There
are several ways to connect into a cluster depending on its specific setup and
configuration. During your first
login, you will be asked to enter and verify your Name, Location. If your callsign is issued by the USA or
Canada, AR-Cluster will automatically populate your name and location based on
information from the AR-Technology callsign database. You simplify have to verify the data and make changes as needed.
The
AX25 protocol, or packet communications, requires the use of a Terminal Node
Controller, TNC. The CONNECT
command issued to your TNC will connect you into the cluster. Configuration of the TNC involves setting up
parameters for operation with packet.
Consult your TNC manual for details.
Make sure you have set up your callsign in the TNC. To connect into your local cluster tune your
radio to the cluster operating frequency and than issue the connect command to
the cluster callsign. Some nodes use a
SSID on the end of their callsign as K5HOG-5.
Example:
connect K5NAconnect AB5K-2
On a machine connected to the Internet, simply
start a Telnet client session and open a connection to the IP address of the
Cluster you are connecting to.
Example:
telnet dxc.ab5k.net
You will see a login
message similar to:
***
Connected to: AB5K-1
Welcome
to the AB5K-1 AR-Cluster node Telnet port!
Please
enter your call:
Enter your callsign to complete the connection.
According to Fabrizio, IK4VYX, DX Telnet works with
the AR-Cluster with the following DX Telnet script:
/T 5
/S !!!$$$$
/W de
/P de
Logging out is done by issuing either the BYE
or QUIT command. If connected by
Telnet, you can exit your Telnet client and automatically be disconnected. If connected using packet, you can also use
the TNC Disconnect command.