Press Release: Pacterm \'98 and PkTerm \'99 1.5 Prev

Rick Ruhl - W4PC writes "Press Release

PacTerm ’98 and PKTerm ’99 version 1.5 Preview released


Muscle Shoals, Alabama. December 22, 2000: Creative Services Software has announced that they have released PacTerm ’98 and PKTerm ’99 version 1.5 in Preview. This latest update supports the hot new digital mode PSK-31 as well as the AGW Packet Engine. This is the first product to integrate DSP sound card technology in conjunction with TNC technology. This release is a FREE upgrade for owners of the current product and users who purchase the product today.






The popular TNC program, written in C++, has been available since November 1997.



Company President Rick Ruhl, W4PC said, " We decided to release version 1.5 in Preview to allow the ham community start using PSK-31 with their TNCs, and to get input from them on challenges they find with the program. A Preview version of a product is a product that has gone through internal testing and some beta testing, but may still have some outstanding issues.
Hams are pros when it comes to finding issues in a software product, and we welcome their findings".



New enhancements for version 1.5 include:


- PSK-31 sound card support, using the TNC’s keying circuit or the TNC’s serial port for keying the radio with RTS or DTR, saving a serial port for other functions!!!

- AGW Packet Engine for sound card packet support

- Voice DX spot announcements

- Support for 2 simultaneous TNCs (1 multimode and 1 packet )

- Point and click settings for TNC commands for startup

- Startup/Shutdown commands for each call sign

- 10 mode-specific macros in addition to 10 global macros for each call sign

- CQ, ID and QRT macros

- Pactor connected station call sign display in title bar

- 4K chat and macro buffer

- Support for Satellite Telemetry with the DSP-1232 and DSP-2232

- YAPP and PC-PakRatt binary file transfer support in Pactor or GTOR



And includes supports that the previous versions had:

· Macro Variables {CALL}, {UTCTIME} etc

· ASCII transfer for UNPROTO mode in Packet

· Multiple file select for ASCII transfers in HF

· Abort ASCII file transfer now available from HF

· Interoperability with Log Windows, DX4Win 4.06 and Logic 5 logging programs

· Basic radio control interface

· Added FIG/NUMS menu option in PKTerm

· Additional commands specific for the PK-900 and DSP-2232 in PKTerm

· Multi-stream multi-port support. Up to 26 streams per packet port, each in a different window

· Supports G-TORÒ and G-TOR Monitoring (Kantronics)

· Switch between streams with a click of the mouse

· Text and binary file transfers with YAPP

· Supports COM1 to COM35 (including USB serial converters)

· User defined colors and fonts!

· User defined macros!

· Separate window for non packet HF modes, from CW through NavTex at the click of a mouse

· Save QSOs to a file that is compatible with Microsoft Word

· Multiple monitor windows allow you to watch traffic on each radio port




The program runs under Windows 95/98/Me and Windows NT/2000. It is a true 32-bit Windows application, designed using the Windows Style Guidelines available from Microsoft.



PacTerm ’98 and PKTerm ’99 are $79.95. They are available directly from Creative Services Software or your favorite dealer. You can also download the program in demo mode from the CSS web site. CSS also sells and supports the Log Windows logging program.



Creative Services Software is at http://www.cssincorp.com


Windows, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT and Windows 2000 are Registered Trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.


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