E-Mail Over HF With ARDOP Winlink

"Packet did all this years ago. BBS and forums too. (KY5DD)" - Very True!

Actually, packet was not just VHF. It was UHF, VHF, HF, and Internet all combined. - Remember "LonNY" ?? (The London to New York internet TCP/IP link which caused a massive outrage 'cos "it ain't Radio!")

 

I support the concept of e-mail over amateur radio HF. Or over ANY amateur band.

Incredibly to me, this has become a controversial subject, but IMO email via radio is a natural extension in the modern era of what has long been a part of the basis and purpose for the Amateur Radio Service, ie, an alternative means for message handling.

Others seem to think that purpose has faded. I disagree. Apparently to them amateur radio OTA activity should just be ragchewing, DX'ing and contesting. All fine activities themselves, but not always the perceivable strongest basis for justifying spectrum allocations.

Messaging is at the root of the ARRL; its in the name! They started with the NTS and telegraphy / telephony, which still works too! But that has evolved now to include digital forms. Winlink is just one of several brand names in amateur radio digital messaging. As others posted, there is DNTS, RRI, JS8, and probably others. Winlink has been around while and grown to be quite popular, based upon what I observe is well crafted client software. A lot of work has gone into that.

Unfortunately, the controversy now surrounds its use and growth OTA in regard to dated regulations. Symbol rate and wider bandwidth allowances, increased digital sub-band allocations, approved message content and monitoring, automatic unattended server collision detection. All important points but none that are important enough to halt progress, IMO. Use it or lose it.

I wish the players in these arguments would cooperate better. In that regard, lately Winlink has been singled out, IMO, for a lot of unfair criticism and in some cases unethical complaints. I don't care about juvenile arguments based on the past, "they started it first", or silly allegations of "effective encryption" or "national security" risks.

Messaging via digital amateur radio, Winlink or otherwise, is a very viable application with public benefit that ought to wielded by the IARU and members in negotiations with authorities in the "use it or lose it" fight for ARS spectrum rights.

73, John, WØPV

 

Some may scoff at Winlink being just another gateway form of amateur radio-to-commercial communications, like repeater auto-patches (remember?), IRLP, or EchoLink, be aware that besides its CMS servers that tie and utilize the Internet, Winlink also includes a "Radio Only" form of forwarding messages. If selected as RO your message is sent only OTA via RMS servers, ie, all comms via amateur radio.

73, John, WØPV

PS - for full disclosure, I am not a highly active "Winlink'er", nor an expert, ie, only a fan of the concept. I have downloaded their software and sent some messages. What I say is similar to the purpose of the good @K0PIR OP vid - just check it out

 

DX'peditions, online logs, and Winlink (or other) digital message file attachment feature.

Recently there have been a few very popular DX'ped's to very remote locations. They generate huge attention from those chasing rare DXCC entities, and big pile-ups. Many savvy DX'peditioners recognize having logs published online (ClubLog or otherwise) in as close to real-time as possible reassures DX'ers their QSO is valid and "in-the-log", reducing substantially the occurrence of unnecessary repeat or "insurance QSO's", increasing the percentage of unique QSO's (first time callers).

Unfortunately, several of these very remote rare DX'peds, although they bring commercial SAT fones along for uploading their logs, have found this method failed when latitude, terrain, WX, malfunction, or combo of such factors prevents the bulk of log data transfer until AFTER the OTA activity, negating any benefit.

The latest example is the recent effort from VP8PJ, an otherwise superb operation! But note the comment seen from their blog Feb 25 2100Z -

"We are having spotty success getting an adequate signal from the satellite, even from the ship. We’ve been in contact with the service provider and we all agree that the problem is the terrain and the satellite’s low angle in the sky. ... One of the ship’s crew asked “they make a contact on the radio and need to Internet to confirm they made the contact?”. Interesting observation from a fellow that knows little about ham radio."

I suggest that DX'peds recognize the value of being easily equipped and trained to use Winlink (or other) not just as a backup, but as the primary transfer method for batches of log ADIF data during the operation.

73, John, WØPV

 

How do you create a password?

 

Never mind.

 

And there used to be a blacksmith on every corner too.

 

... and horses still wear iron shoes

 

They do NOT lease call signs to others in MEXICO. This was proposed and not implemented.
And if you know someone that is doing this, please email me so we can report this illegal action to the IFT.

https://planeta.com/mexico-ift/

Fake or pirate call signs are eventually caught and locked out of the system.

Please give us the name of this "place" in Panama and we will see that action is taken, as we have proper contacts.

You are free to contact the FMRE which assists the Mexico' s IFT, (their FCC), in amateur regulations and interface.
Also you can email the FMRE president XE2O, for more clarification if desired.

https://fmre.mx/

xe2/n6kzb
Member of FMRE (Winlink Manager)
Member of WDT

 

You should be contacting FMRE, it is not now my job, this has been going on for many years.

Amateur Licensing in Mexico On Hold
https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/amateur-licensing-in-mexico-on-hold.552291/

ARRL News
http://www.arrl.org/news/mexico-not-yet-extending-operating-permission-to-non-mexican-radio-amateurs

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f13/so-why-do-i-need-a-ham-license-in-mexico-109517.html

 

Wrong.. Stop posting information without official documentation OM.
And another topic posted on QRZ does not mean it has correct information.
And Panama??

Any rate, you had your say. Adios and 73. Stay safe.

 

I have been using winlink for over seven years. It just that my local OES doesn't want to use it. They use something call outpost, which is not supported on the HF bands.

 

We support Outpost on 80m. https://vapn.org/

 

I dont remember that but I do remember the "Wormhole"
I think it was digipeater thru Stanford or Berkley then uplinked to military satellite and back down to MIT via packet.
Wow such a long time ago before public access to the internet and no graphical interfaces. Oh yes and the Ham chatroom on Prodigy. Ha!
TRS color computer or commodore 64?
What your path?

 

so far so good...

well, okay, good discussion point ...

of course...

automatic unattended?? No...

I don't either.

My sticking points have been and always will be encryption and automated, unattended, store and forward systems.
Then we can attempt to settle the "Amateur Radio Bandwidth for Commercial Use" Question.

There, concise and emotionless enough ?