Howard,
> I've read where the thinking is that most hams won't bother with the > PACTOR I if only because of little desire to buy an "expensive" outboard > TNC. What about the hams who never threw away their original TNC, > the one sitting in the closet per se? I've often wondered the same thing. I got on Amtor back in the Commodore 64 days and later into Pactor with my first PC. I got rid of my PK-232MBX but still have my HAL DXP-38 that I turn on every day. There are still a handful of us Clover diehards on 20 meters, 14.065.50 LSB, and sometimes we will switch to either Amtor or Pactor just for fun. I think most owners of HAL gear were contesters and never got into the linked modes for a good ragchew. I agree about most hams not wanted to purchase a TNC for the linked modes. If my DXP-38 dies, I'd buy another one the next day! I tune around each day but so far no Pactor or Amtor CQs to be heard; maybe I'm listening at the wrong times. I still think the linked modes are more fun, especially Clover. 73 Buddy WB4M