#Winlink

[wabarron]

Tested the Winlink backup VHF system against the home packet. Worked fine, but couldn't get the club's station to connect or test HF

[n2qfd]

Clone of my first node is nearly there. Some antenna work and hoping to go live next weekend.

Winlink is a secondary communications system using amateur radio to send and receive email. The global system uses nodes “listening” on many HF VHF and UHF bands and a variety of data modes. They can be connected to and send and receive email from The Internet allowing a ham radio operator to maintain accurate fast and secure data transmission whether local services are disrupted. Operators can send to each other directly as well, and the newest generation of nodes will switch to radio only store and forward in the event they lose connection to the internet.

After 30 years in the hobby it’s nice to be building the infrastructure for the community, not just assuming it will be there to use.

My first build is sitting in my home village on a hill top waiting to be called. If you asked me 15 years ago about this I’d have said, “I’ve heard of it.” Never thought I’d be setting up hardware to make it happen.

[johndball]

VARA FM Setup Guide for KN4OLA's ID-5100

VARA FM Setup Guide for KN4OLA’s ID-5100 Google Drive version: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Sj32O_nLGkv5TCq3UiNoIDWN22IJlH5p/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117665750981101640419&rtpof=true&sd=true Visio for creating the connection diagram: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VyNu-E83HyFbjZrkbgnwro00HkXDzu1k/view?usp=sharing

[coastalhamradio]

Ukraine: Poland's radio amateurs provide WinLink email links

Ukraine: Poland’s radio amateurs provide WinLink email links

(more…)

[dvdmerwe]

Amateur Radio Digital Open Protocol (ARDOP) - A newer open radio protocol for Winlink users for transmission of e-mails during disasters or by mariners

 A newer open radio protocol for Winlink users, and for amateurs everywhere is available already. ARDOP (Amateur Radio Digital Open Protocol) is a new (from 2018) cooperative radio protocol project in which the Amateur Radio Safety Foundation and Rick Muething, KN6KB, of the Winlink Development Team are proud to have a major role. ARDOP will ultimately replace WINMOR in the Winlink system because of its superior features and multiple platform (OS) support.

 The protocol design is open, and the software implementations will be open-sourced. This means you can expect the protocol to take different forms, like a virtual TNC using sound-card software on Windows, Linux, Apple OS X, iOS, and Android, or in hardware, like a USB plug-in or 'add-on box' using today's low-cost DSP CPU chips.

 This is an important step as one of the most efficient protocols has been the proprietary Pactor 2 and above, but modems cost easily $1,000 plus and each user must have a modem to use it (Pactor 1 modems are cheaper but are incredibly slow). VARA is a cheaper alternative but still costs money and is not as efficient. Open source also means a better chance that it will be fully cross-platform.

 A big plus with ARDOP is that it will work with just sound cards, or with radios such as the Yaesu FT-991A with a built-in sound card and similar radios, just a USB driver.

 From what I see in Winlink Express the protocol is already listed for use but it does require that the Radio Message Server (or P2P station) that you are connecting to, supports the protocol.

 More at https://www.winlink.org/content/ardop_overview

 #amateurradio #winlink

[coastemergency]

Winlink is moving to secured login

Winlink is moving to secured login

  On April 15, 2016, the Winlink system will begin requiring the use of passwords and secure login for all users. This is being done to enhance the privacy and protection of the Winlink community. If you’ve already entered both a password and also turned on Secure Login, you don’t have to make any other changes. The transition taking place on April 15, 2016, won’t change your operation. If you…

[g4ljw-amateur-radio]

Winlink using Robust Packet

from G4ILO http://dlvr.it/3H58FJ

[wabarron]

Tried out the old packet radios tonight. They all worked well on APRS and most did fine on the new RMS winlink system.. with a few notable glitches: my XP laptop refusing to "save" a message to send, the mfj 1278 refusing to initialize RMS, and RMS packet program needing a reboot after every winlink qso. Still,not bad for ancient gear.....

[n2qfd]

Finally got WinLink to work!

Using WinLink Express on an old Win7 mini laptop to a TNC-X to a BaoFeng HT (can’t remember the model it’s an older dual bander.) The antenna was a jpole pulled up into an overhanging tree on 30# fishing line.

[tymkrs]

29.WINMOR as a Digital Mode/Protocol

Woo!  So in the same breath that the manual talked about PACTOR, it mentioned WINMOR as another protocol that was used in Winlink 2000.  So I'll do a brief overview of WINMOR (Winlink Message Over Radio) and then we'll see what Winlink 2000 is.

(Per Wiki) WINMOR is intended to be used in the Winlink 2000 Global Radio E-mail System by amateur radio operators, marine radio stations, and radio stations in isolated areas. Only a simple computer soundcard-to-radio interface is required, as compared to PACTOR's relatively expensive external terminal node controller. 

Terminal Node Controller: Just some background on what this is.  It's essentially a combination of a modem (modulator-demodulator) and a microprocessor/mini computer that knows what the rules of specific digital protocols are. 

Winmor changes what was hardware into software.  It's a "virtual" terminal node controller.

It has two modes, either 500 or 1600 hertz in bandwidth, and provides ARQ speeds ranging from 67 to at least 1300 bits per second.  So from what I can tell, that means that querying the sender to make sure that the message was correct happens super fast which makes transmissions convenient.

Searching around, it seems that it went beta in 2009 and here was one of the objectives from one of the people working on it (I believe):

"The objective is to create a message oriented (text plus attachments – with binary compression) mode that would be close to “plug and play” with the primary motivation to allow access to message systems on HF with a reduced cost of entry (compared to Pactor 1, 2 or 3). It is not targeted to be used in Keyboard mode though with the proper application software this could probably be done."

http://whatcomradio.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/winmor-pactor-3-for-mortals/

And here's a picture of what it looks like on the computer:

http://www.mediasuk.org/iw0hk/winmor2.jpg

What is Winlink

Winlink is a worldwide radio messaging system that mixes internet technology and appropriate amateur radio radio frequency (RF) technologies. The system provides radio interconnection services including: email with attachments, position reporting, graphic and text weather bulletins, emergency/disaster relief communications, and message relay.  It is apparently the standard network system for amateur radio email worldwide. 

I'm not going to go into how it works...since I think I'm just satisfied that it does.  But it does involve the use of HF/SSB, a modem, transceiver, and a computer.  Sounds like it utilizes radio frequencies much like how we'd expect it to.

@atdiy/@tymkrs

[coastalhamradio]

RMS Express to become "Winlink Express"

RMS Express to become “Winlink Express”

Changes are coming Winlink and RMS Express.  For full details click.

[dvdmerwe]

Winlink is a worldwide radio email service that uses amateur-band radio pathways where the internet is not present and is capable of operating completely without the internet

This system can get messages through where even voice is not practical to use, as it uses a store and forward system which routes using radio. It is similar to the way normal e-mail would forward automatically across the Internet choosing the best route around any problems. Winlink does the same but via radio pathways.

More complex (and accurate) messages can be composed and then only require a few retries and short throughputs to get the message transmitted, and it can be retrieved in the same manner. This is ideal for say maritime vessels which may only get sporadic periods of communication but where they can in that time transmit and receive any messages.

Message services can include email with attachments, position reporting, weather bulletins, emergency and relief communications, and message relay.

Typically if an area is hit by a disaster and normal communications are down, an amateur radio operator with this service could send emails to any normal Internet address elsewhere in the world, and receive messages back.

End-user software used could be Winlink Express for Windows or Pat (cross-platform) and there are other choices too.

Watch a short video overview at https://youtu.be/qGhUfW8pjY8 or more info at Winlink's website at https://winlink.org/

#winlink #emergency #disaster