                           The Ultimate PacketCluster Node

                                    by VE7VT

                             Version 1.0 - June 1992
                             =======================

INTRODUCTION
------------
This document is the result of several years of experiments and discussions
between myself, the VE7CQD sysop Lee, VE7CC, and several other sysops as to
how to get the maximum performance out of the VE7CQD PacketCluster node in
Vancouver BC.  Because of the tremendous coverage of the node from VE7CC's
QTH, we had decided to invest all of our funds into one "ultimate" node that
could handle the approximately 40 regular users, rather than spread our
coverage over several nodes.

The problem with such an approach is, how do you do it? You would think that
the largest problem would be the radios? Well, we have three 2M rigs,and one
440 rig. The 2M rigs all have cavity filters.  Two of these 2M radios are
feeding packet repeaters on moutains.  We have a 700 Amp-hour standby battery
for the radios and a UPS for the computer.  But, this was the easy part.
What really takes time to understand is the PC and the software loaded on it.
What do you run as an operating system?  What drivers must you load? How do
load all those databases?  Have you also asked these questions?

That is why I am writing this document.  It is written as an example of what
we would call our ultimate system, something that we have been striving for
for a long time.  This does not mean that it is the best system.  You may have
suggestions as to how we could improve our system.  You may have a different
way of achieving the same results. You may want different result from what we
have.  However, I am providing this document of an example of how to
configure a system to achieve maximum results. You may only want to use this
as a guide to help tune your system. Or you may what to exactly duplicate this
configuration. Or, you may have a better way, and can use this document as a
basis for comparison. Any comments are welcome.

CONFIGURATION
-------------
To exactly duplicate this system, besides the PacketCluster software, you will
require the following:

1. A 386 PC with at least 4 MByte of RAM, and 45 MByte of disk space.  We use
   a 80386 40 Mhz DX.  You may use a smaller 386 system, but we find that the
   higher speed system with lots of RAM is better able to handle all the
   drivers that we will be installing. A 80286 system uses different memory
   management, and the following text probably will not apply very well.

2. MS DOS V5.0.  Some use 4DOS, and possibly some lower versions of DOS work,
   however we will be using every byte of low memory, and our system is
   tuned to DOS 5.0.  Another operating system that we were experimenting
   with since December is OS/2 version 2.0.  We thought that we may never
   get this going, however N4UCK is running it with some success, and
   in the future, you may see some information on how to run this. For
   now, let's stick to DOS.  Assume DOS will be loaded in the C:\DOS
   subdirectory.

3. QEMM V5.11.  The Quarterdeck Expanded Memory Manager will allow us to
   exploit expanded memory in a more efficient manner than DOS can. QEMM
   will allow us to load most of our device drivers into high memory, will
   allow us to load some BUFFERS and FILES memory high, and will expand the
   640K conventional memory to 720K, by disabling graphics mode (loosing
   the ability to run graphics programs in background was acceptable to us).
   Assume QEMM will be loaded in the C:\QEMM subdirectory.

4. Stacker V2.0.  Stacker, by Stac Electronics, is a TSR program that
   allows you to fit much more data on your hard disk drive.  By installing
   Stacker on VE7CQD, we approximately doubled our apparent disk drive size.
   With our new "80 MByte" drive, we were able to load HAMCALL, SH/GO plus
   most other databases that you may want to use.  Access to the hard drive
   may actually be faster with Stacker installed, if you have a fast
   computer, as more data is read into memory with each disk access.  Assume
   Stacker will be installed in the C:\STACKER subdirectory.  NOTE:  Since
   HAMCALL is already compressed it will not compress further using stacker.
   We allow for this in the install section below.

5. PC-CACHE V5.11.  This disk cache program is one of the best I have seen.
   It is found on PC Tools, version 5.0.  I have not tried higher versions of
   PC Tools, but I am sure they would include a good level of PC-CACHE.  This
   program, as most disk-caching programs do, keeps the most recently read
   disk data in memory. What sets this apart from programs such as SMARTDRV is
   that it will read ahead on the hard disk, anticipating what will be
   required next by the program.  For example, reading in message headers
   during PacketCluster startup time took about 1 minute with SMARTDRV
   installed, and about 12 seconds with PC-CACHE installed.  Although we see
   an error message when PC-CACHE is installed on a Stacker drive, performance
   is still greatly enhanced, and no problems have been experienced with
   these two programs working together. Assume that PC-CACHE will be installed
   in the C:\UTIL subdirectory.


6. Desqview 2.4.  This is Quarterdeck's other best-seller.  Desqview will
   allow you to run multiple DOS sessions while the PacketCluster is running.
   So, you can upload the GO-DISK information to W6GO at the same time as
   the PacketCluster is running.  The way we have configured our system, we
   are not able to run graphics based programs in background.  This should be
   acceptable to most sysops.  Assume that Desqview is installed in the
   C:\DV subdirectory.

7. G8BPQ 4.05 with the 4.05B fixes.  The BPQ switch is a must as far as we are
   concerned, if you want to provide the ultimate service to the users.
   The flexibility of this product is incredible, and G8BPQ provides it for
   nothing.  Let's give him a hand.....
   By running G8BPQ, you can have several benefits.  If you run DRSI cards, or
   any type of HDLC card, converting to BPQ will let your transmitter run
   cooler, and more users will stay connected without being dumped.  This
   alone makes it worthwhile to switch.  However, you also can run 62 users,
   even if you only have one card.  You can run SOFTDCD, which allows you to
   open up the squelch, without buying a TAPR DCD mod (it is amazing what your
   TNC can hear with the squelch open).  You can exclude users from using your
   backbone radio.  You can turn on interleave, which allows only 1 TX at a
   time.  You can even run a different program in a separate Desqview session
   that needs to use the same TNC's as the PacketCluster.  If you have any
   other TNC's sitting around, you can add those as well.  For example, you
   could add a BAYCOM card plus a PK232 running HF to your 2 DRSI's.  There is
   almost no limit as to what you can attach to the PacketCluster if you are
   using the BPQ switch.  Assume that the BPQ switch will be loaded in the
   C:\G8BPQ subdirectory.

INSTALLATION
------------
So, if you have all the above software and hardware, how do you configure
everything so that it works?  Well, that depends. If you have a brand new
386 that has not been formated, the following steps can just be followed
point-by-point.  But most of you will have your systems up and running, and
will just be looking at this section to compare you installation, and
hopefully some tips will be helpful.  But please, remember to BACK UP YOUR DISK
BEFORE CONTINUING.

I have included files that have an extension of .CQD which can be used as
a reference. Be sure that you do not copy this file over existing system
files, unless you are sure you want to do so. The files supplied are:

AUTOEXEC.CQD (AUTOEXEC.BAT)
CONFIG.CQD   (CONFIG.SYS)
BPQCFG.CQD   (BPQCFG.TXT)
PC.CQD       (PC.BAT)

Now let's start the install:

1. First install DOS in the C:\DOS subdirectory. I suggest that you use only
   one partition on the disk drive if you disk drive is small, as you will
   not want to miss a single byte. Follow the instructions that come with DOS.

2. Install QEMM in the C:\QEMM subdirectory.  Follow the instructions that come
   with QEMM.

3. Install Stacker.  During the install you will be asked to select "Stack
   an existing disk with its data" or "Build an empty Stacker Drive". For new
   system installs, just stack the entire disk with it's data.  For existing
   drives, DO NOT DO THIS.  We did it and Stacker could not start the new
   drive as there was an error, "Stacker Volume too Fragmented to Stack". We
   lost all our data. Luckily, we did backups.
   For existing systems, do the following:  Install the empty drive, and you
   will find a D: drive appear when done.  Copy files as they appear in the
   C: drive to the D: drive, until the D: drive is full.  Then delete those
   files on the C: drive, and use the STAC command in Stacker to increase the
   size of the D: Stacker Drive.  Continue doing this until all but 100K of
   disk space is left on C:, and all the data is copied onto the D: Stacker
   Drive.
   No matter which way you loaded Stacker, at this point the only thing that
   must be left on the C: drive is COMMAND.COM, AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS
   in the root directory, in the C:\DOS subdirectory, COMMAND.COM, in C:\QEMM
   have QEMM386.SYS and in C:\STACKER you need to have all the Stacker files.

4. Rename AUTOEXEC.CQD to AUTOEXEC.BAT and copy it to C:\ and to D:\.

5. Rename CONFIG.CQD to CONFIG.SYS and copy it to C:\ and to D:\.

6. Reboot the system. At this time, you will get a couple of errors on the
   screen, which should be ignored. The main thing is, now the C: and D:
   drives are swapped.  Try it out. The C: drive is now your Stacker Drive,
   and D: is your small 100K real drive. From now on, load everything on the
   C: drive. NOTE: Any changes made to CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT must be
   copied to both the C: and the D: drives.

7. Make the C:\UTIL subdirectory and add the PC-CACHE program.

8. Install PacketCluster on C:. Make sure the following 2 lines are in
   SYSOP.DAT, regardless of you hardware configuration:
   SET/TNC1 DRSI 31
   SET/TNC2 DRSI 31
   Also, rename PC.CQD to PC.BAT and copy it into the C:\PACKCLUS
   subdirectory.

9. Install the G8BPQ switch in the C:\G8BPQ subdirectory. Note, most commands
   that are executable in the G8BPQ switch must be done while you are actually
   in that subdirectory. Do not call from another subdirectory.
   Rename the file BPQCFG.CQD to BPQCFG.TXT. Back up the existing copy of
   BPQCFG.TXT in the C:\G8BPQ subdirectory. Copy this file into
   C:\G8BPQ subdirectory. NOTE: do not destroy your old copy of BPQCFG.TXT.
   You may have to reference this, if you have a different level of G8BPQ.
   Now, use a text editor to edit BPQCFG.TXT. I have added notes to G8BPQ's
   notes. These notes are specific to PacketCluster users. Wherever a
   PacketCluster sysop must change the information I have highlighted it as
   follows:
   ; These are comments
   ;vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
   TEXT TO BE CHANGED
   MORE TEXT TO BE CHANGED
   ;^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
   ; These are comments
   Note that the hardware portion must reflect all the real equipment that you
   have. Once the drivers are loaded, the PacketCluster program will think
   that it has 2 DRSI cards, no matter what equipment you specify. Yes, you
   will have 64 connnects (well, really 62) available if you only have 1 DRSI
   card. Remember, TNCs that are specified as KISS or HOST MODE must be
   manually set to these modes and to the proper packet speeds before the BPQ
   switch is loaded.

10.Make a file in the C:\PACKCLUS subdirectory called NORECOVR.LST.  Put a
   single line entry in with the word "SWITCH" (no quotation marks).
   Put "SWITCH" in LOCKOUT.LST as well.

11.Now you can test the PacketCluster system before loading Desqview. Boot the
   system, and ignore the error saying that it could not find DV. Change to
   the C:\PACKCLUS subdirectory and enter PC.  The PacketCluster system should
   come up. Refer to W6GO's BPQINFO file to get more information and tips on
   such things as connect scripts.

12.Install Desqview in the C:\DV subdirectory. Add a program in Desqview
   with the following standard and advanced options set:
   a> Program Name:                    PacketCluster
   b> Keys used to open Menu:          PC
   c> Memory Size (in K):              542
   d> Program:                         C:\PACKCLUS\PC
   e> Directory:                       C:\PACKCLUS
   f> Write directly to screen:        Y
   g> Displays graphics information:   N
   h> Virtualize text/graphics:        Y
   i> Uses serial ports:               Y
   j> Requires floppy diskette:        N
   k> System memory (in K):            0
   l> Script Buffer Size:              100
   m> Text Pages:                      1
   n> Graphics Pages:                  0
   o> Maximum Program Memory           640
   p> Maximum Expanded Memory          0
   q> Start Height                     25
   r> Start Width                      80
   s> Share CPU with foreground        Y
   t> Uses its own colors              Y
   u> Share EGA when forground/zoomed: Y
   w> Protection level:                0

13.Press Shift-Alt to bring up Desqview Macros.  Select Start Script. When
   asked to press a key to redefine, press something like F12 or F10. When
   asked to enter a script name, enter !PACKCLUS but don't forget the '!'. The
   '!' at the beginning of a script name tells Desqview to run this macro
   every time that Desqview is started, allowing auto-startup of the
   PacketCluster after power failures. Now type the two letters PC followed
   by Shift-Alt, and then select Finish Script.  Now, save the script so that
   every time that you start Desqview, the PacketCluster will be loaded into
   one window.
   Just a couple of notes about Desqview. If you read the diskette drive and
   there is no diskette in it, the system may crash. Also, if you press the
   Ctrl key and a diamond appears on the screen and you hear a single beep,
   press the Ctrl key again, else the cluster may go down.  Also, pressing the
   Alt key twice rapidly allows you to jump between open sessions.

14.Install all the databases you like. We have enough room on our 45 MByte hard
   disk to install many W6GO distributed databases plus HAMCALL. Remember
   that HAMCALL does not compress well on a Stacker drive, so load HAMCALL as
   your first database.  Then use the Stacker command SCHECK to find out how
   much room you really have left.

So, I hope I have not left anything out. If I have, or if you have any
suggestions as to how I could improve this document, please send me a
message via SP VE7VT @ VE7CQD.#VANC.BC.CAN.NA or send to W6GO for forwarding
to me.

Special thanks go out to VE7CC, KY7X, NV6Z, W8ZF and N4UCK for their
patience and assistance in helping me obtain a system that I am very
satisfied with today.

73, Fred - VE7VT
