[drats_users] AGWPE

[Craig]

Dan etal. 

I use AGWPE and AGWPE Pro all the time.  On some machines and especially with the free version, I find the sound card TNC can be flaky.  The Pro edition is much better and much more stable.  The best feature of AGW is the IP interface.  This make communicating with it much easier for programmers.  Further, the ability to run multiple TNC sessions over the software is a huge advantage.  I run a digital net here in St. Louis every week.  I often run two or more TNC connections simultaneously as ARES members check in. Being able to support multiple connections at the same time in a net is a huge advantage. This makes running the ARES Packet net a thousand times simpler.

I also have several real TNCs as well.  I find that AGW is a big advantage even with a regular TNC.  I have a WinLink RMS Relay Station running a KPC-3+.  With AGWPE, I can run AGWTerm and Outpost all at the same time.  Of course, each of the programs have to have a separate SSID to communicate to AGWPE.   You can't do that with a serially connected TNC without AGW.  AGW makes it possible.    

Our ARES group has standardized on AGWPE and AGWTerm for this reason.   I love D-RATS as it is a phenomenal tool.  Unfortunately, not everyone in our area runs D-STAR.  Being able to manage both a D-STAR connection and a Packet connection is significant interoperatability advantage for us.  I hope that Dan will continue to integrate an AGW interface into D-RATS so I can bridge between the two digital systems in our area.  

You may find it interesting to note that the same group who put up the D-STAR network also runs and maintains the Packet Network.  Today, the Missouri Emergency Packet Network (MEPN) connects St. Louis across the state to the State EOC in Jefferson City.  In the near future, it will connect St. Louis to Kansas City and Springfield.  We don't have the same wireless network connections for the three D-STAR systems in the State.  However, we can connect via the Internet.

Thanks,
DE K4LSU, Craig 


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