SuperVozelj AX.25 node description

Introduction
SuperVozelj is a complete system (hardware/software) based on the 68010 32bit CPU, that permit to route AX.25 frames over a Packet Radio network.
Obviously, because IP frames can be encapsulated into AX.25 frames, they can be route by SuperVozelj too.

SuperVozelj implements several types of autorouting, to cover ALL the requirements:
- Nodes/Services autorouting: BBSes, DX-Clusters, Digipeaters and Nodes informations are forwarded between SuperVozelj to maintain a reliable destinations list. In particular, the routing algorithm calculate the each destination metrics as the time used to transfer a certain amount of KBytes , so is more reliable than other nodes that calculate the connection time.
- Users autorouting: yes, supervozelj store in a database the list of connections made by the users, so permit anyone to automatically reach any users that have made connections through that node in the past.
  From SuperVozelj you can automatically call any users connectable via Flexnet too.
- IP datagram/virtual-circuit autorouting: using SuperVozelj as a digi, you can reach IP hosts/servers through a SuperVozelj/Flexnet/Other_digi network in a reliable mode, because SuperVozelj control retransmission hop-by-hop as Flexnet does.
  Datagram and Virtual-Circuit modes are usable.
Here is a brief description about the SuperVozelj hardware and software.
Hardware capabilities
The base configuration permit to have
- 6 irq channel, each one settable as HDLC or KISS or RMNC-KISS, running up to 76800 bps in full-duplex or half-duplex mode.
- 256Kb of battery-backup static ram, that permit to have up to 50 users connected.
- integrated real time clock using uPD4990 chip (not necessary, but reccomended to improve statistics benefit)
- two 8 bit parallel port, to connect external devices like CCD frame grabber (to capture images and send them using the Y command), telemetric card (to read several analog input using an 8 bit A/D converter), telecontrol circuits to drive anything like radio frequency and power, and so on.
- switching power supply, to permit energy saving
This is a very cheap and convenient solution, because the cost of all components (including PCB circuit and cabinet) is about 160 Euro.
Also, the cabinet is very small (200x300x80mm) and contains the power supply, logic part and all modems: this is a convenient solution to improve space saving in a orderly manner.

But SuperVozelj hardware is quite modular, so other boards can be installed:
- DMA board, that add 2 fast HDLC half-duplex channels up to 2 megabit/sec.
- RAM board, that add 256/512/768/1024 Kbytes of static ram to permit high traffic management.
A SuperVozelj logic-part in the base-configuration photo is visible here
If DMA and RAM boards are installed, this photo will explain the sandwich mounting scheme" of the boards.
Finally, the complete installation, including modem boards, is shown here.
Software features
- Powerful Nodes/Services autorouting based on the transfer speed metric calculation
- Users autorouting too, that permit to reach a users automatically
- IP datagram and virtual-circuit transport with the hop-by-hop data link control to achieve 0% if packet loss; also large MTU are usable to increase trasnfer rate, requiring more RAM resources.
- Real connactable stations heard list: instead of other kind of nodes, SuperVozelj show in its heard list only the stations really connectable, and not donwlink callsign or other trash-informations
- Possibility to send a one-line message to one or more connected users to greet them or to exchange informations
- Easy way to test and tune links: using J command you can request the transmission in a channel of the specified number of beacons, so in the heard list of other nodes you can see how many beacons have been received; this is the best way to test links and measure frame-error rate.
  Also, you can requests the transmission of a certain channel: the flags will be transmitted, and this is a useful way to see eye-diagram at the receiver, or to direct antennas for the maximum signal
- AX.25 parameters can be modified by a remote sysop
- Traffic monitor system, not very useful but yet implemented
- Software load, debug and restart: is possible to load a new software in hex and binary format, and start it. This is a very useful way to do software upgrading.
  Also, some commands permit to inspect memory (ram, rom, and other I/O devices), change memory value, and copy block of memory from an address to another
- Open source software: the ASM source is available to anyone without restrictions!
- Telemetric card support to measure temperatures, battery voltage, and other analog input channel
- Simple remote control implementation of external devices, like radios frequency, radio ouput power, etc.
- CCD camera management that permit image downloading in bitmat format (without header) and JPEG (only in certain software versions)
- Three times faster than Flexnet at 38400bps multiusers channel due to the AX.25 protocol extension using Info frame Polling and adaptive temporizations to improve throughput and reduce POLL/ACK generation.
  The number of frames to be sent to a callsign is an adaptive variable that varies between the specified minframe and maxframe parameters in relation at the packet loss. No DAMA support!! DAMA is the best way to use a frequency for the 100% of time (frequency monopolizing).

Huge set of statistics

Users list explains a lots of informations:
```
*** 10 utilizzatori di ACI:IR9ACI *** 274 blocchi di memoria disponibili ***
2:7 (IR9STR) IK8HJC-10 IR9ACI-15 3k/37k <3!> 1:7 IT9HZC-6 IK8HJC-6 37k/3k
3:7 IW9BCD IR9ACI 0k/5k <0!0> 1:7 IT9HZC-6 IW9BCD-1 5k/0k
3:5 (IR9IH) IK7VJY-15 IR9ACI 0k/0k <0!1> 2:7 (IR8RC) IR9STR IK7VJY 0k/0k
...omissis
```
Each raw contains uplink and downlink informations, like connected channel, actual maxframe, neighbour node or called station (indicated in brackets), amount of Kbytes transferred in TX and RX, number of frames waiting to be received from the uplik and downlink

Users information are also available:

99-08-01 23:43:03  2:2522 (IR9STR) I8GMP-9 IR9ACI-8 2693k/23918k
99-08-01 23:25:05  3:3 (IR9IH) IK3FUS-6 IR9ACI-12 0k/8k
99-08-01 23:07:19  6:2 IT9IYZ IR9ACI-6 0k/49k
99-08-01 23:02:37  3:23 (IR9CTT) I8CFZ-5 IR9ACI-9 4k/88k
99-08-01 23:00:18  3:6164 (IR9CTT) IT9GRR-11 IR9ACI-15 1062k/11040k
99-08-01 22:55:53  3:6 (IR9CTT) IW9EXL-4 IR9ACI 0k/8k
...omissis

This informations are used for the user and virtual-digi autorouting.
Are shown the date of the last connections, channel and number of connections, neighbour node (in brackets), user and called callsign, total amount of Kilobytes transferred in TX and RX.

Heard list: as written above, only connectable stations are shown (callsign which have transmitted beacons), not unuseful information as other nodes do!

*** Stazioni ascoltate (Minuti trascorsi,Numero beacon) ***                     
2: IR8RC-2  (0,2535)
6: IR8VV-6  (1,159)
3: IR9CTT-2  (2,4360)
2: IR9STR-2  (4,4098)
4: IR9SR-3  (7,3249)
6: NOCALL  (97,3)                                                               
3: IW9FIR  (319,2)                                                              
6: IT9QDS  (332,1)                                                              
6: IT9IYZ  (381,1)                                                              
6: IW9DMT  (460,32)                                                             
3: IW9DMT  (882,6)                                                              
3: IW9CND  (1011,54)                                                            
2: I8IGS  (1470,223)                                                            
....omissis

For each callsign are shown the channel, callsign, number of minutes from last received beacon, number of beacon received.

Routing neighbour:
```
*** Neighbours: (Minuti trascorsi,Millisecondi connessione) ***
4! IR9SR-4  (5,18825)
3! IR9IH-3  (6,4663)
2! IR9STR-2  (6,4298)
3! IR9CTT-3  (6,1970)
1! IT9LCP-8  (6,1022)
1! IT9HZC-6  (6,952)
```
This table contains the list of neighbours and services that SuperVozelj called to transfer the routing informations or to test its presence.
Are reported the channel, called callsign, minutes since last routing information transfering and its duration in milliseconds.

Status informations

*** SuperVozelj V79b Rev.4 by S53MV/S52D: 68010+68450
Attivo da 52366 minuti - 1290 loop al secondo
Canale: 1 DCD: 0% PTT: 0% UnACK: 0 UpLink: 1821 DownLink: 990
Canale: 2 DCD: 0% PTT: 0% UnACK: 0 UpLink: 0 DownLink: 0
Canale: 3 DCD: 4% PTT: 7% UnACK: 0 UpLink: 12814 DownLink: 9745
Canale: 4 DCD: 5% PTT: 18% UnACK: 0 UpLink: 5593 DownLink: 3266
Canale: 5 DCD: 2% PTT: 8% UnACK: 0 UpLink: 4988 DownLink: 2252
Canale: 6 DCD: 0% PTT: 0% UnACK: 0 UpLink: 0 DownLink: 0
Canale: 7 DCD: 3% PTT: 1% UnACK: 0 UpLink: 71573 DownLink: 61100
Canale: 8 DCD: 0% PTT: 0% UnACK: 0 UpLink: 0 DownLink: 0
Indirizzo base: 00041176  Indirizzo chiamato: 00000000  Periodo: 0

Software version, CPU and DMA type, minutes since last reset, number of loop per second, self-explained information about each channel, base address of the software in execution (sysop can start new software from other addresses).

Frame statistics

*** Statistica per canale : 52369 minuti.                                        
Canale             1       2       3       4       5       6       7       8    
BitRate        38400   38400   38400    9600    2400   38400 1228800 1228800    
Mode            Kiss    HDLC    HDLC    HDLC    HDLC    Kiss     DMA     DMA    
RX pacchetti  420420       0  739193  527730  210841       0 2125146       0    
RX frames    1055235       0 2134274  630525  217138       0 9501079       0    
RX digipeat.  633909       0  739210       0       0       0    2119       0    
RX RNR          2175       0     849       2       0       0   21318       0    
RX REJ             0       0   18986   63547    4223       0   21236       0    
WatchDog DCD       0       0       0       0       0       0       0       0    
WatchDog T1        0       0       0       0       0       0       0       0    
TX pacchetti 1055235   10501 1476387  525685  211230       0 1893759   10501    
TX frames    1264307   10501 2105406 1157643  319468   10520 2122446   10501    
TX digipeat.  639210       0  633909       0       0       0    2119       0    
TX non tras.       0       0       0       0       0       0       0       0    
TX RNR             0       0   21717      21       0       0  115792       0    
TX REJ           843       0   42096   14775   14712       0  211635       0    
TX Retry       21331       0  423428  168918   52517      18  427193       0    
Digi IN            0       0       0     211   19944       0       0       0    
Digi OUT           0       0     168       0   21483       0       0       0    
RX 64 kb           0       0    1051     210     147       0    1472       0    
TX 64 kb          63       0     844     634     211       0     846       0

These are self-explained informations about the traffic in the node channels.

This page was accessed 19781 times since Aug 2, 1999
Last update on Sun, 20 Jan 2002 17:25:05 +0100