Oh, the things that can happen during a forced lockdown! Eventhough I am one of those "essential employees" working 6 days/week since the beginning of March, I try to keep myself busy (?) as long as I'm awake. :)
In response to the below email that I sent out a few weeks ago, some have asked for a web-based approach to the WWconvers at Hub_NA. Late last year my friend Mark (NI2O) told me about his friend Robin (G8ECJ) in the UK when they were both part of TVIPUG. Robin had put together a PHP web-based solution to access the local WWconvers chat while he was at work. That was 2004 and the latest update was in 2018, years after Robin had moved to New Zealand. I recently recalled that package and tweaked it a little. While there is more to be done to make it slick and not plain looking, the functionality is there. So now any web browser can access Hub_NA by simply connecting to http://www.n2nov.net/webconvers/frame.php?jsflag=yes and entering your callsign and WWconvers channel number (though the default presented is what we use in NYC and you can easily join another channel).
As always, you can still use your favorite IRC client to connect. I have used HexChat and Pidgin, though there are many others for any PC platform. I have even used various clients and web browsers on my Android phone. Things may be a little plain compared to slick commercial XMPP offerings, but I am sure that many heads working together can improve it. Even Maiko has on his long list of things to do the improvements in the JNOS code to interface with IRC clients. In the meantime, JNOS bbs users and those of other systems have a way to chat worldwide. If you have an idea for improvement or want to help with coding, let me know.
On 5/8/2020 12:25 PM, Charles J. Hargrove via 44Net wrote:
Looking to add another dimension to your BBS? Consider offering a chatroom to your users. There are several groups that meet worldwide on various channels, some channels are used locally for events/nets/emcomm and there are some that act as tech support for ham radio software programs. Here in NYC we use 14736 every Monday night as an alternate way to check-in to our weekly emcomm net (especially when encountering jammers). There is even a growing movement to use state or country-based channel numbers that reflect their 44net assignments like 4468 in NY, 4440 in UT, etc. Various packet bbs packages have chat capability built-in. I know of at least one station looking to incorporate it into FBB, but I have no information on that system. Connection to Hub_NA is easy. Use 44.68.41.2 (gw.n2nov.ampr.org). We currently have stations across the USA and Canada connected to Hub_NA. Come join us, ask questions and share your tips/tricks/ideas!