Going all in for the SCS Tracker DSP TNC

SCS Tracker DSP TNC design win

The VAPN tests of the SCS Tracker were good enough for it to earn enough stripes to become the default TNC in our system. The hybrid hardware/software modem within, along with punctual address by SCS firmware programmers of our various concerns yields a big design win. Direwolf is still the reigning champion for decode performance, but the need for extra hardware to run it in a system like the VAPN was a drawback.

The Tracker supports every digital mode available on VAPN from Robust Packet to 9600 bps and more. Hence it becomes a universal interchangeable part in the notional radio port assemblies A1 – A6. This simplifies software setup and makes future hardware repairs potentially easier. The USB standard is not our favorite scheme for interconnection far a variety of software and hardware reasons, but these points pale in comparison to convenience.

Consequently the high level diagram changes thus…

2016-12-20 VAPN System Line Drawing
2016-12-20 VAPN System Line Drawing

Summary of changes:

  • Removal of Ethernet hub;
  • Insertion of USB hub;
  • Change all RaPi/Direwolf TNCs to the SCS Tracker DSP TNC;
  • Slight reorganization of the Mesh Net 802.11 items;
  • Artistic improvements here and there.

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