outpost is totally accessible, I use it daily, winpack is as well, I used to 
use that b since moving to windows vista and now windows 7, no I don't 
consider either an upgrade, just the opposite, but anyway, outpost is the 
best bet with those OS's. You can find Cam's, KPC-3"s, various other TNC's 
for good prices on the used market, I got my KPC-3 I use on a 24/7 packet 
station for about $75, and no one had even opened the box until I got it, 
the person I got it from bought it and it sat on a shelf for a couple years. 
Now I've had it up, other than a month it was down while I moved, but other 
than that, it's been running 6 years now and still going. If the TM-V7A ahs 
the 6 pin mini din connector for packet, there is a setting in the tnc you'd 
have to change to use it with that, no big deal but if you go ahead with it, 
let me know and I can talk you through changing it, it's not a big deal I'm 
just too worn out to think about it now. I was helping my uncle with his 
racecar all day and it was a long hot day and the heat and other things 
worked against us all the way. I'm checking email quick and going to bed.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "tom behler" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 11:06 PM
Subject: packet radio


> Hi, all.
>
> I recently have been re-appointed as Emergency Co-ordinator and RACES
> Officer for my county in Michigan.
>
> One of the things our section leadership would like us to work on is
> improving our capabilities in the packet radio area.
>
> Apparently, our section leadership likes the idea of getting certain 
> printed
> material in times of emergency, and they also like the idea that packet 
> can
> work when all other communications systems are down.
>
> I would like to pursue the possibility of getting a packet system up and
> running here at the home QTH, but don't want to spend money unnecessarily,
> especially if the resulting system will not be blind friendly.
>
> Here's what I have so far:
>
> 1.  I have an old TMV7A that I can dedicate to packet if needed;
>
> 2.  I have an outdoor antenna for 2 meters that is ready to go;  and
>
> 3.  I have a computer that I can load any needed packet software onto.
>
> My questions are these:
>
> 1.  What kind of packet softwre works best with Jaws?  Outpost, Windows
> Hyperterm, or something else?
> 2.  What kind of TNC would be relatively inexpensive to acquire, and would
> be blind friendly?
>
> Any help with these questions would be appreciated.
>
> I'll collect all responses, and put them into a folder for future 
> reference.
>
> 73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ