The FARPN tutorials are written with the assumption that a soundcard interface is being used with a software modem such as Direwolf. Hardware TNCs exist but are generally less effective at decoding packets over marginal conditions, and often do not support more modern error correcting protocols.

Any HF antenna that works well for other purposes is appropriate for FARPN but an ideal antenna does not require a tuner, automatic or otherwise. Multi-band resonant antennas, such as trapped dipoles, fan dipoles, or certain off-center fed dipoles (OCFDs) are ideal for this purpose, and allow bandswitching without the addeded complexity of re-tuning your antenna system.

It is very tempting to set up a FARPN or other HF packet node as a second transceiver or in addition to several receivers. One should be careful that antennas are not close enough together that the FARPN station, operating somewhat automatically, will not put out enough power to overload or possibly damage your other radios.

This can be tested with a nanoVNA connected to both antennas, measuring the loss between your FARPN transmitting antenna, and each other antenna used by your station.