Beginning Packet Radio Information, by Steve Stroh N8GNJ One of the most frequently asked questions on the Northeast Ohio Packet Radio Voice Net (Wednesday evenings, 146.82 repeater, 7:30 P.M., of which I am net control), is the question of where someone who is relatively new to Packet (or thinking of getting into it) can get some information. The following list of sources is my personal list of the best ways to learn about Packet. The best book about Packet in my opinion is Get *** Connected to Packet Radio by Jim Grubbs, K9EI. It is published by QSKY Publishing, P.O. Box 3042, Springfield, Illinois 62708. I forget what the price was when I bought the book, but I believe it was around $10.00. If I had to choose one source to get introduced to Packet, this would be it. Although I haven't yet seen it, I'm told that the 1987 edition of the ARRL Handbook has an excellent chapter on digital communications in general, and Packet in particular. Available from the ARRL for $18.00. An excellent source of current information about Packet is Packet Radio Magazine. PRM is published by the Florida Amateur Digital Communications Association, Inc., 812 Childer's Loop, Brandon, Florida 33511, 813/689-3355. Subscriptions to PRM can be obtained either by joining FADCA or the Tuscon Amateur Packet Radio Corporation, P.O. Box 22888, Tucson, Arizona 85734, 602/746-1166. Membership in either group is $15.00 per year. TAPR is primarily a Research and Development group, and is responsible for the TNC-1, TNC-2, the forthcoming Network Node Controller, software development, and host of other Packet projects. FADCA is primarily a Florida group, responsible for coordinating Packet activity in Florida. The ARRL publishes a biweekly newsletter about Packet called Gateway: The ARRL Packet Radio Newsletter. It has good up to date information and is published biweekly. It is available from the ARRL, 225 Main Street, Newington, Connecticut 06111. For 25 issues, the price is $6.00 for ARRL members, and $9.00 for nonmembers. 73 magazine features a monthly column on Packet written by Harold Price NK6K, one of the major movers and shakers in the Packet Radio world. 73 also published an excellent issue devoted strictly to Packet; the August 1986 issue. A subscription to 73 is $19.97 for 12 issues. Back issues of the Packet edition are available from 73 for $3.50 plus $1.00 shipping and handling. 73's address is 73 Magazine, Attn. Back Issue Department, WGE Center, Peterborough, New Hampshire, 03458-1194. Another magazine that features lots of information about Packet is Computer Trader Magazine. It is published by Chet Lambert, W4WDR, 1704 Sam Drive, Birmingham, Alabama 35235, 205/854-0271. Subscriptions are $15.00 for 1 year. Spec-Comm (formerly A-5) magazine is also featuring more information. Although the magazine is primarily devoted to Amateur Television, the editor, Mike Stone WB0QCD, is trying to diversify the coverage of the magazine to all of the specialized modes of Amateur Radio. Advanced Electronics Applications used to have a package of information about Packet free for the asking. You can write or call them at AEA, Inc., P.O. Box C-2160, Lynnwood, Washington 98036-0918, 206/775-7373. For those of you that have computers equipped with modems, there are two other sources of information. The first is the CompuServe Information Service. One of the more active Special Interest Groups is Hamnet. The TAPR group has chosen CompuServe/Hamnet as their official electronic mail system, and as such carries a lot of good information before it becomes generally available in print or enters the Packet network. You can get more information about CompuServe by writing to them at 5000 Arlington Centre Boulevard, Columbus, Ohio, 43220, 614/457-8600. If you're already a member of CompuServe, simply GO HAMNET. Another online source of Packet information is a Computer Bulletin Board System run by Pac-Comm, a Florida manufacturer of TNC's. The number of the Pac-Comm BBS is 813/874-3078. The Pac-Comm BBS can support 300, 1200, and 2400 baud. A few articles about Packet follow: H. Price, "What's All This Racket About Packet," QST, July, 1985. H. Price, "Packet Radio-A Closer Look," QST, August, 1985. M. Morrison, D. Morrison, and L. Johnson, "Amateur Packet Radio Part 1 and Part 2," Ham Radio, July and August, 1983. L. Johnson, "Join the Packet Radio Revolution Parts 1, 2,and 3," 73, September, 1983; October, 1983; and January, 1984. Finally, there is usually a monthly meeting of the North East Ohio Packet Users Group, an informal group with no dues or formal membership, which gets together to talk about all things Packet. The meetings are usually held (as of this writing, at least) at the Cuyahoga Savings Bank, 21945 Chagrin Boulevard, on the far East side of Cleveland. Meetings are announced on the Northeast Ohio PBBS' and the Northeast Ohio Packet Voice Net several weeks in advance.