[Xastir] Mish-mash of questions

[Dale Seaburg]

Some of this will be slightly off-topic, but not entirely.  ;-)

I am running xastir on some HP Tablet PCs, model TC1100.  Works great on 
my development Tablet PC, and on several others I have in beta testing.  
I want to also run Airmail under wine on these Tablet PC's to support 
EMCOMM for ARES work.  I have this functional on the dev PC, and it 
works well, but so far only using telnet to send/receive email.  I want 
to eventually use a VHF link for email (145.010).

Also, I would like to untether the Tablet PCs from the TNC/radio, using 
either Bluetooth or WiFi.  At the moment I am leaning towards WiFi to 
give the best distance.  I've already experienced wifi out to 300-400ft 
with two bars still showing.  Now, I can get to my questions.

1.  What would be a suitable COM port redirector (or appropriate method) 
for establishing a comm link between xastir and a wifi-to-serial device 
hooked to the TNC/radio combo?

2.  In the Windows world, a COM port redirector is recommended to be the 
"wedge" on the PC side to something like Airmail.  I'm not sure of the 
handshaking in the networking "world" so xastir and Airmail will work 
together in this environment, if that is even possible.

I'm not even sure of my own understanding of the mechanics and 
terminology involved of what I'm trying to describe.  I do know there 
are some very knowledgeable folk on this SIG who might be able to 
decipher what I'm trying to say, and offer some assistance.

Assuming what I've described is feasible networking-wise, I would also 
like to use a single radio that would be able to be switched between to 
frequencies, depending on which service has need of the radio - APRS or 
Airmail.   As I see it the radio would default to 144.390 most of the 
time, until Airmail needed to be used, switching to 145.010.  Then, say, 
use the DTR (or maybe the RI) line to toggle the radio between the two 
frequencies.  I suppose the COM port redirector app could modified to 
include the freq. switching work.

One of my goals is to minimize the cost of hardware, hence a single 
radio and tnc, and still be efficient and reliable, while allowing the 
user to be untethered from the vehicle which would have the tnc, radio, 
antenna.  This would give the user both situational awareness (xastir) 
and excellent EMCOMM (Winlink/Airmail) in one small, neat and clean 
package.  And, be reasonably affordable.

Have I made any sense?  I hope so.  Kinda hard to describe what I think 
will work without having any practical experience using the 
wifi-to-serial and related technology.  I'm about to lay down some money 
for a wifi-to-serial device to experiment, but thought I'd ask before 
spending my hard-earned cash.  ;-)

Dale.  KG5LT