- KFQBBS – KFQBBS is a full service BBS. It is one of two in the area. It has been in service for many years. It is located in Branson MO but is easily accesed by connecting through the SGF09 node in Fordland. It can also be accessed through REP09 then KFQ then to the KFQBBS. This PBBS’s is Hosted by K.O. Higgs, N0KFQ. It probably safe to say the K.O is the Granddad of Packet Radio in SW Missouri.
- OFDBBS – OFDBBS is a full service BBS hosted by Gary KB0OFD. Its reported that Gary was interested in learning all he could about Packet and PBBS’s and asked K.O. if he would help him get set up. The rest is history as they say. Gary’s BBS is located in Forsyth. It is accessible from the Springfield Metro area with a hop throught the SGF09 node.
- SGF09 – SGF09 and its now out of service brother SGF01, is hosted by the SW MO ARC also know as SMARC. It is located in Fordland on the KWFC radio tower at 300ft. Currently, the SGF09 is a NetRom node and is easily accessed with 5 watts and a decent outdoor antenna. Your milage may very but I have never had to run more than 5 watts from my QTH with my Comet GP15 triband. The SGF09 ties the Springfield packet efforts to the full service BBS activities a little too far south for reliable point to point communications.
- REP09 – REP09 is a node supported by the EARS Club of SW Missouir. I don’t know too much about this node other than is have been very reliable over the past several years and is a KA Node. If some of this terminology does not ring a bell, not to worry. Just grab what you can on first pass and have fun. With time it will make more sense.
- The Library - Springfield has a not bad selection of Ham books. Several will have little of this and that but Steve Fords book Your Packet Companion is a pretty easy read with lots of good information. Its level is about the same a a Dummies book without the vain attempt at humor. Be prepared that it is pretty dated in that the radios you see in the pictures are only memories for most of us but beyond that, much of the basics are still up to date. You could also probably find this book used on Amazon.com.
- The Internet - I assume you are reading this on the internet already so you are no stranger to this resource. You could probably spend the rest of your life reviewing packet stuff based on a Google search but in my opinion the best site out there for the newbie is Introduction to Packet Radio by Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ at www.choisser.com/packet/
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