Transcript Winlink 2000Airmail Installation December 12, 2009

Prince George’s County ARES/RACES
presents
Winlink 2000 Airmail
January 26, 2009
Jim Montgomery, WB3KAS
Assistant Emergency Coordinator for Logistics
Prince George’s County, MD
[email protected]
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Agenda Topics
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What is Airmail
Installation and Set up Process
Fine Tuning the Configuration File
Address Book
Composing and Sending an Airmail Email
KaNodes and How They Work
Telnet Connection
Attached Files
The INI File
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What is Winlink 2000 Airmail?
• Winlink 2000 (abbreviated WL2K) is a
worldwide network of participating amateur
stations bound together through the use of
the Internet.
• By linking with any one of these stations on HF
PACTOR or VHF packet you can exchange
messages with other hams (who have packet
or WL2K addresses), or with anyone with an
Internet email address.
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What is Winlink 2000 Airmail?
• Accessing the Winlink 2000 system is typically
done using AirMail 3.3, a Windows program
written and offered to the ham community
without charge by Jim Corenman, KE6RK.
• Once you link with a WL2K station using
AirMail your messages will be automatically
downloaded and a list of them displayed
similar to Microsoft Outlook or other typical
Internet email programs.
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Download the File
• Website is http://www.airmail2000.com/ham/
• Download Airmail 3.3 Ham Client complete
install (ver 3.3.081, around 4.4 MB) and save it
in a "downloads" folder.
• Follow the directions on the website for
installation
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Web Sites of Interest
• Airmail 2000: http://www.airmail2000.com/
• Airmail Reflector:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/airmail2000/
• Winlink 2000: http://www.winlink2000.org/
• Winlink 2000 Reflector:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/winlink2000/
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Install Process
• Download the Airmail program from
http:// www.airmail2000.com/ham/ , about 4.1 MB.
• You will not need to download any other programs.
• Make a note of the folder name where you place it.
• Close all programs.
• Go to ‘Start’, then ‘Run’.
• Browse to find your file which is called something like
‘amc32081.exe’.
• Click on ‘OK’.
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Install Process
• Then you will see similar to this (if you are on
XP)….click on ‘Run’.
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Install Process
• Then this page……………………………click ‘Setup’.
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Install Process
• Then this page……………………………click ‘Next’.
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Install Process
• Do not change the folder……………………click ‘Next’.
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Install Process
• Install complete.
• Now to the Setup page
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Setup Process
• Enter your radio callsign
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Setup Process
• Enter QTH Coordinates (can be done later)
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Easy Way to Get Coordinates
• http://stevemorse.org/jcal/latlon.php
• “Converting Addresses to/from
Latitude/Longitude in One Step”
• Returns lat/lon from six conversion engines
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Example
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Example
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Setup Process
• Select the VHF modem, com port, Baud rate
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Setup Process
• Select “No” for remote control
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Setup Process
• Finished setup process
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The Fine Tuning Process
• Should be viewing the “In-box”
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The Fine Tuning Process
• Select “Options” from “Tools”
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The Fine Tuning Process
• Select “VHF Packet Client “Setup” under “Modules”
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The Fine Tuning Process
• The right side are your default Packet Settings
• Check the left side with what you entered earlier.
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The Fine Tuning Process
• Go back and select “Connection” Options
• Check Modem Type, Comm Port and Baud Rate
• Select “FSK” and “None” for “Radio Connection”
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Address Book
• Click on the “book” icon
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Address Book
• Looks like any other address book
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Address Book
• To add a new entry select “New”
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Address Book
• . . .and just fill in the blanks
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Address Book
• . . .and just fill in the blanks
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Compose an Email
• Select the “blank page”
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Compose an Email
• The Address book pops up for you to make a
selection. . .
• Select a recipient or recipients and press “OK”
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Compose an Email
• When finished composing the email, you must
put email in the mail box for “delivery.”
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Compose an Email
• When you click on the “Mail Box”, Airmail
sends you to the “Outbox”
• Notice the “Mailbox” Icon in front of email
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Making an RMS Connection
• From “Modules” select “Packet Client”
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Making an RMS Connection
• You might get the following screen
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Making an RMS Connection
• You might get the following screen
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Making an RMS Connection
• You might get the following screen
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Things to Look For
• Most likely it’s the comm port and/baud rate
– 9600 from TNC to computer
– 1200 from TNC to radio. . .That’s
the Law!!!
• Other suspects
– Bad cable or cable connector
– Audio tones not set to FSK
– For KPC3+, select KAM+
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Making an RMS Connection
• You get the following screen
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Making an RMS Connection
• Need find an RMS Packet station nearest you
• Source is www.winlink.org/RMSPacketPositions
– It’s a s—l—o—w load!
• Drag pointer over a green balloon to see call sign
• Double click on balloon shows freq & baud rate
• Copy that call sign into the “Connect to:” box
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Making an RMS Connection
• If you want to use a different RMS Node,
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KaNodes
• KaNode is a Kantronics term
• Allows RMS stations using Kantronics TNCs to
act as a Winlink digipeater. . .sorta!
• Can’t connect direct? Use a KaNode for a hop
• “Connect to” looks like:
– WB3KAS-10 via KH6ILR-10 (can be shortened to)
– WB3KAS-10 v KH6ILR-10 (can be shortened to)
– WB3KAS-10 KH6ILR-10
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On a Good Day
W3LRC-10
W3AAC-10
W3CB-10
KH6ILR-10
N3CK-10
W3PGC-10
K7BC-10
WB3KAS-10
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Event Takes Place
W3LRC-10
W3AAC-10
W3CB-10
KH6ILR-10
No Internet
Connection
Internet
Connection
N3CK-10
W3PGC-10
K7BC-10
WB3KAS-10
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Shelter Needs Help
W3LRC-10
SHELTER
W3AAC-10
W3CB-10
KH6ILR-10
No Internet
Connection
Internet
Connection
N3CK-10
W3PGC-10
K7BC-10
WB3KAS-10
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KaNodes to the Rescue
W3LRC-10
SHELTER
W3AAC-10
KH6ILR-10
A Node, now
W3CB-10
No Internet
Connection
Internet
Connection
N3CK-10
W3PGC-10
K7BC-10
WB3KAS-10
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Telnet Connection
• Another option for an Internet connection
• Advantages
– Broadband, dial-up, doesn’t matter
– No radio or TNC required
– Fast upload and download speeds
– Good for training
• Disadvantages
– Lose the feel for Packet Client (RF) robustness
– Account “clock” not reset
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Telnet Connection
• From “Modules” select “Internet Access”
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Telnet Connection
• You should see the following screen, however
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Telnet Connection
• You need to add the CMS sites
This field must be
populated with the
CMS Sites
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Telnet Connection
• Select “New” to add CMS Sites
To add CMS Sites
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Telnet Connection
• Connection Properties
Remote Remote Host
Call sign
Port
Timeout
(sec)
Local Call sign Password
Proto call
WL2KP
Perth.winlink.org
8772
30
Your call sign
CMSTelnet
(one word)
Select B2
WL2KH
Halifax.winlink.org
8772
30
Your call sign
CMSTelnet
(one word)
Select B2
WL2KS
Sandiego.winlink.org
8772
30
Your call sign
CMSTelnet
(one word)
Select B2
WL2KW
Washington.winlink.org
8772
30
Your call sign
CMSTelnet
(one word)
Select B2
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Telnet Connection
• Select Settings and the following will appear
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Telnet Connection
• Now have a list of CMS Sites to choose from
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Telnet Connection
• Click on the “green circle” to access Telnet
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Telnet Connection
• . . .and the results should look like this
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Attached Files
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Airmail capability to attach files to an email
Spread sheet, pictures, text files, *.doc, etc
Files sizes limited by receiver settings
Great attribute for EmComm considerations
– Periodic Shelter reports
– Requesting supplies and services
– List of names, call signs rotating shifts
– Countless uses
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Attached Files Setup
• First, set the size limits
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Attached Files Setup
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Attached Files
• First, compose an Airmail Email per normal
• Then,
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Attached Files
• Next, select the file of your choice
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Attached Files
• The screen should look like this before sending
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Attached Files
• The screen should look like this before sending
Very important that
you see this
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Attached File
• Post it (look for the mail box in front of the
email in the Out Box
• Select Modules, then you choice for sending
• Select your RMS node (if Packet Client)
• Click the Green button
• You’re done
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The .ini File
• The .ini file format is a common format for
configuration files.
• The name “.ini file“ stands for "initialization.”
• There are several in Airmail.
• For VHF Airmail, only need to be concerned
with Airmail.ini
• Be very careful dealing with the ini files
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The Airmail.ini File
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The Airmail.ini File
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The Airmail.ini File
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Summary
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Lots of stuff covered
Lot of attention to details for your benefit
Keep messages short as possible
Learn more using Telnet; RMS node not tied up
Reset your account when using the RF side
HF?. . .another topic for a another day
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