---
name: "axl"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "ax25-util"
version: "0.28.0"
release: "Debian 1.2 (Rex)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/axl/8"
---

# axl(8)

Listen for connections on an AX.25 packet radio interface

## NAME

axl - Listen for connections on an AX.25 packet radio interface

## SYNOPSIS

**axl \[-c *command*\] \[-p *port*\] \[-t\]**

## DESCRIPTION

**Axl** listens on an AX.25 packet radio interface for incoming connections. When a system connects, it starts a program to interact with the remote system.

## OPTIONS

- **-c** *command*

  *Command* will be executed for each connection. The default command is **/usr/sbin/pms**. *Command* should be surrounded by quotes so that the shell will not break it into separate arguments or interpret its contents. Parameters may be substituted within the command by using these "%" tokens:

  - **%c**

    The local callsign (with extension if one is used), in lower-case characters.

  - **%C**

    The local callsign, in lower-case characters, without any extension.

  - **%f**

    The frequency of the interface connected to, from the **[ax25-ports(4)](/ax25-ports/4.md)** file.

  - **%r**

    The remote callsign (with extension if one is used), in lower-case characters.

  - **%R**

    The remote callsign, in lower-case characters, without any extension.

  - **%s**

    The speed of the interface, from the [**ax25-ports**(4)](/ax25-ports/4.md) file.

  - **%w**

    The packet window of the interface, from the **[ax25-ports(4)](/ax25-ports/4.md)** file.

  - **%%**

    A single "%" character.

- **-p** *port*

  Listen on the specified port (see **[ax25-ports(4)](/ax25-ports/4.md)**).

- **-t**

  *Command* is a terminal-oriented program. This is *required* for terminal-oriented commands such as /bin/login. A software feature called a *pseudo-terminal* is used to make the program act as if it were running on a terminal on the local system. The pseudo-terminal and will be set to the Baud rate of the port. This allows editors, etc., to detect if they are operating on a slow or fast interface. The pseudo-terminal will be set to have character echo disabled, since AX.25 connection programs such as [**call**(1)](/call/1.md) perform local echoing. All of the pseudo-terminal settings may be overriden by running [**stty**(1)](/stty/1.md) from the program that is started on the pseudo-terminal.

## EXAMPLE

In this example, "axl" is started in the background. The program listens for connections on port **1**. When a station connects, the terminal-oriented program **/bin/login** is started, using the remote callsign (without extension) as the user name. The callsign (with extension, if any) is given as the name of the "remote system for display by the [**who**(1)](/who/1.md), **[w(1)](/w/1.md)** programs.

```
axl -p 1 -t -c "/bin/login %R -h %r" &
```

## FILES

**/etc/ax25-ports** (see [**ax25-ports**(4)](/ax25-ports/4.md)).

## SEE ALSO

**call(1),** **beacon(1),** **listen(1),** **mheard(1),** **stty(1),** **ax25(4),** **ax25-ports(4),** **axattach(8),** **ifconfig(8),** **route(8)**

## DIAGNOSTICS

## BUGS

## AUTHOR

Alan Cox GW4PTS \<A.Cox@swansea.ac.uk\>\
 Bruce Perens AB6YM \<Bruce@Pixar.com\> added the **-c** and **-t** options and this manual page.