Retro Journey to Packet Radio

I was a big user of computer BBS in the late 1980s (NOMUG - New Orleans Mac User Group).  The command line prompt and simple format of packet radio is quite appealing.  I'm working to get my Kenwood TM-D710 to connect with some local packet stations:

Kenwood Radio Modem
AX.25 Level 2 Version 2.0
Release 09/Mar/11 3Chip ver 1.02
Checksum $1859

MYCALL   N1DN
cmd:C W1EDH

cmd:*** CONNECTED to W1EDH
PC/FlexNet V3.3g - Welcome to the W1EDH FlexNet-Digi. This node is located at
Glastonbury, Hartford County, Connecticut [FN31sr]. This version of pc/FlexNet
and all related services are hosted under the Linux operation system and is
part of the EastNet Packet Network. http://www.eastnetpacket.org
Basic commands are:
<A>rea destinations file        <C>onnect <desti>
<D>estinations list             <H>elp (more detailed command list)
<L>inks list                    <M>ailBox (BBSEDH:W1EDH-4)
<Q>uit this node                <T>alk <callsign>

=>MH (Log of Stations Recently Heard - PR)

      4s P0  N1DN           10s P3  W1EDH-13       16s P2  K1YON-2
     24s P3  W1EDH-1     2m,33s P3  W1EDH-14    2m,40s P3  W1EDH-4
  9m,12s P0  W1VCM      17m, 5s P0  K1HEJ      30m,55s P0  BROCK
 40m,30s P0  K1IKE-3    48m,19s P2  K1YON-4     1h,39m P0  W1MV-7
  1h,48m P0  K1HEJ-14    1h,50m P0  K1HEJ-15    2h,30m P0  KA1YZC
  2h,37m P0  WA1ARC      2h,45m P0  WA1ARC-7    3h,46m P0  N1YKH
  7h,11m P0  K1HEJ-7     7h,12m P2  K1YON-5     7h,41m P0  NOCALL
 10h,32m P0  WM1P-15    12h, 4m P0  KB1NAL-14  12h, 5m P0  KB1NAL-15
 17h,58m P0  K1HEJ-1    19h,24m P0  FALM1      23h,39m P0  KB1NAL
  1d, 8h P0  WM1P-14     1d, 9h P0  KC1CIC      1d, 9h P0  KC1CIC-15

=>D (nodes linked to W1EDH and time it takes to make the round trip in milliseconds PR)

K1YON   1-1    34   K1YON   2-14   28   K2DLL   0-6   346   K2JFK   0-10  207
K2PUT   0-4   327   KA2AON  0-10  156   KB2FAF  0-0    51   KB2FAF 10-10   91
KB2FAF 12-12   91   KB2VZS  0-7    45   KB2VZS  8-8    51   KB2VZS 12-12   51
KC2FTD  1-1   471   KD2DOE  0-7   405   N1URO   1-14   42   N2KGC   1-14   43
N2NOV   4-4    49   N2PKB   0-15  420   NC2C    2-14  182   NJ2AR   0-4   365
W2GSA   2-4   271   W2LI    2-4   149   W2QYT   0-4    57   W2QYT   5-5    55
W2ZQ    0-4  1335   WA2EMO  0-5    66   WA2IMS  0-4  2080   WA2SNA  0-4   433
WB2FTX  0-0   585   WB2FTX  2-4   510   WB2ONA  1-1    48   WB2ONA  2-14   45
WB2SNN  0-14   59   WB2ZII  9-14  389
=>Q

73! *** DISCONNECTED
cmd:KWXIMON  was 0