Welcome to PacsatTools Version 1.0!

PacsatTools is a collection of utilities designed to help facilitate
communications with Pacsat satellites operating in the Amateur Radio
Service.  These utilities have been extensively used for many years
using the Linux versions of PB/PG by OZ6BL.

To compile and install these utilities, please run the "configure"
script found in this subdirectory.  Executables are created in the
current working directory through this process, and symbolic links
between the executables and /usr/local/bin are created.  If you aren't
"root", then you'll need to run the "install" script separately as
"root".

Make sure to set your $MYCALL environmental variable to your callsign.

Included in this version of PacsatTools are:

phs:	A program that processes raw files downloaded from a pacsat
	satellite.  "phs" strips the pacsat file header information from
	the downloaded file, and then calls the appropriate uncompression
	utility (unzip, lha) if necessary to extract the file originated
	by the sending station.

	Some command-line options include:

	phs -q file.dl (Extracts "file.dl" without displaying any file
			file header information to the screen)

	phs -x file.dl (Doesn't extract "file.dl", but displays file
			header information to the screen)

	phs -m file.dl (Extracts "file.dl", and places the result in
			your $MAIL file so it can be read by your
			e-mail software) 

	"phs" understands certain filename wildcards, permitting its use
	in automated post-pass file processing scripts (ie: phs *.dl).
	Once the extraction process is complete, the original "file.dl"
	file is renamed "file.dlx".

pfhadd: A program that prepares a file for upload to a pacsat satellite.
	"pfhadd" is invoked on the command line with the file to be uploaded
	as its argument (ie: pfhadd photo.gif).  "pfhadd" then prompts the
	user for source and destination callsigns and some other information
	needed to properly prepare the file for upload to the satellite.
	The file prepared for upload by "pfhadd" carries a ".out" extension
	(ie: "photo.out") as required of pacsat groundstation software,
	such as PG. 

pbdir:	An interactive program that reads the last four pb__00xx.pfh files
	generated by PB, and displays a scrolling list of the directory
	information using the cursor up/down, PageUp, PageDown, Home, and
	End keys.  Files that are in PB's download queue are highlighted.
	Files can be removed from or added to the download queue by using
	the Insert and Delete keys.  By using the -o switch, "pbdir"
	can direct a sorted pacsat directory to stdout as plain text.
	This output can be piped into another utility, if desired.
	F10 or Q (sometimes twice) exits the program.

sb2out: A program that prepares a packet radio BBS formatted file for
	upload to a pacsat satellite.  "sb2out" is similar to "pfhadd",
	except that it searches the source file for origination, destination,
	and bulletin ID information in the source file itself.  "sb2out"
	is capable of handling messages such as general bulletins (with or
	without BIDs), as well as private messages.  Zip compression is
	performed on the prepared file if it is advantageous.  "sb2out"
	is very useful for automated satellite gateway operations.  Like
	"pfhadd", it also generates ".out" output files readable by PG.
	If enviromental variable $MYCALL is set to your callsign, it
	will be used by "sb2out".  Alternate source callsigns may be
	specified within the body of the message processed by "sb2out"
	as shown below.  Proper pacsat file type is assigned for messages
	addressed to KEPS.

	Usage: sb2out input_file.txt

	Input files must contain packet radio BBS commands.  SP (private
	messages) as well SB (bulletins) are handled correctly by the
	program.  An example of a short bulletin message follows:

	SB NEWS @ AMSAT $NEWS0129 < SOURCE_CALLSIGN
	Title of Packet Bulletin

	...text...
	...text...

	/EX

eis2pgm:A program that processes CCD Earth Imaging System (EIS) photos
	taken by pacsat satellites such as UO-22 and KO-25.  A Portable
	Gray Map (PGM) graphics file is generated as output.  PGM images
	are platform-independent monochrome graphics files capable of being
	displayed and processed by a host of graphics software, including
	XPaint, XV, and the GIMP.  Since EIS images are in an interlaced
	format, "eis2pgm" is able process partially downloaded files by
	substituting missing lines of video with adjacent lines that
	have been successfully downloaded.  "eis2pgm" handles only
	narrow-angle monochrome EIS images, such as the KBINxxxx
	images available from KITSAT-OSCAR-25.

	Usage: eis2pgm KBIN0132

Sample data files for testing some of these utilites may be found in the
sample_data subdirectory.


73, de John, KD2BD
March 2004

