complete Agreement between you and
Kantronics.

The SOFTWARE and/or Documentation may not be exported or re-exported in violation of any export
laws or regulations of the United States of America or any other applicable jurisdiction.

This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted under the laws of the State of Kansas, United
States of America.

Use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government of the United States is subject to restrictions as set
forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer SOFTWARE clause of
DFARS 252.227-7013.

Kantronics may in its sole discretion, provide you with upgrades of the SOFTWARE and/or
Documentation if you have provided Kantronics your completed Warranty registration with a copy of
your receipt showing the amount you paid.

6

LICENSEE ACKNOWLEDGES HAVING READ AND UNDERSTOOD THIS AGREEMENT AND
AGREES TO BE BOUND BY ITS TERMS. LICENSEE FURTHER AGREES THAT THIS
AGREEMENT IS THE COMPLETE AND EXCLUSIVE STATEMENT OF THE AGREEMENT
BETWEEN LICENSEE AND LICENSOR AND SUPERSEDES ANY PROPOSAL OR PRIOR
AGREEMENT, ORAL OR WRITTEN, AND ANY OTHER COMMUNICATIONS RELATING TO THE
SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS AGREEMENT.

Any questions concerning this Agreement or any other matter relating to Kantronics, Kantronics
products, or business practices, may be sent to us by any of the means on our contact information
page.

7

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contact Us: ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 2

REVISIONS ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 3

Warranty Registration ............................................................................................................................................................................ 4

License Agreement ................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

LIMITED WARRANTY ......................................................................................................................................................................... 9

Return/Repair Procedures .................................................................................................................................................................... 12

Radio Frequency Interference Statement ............................................................................................................................................. 14

RFI Suppression ................................................................................................................................................................................... 15

FCC Declaration of Conformity: ......................................................................................................................................................... 16

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 17

Welcome .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 17

Overview of This “User’s Guide” Manual ........................................................................................................................................... 17

Major Uses of Your KPC-3 Plus .......................................................................................................................................................... 17

Package Contents ................................................................................................................................................................................. 18

Additional Parts for Your Packet Radio Station .................................................................................................................................. 18

Our Assumptions about You ................................................................................................................................................................ 19

Documentation Conventions ................................................................................................................................................................ 19

Overview of Packet Radio ................................................................................................................................................................... 19

.Inside a TNC – the KPC-3 Plus .......................................................................................................................................................... 26

Inside a TNC – the KPC-3 Plus ........................................................................................................................................................... 27

Installing Your KPC-3 Plus .................................................................................................................................................................. 29

The Major Components of Your Station .............................................................................................................................................. 30

Back Panel ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 30

How the Parts of Your Station are Connected ..................................................................................................................................... 33

Connect Your KPC-3 Plus to a Power Source ..................................................................................................................................... 34

Connect your KPC-3 Plus to Your Computer ................................................................ ................................ ...................................... 36

Configure Your KPC-3 Plus ................................................................................................................................................................ 39

Connect the KPC-3 Plus to a Transceiver ............................................................................................................................................ 43

Connecting to a GPS Device (Optional) .............................................................................................................................................. 53

Getting Started ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 54

The Front Panel of the KPC-3 Plus ...................................................................................................................................................... 55

Beginning a Packet Session ................................................................................................................................................................. 55

Giving Commands and Transmitting Data .......................................................................................................................................... 56

NEWUSER Commands ....................................................................................................................................................................... 57

Using NEWUSER Commands ............................................................................................................................................................. 59

Connect to Your Mailbox .................................................................................................................................................................... 60

Monitor Communications From Nearby Stations ................................................................................................................................ 61

Communicate Directly with a Nearby Station ................................................................ ................................ ..................................... 62

Modes of Operation ............................................................................................................................................................................... 64

Packet Mode of Operation ................................................................................................................................................................... 64

Remote Access to Your TNC ............................................................................................................................................................... 74

PBBS (Personal Mailbox) ...................................................................................................................................................................... 76

GPS NMEA Interfacing ........................................................................................................................................................................ 91

GPS Operations .................................................................................................................................................................................... 95

KA-Node ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 104

Introduction to Basic Packet Networking .......................................................................................................................................... 112

K-Net Network node ................................ ................................................................................................................................ ............ 114

K-Net Node Commands ..................................................................................................................................................................... 115

WEFAX Mode ................................................................................................................................................................................... 137

Other Modes of Operation ................................................................................................................................................................. 139

Modem Mode ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 140

Kantronics Host Mode Operation ...................................................................................................................................................... 141

KISS Mode ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 142

Command Reference .......................................................................................................................................................................... 146

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 146

Commands ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 151

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Appendix A: Advanced Installation ................................................................................................................................................... 209

Precautions ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 209

Cable Wiring ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 209

Connecting to the Computer (DSUB-25) ........................................................................................................................................... 209

Connecting to your Radios ................................................................................................................................................................. 212

Appendix B: Advanced Information .................................................................................................................................................. 215

Assembly and Disassembly ............................................................................................................................................................... 215

Hard Reset.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 215

Calibration/Equalization .................................................................................................................................................................... 216

PTT (Push-to-Talk) Watchdog Timer ................................................................................................................................................ 217

Microprocessor Watchdog Timer ...................................................................................................................................................... 217

A/D Converter .................................................................................................................................................................................... 217

KPC-3 Plus Jumpers .......................................................................................................................................................................... 218

Appendix C: Options for the KPC-3 Plus .......................................................................................................................................... 221

Low Power Operation ........................................................................................................................................................................ 221

Expanding the RAM in the KPC-3 Plus ............................................................................................................................................ 221

Installing the Optional Real-time Clock Module ............................................................................................................................... 221

Replacing the Lithium Battery ........................................................................................................................................................... 222

Appendix D: In Case of Difficulty ...................................................................................................................................................... 223

KPC-3 Plus Does Not “Sign-On” to Computer ................................................................................................................................. 223

You Are Unable to Make a “Connect” .............................................................................................................................................. 223

Cannot Transmit................................................................................................................................................................................. 223

Cannot Return to Command Mode .................................................................................................................................................... 224

Appendix E: Additional Information ................................................................................................................................................. 225

Specifications ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 225

Messages from the KPC-3 Plus ......................................................................................................................................................... 226

ASCII Chart ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 232

KPC-3 Plus Parts List ........................................................................................................................................................................ 233

KPC-3 Plus Parts List ........................................................................................................................................................................ 233

KPC-3 Plus MX Parts List ................................ ................................................................ ................................ ................................. 234

KPC-3 Plus Parts Layout ................................................................................................................................................................... 235

KPC-3 Plus MX Parts Layout ............................................................................................................................................................ 236

9

LIMITED WARRANTY

KANTRONICS CO., INC.

LIMITED WARRANTY

Effective January 1, 1997

To receive notice of future updates, new product information and prompt warranty
service, please fill in the Kantronics Warranty Registration form COMPLETELY and
return it along with a copy of proof of purchase (to establish purchase date) by any
means to us (see our Contact Us page).Warranty Registration form and proof of
purchase may be e-mailed to [e-mail].

NOTE: Return of the Warranty Registration form and proof of purchase is a pre­condition to warranty coverage.

1. WARRANTY. Kantronics warrants to the first consumer purchaser (“you”), for the
Applicable Warranty Period (as described below), that the Applicable Product (as
described below) will be free from defects in material and workmanship.

2. REMEDY. Kantronics agrees that, for any Applicable Product found by Kantronics to
be in violation of the warranty of Section 1 hereof within the Applicable Warranty
Period, it will, at its option, repair or replace the defective Applicable Product at no
charge to you, excluding in-bound shipping charges.

3. EXCLUSIVE REMEDY. Repair or replacement of the Applicable Product, as
provided herein, is the sole remedy available to you against Kantronics, and in no
event will Kantronics be responsible for any other liability or damages or for
incidental, special, or consequential damages, regardless of whether purported
liability is predicated upon negligence, strict tort, contract, or other products liability
theory and whether or not Kantronics is warned about the possibility of such liability
or damages. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION

OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE
LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

4. DISCLAIMER. This Limited Warranty is in lieu of all other warranties expressed or

implied and no representative or person is authorized to assume for Kantronics any
other liability in connection with the sale of its products. KANTRONICS
SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS THE IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY
AND IMPLIED WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE FOR
ANY APPLICABLE PRODUCT. IF, HOWEVER, YOU ARE A CONSUMER WITHIN
THE MEANING OF 15 U.S.C. 2301(3), THE ABOVE DISCLAIMER OF IMPLIED
WARRANTIES IS EFFECTIVE ONLY FOR PERIODS OUTSIDE THE APPLICABLE
WARRANTY PERIOD. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW

LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY
NOT APPLY TO YOU.

5. APPLICABLE PRODUCTS AND PERIODS. Kantronics products are of two types ­(1) hardware units and (2) firmware and software for operation of these units,
whether incorporated into the units themselves or separate from the units as

10

adjuncts or accessories to the units. Hardware units and the media containing
firmware, software and documentation are sold to the consumer purchaser and
become property of the purchaser. Firmware and software are licensed for use by
the consumer purchaser in return for a fee included in the purchase price of the units
and do not become the property of the consumer. (See separate License Agreement
provided with these products). The products to which the warranty of Section 1

hereof applies (herein “Applicable Products”) and the periods during which the
warranty shall apply to such products (herein, “Applicable Warranty Period”) are as

follows:

Applicable Products:

UNITS:

KPC-3 Plus, KPC-9612 Plus, KAM XL, MT1200, MT1200G

Applicable Warranty Period: One (1) year from date of purchase.

MEDIA:

EPROMS, CDs, manuals (however bound), specification and other
supplemental pages or any other media on which firmware, software or
documentation are supplied

Applicable Warranty Period: Thirty (30) days from date of purchase.

6. EXCLUSIONS. This Limited Warranty does not apply to the cosmetic appearance
of the Applicable Product; to broken or cracked cabinets; to any accessory not
supplied by Kantronics which is used with the Applicable Product; to any product
that has been subject to misuse abuse or overvoltage; to any product that has been
modified by non-Kantronics personnel unless specifically authorized in writing by
Kantronics; or to any product damaged or impaired by shipping (whether or not
caused by poor packaging), neglect, accident, wiring not installed by Kantronics,
improper parameter settings which are cleared by performing a hard reset, or use in
violation of instructions furnished by Kantronics or of generally accepted industry
practice. Kantronics does not warrant that the functions contained in any software
will meet your requirements or achieve your intended results; or that operation of
any software will be uninterrupted or error-free or without effect upon other software
used with it. Responsibility for the selection of the hardware and software program to

achieve your intended results rests with you.

7. REMEDY PROCEDURE. Should you need to make a warranty claim, first contact
the dealer from whom you purchased the product. If the dealer is unable to assist
you, contact us prior to returning an Applicable Product to receive a Return
Authorization Number. (As a practical matter, problems can often be solved in such
a manner without the product having to be returned to Kantronics for repair or
replacement.)

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Return of any Applicable Product for the enforcement of rights under this Limited
Warranty shall be at your expense. Any product returned for warranty service, which
Kantronics determines to be without defect or not covered by this Limited Warranty
shall be subject to the minimum charge for labor and the product will be returned to
you at your sole expense. Please note, no warranty service will be provided until
Kantronics has been furnished with your Warranty Registration card and copy of
proof of purchase establishing purchase date.

8. NON-ASSIGNMENT. This Limited Warranty is not assignable by you. Any attempt
to assign or transfer any of the rights, duties, or obligations hereof is void.

9. OTHER RIGHTS. This Limited Warranty gives you specific legal rights and
you may also have other rights, which vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

12

Return/Repair Procedures

Important: Our repair statistics show that over 70 percent of the units returned for service do

not, in fact, require any service. Therefore, we advise you to please double-check the following
list of common, user-solvable, sources of difficulty before contacting Kantronics about returning
your unit for service.

Check-List for Possible Problems

Should you encounter difficulty in getting your equipment to “talk” to your computer, please
perform at least the following limited checks before calling or writing:

Carefully check your wiring connections to the 232 port.
If you purchased third-party cables, double-check to be sure that they conform to the

Kantronics’ wiring instructions in this manual.
Verify your terminal baud.

It may be useful to perform a “Hard Reset”. (See Hard Reset section.) If service or repairs still

appear necessary after you have checked the items listed above, it may be wise to call, fax, e­mail or write Kantronics to determine if the problem can be solved without returning the unit.

Return Procedures

When calling, report the product name and ask for the Service Department. Please have the
following information available:

The unit name and serial number (the serial number is found on the bottom of the unit).
The firmware version number (the version number is displayed when you give the Version

command).
If possible, you should have the unit and your computer available to perform troubleshooting

operations when you call.
The Service Department telephone hours are 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Central Time, Monday through Friday. If you call outside these hours, the phone will just ring.
The service department telephone is not connected to the main switchboard and the
switchboard receptionist cannot transfer you to the service number. If lines are busy, you may
wish to (and it may be faster to) contact service by fax, or e-mail. Service e-mail is checked
twice per day. Before contacting us, please take the time to list out your problem fully and
carefully.

When writing, faxing, or e-mailing Kantronics, include a clear description of the problem, unit
name, firmware version, computer type, computer software used and if possible a list of
current parameter values for your unit (as shown in a DISPLAY listing). Be sure to include a
return fax number and/or e-mail address.

Returns to the factory for refund or exchange are strictly regulated. Any return for refund or
exchange, must be approved by the service department.

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Charges

Consult the limited warranty policy in this manual for the service provisions offered by
Kantronics at no charge. This warranty is considered to be in force only when the customer
has submitted his completed warranty registration within 10 days of purchase, and when the
stipulations of the warranty have been met.

Violations of warranty clauses will automatically void the warranty and service or repairs will be
charged to the owner.

Service outside the warranty will be charged at the cost of parts, labor, and return shipping.
Units returned for service without a Return Authorization number will be subject to a minimum
charge of ½ h labor plus shipping and handling.

If payment has not been previously arranged, repaired (or un-repairable) units may be returned
via C.O.D.

These C.O.D. charges can be avoided by including your VISA or MasterCard number with your
unit to be repaired. Shipping and repair may then be charged.

International Returns



This section applies to international returns only, not to domestic returns.

In case of unit problems, first contact the dealer from whom you purchased the product. If you
must return a Kantronics product to us, please observe the steps outlined below. It will save you,
the customer, and Kantronics unnecessary difficulties and expense.



All returns must be shipped to the factory.



All expenses of returning items to Kantronics must be paid by you, including any duty/entry
fees, whether the return is for warranty or non-warranty repair.



Usually, the best way to return items to us is by mail. However, if you wish to use one of the
courier services such as DHL, UPS Expedited, Federal Express, etc., be sure to use DOOR-
TO-DOOR service. If you use one of these services, a commercial invoice may be required.
Please check with your carrier before shipping.



Include in the description of the items on the paperwork (whether postal or courier) the words:

“U.S. GOODS RETURNED FOR REPAIR/REPLACEMENT.”

Step 1. An additional description of “Amateur radio peripheral equipment”, or “Data

communications equipment”, would be helpful. It would also be helpful (but not required) to

include the code number 9801.00.1035 which tells U.S. Customs agents that the package

contains “U.S. goods returned without improvement/enhancement”. However, if the words
“U.S. goods returned for repair/replacement” are on the paperwork, the number is not really

necessary.

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 Provide a value for customs purposes. This is usually the value of the item(s) in their current

condition. A $0 value is not acceptable for U.S. Customs.

 Inside the package, with the item(s), include

 a fax number and/or e-mail address (if available) in case we need to contact you
 a correct and full address for return
 method of payment to be used for any charges (if MasterCard or VISA, include expiration

date)

 a brief description of the problem
 a reference to any conversations with the technical/sales staff about the problem
 and the Return Authorization number assigned

 For warranty repairs, we will pay the shipping charges to return the item(s) to you via air parcel

post. If you wish return by courier service, include your account number. To be eligible for
repair under warranty, we must have a record that you sent your Warranty Registration and
proof of purchase to Kantronics, and the item(s) must still be within the warranty period at the
time the return is authorized.

 For non-warranty repairs, you must pay the return shipping charges.

Radio Frequency Interference Statement

Note 1: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B

digital Device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.

There is no guarantee that the interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this
equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:

 Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
 Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
 Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is

connected.
 Consult the dealer or an experienced Radio/TV technician for help.
The user is cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party

responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment. The user

15

is also cautioned that any peripheral device installed with this equipment must be connected
with a high-quality shielded cable to insure compliance with FCC limits.

Note 2: The shield of the cable, whether foil, braid, braid over foil, or double braid, must be
properly terminated (connected) 360 to the connector. This is usually accomplished by the

use of a metal or metalized plastic back shell, but may be implemented by direct contact,
including soldering, with metal portion of connector. Experience has indicated that cable
assemblies (with connectors) advertised as “shielded” are not necessarily terminated properly,
if terminated at all. Check cable construction to be sure.

RFI Suppression

In moving to the world of digital communications via computers, a new dimension of RFI may be
encountered. In spite of the equipment manufacturers’ diligence, each new piece of electronic
equipment will react differently in each separate environment. Every amateur station will have its
own unique layout, equipment variation, and antenna installations. Experience has shown that
these differences are related to the total RF environment, and may be causative factors in RFI
induced problems. The suggestions given here may assist in resolving RFI problems you may
encounter in your “unique” station.

 Use shielded cable for all connections between equipment.
 Make all interconnecting cables as short as practical. A balance should be maintained

between cable length and equipment proximity. At times simply moving the video monitor

one foot further from an interface or other device will solve a “screen hash” problem.
 Antenna runs should be kept away from equipment control lines and/or interconnecting

cables. If it is necessary for such lines to cross each other they should do so at 90-degree

angles.

 Ground leads should be as short as possible and go to a GOOD EARTH GROUND.
 Interconnecting cables appearing to act as radiators or antennas should be looped through

a toroid. Be certain toroids, if used, are designed for the frequency in use.

16

FCC Declaration of Conformity:

NOTE: This equipment, Kantronics’ KPC–3 Plus, has been tested and found to comply
with the essential emission and immunity requirements of the EMC Directive FCC Title
47, Part 15, Subpart B. The test results are on file at the corporate offices of Kantronics.

Type of Equipment: Information Technology Equipment
Class of Equipment: Class B

CE Marking Considerations

The following cautions pertain to CE Marking of this product:

 All cables connecting to DC IN, PORT 1 (VHF), and COMPUTER must be  3 m

in length

 A cable for GPS or telemetry (control output or A/D input) connected to the

COMPUTER port may be  3 m in length.

 All cables, except for the DC IN port, must be shielded with the shield properly

terminated 360 to the connector. See note 2 in the RF Interference section

 The nominal 12 V dc power must be supplied from a CE marked or third party

approved power brick (wall wart) or ac to dc power supply. If a homemade power
supply is used the components making up the supply must meet IEC/EN
standards for such components.

17

Introduction

Welcome

Welcome to the Kantronics KPC-3 Plus, your pathway to amateur radio packet
communication.

Please review this chapter before you install your KPC-3 Plus as part of your packet
radio station.

Overview of This “User’s Guide” Manual

This user’s guide provides documentation on the KPC-3 Plus and packet radio,
including the following:

 What equipment you will need for your packet radio station.
 A brief introduction to packet radio.
 Installing and configuring your KPC-3 Plus packet radio station and making your

first connections.

 Getting started using your KPC-3 Plus.
 Documentation for each mode of operation of your KPC-3 Plus.
 A full “Command Reference”, documenting all KPC-3 Plus commands.
 Full details on KPC-3 Plus jumpers, a full parts list, and other technical

specifications.

Additional documentation and supporting material is available on the “Information and

Program” CD that ships with the KPC-3 Plus.

Major Uses of Your KPC-3 Plus

By adding the KPC-3 Plus and a computer to your ham radio station, you can send and
receive packets of digital information. This allows you to do the following:

 use computers to carry on real-time digital conversations between stations
 send, receive, store and forward mail using a personal mailbox inside the KPC-3

Plus

 send and receive mail using a community bulletin board
 send and receive files
 get and re-transmit location data from Global Positioning System devices

18

 serve as a digipeater for other stations
 serve as a network node point for other stations, using KA-NODE and/or the

optional K-Net feature

And much more.

Package Contents

Check to see that you have the items listed below (later you will see how these items
are used in your system):

 KPC-3 Plus unit
 parts to use in assembling cabling

 Male DSUB-9 connector for radio port
 Metalized DSUB-9 back shell with hardware
 3 foot (0.91 m) piece of 5-conductor shielded cable to connect the KPC-3

Plus to your radio

 2.1 mm dc power connector

 and, of course, this “User’s Guide” manual on a CD-ROM

Additional Parts for Your Packet Radio Station

In addition to your KPC-3 Plus unit, you will need the following parts to set up your
packet radio station:

 An FM transceiver
 A microphone (Mic) plug and/or mating accessory plug or external audio plug for

your radio

 A computer with an RS232 serial port (or other RS232 terminal device)
 A serial modem cable, used to connect the KPC-3 Plus to your computer
 A 12 V dc power supply or power adapter
 (optionally) 9 V battery and battery clip (not supplied, you must install)

19

Our Assumptions about You

We assume that you are familiar with the following or that you can get help on these
topics if necessary:

 general familiarity with your radio equipment and its intended uses
 basic use of your computer and its operating system, including copying disks and

files, working with directories, and identifying and using the serial (COM) ports on
your computer

 basic electronics needed if you are going to build or upgrade hardware yourself,

(e.g., making cables)

Documentation Conventions

The following conventions are used in the KPC-3 Plus documentation:
To indicate a particular key, the name of the key is given in capitals. For example, press

the ENTER key.
Sometimes you need to hold down one key on the computer while pressing another

key. This is indicated by giving the name of the first key, then a plus ‘+’, then the name

of the second key. For example, “Ctrl+C” means “press the key labeled ‘CTRL’ or ‘Ctrl’

(i.e., the “control” key) and, while continuing to hold it down, press the ‘C’ key”. Multiple-

key combinations that generate a single character are shown in angle brackets, like this:
<Ctrl+C>.

Conventions for the KPC-3 Plus commands are covered in the “Command Reference”
section of this manual.

Overview of Packet Radio

This section gives a brief overview of packet radio, for those who are new to packet
radio and those who want to review the topic.

Topics covered are:

 The three basic components of a packet radio station
 Sending a message from one station to another
 Details about packets
 A brief discussion of protocols
 An overview of the insides of the KPC-3 Plus

If you are already familiar with packet radio, you may wish to skip the rest of this
chapter, or give it a quick review.

20

Packet radio gives you the ability to send essentially error-free digital communications
to other packet radio stations. As a sender or receiver, you see just the messages, or
files, being sent and received. But there is much going on beneath the surface. You will
get more out of packet radio, and have an easier time getting started, if you have at
least a basic understanding of what is involved in packet radio communication.



Do not be concerned here with how to do things —that comes later.

Three Basic Components of a Packet Radio Station

A packet radio station has three basic parts:

 a transceiver, with an antenna,
 a device called a TNC (i.e., Terminal Node Controller), which is a combination

modem and special-purpose micro-computer, and

 a general purpose computer (or a terminal).

The three parts of a packet radio station work together as follows:



The transceiver: (1) sends and receives radio signals to and from your antenna
and (2) passes audio signals back and forth between itself and the TNC.



The TNC (Terminal Node Controller): (1) translates audio signals into digital
information and vice versa, (2) performs a number of control and information
storage functions, and (3) communicates digitally with your computer.



The computer communicates digitally with the TNC, so you can: (1) view
messages received from the transceiver or stored in a mailbox (i.e., PBBS), (2)
use the computer to send data to, and receive data from, other stations, via the
TNC and your transceiver, and (3) control the operation of the TNC.

Sending a Message to Another Station

A quick way to see the basic components of packet radio in action is to follow a simple
message as it goes from one station to another, via an intermediate station.

Let’s assume that an originating station, WØXI, wants to send the message “HELLO” to

a destination station, KBØNYK. Also, assume that WØXI knows that his signal might not

Antenna

KPC-3 Plus

TNC

Terminal Node Controller

Transceiver

Computer

21

reach KBØNYK’s station directly, but that it can be picked up and repeated by an

intermediate station, NØGRG, and then received by KBØNYK.
The following are the basic steps of a station-to-station packet communication, as seen

from the point of view of the message, “HELLO,” sent from source station WØXI to
destination station KBØNYK, through intermediate station NØGRG. Step 1 is one-time
configuration task, Steps 2-3 establish a connection between stations, and Steps 4-13
follow the “HELLO” message from the time it is created by WØXI to when it is read by
KBØNYK.

Step 1. Before this message can be transmitted from a source station to a destination

station, via an intermediate station, all the stations involved have to have
callsigns, which are used by the TNCs involved to identify and process
information (e.g., source, destination, and routing of information).

So we start by assuming each operator involved in this example has already
performed this one-time configuration task, creating the callsigns given
above. Stations are identified by reference to their callsigns. Note that a
callsign can be for a TNC (e.g., KPC-3 Plus) or for a Personal Bulletin Board
System (PBBS) “mailbox” that resides in RAM inside the TNC.

Step 2. This communication begins when the operator of station WØXI turns on his

computer, TNC (e.g., a KPC-3 Plus), and transceiver of his station and uses a
computer software program to tell the TNC that he wants to establish a line of
communication, called a “connection,” with a “destination” station KBØNYK
using an intermediate station NØGRG as a repeater station to carry the
information beyond the range of the originating station and into the range of
the destination station.

Step 3. The “connect” command with address given to the TNC causes the TNC to

formulate a “request to connect” message that is sent from WØXI. If this
message is detected by the specified intermediate station (i.e., NØGRG),
repeated, and then detected by the destination station (i.e., KBØNYK), a
connection may be established.

To confirm a connection, the destination station automatically sends a special
message back though the reverse path, to the originating TNC.

When this “confirmation of connection” is processed by WØXI’s TNC, the

TNC assumes that the operator wants to begin sending messages. So the
TNC: (1) puts a message on the computer monitor confirming that WØXI is
now connected, through intermediate station NØGRG, to KBØNYK, (2) turns

ON the “connected” indicator on the TNC, which stays ON as long as the

connection is in effect, and (3) switches itself from taking commands from the
computer (i.e., TNC in “command mode”) to serving as a message-processor,
sending and receiving messages to and from the connected stations (i.e.,
TNC in “conversation mode”).

22

Step 4. Now that WØXI is in “conversation” mode, the operator types in the message,

“HELLO”, and presses the ENTER key on the computer to indicate the end of

the message and the beginning of the message’s journey.

Step 5. The computer sends the message, “HELLO,” to the TNC for processing.
Step 6. The TNC receives the message, “HELLO”, and takes charge of the situation,

performing a number of complex operations: it uses the “connection”

information about where the message is to go and the path it is to take and
combines this with the message itself to assemble a “packet” of digital
information for transmission from the transceiver.

The details of what is in the packet and how it is organized are fully defined
by agreed-upon standards, so any machine that knows the “rules” can make
use of the information.

The standard for amateur packet radio at this time is AX.25, so let’s assume
the packet assembled in the TNC is an AX.25 packet.

Technical note: All amateur radio packets use the AX.25 standard, but it is
possible to use another standard or protocol (e.g., TCP/IP) “on top” of AX.25,
in which case the packet is referred to by the name of the highest-level
protocol.

Step 7. After the TNC assembles the “HELLO” message into a packet of digital

information in the TNC, it passes the packet on to a modem, which is also in
the TNC, which transforms the information into a series of audio signals for
serial transmission to station WØXI’s transceiver.

Step 8. The TNC orders the transceiver to send a message (i.e., keys push-to-talk)

and then sends the audio version of the “packet” through the radio port of the

TNC, up a cable to the microphone connector on station WØXI’s transceiver,

and to the transmitter.

Step 9. The packet is transmitted by WØXI’s transceiver as a burst of radio-frequency

signals.

Step 10. The “HELLO” packet, including address information (i.e., to, from, via) and

other control information, is now on the air, where it may be correctly
interpreted by all appropriately configured (i.e., AX.25 packet) stations that
receive the signal.

Step 11. KBØNYK is on the air and is running AX.25 packet, but it is too far away from

WØXI to pick up the signal, so does not get the message as it is sent from
WØXI.

Step 12. As we know from the “connection,” already established, intermediate station

NØGRG, an AX.25 packet radio station, is on the air, and is close enough to
receive the radio burst sent by WØXI. It receives the burst of radio signals
from WØXI and passes the audio signals on to its TNC for processing. The
TNC (e.g., a KPC-3 Plus) transforms the signal from audio to digital, analyzes

23

the series of 1’s and 0’s in the incoming bit-stream, and identifies the burst as
an AX.25 packet of information containing the message, “HELLO.”

Also, and most significantly, NØGRG registers that the packet designates
NØGRG as the first (and only) intermediate station on a path between a
source, WØXI, and a destination, KBØNYK. As a fully functioning AX.25
packet station, NØGRG knows what to do: it sends the message back out
over the air (i.e., digipeats it), where it may or may not be received by its
intended destination, KBØNYK. Before doing so, it marked its call in the
packet to indicate to others that it had seen the packet and had sent it on its
way.

Note: Since a “connection” has been established, we expect the message to

get through, but each packet is processed separately, and each must make it
on its own.

Step 13. As we know from the “connection,” already established, KBØNYK, an AX.25

packet radio station, is on the air, close enough to receive the RF burst sent
by NØGRG, and currently set to display messages on a computer screen. So
the “HELLO” message re-transmitted by NØGRG arrives at KBØNYK’s TNC
(e.g., a KPC-3 Plus), where it is processed and recognized as an AX.25

packet addressed to itself. Then KBØNYK’s TNC sends the message,

“HELLO,” to the computer screen for KBØNYK to read. At the same time,

KBØNYK’s TNC creates an acknowledgment packet to send back to WØXI’s
TNC, reversing the address path it found in the “HELLO” packet. When
KBØNYK’s TNC detects that the radio channel is clear, it keys the transmitter

and sends the packet back over the air.

Step 14. NØGRG’s TNC now recognizes another packet which has its callsign in the

address path, requesting it to be digipeated. NØGRG’s TNC does so as soon

as it can.

Step 15. WØXI’s TNC now hears a packet addressed to it. Since the digipeated packet

originally came from KBØNYK, to whom he is connected, and since the
packet contains an acknowledgment for data that he had recently sent,

WØXI’s TNC can rest easy knowing that the data he sent was properly

received.

This concludes our close-up look at a single packet communication event, showing how
the various parts of packet radio work with each other. To simplify and focus this
example, various details and possible complications were ignored, but this still shows
the basic steps involved in establishing a connection and sending the message
“HELLO” from one person/station to another person/station.

This example covers one of many uses of packet radio. As covered in other sections of
this manual, there are many ways to communicate with other stations.

Now that you have followed one particular message from one station to another, it is
useful to learn about the “packets” in packet radio.

24

Packets: Dividing Messages into Segments

An efficient way to send a message from one place to another is to break the
information into small segments, called packets or frames, and send each packet
separately.

Note: The correct technical term is “data frame”, not “packet” or “frame,” but we will use

the term “packet,” since that is familiar to most people and is common in the field.

Your packet radio station automatically divides your communication (e.g., a message or
file) into small segments (see the PACLEN command for details) and puts each

segment into its own “packet”. Each packet includes information used for addressing

and error correction.

Unconnected Packets

Packets do not need to be addressed to any particular station. Packets transmitted

without any established connection between sender and receiver are “unconnected”

packets. “Unconnected” packets are just sent out without any back-and-forth

coordination with any receiving station. Stations receiving these packets can check to
see if the packets are correct (i.e., the same bit pattern is received as when they were
sent), but they cannot request any retransmission of faulty packets. Nor can they
request re-transmission of any packets in a series that are not received at all. This is

because “unconnected” packets do not include sequence information that could be used

to track them in order and also because a TNC sending or receiving “unconnected”
packets is not set up to do any communicating about the success or failure of its packet
transmissions.



Note: Packets sent as “unconnected” are also called UNPROTO (non-protocol),
because the sender expects no response from the receiving station.

Connected Packets

Packet radio communication is often done between two stations that are connected

together. “Connected” communication using packet radio assures transmission with

virtually 100% accuracy by having the sender and receiver follow a set of rules for
communicating. These rules are specified in the AX.25 protocol.

The following is an overview of what happens during a packet radio communication
between two connected stations.

After a connection has been established between two stations, information Packets are
transmitted one-by-one (or in small batches), with a sequence number as part of each
packet, from the sending station to the receiving station. As the communication
proceeds, the receiving station keeps track of which packets it has received error-free
(as determined by using the check-sum that is part of each packet) and uses this to tell
the sending station what packet(s) to send next.

Using these rules of communication, a packet radio connection between a sender and a
receiver provides virtually error-free transmission of information, until the

25

communication is ended by the parties, or until the sender “times out” after trying a

number of times to get feedback and not succeeding.



Hint: In most cases, communication by packet radio is like mail, not the telephone,
in that it is not done in real-time, but via messages that are routed from one station,
or “node,” to another.

How a Packet is Organized

Your packet radio station takes care of all the details of working with packets, so you do

not need to see the “inside” of packets. But it is useful to have at least a basic idea of

how they are organized.

All amateur radio packets (also called “frames”) are defined by the AX.25 protocol,

which is discussed in the next section. Packets used to carry messages, or chunks of

messages, as in the “HELLO” example, are called “information packets.”

The following diagram shows the basic building blocks of “connected information”

packets used in amateur packet radio:

Kinds of Packets

As shown in the above diagram, the “control” field in an AX.25 packet includes a code

telling what kind of packet the current packet is. In addition to connected information
packets, the AX.25 protocol also defines two other kinds of packets, each of which is
nearly identical in structure to the connected information packet: control packets (of

Flag

Address

Control

PID

Data

Checksum

Flag

Single character for
“beginning of packet”

Destination station, Source station,
And up to 8 intermediate stations

Kind of packet, packet number,
and other control information

Optional Data with protocol ID
Data may have 1 to 256 bytes

16 bits derived from this

packet used to check for

errors in transmission

Single character for
“end of packet”

26

which there are several kinds) and unnumbered packets. To learn more about these,
see the documentation for the KPC-3 Plus’ MCOM command.

As noted at the beginning of this section, the organization of amateur radio packets is
defined by the AX.25 protocol. Now it is useful to give a brief discussion of this protocol,
and another that fits “within” it.

Protocols: Rules for Working Together

Packet radio, like any communication, is only possible if all parties involved (i.e., sender,
receiver, and intermediate points on the route between them) agree on the rules for
organizing information and the rules for dealing with all steps of the transmission. These
rules are called “protocols,” or standards.

AX.25

The defacto standard protocol for amateur packet radio communication is AX.25 (level
2, version 2). For details on AX.25, see the ARRL publication, AX.25 Amateur Packet-

Radio Link-Layer Protocol.



Hint: You can set the KPC-3 Plus to use an earlier protocol, AX.25 (level 2, version

1)

Alternatives to AX.25

TCP/IP and the KISS protocol: The TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet

Protocol) suite of protocols require functionality not found in native AX.25 packets, so
Phil Karn KA9Q defined a protocol called KISS that implements TCP/IP functionality for
amateur radio. For further information on KISS see the KISS Mode section of the
“Modes of Operation” chapter.

XKISS is an extension of the KISS protocol, defined by John Wiseman G8BPQ.

For further information on XKISS, see the XKISS Mode section of the “Modes of

Operation” chapter

.

27

Inside a TNC – the KPC-3 Plus

To better understand the workings of your packet radio station, it is helpful to have an
overview of the major components of the TNC device at the center of your station.

In the early days of packet radio, TNC’s consisted primarily of a modem for
communicating with a transceiver and a special-purpose microprocessor called a PAD
(i.e., packet assembler/disassembler) used to process packets of information and
communicates with a computer or terminal.



As packet radio has developed, more and more features have been added, such as

memory and software dedicated to a “Personal Bulletin Board System” within the

TNC. The following diagram shows the most important internal components of a
TNC (the KPC-3 Plus). The diagram is not to scale. For a detailed example, see the
parts list and layout diagram for the KPC-3 Plus in the appendices of this manual.

Note: Other TNC’s may have different features than the KPC-3 Plus for example, the
ability to operate two radios at once.

28

This concludes the introduction to packet radio. The next chapter guides you through
the steps of installing your KPC-3 Plus.

Micro-processor

(optional)

Real Time

KPC-3 Plus Firmware/EPROM

Kantronics software,
stored in
“Electrically Programmable

Read-Only Memory”

* Programs to support

Interface modes
(ie Newuser,Terminal, Host

PBBS, Kiss, Xkiss, & GPS)

* Text for on-line Help

* Programs to support

other functions

(e.g., KA-NODES)

Modem

Lithium Battery:
power back-up for
RAM and optional
Real Time Clock

RAM (Random Access Memory)
The KPC-3 Plus ships with
128K of RAM, which may
be replaced by up to 512K of
RAM (e.g. to accommodate

a bigger PBBS Mailbox).

* Memory used for internal

functions (e.g. storing
parameter settings, assembling
and disassembling packets,
storing data from
packet connections,
KA-NODE support, and

Storing GPS tracking data

* Mailbox (PBBS) storage: Default

size is 100K (with 128K RAM).
User-configurable, within

limits of available RAM.

Inside the KPC-3 Plus

to computer and/or GPS device

to transceiver

29

Installing Your KPC-3 Plus

The goal of this chapter is to guide you as quickly as possible through the steps of
setting up your packet radio station.

The major steps involved in installing (i.e., connecting the parts) your packet radio
station are as follows:

 connect your KPC-3 Plus to a power source and confirm that the unit powers on

when it should,

 connect the “Computer” port on the KPC-3 Plus to a serial port on your computer,

install terminal communication software in the computer if necessary, and
configure the terminal software and the KPC-3 Plus so digital information can be
sent back and forth between the KPC-3 Plus and the serial port on the computer,

 connect the “Radio” port on your KPC-3 Plus to your transceiver and adjust the

volume of the transceiver, so the KPC-3 Plus can receive signals from the
transceiver for processing and the KPC-3 Plus can send signals to the
transceiver for transmission,

 (optionally) use the “Computer” port on the KPC-3 Plus to connect your KPC-3

Plus to a GPS device, so the KPC-3 Plus and the GPS device can send digital
information back and forth.

To show you where you are heading with the step-by-step configuration covered below,
we start with a brief section on equipment needs for your station and an overview
diagram that shows how the parts of your station will be connected when you are ready
to begin using it.

30

The Major Components of Your Station

This section describes the basic components needed for your packet radio station and
the connections between components that will be involved in the installation of your
station.

The KPC-3 Plus

Your KPC-3 Plus is going to be at the center of your packet radio station, so setting up
your station involves connecting other units to your KPC-3 Plus.

As shown below, the back of the unit has connectors to connect the KPC-3 Plus to your
transceiver, your computer (or a GPS device), and a power source:

Back Panel

Radio Port Computer Port Power Jack
DSUB-9 female DSUB-25 female 2.1 mm

Radio Port This DSUB-9 female connector accepts the cable from your

radio, for 1200 baud packet operation.

Computer This DSUB-25 female connector accepts the cable from your

computer serial port. The KPC-3 Plus communicates with
RS232 levels using standard ASCII characters for all
commands.

Power jack (2.1 mm) This connector is provided to apply external power (6 to 25 V

dc) to the KPC-3 Plus. The center post is the positive
connection and the sleeve is negative (ground).

Note: All Kantronics’ TNC's can operate without the computer being connected, once
they have been configured. For example, you can receive and store messages in the