← Open the packet station

Packet Radio Quick Guide

emulator.ca's packet radio station is a browser-local AX.25 simulation. It uses fictional QS6 callsigns and does not transmit RF by default.

First paths

  1. Open /packet/.
  2. Type C QS6GA-0 to connect to the Edmonton packet node.
  3. At the node, type ? for help, then N to list known nodes.
  4. Try C QS6GA-1 for the BBS or C QS6GA-10 for weather.

Two command styles

On the standalone packet page, you are already at a TNC command prompt, so connections use C QS6GA-0. From the main terminal with the PK-232 modem selected, the modem command is ATDQS6GA-0. If you enter raw TNC mode with AT+TNC, use the TNC-style C QS6GA-1 command there.

Fictional callsigns

QS6 callsigns are emulator.ca's fictional local packet network. They are intentionally not instructions for on-air amateur-radio operation. Real callsigns, real RF transmission, and real on-air use are out of scope unless a separate legal, licensing, and provenance path is added.

What you are watching

The monitor pane shows simulated AX.25 frames crossing a shared radio channel. The command pane is where you talk to the local TNC or to the connected packet service. You do not need to learn KISS framing or TNC internals to start exploring.

Full manual

The complete operator reference — TNC command set, all available packet services, monitor-pane frame guide, and the simulation boundary details — is at Packet Radio Station manual. A PDF version is available from the manuals index.

This page is for operators. Implementation details stay in the repository architecture notes so the public path remains focused on first use.