SCS

SCS, the company that created PACTOR has released PMON software for Linux to allow over-the-air monitoring of PACTOR 1/2/3 transmissions for meaning. Additionally, PMON automatically decompresses B2F/LZHUF compressed messages on the fly. This is very useful for monitoring Winlink email transfers. The program requires only minimal hardware: an inexpensive Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ (minimum) computer and an inexpensive USB sound device. An SCS Pactor modem is not needed.

The program is a free download for radio amateurs from a Linux repository provided by SCS. Easy-to-follow instructions, program information and documentation are provided on this SCS web page.

Thank you to John Huggins and Gordon Gibby, MD for their original decoding programs, and to Hans-Peter Helfert and the SCS team for this welcome contribution to the amateur radio community!

--The Winlink Development Team

SCS has released a new firmware production version 2.30.30 for the SCS Dragon modem that incorporates bug fixes and a solution to the problem reported earlier here.

Please update your firmware! It's available at the SCS web site along with the firmware loader.

--The Winlink Development Team

There has been an ongoing issue with the SCS Dragon modem randomly becoming inoperable until rebooted. This is a repetitive issue, and has finally been identified by SCS.

From SCS:

"SCS has identified the source of the problem. The EEPROM cells that carry the log pointers are worn out after > 1 M write cycles. Depending on the traffic load of the modems, that can happen after several months of service. SCS is currently developing a system logging format that no longer needs these EEPROM pointers.

New firmware version 2.30.19 _beta provides a work around and should be used until we release the official 2.30.xx firmware.
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AtLEi-HvlIdLhkt4Mzf3DgW6k-1e

If you don’t need system logging at all, you can switch it off permanently using the command (command mode, cmd: prompt): SYS LOG DISABLED 1 and then save that parameter permanently using the SAP command."

Steve Waterman, K4CJX
Winlink Development Team