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KN4IM > KAM 21.02.95 13:24l 50 Lines 2698 Bytes #-11460 (0) @ WW
BID : 36917_N4CII
Read: DF7NZ DG5YM DB1VQ GUEST
Subj: HM2/KAM BOOT LOCKUPS FIXED
Path: DB0AAB<DB0KCP<DB0ULM<DB0LX<DB0RBS<DB0AIS<DB0NDK<DB0OVN<PI8AIR<SM2IRZ<
SK2AT<OH6RBG<OH6RBI<OH6RBC<OH6RDC<OH6RBV<F6CNB<WB0TAX<VE4KV<KJ4LQ<
N4YRZ<N4CII
Sent: 950219/0548Z @:N4CII.#CHS.SC.USA [Charleston] #:36917 Z:29472 FBB5.15
From: KN4IM@N4CII.#CHS.SC.USA
To : KAM@WW
Hi, name is Larry KN4IM@N4CII.#CHS.SC.USA.NOAM in Charleston, SC, USA.
I have 2 KAMs and a KAMPLUS and have always had some problems,
occasionally, with the KAMs locking up as Hostmaster boots up. It has
no pattern of lockups, it appears random. It used to lockup as I used
it from time to time. I solved that problem by unloading the poor little
microprocessor's overhead. This was done by reducing the terminal speed
from 9600 baud to 2400 baud. The lockups when connecting to someone on
Pactor complete stopped. Lockups sending binary files also stopped by
doing this.
But, I still had lockup problems at bootup, even at 2400 baud. I suspected
the processor was still being overrun. It appears I was right, in spite
of the "head-in-the-sand" attitude of Kantronics. I am a "heavy user".
I have my KAMPLUS hooked to both a very busy VHF network, with lots of
bbs activity, keyboarding, conferencing, file transfers going on all the
time. I am also a very active HF node on VERY busy 'NETWORK 105' on
14.105 Mhz. I have changed the way I boot up now and lockups stopped.
STEP 1 - TURN OFF ALL THE RADIOS! This stops the KAM from processing
ALL THAT NOISE, DATA, ACKS, BEACONS. This REALLY unloads it!
STEP 2 - Boot Hostmaster (or KAGOLD if you use it). Now the KAM doesn't
have anything to do except service the 2400 baud port and the
HOST mode terminal software's instructions.
STEP 3 - Turn on all the radios again, load 'er back up!
Try it, especially you "heavy users".
It's too bad that tnc manufacturers don't have the R&D budgets to improve
our ham packet systems. I guess we are just too small a market. We all
sit here with massive computer systems capable of running the entire
military war effort of a major nation...but have a Z-80 type antequated
processor running our tnc. Multiple old processors, like AEA uses, don't
seem to be the answer. Someone, someday, is gonna set 'em on their
collective ears with a slick 32-bit multiport tnc that not only has
unlimited speed, memory, nodes, gateways...but also includes a hard drive
for the BUILTIN BBS and mail system, has a software based operating system
that boots from the hard drive like your computer. The tnc floppy would
be used to archive mail and be the input device for slick new first and
second source software upgrades...not some silly 512kX1bit EPROM vying
for 64K partitions with mailbox RAM. We can only dream.....(sigh)
Send flames and flowers to the above address. Stations without this
problem here are all one port (my KPC-3 NEVER LOCKS) or occasional users.
73, Larry KN4IM/KN4IM-7 14105/10145/7091/3607 packet....
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