SCCo Packet Software

Efficient communications via packet radio require dedicated packet messaging software. Transmission of third party message forms requires additional software to convert them to a compact format suitable for packet transmission.

County Standard Software

The standard packet messaging software for SCCo ARES/RACES use is the Outpost Packet Message Manager written by Jim Oberhofer KN6PE. It runs on Microsoft Windows.

The standard forms encoding software for SCCo ARES/RACES is PackItForms written by Steve Roth KC6RSC. For this purpose, it runs on Microsoft Windows as a plugin to Outpost.

SCCo ARES/RACES publishes a packet software installer that installs these two programs (plus some legacy support code) and customizes them for SCCo ARES/RACES operations. Most packet operators will use this installer.

These programs can also be installed individually from their authors’ websites:

Alternative Software

All EOCs, hospitals, city radio rooms, and similar facilities have the county standard software installed, and all county packet operators are expected to be proficient with it. Packet operator credential evaluations require the use of county standard software.

However, alternative software is available. This is primarily for operators’ personal use and experimentation. However, it can be helpful in activations in cases where the county standard software cannot be used (e.g., on systems where security controls block installation of software).

PackItForms

In county standard operations, PackItForms runs as a plugin to Outpost and only handles form editing and encoding. However, PackItForms is a full-fledged packet message manager in its own right, able to run without Outpost. It runs on Linux and Mac as well as Windows. It is a self-contained executable and does not need an install process, so it can be run on systems where security controls prevent software installation. It provides both a graphical (browser-based) user interface and a scriptable command line interface. Its packet operations are also available as APIs in a Go language library. (The weekly packet practice server is built on this library.)

OpenPMM

OpenPMM, written by Jim McGuffin KW6W, is a Python-based alternative to both Outpost and PackItForms. It is under active development but mostly full featured at this point.

Other Software Tools

Packet station computers generally need a web browser (Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome) and security software (anti-virus, firewall, etc.; typically Windows Defender).

The following additional applications can be helpful: