Links for a number of maps are provided here. The content will change as new ones are added and older ones are updated. So, check back, regularly, for the latest.

And, don't forget to take a look at the hints, section, below, where Use of Net Maps and KaNodes are discussed,

These maps are all in gif format to provide reasonably small file sizes. They use black and white with a few colors and should print well on a black and white printer.

Map #1 is Salem-Eugene area of Western Oregon. This is the (revised) October 2, 2006, version (jpg, size = 312K).

Revisions included changes in the Salem area and Eugene area. It is also revised to be drawn over a nice Expedia map which provides you with more detail about locations and landmarks. Also, a companion pdf file (size = 52K) provides more specific information about nodes, BBSs, and WinLink2K gateways.

Map #2 is Eastern Oregon. This is the NEW December 26, 2003, version (size = 44K). There are several known gaps in this map; these gaps will be filled in as information becomes available:

• There are known to be nodes in the Pendleton area that link to the NUKE nodestack

• ALW may still have a backbone port and it may still link to a BKE nodestack

Map #3 A SW Oregon map will probably be added in the same style as the Salem-Eugene map.

Use of Net Maps New December 23, 2003. Rev Oct 2, 2006 Just how do you use one of these maps? If you don't know, then read on!

Lets start with the Salem-Eugene Oregon map and suppose that you are in the Eugene, Oregon. You can connect well to the WALKER node on 145.06MHz and you want to get to the TRRMB BBS in Salem. As soon as you try this, you run into two significant problems:

• The maximum "distance" you will be successful with a connect request is about four hops. And, its about 4 to get there, as such things are reckoned in a packet network.

• There are two routes. One is the obvious one you see on this map, and the other is shorter, in a network sense (fewer hops) but is not very reliable at times. If you were to simply reqest a connect at WALKER to TRRMB, you would have no control over which path was taken.

Suppose that we look carefully at what the map shows, then see how to use it. Actually, in this case, other than knowing what is connected to what, we won't use the real details, but we should look at them anyway.

• WALKER, LINK, and CGRV are joined in a 70cm network (the heavy red group of links at the bottom of the map). If we look at the nodelist entries for any of these, we see that the network is on 70cm. This is the only information provided by the nodes. But, we don't use this network because it does not lead to Salem!

• WALKER, CBRG, and LYONS are joined in a network on 223.42MHz. Formerly FLO was part of this network but was off the air at the time of this survey. This is the green set of lines that are skinnier than the 70cm network just described (but wider than 2M). This is the network that will be used to get to SALEM by way of LYONS.

• LYONS and SALEM are joined by a 70cm network visible a wide blue line east of Salem. We will use the link from LYONS to SALEM.

• SALEM, and OEMNOD are also joined by a 70cm network (wide grey path).

• SALEM and HEBO (along with NPT) are joined with a 223.58MHz network (blue).

• Finally, SALEM and TRRMB are attached directly to each other. In fact, they both reside in one or more nearby computers.

The actual sequence of nodes your packets will pass starts at WALKER, goes to #WALK2 (the first hop, yes its still inside the starting node stack), then to LYONS, then to SALEM then to TRRMB (really part of SALEM). The author tends to request connections at intervals of 2 to 3 nodes (fewer if there are alternate routes). Thus, starting at WALKER, I would say "C LYONS". At LYONS, I would say "C TRRMB".

What would you do if there is a problem with the path just described? There is an alternate, mostly on 2M. It is shown on the map with the line from LANE to DALLAS and from DALLAS to OEM. From WALKER, I would "C LANE", then "C DALLAS", then "C OEM", and, finally, "C TRRMB". The more frequent connect requests on this path are due to the way that autorouting appears to be set up at DALLAS and OEM.

KaNodes New December 23, 2003. Rev Oct 2, 2006 For someone used to a Net/Rom network, a KaNode can be a little puzzling. There are two important features you need to be aware of:

• KaNodes do not autoroute. You have to connect to them, hop by hop.

• When going from Net/Rom to KaNode, connect to them as you would any other station.

Then, how would you get from, lets say, LANE, in the nortwest corner of the Salem-Eugene, Oregon, map and a KaNode east of the Cascade Mountains?

LANE is a nodestack linked to the Eugene 70cm network. But, all of the needed paths are just on the 2M user (keyboard) frequency. The first step is to get to the HOODOO node at the crest of the mountains. That part is easy because autorouting will get you there, in one command, from LANE. Simply type "C HOODOO" and, if all is well, you will be connected there in just a moment. To a Net/Rom node, a KaNode is "just another station" so you ask HOODOO to connect you to it. You can use either its call or its name (alias). That is all it takes.

One of the frequent questions is how one finds out about KaNodes. The simple answer, beyond maps like these, is to use a node's Heard List. Look for entries that are named, but that do not appear in that same node's route list. Also, look for any call that has a SSID that is NOT 1, or 15. Calls with no SSID are normal stations heard directly. Calls with an SSID of 1 are often, but not always, a mailbox. Calls with a SSID of 15 are links comming OUT of a neighboring node, on the same frequency. So, try any other; it just might be a KaNode!

Updated December 26, 2003