thanks, trying to be on linux as much as possible - :-) I have seen posts regarding UT1HZM having the aprs piece working on windows - anyone know if it is possible to get that? Did you mean that I cannot/should not enter the command strings/control characters for ping, link, and aprs message into, say, fldigi, and then the checksums would be done correctly by fldigi? Is WB5CON server still active? can't hear any stations from Central Texas in a while(one station 40 miles away possibly wouldn't be reachable). KE5FGX