a friend told me there where new TNC on the Marked.
PIC-Based TNC
How to Connect a TNC with an CB Radio?!
PIC-Based TNC
How to Connect a TNC with an CB Radio?!
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How to connect a TNC?
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mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Are you outside of the USA and in a country where you can run FM legally on the CB band?
If not, you're going to have a heck of a time making a TNC work over AM/SSB with all the background noise, heterodynes, etc.
If you are, you'll need to figure out how to tap into a couple of different things..
You'll need to tie into the microphone leads.
You'll need a PTT connection
and you'll need a low level audio output.
You can probably do this off the microphone connector on the front of the radio and the external speaker jack on the rear. It'll be similar to what you'd do with an amateur transceiver.
If not, you're going to have a heck of a time making a TNC work over AM/SSB with all the background noise, heterodynes, etc.
If you are, you'll need to figure out how to tap into a couple of different things..
You'll need to tie into the microphone leads.
You'll need a PTT connection
and you'll need a low level audio output.
You can probably do this off the microphone connector on the front of the radio and the external speaker jack on the rear. It'll be similar to what you'd do with an amateur transceiver.
Yes, FM/ AM 4W + SSB 12W, 40 Channel
hmm so what should have a new radio to work with an TNC?
hmm so what should have a new radio to work with an TNC?
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
The specifics with your radio and your TNC will dictate things, but basically what I listed above is what you need.
It'd make life a lot easier if you found a matching microphone connector to do your connections. You do need some isolation between the microphone circuit and the TNC, if that isn't already built into the TNC, the manual for it should tell you.
Nothing specific you'd need on a new radio. The TNC's are designed to interface with the normal audio in/out found on an amateur radio
Just observe local laws about use. Running a TNC on a CB where it may not be legal will really stand out. The noise is pretty distinctive and the long transmission times makes it really easy to track down a signal.
Trade off is you'll get a slow speed data connection over a few miles. Probably looking at 9600 baud, so painfully slow by todays standards. Still, might be fun to play with.
It'd make life a lot easier if you found a matching microphone connector to do your connections. You do need some isolation between the microphone circuit and the TNC, if that isn't already built into the TNC, the manual for it should tell you.
Nothing specific you'd need on a new radio. The TNC's are designed to interface with the normal audio in/out found on an amateur radio
Just observe local laws about use. Running a TNC on a CB where it may not be legal will really stand out. The noise is pretty distinctive and the long transmission times makes it really easy to track down a signal.
Trade off is you'll get a slow speed data connection over a few miles. Probably looking at 9600 baud, so painfully slow by todays standards. Still, might be fun to play with.
sure its only for fun. Someone say that its for disaster prevention.
The following signal things are legal "F3D, F2B, G3D, G2B, A3D, A2D, J3D, J2D" i dont know that does it mean?!
The following signal things are legal "F3D, F2B, G3D, G2B, A3D, A2D, J3D, J2D" i dont know that does it mean?!
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
F3D is analog data. You're good.
Out of curiosity, do you know someone else with a TNC that you can communicate with? It's not much use if no one else in your area has one. You'll just be blindly transmitting packets that no one will hear.
jhooten
Member
You may want to look at 95.631 (e) and (f).
He's not in the US so FCC regulations don't apply.
ecps92
Member
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
He's not in the US and he says he's somewhere that FM on CB is legal, which is just about anywhere but US and Canada.
That question was already asked. I wish people would read the entire thread before commenting, but that's not likely to happen.
That question was already asked. I wish people would read the entire thread before commenting, but that's not likely to happen.
Wish folks would REALLY update their profiles (it was suggested to him months ago)
His location shows as AT which is Austria.
TNC's are quite common on the HF bands but only 1200 baud or maybe even slower.
I've heard a few running faster baud rates and in FM but in the 10 meter ham band. Never heard one in FM in the CB or 11 meter band but I have heard them in AM. Never bothered tuning one with mine and seeing if they are broadcasting anything useful or just looking for a QSO.
In the lower HF bands, yes, I've caught quite a few QSOs that last for long times using mostly AM mode.
There was a guy near me that has a 6 meter CW beacon that also transmitted a packet of data in FM from some device. Don't know if it was an actual TNC or something emulated in software but the modulation was FM while his CW beacon was CW. He just sent his call in CW mode but the packet data contained his coordinates and he was running that at 9600 baud.
His beacons were just propagation beacons and very low power so others could see if the band was open. I live less than 700 feet from this guy but his power was so low that it barely moved my s-meter on a 6 meter rig. I only found it by accident while tuning around one winter day and happened to see a signal visible on a spectrum analyzer. When I tuned to what seemed like the center frequency, it was the packet data signal but when I switched to an SSB mode, I could see it was a CW signal when he switched to CW mode. Once I made out his call, I then realized I could see his house from my rooftop!
I found that beacon over 10 years ago and it is still on the air today but he removed the packet beacon and it is CW only now.
Perhaps FM beacons are not legal in the part of the 6 meter band he was using.
On the amateur bands HF packet is traditionally 300 baud using SSB. It was very popular in the 80's but you don't hear it much any more.
jhooten
Member
Learn something new every day. Austrians always had AUT ovals on their cars in the days I was traveling the Autobahn.
Ok then,
from the Austrian CB regulations:
Original
Der Betrieb der HF-Sendearten F3D, F2B, G3D und G2B ist nur zusätzlich zur Sprachüber-tragung zulässig, wobei die NF-Signale dem Mikrophon bzw. der Mikrofonanschlußbuchse zugeführt werden müssen.
Translation
And the Bablefish translation:
The operation of HF transmission types F3D, F2B, G3D and G2B is only in addition to the voice over transmission permitted with the NF signals the microphone or the Fed to microphone jack need to be.
If you take the time and make the effort you will find that the 11 meter CB rules and regulations are pretty consistent around the world. Some day our government regulators may come to realize allowing FM would be a partial solution to the some of the interference problems we have here.
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ecps92
Member
Yes - some of learned that from his other postings, however not everyone knows that, especially in what is tradiationally a NA forum (North American) Being more clear will help, especially when folks begin to throw out the FCC or Industry Canada
My mistake - you are 100% correct.
300 baud was the common speed on the HF bands and 1200 was common on 2 meters and such.
Some TNCs also supported 2400 baud on the VHF bands but 1200 was the most common.
I started to dig my old MFJ 1278 cables but all I could find were ready made cables for some of my HF gear and some old 2 meter rigs. All my ham transceivers are mounted and a bear to access the rear panel where the TNC cables plugged in so everything went back in the closet faster than I pulled it out!
I do still have one MFJ1278 that had the 2400 baud modem option installed attached to an Yaesu FT-1000 and an FT-840. If I can find any packet signals in any of the HF bands, that TNC should copy it from one of those radios.
The other TNC says it is still hooked to an old Kenwood TR-7730 which is 2 meters only but I could not see a change in the TNC LEDs when I powered the old Kenwood on/off or switched the radio input on the TNC so I think I may have forgotten to attach the TNC cable the last time I had the 7730 out of its mount.
The other TNC still reacts to a signal from both the FT-1000 and the FT-840 but I only copied CW with it from both radios. At least those two radios are still hooked to that TNC but I did not hear any packet type signals to test with.
The TNCs still power up and amazingly still had almost the correct time. My call was also still present in both.
I'd installed whatever the largest diameter lithium coin cell made into them both years age and I guess it must have worked being as they both still contain the settings that the coin cell retained.
Man, that was a long time ago that I'd installed those large lithium coin cells! I think they are called a CR2450 or 2470 maybe, something like that.
Way larger than the original CR2032s were.
I found the neighbors nearby CW beacon still running on 50.075 about. The CW beacon message now says he's running 10 watts but no idea on his antenna and if its efficient at 6 meters. Probably is being as he's using it as a propagation beacon and it has been on the air for so many years now.
His signal is now deflecting my S-Meter up to about S-9 so he definitely changed something since I'd last tuned it.
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