GB7WIN Crab Wood, Winchester

GB7WIN was commissioned on 23rd March 2025 by Alan G8IPG and Jason M0MZF as part of South West Hampshire Raynet's wider project to provide digital voice and data services to amateurs across the wider area and as a spiritual successor to GB7SOU. Thanks to Matt 2E0HKD for his continuing involvement in BPQ node configuration and to all the OARC packet community for helping us along the way.

Live network map https://nodes.ukpacketradio.network/packet-network-map.html?rfonly=1
Live traffic monitor at http://gb7win.ddns.net:50650
Get on WhatsPac :) http://whatspac.m0ahn.co.uk:88/

Location

Crab Wood, Winchester, IO91hb
SU 45002 29687
51.064761 , -1.3591662
51°03′53″N , 001°21′33″W

Current and planned ports

Port	Frequency	Antenna	NinoTNC Mode	ERP / Dev.	Status	Neighbors	WebSDR
2	144.9375MHz 12.5KHz FM	V Omni 3dBd 40mAGL	0101 QPSK 3k6 IL2P+CRC	14dBW 2.4KHz	active	GB7RDG GB7BSK GB7WOD GB7BDH	SUWS
4	70.4875MHz 12.5KHz FM	V Omni 0dBd 7mAGL	-	-	planned
6	50.650MHz 12.5KHz FM	V Omni 0dBd 40mAGL	1011 QPSK 2k4 IL2P+CRC	13dBW 2.4KHz	active	GB7BDH GB7RDG	Wessex
7	432.650MHz 12.5KHz FM	V 180° 5dBd 7mAGL	0011 C4SK 9k6 IL2P+CRC	-	licensed	GB7SOU?

Coverage Maps

Simulations from radiomobileonline; Outstation antenna 12m AGL; Strong signal 15dBuV/m, Weak Signal 3dBuV/m, Path “reliability” 95%

2m plot, 4dBi antenna	6m plot, 2.2dBi antenna

Technical

Hardware

Modified Comet GP-15N @ ~40m AGL / ~200m ASL, 55m Andrews LDF7-50A, 14dBW ERP
Raspberry Pi 5 / Raspberry Pi OS (Debian Bookworm) / 256GB NVMe SSD
Meanwell HRP-100-12 PSU
GPIO Relays for remote power switching, Dallas 1-wire temperature sensor for radio
External 12V switched power & USB for future expansion
2m: Motorola GM380 (data in / flat audio out)
6m: Alinco DR-M06TH (modulator / discriminator tapped)
2x NinoTNC A4 v3.42 firmware
CM108 on NinoTNC RX audio tap for 1k2 AX.25 decode (Direwolf 1.7)

LinBPQ

Version

G8BPQ AX25 Packet Switch System Version 6.0.24.69 March 2025 (G8BPQ beta)

Last updated

Fri 2025-04-25 06:44:12 BST

Global

;T3=540                 ; L2 validation timer - increase from default 180 (3min)
;IDLETIME=2700          ; L2 idle link shutdown timer - increase from default 900 (15min)
MINQUAL=50              ; Minimum quality to add nodes to the table
L4COMPRESS=1            ; Enable compression on L4 links
NODESINTERVAL=60        ; Broadcast / expect nodes every 60min
OBSINIT=6               ; Initial OBS counter for an added node
OBSMIN=4                ; Minimum OBS number to select broadcasted nodes
L3TIMETOLIVE=25         ; L3 maximum hops count
L4DELAY=10              ; L4 delayed ACK timer
L4RETRIES=6             ; L4 retry count, default=3, increased to 6
L4TIMEOUT=120           ; L4 Timeout increased to 2min
PACLEN=236              ; Max out NETROM frames

Routes

ROUTES:
M0MZF-1,192,2
GB7WOD,192,2

; Prioritise RDG on 6m
GB7RDG,192,6
GB7RDG,191,2

; Prioritise BDH on 6m
GB7BDH,192,6
GB7BDH,191,2

;GB7BSK,192,2
;MB7NPW,192,6
***

RF Ports

PORT
  PORTNUM=2
  ID=144.9375MHz/Nino-0101/QPSK/3k6
  M0LTEMapInfo=RF,144.9375,QPSK,3600,3600,Mixed
  TYPE=ASYNC
  PROTOCOL=KISS
  KISSOPTIONS=ACKMODE
  COMPORT=/dev/tnc-2m
  SPEED=57600
  TXDELAY=100            ;msec, Seems OK for a relay-switched 857d
  TXTAIL=1               ;msec, Needed to prevent NinoTNC sending 30msec tail
  FRACK=7000             ;msec, Busy channel, 7sec ACK timeout
  PACLEN=236             ;bytes, 236 is max for a NETROM frame
  MAXFRAME=4             ;no., Default frames before ACK
  RESPTIME=600           ;msec, Delay time before L2 ACK (256*8)/3600=568
  SLOTTIME=100           ;msec, Wait time before checking PERSIST again
  PERSIST=255            ;255/(# hidden stations on link - 1) but we can hear everyone
  DIGIFLAG=0             ;Don't digipeat (=1 all, =255 UI only)
  QUALITY=10             ;Nodes heard on this port get this quality
  MINQUAL=50             ;Therefore do not broadcast nodes heard on this port
  NODESPACLEN=160        ;Keep NODES broadcast shorter to help decode
;  QUALADJUST=100        ; % by which to reduce quality if the best neighbor is on the same port, needs tuning
  NONORMALIZE=1          ;Disable node quality normalisation algorithm
  IGNOREUNLOCKEDROUTES=1 ;Locked routes only
ENDPORT

PORT
  PORTNUM=6
  ID=50.650MHz/Nino-1011/BPSK/2k4
  M0LTEMapInfo=RF,50.650,QPSK,2400,2400,Backbone
  TYPE=ASYNC
  PROTOCOL=KISS
  KISSOPTIONS=ACKMODE
  COMPORT=/dev/tnc-6m
  SPEED=57600
  TXDELAY=180            ;msec, DR-M06 takes ~150msec to key up
  TXTAIL=1               ;msec, Needed to prevent NinoTNC sending 30msec tail
  FRACK=4000             ;msec, Needs tuning
  PACLEN=160             ;bytes, 236 is max for a NETROM frame
  MAXFRAME=4             ;Default no. frames before ACK
  RESPTIME=900           ;msec, Delay time before L2 ACK (256*8)/2400=853
  SLOTTIME=100           ;msec, Wait time before checking PERSIST again
  PERSIST=255            ;255/(# hidden stations on link - 1) - but we can hear everyone
  DIGIFLAG=0             ;Don't digipeat (=1 all, =255 UI only)
  QUALITY=10             ;Nodes heard on this port get this quality
  MINQUAL=50             ;Therefore do not broadcast nodes heard on this port
  NODESPACLEN=160        ;Keep NODES broadcast shorter to help decode
;  QUALADJUST=100         ; % by which to reduce quality if the best neighbor is on the same port, needs tuning
  NONORMALIZE=1          ;Disable node quality normalisation algorithm
  IGNOREUNLOCKEDROUTES=1 ;Locked routes only
ENDPORT

The Great South East INP3 Experiment

Testing INP3 in the local area; GB7BDH, M1BFP, GB7BSK, MB7NPW, GB7RDG, GB7WIN
Maybe GB7WOD? GB7WOK? GB7BRK? G7BCS?

MAXRTT=90 seems a bit high?
MAXHOPS=5 is probably a minimum?

Plan is to document this “better” over on the OARC Wiki but for posterity…

From discussion on Discord:

BPQ uses MAXRTT, round trip time
BPQ sends full nodes table only when a neighbour first appears
BPQ sends RTT probes every 4 minutes and accumulates RTT from these
BPQ does not use obsolescence counter, just propagates routes if they change
BPQ sends a node drop immediately
BPQ intends to replace NODES broadcasts with INP3, so to peer to neighbour a route must be defined in ROUTES:
XRouter requires a NODES broadcast to decide a peer is a router, then sends an L3RTT frame and if a response is heard then sends INP3 nodes at L4
XRouter uses MAXTT (one way) instead of MAXRTT
XRouter sends full nodes table at L4 10 minutes & when INP3 node appears
XRouter constantly updates TT from RX'd packets, SMOOTHED TT
XRouter sends L3RTT at L3 to neighbours every 5min to measure RTT
XRouter uses the existing(?) OBSCNT to drop old routes
XRouter resets OBSCNT after receiving a NODES table from neighbour
XRouter sends a node drop immediately

LinBPQ

Version

G8BPQ AX25 Packet Switch System Version 6.0.24.69 March 2025 (G8BPQ beta)

Last updated

Mon 2025-04-121 22:16:14 BST

Global

;T3=540                 ; L2 validation timer - increase from default 180 (3min)
;IDLETIME=2700          ; L2 idle link shutdown timer - increase from default 900 (15min)
MINQUAL=50              ; Minimum quality to add nodes to the table
L4COMPRESS=1            ; Enable compression on L4 links
NODESINTERVAL=60        ; Broadcast / expect nodes every 60min
OBSINIT=6               ; Initial OBS counter for an added node
OBSMIN=4                ; Minimum OBS number to select broadcasted nodes
L3TIMETOLIVE=25         ; L3 maximum hops count
L4DELAY=10              ; L4 delayed ACK timer
L4RETRIES=6             ; L4 retry count, default=3, increased to 6
L4TIMEOUT=120           ; L4 Timeout increased to 2min
PACLEN=236              ; Max out NETROM frames

Routes

ROUTES:				; Locked routes (31 maximum)
; CALLSIGN,QUALITY,PORT[,MAXFRAME,FRACK,PACLEN,INP3Flag]
GB7BDH,1,2,8,7000,236,1         ;Good to BDH on 2, intermittent on 6
GB7BDH,1,6,2,4000,160,1         ;Keep PACLEN lower on 6m

GB7RDG,1,2,8,7000,236,1         ;Good to RDG on 2, intermittent on 6
GB7RDG,1,6,2,4000,160,1         ;Keep PACLEN lower on 6

GB7BSK,1,2,8,7000,236,1         ;Good-ish to BSK on 2
MB7NPW,1,2,8,4000,120,1         ;Intermittent to NPW on 2, PACLEN low, try it out?

M0MZF-1,1,2,8,7000,236,1        ;Good paths to Sysops
G8IPG-1,1,2,8,7000,236,1         
***

RF Ports

PORT
  PORTNUM=2
  ID=144.9375MHz/Nino-0101/QPSK/3k6
  M0LTEMapInfo=RF,144.9375,QPSK,3600,3600,Mixed
  TYPE=ASYNC
  PROTOCOL=KISS
  KISSOPTIONS=ACKMODE
  COMPORT=/dev/tnc-2m
  SPEED=57600
  TXDELAY=100            ;msec, Seems OK for a relay-switched 857d
  TXTAIL=1               ;msec, Needed to prevent NinoTNC sending 30msec tail
  FRACK=7000             ;msec, Busy channel, 7sec ACK timeout
  PACLEN=236             ;bytes, 236 is max for a NETROM frame
  MAXFRAME=4             ;no., Default frames before ACK
  RESPTIME=600           ;msec, Delay time before L2 ACK (256*8)/3600=568
  SLOTTIME=100           ;msec, Wait time before checking PERSIST again
  PERSIST=51             ;255/(# hidden stations on link - 1) but we can hear everyone
  DIGIFLAG=0             ;Don't digipeat (=1 all, =255 UI only)

;INP3 tunables
  IGNOREUNLOCKEDROUTES=0 ;Peer to all
  QUALITY=0              ;Disable quality based routing
  INP3ONLY=1             ;Enable INP3 Only
  MAXRTT=90              ;sec, Max RTT to add INP3 node
  MAXHOPS=5              ;num, Max distance to other INP3 node
ENDPORT

PORT
  PORTNUM=6
  ID=50.650MHz/Nino-1011/BPSK/2k4
  M0LTEMapInfo=RF,50.650,QPSK,2400,2400,Backbone
  TYPE=ASYNC
  PROTOCOL=KISS
  KISSOPTIONS=ACKMODE
  COMPORT=/dev/tnc-6m
  SPEED=57600
  TXDELAY=180            ;msec, DR-M06 takes ~150msec to key up
  TXTAIL=1               ;msec, Needed to prevent NinoTNC sending 30msec tail
  FRACK=4000             ;msec, Needs tuning
  PACLEN=160             ;bytes, 236 is max for a NETROM frame
  MAXFRAME=4             ;Default no. frames before ACK
  RESPTIME=900           ;msec, Delay time before L2 ACK (256*8)/2400=853
  SLOTTIME=100           ;msec, Wait time before checking PERSIST again
  PERSIST=255            ;255/(# hidden stations on link - 1) - but we can hear everyone
  DIGIFLAG=0             ;Don't digipeat (=1 all, =255 UI only)

;INP3 tunables
  IGNOREUNLOCKEDROUTES=0 ;Peer to all
  QUALITY=0              ;Disable quality based routing
  INP3ONLY=1             ;Enable INP3 Only
  MAXRTT=90              ;sec, Max RTT to add INP3 node
  MAXHOPS=5              ;num, Max distance to other INP3 node
ENDPORT

Other FAC'd equipment on site

MB7UUW APRS Digipeater, 144.800 MHz
GB7CW DMR Repeater, South West Cluster, DVU48 439.600 MHz -9MHz, CC5, Slot 1 TG 9 Local, Slot 2 TG 950 Cluster

UK Packet Network Wiki

Table of Contents

GB7WIN Crab Wood, Winchester

Location

Current and planned ports

Coverage Maps

Technical

Hardware

LinBPQ

The Great South East INP3 Experiment

LinBPQ

Other FAC'd equipment on site