The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Bulletin Board Basics Lloyd Borrett

The important ones for us are V.21 and Bell 103 which aren't compatible, and V.22 and Bell 212A which are.

The Australian industry has been almost exclusively using CCITT V.21 300 baud modems until recently. Now the industry is swapping over to CCITT V.221200 baud modems. Unfortunately there seems to be no modem on the market which offers both these speeds. Just to confuse the issue there are quite a number of modems available which offer both V.21 and V.23 and therefore claim to be 1200 baud modems. Be wary of this.

In the U.S. there are so called "smart modems" such as the Hayes Smartmodem 1200 which offer Bell 103 and 212A, with auto-answer, auto-disconnect, and auto-dialing. There is no V.21 and V.22 equivalent on the Australian market, and yet that is what most of us would prefer to be able to buy. We could then access both the new and old services with the one modem. We could even use it to access systems in the U.S.

Most direct connect modems and acoustic couplers cost from $200 to $1,500. The higher priced models offer faster transmission speeds (1200 baud full duplex), and the ability to switch from the Australian CCITT standards to the U. S. Bell standards. All of the existing Australian bulletin boards allow for data transmission at the speed of 300 baud (approximately 30 characters per second) using the CCITT V.21 standard. Most of the U.S. boards are able to offer both Bell 103 and Bell 212A, although some are Bell 103 only.

What do you buy? I'd go for a cheap CCITT V.21 300 baud direct connect modem (e.g. Sendata 300), or an acoustic coupler (e.g. Sendata 700) if portability is a requirement. If you want to be able to link up with BBS systems in the U.S. you will also need Bell 103. If you would like to be able to run a BBS yourself you will need a CCITT V.21 300 baud direct connect modem with auto answer and auto disconnect (e.g. Sendata 2000).

It's likely to be about six months before the "smart modems" are available on the Australian market.

Computer Hardware Required

Your computer needs to have what is variously called a communications, serial, asynchronous, or RS-232 interface. (The jargon we have to describe computers is hard enough to handle without having so many different terms used to describe the same thing!) The IBM PC-XT and some Compatibles come with this interface built-in, with others such as the IBM PC it's an "optional extra". Most good multi function boards come with a serial port, so all in all there is a good chance you already have one.

You will also need a communications cable with a 25 pin female at one end and a male at the other. The wiring is "straight through", no fancy cabling is required.

The Communications Program

In addition to the hardware required for communications, you need software to control the computer and the modem. This software can vary from a simple set of BASIC statements that allow your computer to act like a dumb terminal (a terminal with no independent processing capabilities) to sophisticated programs that automatically dial and re-dial a phone number until a connection is made. (Yes, we've had access to the software for some time and still nobody has produced the modem.)

IBM DOS users already have access to a simple program. Check out the program COMM.BAS in your BASIC manual. It's supplied on the Supplemental Program diskette. You can use the "Other service" option to specify baud rate "300", parity "N", number of bits per character "8", number of stop bits " 1 ", and characters echoed to screen "N". Provided you have connected the modem to COM1 you will be ready to go.

One important thing the program should do is allow you to save on disk the data you receive from the bulletin board. Unfortunately COMM.BAS can't do this. Perhaps one of you will work out the necessary changes and send in an article.

Once you can save to disk, you can use COMM.BAS to load down one of the better communications programs such as PC-TALK III from the bulletin board. Of course you can also get these programs from the group librarian.

Using The Bulletin Board

Most bulletin boards, including mine, will let you in the first time you call. All you have to do is connect your computer to the telephone through the modem, dial the board number, and then answer some simple questions. Once you've gained access to the bulletin board you'll see a menu. This is a display of things you can do, and the code letters or numbers you have to enter to do them.

If you can have the terminal session being saved to a disk file then do so. Alternatively, make sure it goes to the printer. You should then go hunting through the system, trying the various options, and displaying the help files. Then you can sit down later and study it. The system is designed to be easy for the newcomer to use, but this makes it a bit verbose.

Once sometime has been spent learning the options, you can switch to EXPERT mode and move around the system a lot faster.

#5# The Message System

Let's consider the message system. The bulletin board has "public" and "private" messages. Public messages can be read by anyone, while "private" messages are flagged to be seen by just one other person. One word of caution. There is no such thing as a really private message. Any message you leave can be read by the system operator, usually referred to as the SYSOP (that's me).

To get a Quick one line summary of the messages on the system use the "Q" command. This displays the message description. For more information, including the date entered, and who entered it, use the "S" (Summary) command. You can then use the "R" (Retrieve) command to look at specific messages.

Why not read a few? Then get back to the message section menu, and use the "B" (Bulletin) command. There are a number of "System Bulletins" prepared by the SYSOP. On my system they allow you to see lists of U.S. and Australian bulletin boards, other user groups, and details about Melb PC.

Once back to the message section menu you can select the "F" (File Transfer) command. Now you probably want to list the files that are available for downloading. But hold on a moment. The initial directory setting is ALL. Thus all files would be listed, and that could take a while. Use the "C" (Change Directory) command to select the type of files you would like to hunt out. Then use the "L" (List) command.

Take your time and have a good look around the system.

Summary

The bulletin board is fun to use, and a great way to meet people with the same interests. Running your own bulletin board gives you the same advantages, with the added fun of changing the program to run exactly the way you'd like a board to work. If you computer is sitting around twiddling its diodes half of the day or night, why not give it a taste of social life with a bulletin board of its very own?

If you'd like a taste of bulletin boarding, phone my board. You can also try the "Computer Galore" system which runs a version of the same software on an IBM compatible. It's SYSOPs are Bob Cooban and Martin Scerri. There are already some others in the process of setting up systems. If the U.S. experience is anything to go by, bulletin board systems are going to become a very important part of the PC world.

A BBS offers you the opportunity to share with others at your convenience. Come and join us soon.                                                                                                  

Reprinted from the September 1984 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia

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