Winlink 2000: Email via Amateur Radio

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Winlink 2000 E-mail via Amateur Radio
Computer
Computer
INTERNET E-Mail Servers
PMBO
Computer
Computer
An Introduction by Howard White, KY6LA With
credit to Alan Jorgensen, KE6SQS Bud Semon,
N7CW, Steve Waterman, K4CJX, Scott Pederson,
KI5DR, Alex Kelly, WU2W, Bill Gerth, W4RK,
Victor Poor, W5SMM, and Rick Meuthing, KN6KB
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Why Winlink?

• July, 2003 In cooperation with its partnership
  with the Department of Homeland Security, and at
  their recommendation, the ARRL Board has agreed
  to provide a nationwide digital system to enhance
  the communications capability of the Amateur
  Radio Emergency Service (ARES).
• There are situations, the Board said, when
• ARES "must have the capability to pass digital
  traffic across the nation quickly and accurately.

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• Purpose of Winlink 2000 in the ARES
  Environment
• To supply de facto e-mail for served agencies
• from inside a disaster area
• using familiar e-mail applications,
• without normal e-mail servers or Internet
  connections being available within the last
  mile affected area.

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The accepted Global standard is now SMTP e-mail
!

• ARES can keep served agencies connected
  without their normal immediate Internet
  connection.
• Bottom Line Lets make written EmComm traffic
  as easy as possible for those who need it during
  an emergency situation.
• Lets not forget It is their party and we
  want to be invited!

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• 
  What is it?
• Winlink is basically an improvement to packet
  radio.
• It uses message drafting software similar in
  appearance to standard e-mail handling
  applications and transmits them in various
  digital modes
• VHF Packet (using Airmail or Paclink freeware)
• HF Pactor (using Airmail freeware)
• and Telnet (from a normal Internet connection).
• At the receiving end of VHF and HF
  transmissions, it is either held for other
  participating stations or it enters the internet
  for further transmission anywhere as normal
  e-mail.
• Note a TELPAC station combines VHF packet
  and a Telnet
• connection to the Internet.

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Training Objectives

• By the end of this training, you will understand
• the need for Winlink in certain situations
• the kind of information best transmitted by
  Winlink
• what equipment/software is needed
• basic Winlink station set-up
• Winlink station/frequency selection
• how to send and receive Winlink traffic
• Products available via Winlink
• where to purchase equipment for Winlink capability

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Our traditional methods fail for complex message
handling in todays inter-agency environment!

• Served agencies within the Incident Command
  System expect multiple recipient e-mail with
  binary attachments that allow rapid delivery of
• Complex written procedures
• Detailed lists
• Graphics
• Photographs
• and pre-defined, formatted, documents

Typical speed of Winlink traffic is five seconds
per line of typed text. Graphics add to the
time. Photos can take 10 minutes or more total
unless well compressed.
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For complex messages, voice, Morse code,
Radiograms, wont do
WHY?

• text only
• very slow
• translation required
• inflexible, prone to error
• no permanent record
• not self-originating
• not point-to-multipoint

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Winlink 2000 Today

• Created seven years ago for open water boaters
  and RV users
• Approximately 150,000 radio message/260,000
  minutes through system, monthly.
• Over 7,200 weekly users to over 85,000 e-mail
  recipients.
• Over 50 standard participating locations (PMBOs)
  with 25 in USA. Many locations contain both VHF
  Telpac and HF Winlink capabilities.
• HF radio access, VHF/UHF radio access, Telnet
  internet access, WEB browser access.
• 2.1 minute average delivery time
• Endorsed by the ARRL as a viable emergency
  digital communication system

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Benefits to Served Agencies

• Backup digital radio SMTP e-mail until last
  mile is restored
• VHF/UHF for local area connection to Internet
• HF for distant connection to Internet
• Familiar e-mail interface
• Local Hubbing even with no Internet access
• No software or hardware necessary behind Firewall
• Control operator need not be present for
  third-party digital traffic. (97.109 Station
  control, for 3rd Party traffic rules) Not
  directly accountable for content (97.219(c.)

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How is it done? By connecting to stations that
run Participating Mail Box Operations (PMBOs)
24/7.
The PMBO is connected to the internet at all
times. There are over 300 VHF Telpac PMBOs and 25
HF Winlink PMBOs in the USA. More than twice
that number worldwide.
Computer
The Internet
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VHF PMBOs with internet gateways are called
TELPAC stations a combination of the Telnet
internet connection and Paclink.
W6IM-1
W6IM
TELPAC stations may be associated with an HF PMBO
using a substation ID (-1, -2) from the the PMBO
or stand alone and connect to the Internet via
any TCP/IP link, including ICOMs D-Star or
WiFi 802-11b.
Computer
Telnet via ISP
D-Star
802-11b
The Internet
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Other computers, or Central Mail Box Operations
(CMBOs), organize and manage the network traffic.
There are only two, one in Ohio, and one in
California
CMBOs are transparent to users. They are
redundant, and you never know they are there.
Computer
The Internet
CMBO
CMBO
CMBO
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Winlink allows you to transmit standard e-mail
directly to all internet e-mail users worldwide,
as if you were using your home or office
computer. Likewise anyone anywhere can send you
an e-mail back through the same system
Computer
The Internet
CMBO
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Adding a Local Area Network (LAN) to the PACLINK
computer permits multiple individuals within the
served agency to send and receive radio e-mail.
PACLINK is now an e-mail server.
PACLINK may be placed in the DMZ zone in front
of the firewall.
The Internet
SERVED AGENCY LAN
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And you can send radio e-mail to other amateur
stations via Paclink (VHF) or Airmail (HF/VHF)
without the Internet The PMBO will hold the
e-mail in queue waiting for the receiving station
to connect. Winlink is all about REDUNDANCY.
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If the local PMBO has an outage, you can make a
connection with another local TELPAC station Or
The Internet
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you can traverse the packet network using nodes
to get to a connected TELPAC station or PMBOOr
The Internet
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you can use an HF station to get to a distant
connected PMBO using AirmailOr
PMBO (distant)
The Internet
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if your computer has a valid internet
connection, Telnet can be used to send and
receive e-mail through an ISP via a PMBO to other
Winlink or Paclink stations. This is handy for
fixed stations because it is fast.
PACLINK stations can switch between preset radio
destinations and Telnet connectivity to find a
connection to a PMBO.
The Internet
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A proposed initial San Diego Winlink/Paclink
network involves both the ARES Paclink station at
the county EOC and a local TELPAC gateway as
well as an HF PMBO for redundancy.
HF PMBO, various locations in and out of county
HF Winlink or VHF Paclink deployable vehicle.
County Office of Emergency Services EOC ARES
Paclink Station
ARES OES N6KI, San Diego
(Future ARES TELPAC Station)
ARES OES W6YOO, Escondido
ARES OES KY6LA, La Jolla
VHF TELPAC PMBO W6IM-1, San Diego Yacht Club
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Proposed Paclink Proof of ConceptNovember 2006
EMS Drill
County EMOC Mission Valley ARES Paclink Station
Northern District Hospital, ARES Paclink Station
Central District Hospital, ARES Paclink Station
Local Telpac Station W6IM-1, San Diego Yacht Club
Southern District Hospital, ARES Paclink Station
Eastern District Hospital, ARES Paclink Station
INTERNET
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What you need to get started with Winlink VHF
(Paclink)

• Computer (OS Windows 2000 or better) loaded with
  Airmail software
• TNC and cables
• -- or
• Soundcard Interface
• (Rigblaster)
• Paclink AGW and
• AGWPE software mimicking a TNC
• VHF radio with data cable to computer soundcard
  interface or TNC
• Suitable antenna

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What applications to get for Winlink HF and VHF
(using TNCs)

• Go to www.winlink.org and click on the link for
  the Airmail Webpage
• -- or --
• Go directly to http//www.siriuscyber.net/ham/
• and download the latest version of Airmail Ham
  Client

• You may also need
• Winzip, Adobe Acrobat,
• and antivirus software.

• For HF use, a superb linked propagation table is
  available by also clicking on the link to the
  NTIA/ITS website and downloading the propagation
  application.

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What applications to get for VHF Paclink, using
soundcard interface (no TNC)

• Go to www.winlink.org to download Paclink AGW and
  Paclink Post Office
• Go to www.elcom.gr/sv2agw and download the latest
  AGWPE packet engine

• You may also need Winzip, Adobe Acrobat, and
  antivirus software.

NOTE  Paclink requires the new Microsoft .NET
framework.   Click on the link to Microsoft
Downloads at the Winlink 2000 Download page
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• A WINLINK 2000 HF LONG RANGE FIELD STATION
• You will need the following equipment
• Amateur radio High Frequency (HF) transceiver
  (IC-706MKIIG, great!).
• Pactor capable modem (Pactor II _at_ 800 bps or
  Pactor III _at_ 3600 bps. Highly recommended over
  Pactor 1 _at_ 200 bps.) (Example an 80 Kbyte file
  on Pactor 1 approx. 80 Min, On Pactor 3, approx
  5-7 min.)
• HF multi-band (mobile/portable) antenna, and
  possibly an antenna tuner
• 12V DC power source (small inverter for temporary
  mobile power)
• Laptop Computer (Win 98, NT, 2000, XP) and
  Airmail software

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Example of Portable Winlink Station HF
Jerry Reimer HR3/KK5CA    IBM 300 Mhz laptop
running XP Pro OS, Airmail, SCS PTCII with
Pactor 3 license, Icom IC-706 Mk IIG, LDG
Electronics Z100 tuner, MFJ switching power
supply.
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Example of Portable Winlink Station VHF
Mike Bourke W5LMB  Dell P150 laptop running
WIN-98, Airmail, KPC-3 TNC, Kenwood TM-201B
radio, powered by 36 AH SLA battery in
separate case.
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Airmail Message Index
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Airmail Draft Window
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Airmail Module Selection
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Airmail Terminal Window
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Airmail Station Selection
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Airmail Frequency Selection
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Station Selection -- Propagation Table
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Other Winlink Features

• APRS GPS interface with laptop or modem
  (NMEA 0183)
• Catalog Products that can be requested
• Space Weather Solar Flux, K-Index
• Weather Products forecast text, forecast maps,
  satellite images
• WL2K Help files
• Real time status of all PMBO and TELPAC gateways
• Radio Beacon Directory
• Much, much, more

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Airmail Product Catalog Weather Forecasts
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Airmail Product Catalog Status of PMBOs
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Airmail Catalog Product Satellite Image
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Sources for HF Pactor Modem

• Manufacturer www.scs-ptc.com
• West Coast www.farallon.us/webstore
• Note a significant
  discount is available from Farallon
• upon proof of equipment use for
  ARES EmComm
• East Coast www.docksideradio.com/ptcii.htm
• (if CA sales tax bothers
  you)

Sources for VHF modems or sound card interfaces

• Ham Radio Outlet www.hamradio.com
• Amateur Electronic Supply www.aesham.com
• Ham City www.hamcity.com
• West Mountain Radio www.westmountainradio.com
• Used Gear http//ac6v.com/swap.htm

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• Future goal of WL2K use for San Diego
• Served Agencies
• Connectivity to served agency LAN so that key
  
• incident command staff can use the Winlink
• system

• on their own computers
• in their own offices,
• with no additional invasive software,
• seamlessly, transparently, from
• user-to-user
• to inside their own county
• or around the world

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• Questions?
• www.sdgares.org
• See www.winlink.org