Kantronics KPC-9612Plus_MX User guide

KPC-9612 Plus

User’s Guide: Introduction,

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

Kantronics

3115 W. 6th St., Suite A
Lawrence, Kansas 66049

Orders / Inquiries [phone]

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

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

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

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 2005-09-21 Added UIDUPE command. Added e-mail of Warranty information.
C 2005-09-26 Removed reference to Kantronics HSP cable.
D 2006-05-10 Changed Kantronics address to 3115 W. 6th St.
E 2006-08-22 Removed CE mark pending RoHS compliance.

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The KPC-9612 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. Production changes to the
TNC may add errata or addendum sheets. We solicit your comments and/or suggested corrections.

Please send your comments and/or suggestions to:

Kantronics Co., Inc.
3115 W. 6

th

St., Suite A

Lawrence, KS 66049.

Compiled in the U.S.A.

The KPC-9612 Plus is manufactured in the U.S.A.

© Copyright 2003 by Kantronics Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Contents of this publication or the firmware within the KPC-9612 Plus may not be reproduced in any form
without the written permission of the copyright owner.

KPC-9612 Plus is a registered trademark of Kantronics Co., Inc.
KPC-3 Plus is a registered trademarks of Kantronics Co., Inc.
KAM 98 and KAM XL are registered trademarks 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.

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Kantronics Warranty Registration

Please take the time to fill out the warranty registration form (or a copy of the form) and mail it to Kantronics,
including a copy of your sales receipt, to register your purchase. Kantronics must receive warranty registration
within 60 days of purchase of the Kantronics KPC-9612 Plus to be valid. Both must be on file at Kantronics in
order for you to receive warranty service. Refer to the warranty policy in this manual for further information.
Warranty Registration form and copy of sales receipt may be e-mailed to [e-mail].

Mail form and sales receipt to:

3115 W. 6th St., Suite A

LAWRENCE, KS 66049

Warranty Registration

Last Name: ________________________

First Name: ________________________ Call Sign: ___________________

Mailing Address

City: ______________________________ Telephone: _________________________

State: ______________________________ E-Mail: _________________________

Zip/Postal Code: _____________________

Country: ____________________________

Product: KPC-9612 Plus Serial #: ___________________________________

Date of Purchase: ___________________ Dealer: _________________________________________

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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 Co., Inc. 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.

i

v

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.

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 Company, Inc.
products or business practices may be directed to:

Customer Service Department
Kantronics Company, Inc.

3115 W. 6th St., Ste. A

Lawrence, KS 66049

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REVISIONS ..............................................................................................................................................................................................i

Kantronics Warranty Registration .......................................................................................................................................................iii

IMPORTANT: ........................................................................................................................................................................................ iv

License Agreement.................................................................................................................................................................................. iv

LIMITED WARRANTY......................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Return/Repair Procedures ....................................................................................................................................................................3

International Returns ......................................................................................................................................................................4

Radio Frequency Interference Statement .............................................................................................................................................6

RFI Suppression................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

FCC Declaration of Conformity:.......................................................................................................................................................... 7

CE Marking Considerations ........................................................................................................................................................... 7

Introduction.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 9

Welcome ..............................................................................................................................................................................................9

Overview of This “User’s Guide” Manual........................................................................................................................................... 9

Major Uses of Your KPC-9612 Plus.................................................................................................................................................... 9

Package Contents ............................................................................................................................................................................... 10

Additional Parts for Your Packet Radio Station................................................................................................................................. 10

Our Assumptions about You.............................................................................................................................................................. 11

Documentation Conventions.............................................................................................................................................................. 11

Overview of Packet Radio.................................................................................................................................................................. 11

Three Basic Components of a Packet Radio Station .................................................................................................................... 12

Sending a Message to Another Station......................................................................................................................................... 13

Packets: Dividing Messages into Segments..................................................................................................................................16

Protocols: Rules for Working Together........................................................................................................................................ 18

Inside a TNC – the KPC-9612 Plus....................................................................................................................................................18

Installing Your KPC-9612 Plus ............................................................................................................................................................21

The Major Components of Your Station............................................................................................................................................ 22

The KPC-9612 Plus...................................................................................................................................................................... 22

The Transceivers ..........................................................................................................................................................................23

The Computer............................................................................................................................................................................... 23

GPS Devices................................................................................................................................................................................. 24

How the Parts of Your Station are Connected....................................................................................................................................24

Connect Your KPC-9612 Plus to a Power Source ............................................................................................................................. 26

External Power from Your Bench (12 V dc)................................................................................................................................ 26

External Power Transformed from 120 V ac Mains..................................................................................................................... 27

Connect your KPC-9612 Plus to Your Computer.............................................................................................................................. 27

Your Serial Communication Cable............................................................................................................................................... 27

Installing the 232 Cable................................................................................................................................................................ 30

Configure Your KPC-9612 Plus.........................................................................................................................................................31

HyperTerminal® ..........................................................................................................................................................................31

AUTOBAUD................................................................................................................................................................................ 32

Setting Basic Communication Parameters....................................................................................................................................32

Trouble-Shooting Difficulties in Communicating........................................................................................................................ 34

Connect Your KPC-9612 Plus to Your Transceiver .......................................................................................................................... 34

Parts for Connecting Your KPC-9612 Plus to Your Transceiver .................................................................................................35

Preparing the Transceiver Cable Assembly.................................................................................................................................. 35

Connecting Your Transceiver Cable Assembly............................................................................................................................43

Adjusting the Receive Volume of Your Transceiver.................................................................................................................... 44

Transmit level adjustment ............................................................................................................................................................ 44

Port 2: Connecting to a “High Speed” Radio..................................................................................................................................... 45

Adjusting High Speed Transmit Drive Level............................................................................................................................... 47

vi

djusting High Speed Receive Circuits ....................................................................................................................................... 47

A

Connecting to a GPS Device (Optional) ............................................................................................................................................ 48

Getting Started....................................................................................................................................................................................... 49

The Front Panel of the KPC-9612 Plus.............................................................................................................................................. 49

Beginning a Session ........................................................................................................................................................................... 51

Giving Commands and Transmitting Data......................................................................................................................................... 51

NC Commands................................................................................................................................................................................. 52

T

NEWUSER Commands................................................................................................................................................................ 52

Using NEWUSER Commands........................................................................................................................................................... 54

Check Your KPC-9612 Plus’ Version Number and ID................................................................................................................ 55

Get Help .......................................................................................................................................................................................55

View Current Values of Parameters ............................................................................................................................................. 55

Change the Value of a Parameter .................................................................................................................................................55

Connect to Your Mailbox................................................................................................................................................................... 56

Monitor Communications From Nearby Stations .............................................................................................................................. 57

Communicate Directly with a Nearby Station....................................................................................................................................58

Switch from Port 1 to Port 2 .............................................................................................................................................................. 59

Other Topics....................................................................................................................................................................................... 59

Modes of Operation ............................................................................................................................................................................... 61

Packet Mode of Operation.................................................................................................................................................................. 61

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................. 61

Command Mode ........................................................................................................................................................................... 62

Connected vs. Unproto ................................................................................................................................................................. 62

Monitoring and Calling CQ.......................................................................................................................................................... 62

A Simple Connect.........................................................................................................................................................................63

Digipeating ................................................................................................................................................................................... 64

Gateways ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 65

Multi-Connects............................................................................................................................................................................. 65

Round Table Discussions ............................................................................................................................................................. 66

Selective Monitoring ....................................................................................................................................................................66

Timing ..........................................................................................................................................................................................66

Flow Control................................................................................................................................................................................. 68

Convers Mode vs. Transparent Mode........................................................................................................................................... 70

Getting Out of Transparent........................................................................................................................................................... 70

Remote Access to Your TNC............................................................................................................................................................. 71

PBBS (Personal Mailbox) .................................................................................................................................................................. 73

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................. 73

Using Your PBBS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 73

PBBS Commands ......................................................................................................................................................................... 74

Sending Messages ........................................................................................................................................................................77

Listing Messages .......................................................................................................................................................................... 79

Reading Messages ........................................................................................................................................................................79

Editing Message Headers ............................................................................................................................................................. 79

Hierarchical Addresses................................................................................................................................................................. 81

Advanced Configuration of Your PBBS ...................................................................................................................................... 82

Remote SYSOP Access to the PBBS ........................................................................................................................................... 83

Reverse Forwarding Messages from Your Mailbox..................................................................................................................... 84

Selecting a Home Full-Service BBS.............................................................................................................................................84

Paging................................................................................................................................................................................................. 88

Introduction to Paging .................................................................................................................................................................. 88

Commercial Paging ......................................................................................................................................................................89

Amateur Paging............................................................................................................................................................................ 90

Setting Up a Paging System ......................................................................................................................................................... 91

Using Page Commands................................................................................................................................................................. 95

Page Server................................................................................................................................................................................... 98

GPS NMEA Interfacing Capability.................................................................................................................................................. 101

7

verview .................................................................................................................................................................................... 101

O

GPS Equipment Requirements ................................................................................................................................................... 102

Cabling a GPS Unit to a Kantronics TNC.................................................................................................................................. 102

Configuring a Kantronics TNC for GPS Operation....................................................................................................................103

GPS Operations .......................................................................................................................................................................... 105

Other GPS Features .................................................................................................................................................................... 105

PS Command Summary........................................................................................................................................................... 106

G

Advanced GPS (or APRS®) Digipeating................................................................................................................................... 107

Bibliography............................................................................................................................................................................... 112

Vendors Supplying GPS Units ................................................................................................................................................... 113

KA-Node.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 114

Overview .................................................................................................................................................................................... 114

Configuring Your KA-Node....................................................................................................................................................... 115

Using a KA-Node....................................................................................................................................................................... 115

Automatic Disconnect ................................................................................................................................................................ 118

Using the XCONNECT Command ............................................................................................................................................118

Determining Which Port You Have Connected To.................................................................................................................... 119

KA-Node Commands for Remote Use....................................................................................................................................... 119

K-Net..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 122

Introduction to Basic Packet Networking.........................................................................................................................................122

Basic Networking Guidelines..................................................................................................................................................... 123

Quick Start.................................................................................................................................................................................. 123

Command Section ......................................................................................................................................................................125

Fine-tuning Your K-Net Node.................................................................................................................................................... 138

Node Stacking ............................................................................................................................................................................141

TheNET X1-J I K-Net Cross-reference Guide ........................................................................................................................... 145

Other Modes of Operation................................................................................................................................................................ 147

Remote Sensing and Control...................................................................................................................................................... 147

Modem Mode ............................................................................................................................................................................. 148

Kantronics Host Mode Operation............................................................................................................................................... 149

KISS Mode................................................................................................................................................................................. 150

XKISS (Extended KISS) Mode.................................................................................................................................................. 151

DAMA (Slave Mode) Capacity.................................................................................................................................................. 151

Command Reference ...........................................................................................................................................................................154

Introduction...................................................................................................................................................................................... 154

Format for Listing Commands ...................................................................................................................................................154

Format Defining Commands ...................................................................................................................................................... 155

Parameter Types......................................................................................................................................................................... 156

Entering Commands ................................................................................................................................................................... 158

KPC-9612 Plus Commands.............................................................................................................................................................. 160

Appendix A: Advanced Installation ................................................................................................................................................... 226

Precautions....................................................................................................................................................................................... 226

Cable Wiring .................................................................................................................................................................................... 226

Diagram of Pin Numbers on DSUB-25 Connector .................................................................................................................... 226

Connecting to the Computer (DSUB-25)......................................................................................................................................... 227

Cable Wiring ..............................................................................................................................................................................227

Optional Wiring.......................................................................................................................................................................... 228

Software settings ........................................................................................................................................................................229

Connecting to your Radios............................................................................................................................................................... 229

Interfacing Hand-Held Radios (Port 1 only)...............................................................................................................................231

Optional Connections to DSUB-9 Radio Port............................................................................................................................ 232

Port 2: High Speed (e.g., 9600 Baud)......................................................................................................................................... 232

Appendix B: Advanced Information.................................................................................................................................................. 235

Assembly and Disassembly.............................................................................................................................................................. 235

Hard Reset........................................................................................................................................................................................ 235

Calibration/Equalization...................................................................................................................................................................236

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ort 1: 1200 baud .......................................................................................................................................................................236

P

Port 2: High-speed Port ..............................................................................................................................................................237

PTT (Push-to-Talk) Watchdog Timer.............................................................................................................................................. 238

Microprocessor Watchdog Timer..................................................................................................................................................... 238

A/D Converter.................................................................................................................................................................................. 238

KPC-9612 Plus Jumpers................................................................................................................................................................... 239

umper Locations........................................................................................................................................................................239

J

KPC-9612 Plus Jumper Descriptions: ........................................................................................................................................ 240

Appendix C: Options for the KPC-9612 Plus.................................................................................................................................... 243

Low Power Operation ...................................................................................................................................................................... 243

Very Low Power Operation........................................................................................................................................................ 243

Expanding the RAM in the KPC-9612 Plus..................................................................................................................................... 243

Replacing the Lithium Battery ......................................................................................................................................................... 244

Appendix D: In Case of Difficulty ......................................................................................................................................................245

KPC-9612 Plus Does Not “Sign-On” to Computer.......................................................................................................................... 245

You Are Unable to Make a “Connect”............................................................................................................................................. 245

Cannot Transmit............................................................................................................................................................................... 246

Cannot Return to Command Mode ..................................................................................................................................................246

Getting Out of Host Mode................................................................................................................................................................ 246

Appendix E: Additional Information................................................................................................................................................. 248

Specifications................................................................................................................................................................................... 248

Messages from the KPC-9612 Plus.................................................................................................................................................. 250

ASCII Chart .....................................................................................................................................................................................256

......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 256

KPC-9612 Plus Parts List................................................................................................................................................................. 257

KPC-9612 Plus Parts Layout............................................................................................................................................................ 259

KPC–9612 Plus MX Circuit Card Assembly parts list..................................................................................................................... 260

KPC–9612 Plus MX CCA optional parts......................................................................................................................................... 266

KPC–9612 Plus schematic* .............................................................................................................................................................266

KPC–9612 Plus MX Schematic, drawing Nr 002-0003-01*............................................................................................................266

KPC–9612 Plus MX Parts Layout, drawing Nr 300-0003-01*........................................................................................................ 267

*Other PDF files ..............................................................................................................................................................................267

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), to Kantronics Co., Inc.,
Kansas 66049 USA. Or by e-mail to [e-mail].

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

1. WARRANTY. Kantronics Co., Inc. (“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.

3115 W. 6th St., Suite A, Lawrence,

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 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

1

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:

UNIT: KPC-9612 Plus.

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

MEDIA: EPROMS, diskettes, CDs, video or audio cassettes, 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 Kantronics Co.,
Inc., by mail at 3115 W. 6

th

St., Suite A, Lawrence, Kansas 66049 USA; by fax at 785-842-2031; or

by phone at our Service/Technical Support number 785-842-4476 (Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time, M-F). 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.)

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 a minimum charge of
one-half hour labor rate 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 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.

2

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

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, e-mail 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 letter, 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.

Here are the contact numbers:

Kantronics Co., Inc.
3115 W. 6

th

St., Suite A

3

Lawrence, KS 66049

Service phone line: 785-842-4476
Service fax line: 785-842-2031
Service e-mail address: [e-mail]
Website address: http://

www.kantronics.com

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 e­mail 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.

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.

Contact the Service Department at 785-842-4476 (Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon and 1:00 p.m. to
5:00 p.m. Central Time, M-F) to obtain a Return Authorization number. Repaired units will be returned
via UPS 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



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.

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

 All returns must be shipped to the factory at 3115 W. 6

th

St., Suite A, Lawrence, KS 66049 U.S.A.

 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.

4

 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.”



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

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

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.

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

• 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.

5

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 is also
cautioned that any peripheral device installed with this equipment must be connected with a high­quality 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.

6

• 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.

FCC Declaration of Conformity:

NOTE: This equipment, Kantronics’ KPC-9612 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 Power, Port 1 (1200 speed), Port 2 (high-speed), and Computer must be
< 3 m in length

• Cables for GPS use on the Computer port, control output on Port 1, or control output or A/D input

on Port 2 may be  3 m in length

• All cables, except for the Power 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

7

8

Introduction

Welcome

Welcome to the Kantronics KPC-9612 Plus, your pathway to amateur radio packet communication.

Please review this chapter before you install your KPC-9612 Plus as part of your packet radio station.

Overview of This “User’s Guide” Manual

This user’s guide provides documentation on the KPC-9612 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-9612 Plus packet radio station and making your first

connections.

• Getting started using your KPC-9612 Plus

• Documentation for each mode of operation of your KPC-9612 Plus.

• A full “Command Reference”, documenting all KPC-9612 Plus commands.

• Full details on KPC-9612 Plus jumpers, a full parts list, and other technical specifications.

Major Uses of Your KPC-9612 Plus

By adding the KPC-9612 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-9612 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

• serve as a digipeater for other stations

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• 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-9612 Plus unit

 parts to use in assembling cabling

• Male DSUB-9 connector for radio port 1

• Male DSUB-15 connector for radio port 2

• Two 3-foot (0.91 m) lengths of 5-conductor shielded cable to connect the KPC-9612 Plus to

your radio

• 2.1 mm power connector

 This “User’s Guide” manual on CD-ROM

IMPORTANT: Check the serial number and EPROM version of your KPC-9612 Plus and record this
information.

Additional Parts for Your Packet Radio Station

In addition to your KPC-9612 Plus unit, you will need the following parts to set up your packet radio
station:

 One or two FM transceivers

 A microphone (Mic) plug or accessory jack connector (plug) for your radio

 A receive audio connection (plug) (may be part of accessory jack connector)

 A computer (or other RS232 terminal device)

 A serial modem cable, used to connect the KPC-9612 Plus to your computer

 A 12 V dc power supply or power adapter

1

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 IBM compatible computers, 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-9612 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-9612 Plus commands are covered in the “Command Reference” section of
this manual.

Note: Reference to 232 is the serial communications standard, which was RS-232 but is now
EIA/TIA-232.

Note: For explanations of prefixes for binary multiples see
http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/binary.html.

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

1

 A brief discussion of protocols

KPC

-9612 Plus

 An overview of the insides of the KPC-9612 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.

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).

Antenna

Transceiver

TNC

Terminal Node Controller

Computer

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).

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(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 reach KBØNYK’s station
directly, but that it can be picked up and repeated by an intermediate station, NØKN, 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 NØKN. 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-9612 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-9612 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 NØKN 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 sent 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., NØKN), is 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

1

the computer monitor confirming that WØXI is now connected, through intermediate station
NØKN, 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”).

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 NØKN, 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-9612 Plus) transforms the signal from

1

audio to digital, analyzes 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, NØKN registers that the packet designates NØKN 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, NØKN 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 NØKN, and currently set
to display messages on a computer screen. So the “HELLO” message re-transmitted by
NØKN arrives at KBØNYK’s TNC (e.g., a KPC-9612 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. NØKN’s TNC now recognizes another packet which has its callsign in the address path,

requesting it to be digipeated. NØKN’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.

Packets: Dividing Messages into Segments

Efficient ways 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.

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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 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.

1

How a Packet is Organized

“beginning of packet”

And up to 8 intermediate stations

and other control information

Data may have 1 to 256 bytes

“end of packet”

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:

Single character for

Destination station, Source station,

Kind of packet, packet number,

Optional Data with protocol ID

16 bits derived from this
packet used to check for
errors in transmission

Single character for

Flag Address Control PID Data Checksum Flag

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 which there are several kinds) and unnumbered packets. To
learn more about these, see the documentation for the KPC-9612 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

1

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-9612 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.

Inside a TNC – the KPC-9612 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, TNCs 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 communicate with a computer
or terminal.



Note: Other Kantronics TNCs may have different features than the KPC-9612 Plus—for example,
single-port rather than multi-port support, no support for paging.

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-9612 Plus). The
diagram is not to scale. For a detailed example, see the parts list and layout diagram for the
KPC-9612 Plus in the appendices of this manual.

1

PBBS, Kiss,

Xkiss, & GPS)

* Text for on-line Help

Real Time Clock

limits of available RAM.

Computer and/or

modem

GPS device

Inside the

Transceiver 1

Transceiver 2

Micro-processor

Real Time

Clock

KPC-9612 Plus Firmware
Kantronics software,
stored in EEPROM
“Electrically Programmable
Read-Only Memory”

* Programs to support
Interface modes
(i.e. Newuser, Terminal, Host

* Programs to support
other functions
(e.g., KA-NODES)

Port 1:

Low-speed

RAM (Random Access Memory)
The KPC-9612 Plus ships with
128 KiB of RAM, which may
be replaced by up to 512 KiB 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

Port 2:

High-speed

* Mailbox (PBBS) storage: Default
size is 100 KiB (128 KiB RAM).

Lithium Battery:
power back up
for RAM and

User-configurable, within

This concludes the introduction to packet radio. The next chapter guides you through the steps of
installing your KPC-9612 Plus.

1

Installing Your KPC-9612 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-9612 Plus to a power source and confirm that the unit powers on when it

• connect the “Computer” port on the KPC-9612 Plus to a serial port on your computer, install

• connect the “Radio” port 1 (low-speed port) on your KPC-9612 Plus to your transceiver and adjust

The KPC-9612 Plus is a multi-port device, with a low speed port (port 1) and a high speed port
(port 2), each of which may be connected to different transceivers. Unless otherwise noted, the
steps involved for installing the two radio-to-transceiver connections are the same. Here, we
assume you will be using both ports, but we do not repeat installation steps for port 2 that are
the same as for the low speed port. The original KPC-9612 Plus also supported an add-on
board (for a third port), but since each board had its own characteristics, each board was
shipped with its own installation and user documentation; those add-on boards are no longer
produced by Kantronics.

should,

terminal communication software in the computer if necessary, and configure the terminal
software and the KPC-9612 Plus so digital information can be sent back and forth between the
KPC-9612 Plus and the serial port on the computer,

the volume of the transceiver, so the KPC-9612 Plus can receive signals from the transceiver for
processing and the KPC-9612 Plus can send signals to the transceiver for transmission,



• (Optionally) use the “Computer” port on the KPC-9612 Plus to connect your KPC-9612 Plus to a

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.

Once you learn how to connect radio port 1 to a transceiver, you can use the same steps to
connect radio port 2 (a high speed port) to another transceiver,

GPS device, so the KPC-9612 Plus and the GPS device can send digital information back and
forth.

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.

2