WinLink 2000
Email over the Radio ?????
Bob Wilton – KF5TPQ
Winlink 2000
Winlink has grown over the years and expanded
applications…
Many RVers and Boaters use it for remote E-mail and
weather
Now many more adopting it for Emergency
Communications:
ARES/RACES EmComm
FEMA, GEMA, HSA
MARS
Humanitarian Missions (Red
Cross, Salvation Army etc)
Winlink 2000
Winlink 2000 is an internet network, with associated
amateur radio stations. The radio stations and network
enable radio amateurs to send and receive emails via
radio, using standard email addresses.
Protocols supported by the Winlink 2000 system are
packet, pactor 1, pactor 2, pactor 3, and WINMOR.
WINMOR is a newer communication protocol, that is
designed to function with the Sound Card on computers,
without the need of a TNC. It is designed to be used on
HF, as an alternative to pactor.
Winlink 2000 System Architecture
Hierarchal levels of the Winlink 2000 system:
Client system
Radio, computer with Winlink software, TNC or soundcard & you, the end-user!
Radio Message Server (RMS)
Radio gateway between the client (end-user) and the Winlink system backbone
Common Message Servers (CMS)
Winlink backbone
• 5 CMS locations• redundant, fault-tolerant• Located on 3 continents• One CMS sufficient for operation
Winlink 2000 Architecture
• CMS
• RMS
(gateway)
• Client
(you)
Winlink Connection Modes
• HF Pactor 1, 2, 3 and 4 • Fast and reliable but requires an expensive modem ($1500+)
• HF WINMOR (WINlink Message Over Radio)• “Poor man’s Pactor”. Not as good as Pactor, but operates with
inexpensive sound card device ($100). Speed between Pactor 2 and 3.
• FEC data encoding !!!!!!!
• VHF/UHF Packet • 9600 baud – Fast, reliable, range limited and requires $400 modem
(Kantronics or SCS Tracker).
• 1200 baud – Slower, but can use inexpensive Byonics TinyTrak-4 modem, MFJ TNC-X
• Telnet• Non-radio connection through the Internet. Good for training and use if
radio is down or network is busy.
Client Winlink Stations
Mic
Audio out
Sound
Card
Interface
West Mountain Radio RIGblaster
(about 5 types)
MFJ make a few
MicroHAM
RigExpert
SignaLink USB Interface
Many more, inc many homebrew
designs starting at about $10
USB or RS232
Winlink.org – Getting and Installing Winlink 2000
Winlink.org – Getting and Installing Winlink 2000
Winlink.org – Getting and Installing Winlink 2000
Winlink – What does it look like ?
Winlink – Setup Basics
Winlink Interface - RMS
Winlink – Composing your Message
Winlink Interface – Open Session
Winlink – Selecting a Channel/Station to Send To
Winlink – Where / How Do we send our Message ?
Winlink – Solar Flux Index
Winlink – Sending and Receiving Messages
Winlink – Winmor Sound Card Window
Winlink – Received Message
WinLink 2000 Resources
WWW.Winlink.org
Winlink made simple document (www.mtnarc.org)
Me