Kantronics KAM Plus

So...
I found on my junk box a Kantronics Kam Plus modem. It stayed there about 2 years untill I found (yes, in my other junkbox) a 25 to 9 pin COM adapter...
I connected to a terminal and nothing happened, just garbage on my screen so I search on internet  and came to this reset procedure:

1)  Open the case
2)  With modem power off, install Reset Jumper, K6 (near the largest IC), on the two posts.  ( no need to touch the battery).
3)  Using terminal program (WinPack or others) with baud rate set to 1200, power on the modem.
Modem should respond with :

CHECKSUM OK
....RAM OK
128K BYTES
REPLACE TEST JUMPER

4) Power off the modem; return jumper K6 to one pin only.

5)  Power up the modem;  Watch for: 
PRESS (*) TO SET BAUD RATE*   (You must do this within 2 seconds).

ENTER YOUR CALLSIGN=>
ENTER YOUR CALLSIGN=> yo3hjv
yo3hjv
KANTRONICS ALL MODE COMMUNICATOR PLUS Version 8.2P
(C) COPYRIGHT 1988-1997 BY KANTRONICS INC.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
DUPLICATION PROHIBITED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF KANTRONICS.
cmd:

You should now be in NEW USER mode. 

6)   Check your call sign by typing    MYCALL

8)  To change from NEWUSER mode to TERMINAL mode type    INTERFACE  TERMINAL

cmd:in terminal
in terminal
INTFACE was NEWUSER
cmd:

9)  To change from 1200 baud (because Airmail doesn't go that slow)  type in ABAUD  0 
cmd:abaud 0
abaud 0
ABAUD was 1200
cmd:

Now, everything is ok , awaiting a proper radio and setup to test. Unfortunately, only CW and RTTY seems to be appropiate in these days since PACTOR, AMTOR and other modes like that ceased in favor of PSK.
Maybe this nice modem will find it's place as a APRS digipeater, who knows!

You can download the Kantronics KPC-3P (KAM Plus) from here.

A new repeater for the South of Romania

Well, we did it!


We manage to put a repeater on Furnica Peak (KN25RI) near Sinaia at 2000 m asl.
The repeater is a mixed one: it has voice capabilities in UHF (438.825 MHz with 7,6 MHz negative shift) and a Digipeater for Packet Radio and APRS on 144.800 MHz.
The repeater is performing well and is remote controlled.
A novelty for Romanian hams, the repeater has GSM Phone Patch! The phone patch is fully Break In as the repeater is working in duplex mode.

The voice repeater is based on two Motorola CM340 and a Zetron Model 30.
We used a Procomm duplexer and a Sommerkamp X41 antenna.
The coaxial cable is a Andrew Cellflex. The strike protection is made with Polyphaser units.
The digipeater is made with a TNC II clone and a Motorola M100 radio and has around 10W input.
We used a Diamond diplexer to use a single antenna because the conditions there are very rough.
The repeater has a Lead Acid battery (deep discharge) for backup (55Ah).



The repeater was sponsored by:

and made by:

(The Club Station of Romanian Society of Radioamateurs)

and some other enthusiastic hams like
YO3GDI, YO3FKJ, YO3AAS, YO3IHG and, of course, myself).

The coverage is very good; we heard stations from Brasov (over the Bucegi mountains), from Braila, from Pitesti and a very weak signal was put on the repeater from Constanta by Claudiu, YO4FYQ).
In Bucharest we can use a portable radio on the street, with aprox. 2,5W output which is very good!
As the tail can be reduced, the repeater is suitable to connect a crossband on remote places in order to have coverage for the remote areas with weak signal. Right now, experimental, a cross band is working in Bucharest, with 144.550MHz, CTCSS 203,5, simplex.

Here are some pictures (TNX YO3IHG) with the surroundings there:

... and, a final view before departing to our homes...