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WinLink2000 (WL2K) and its Adaptation to MEMA Digital Communications

WinLink2000 (WL2K) and its Adaptation to MEMA Digital Communications. By ‘ DoC’ Willard, W1EO And Tom Kinahan, N1CPE. What is Winlink2000 How do we plan to use it What’s running now Call to Action!. Agenda. So What is this Winlink ?. “Last Mile” of Email via digital radio

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WinLink2000 (WL2K) and its Adaptation to MEMA Digital Communications

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  1. WinLink2000 (WL2K)and its Adaptation toMEMA Digital Communications By ‘DoC’ Willard, W1EO And Tom Kinahan, N1CPE

  2. What is Winlink2000 How do we plan to use it What’s running now Call to Action! Agenda

  3. So What is this Winlink ? • “Last Mile” of Email via digital radio • Worldwide network has 80 plus ground entry nodes • Australia didn’t allow until after Tsunami disaster (Internet connection issues) • MITRE’s radio club sponsors one node in Bedford • Users primarily boats/ships, RVs and missionaries • Our Bedford node has 30 plus users per day • Scan 6 HF frequencies and one VHF • Send/receive with other HAMs or with Internet clients • The network handles 150,000 messages a month

  4. Winlink 2000 Today… by the numbers • Over 99% system availability since Nov, 1999. • 3 Full-time, Redundant, Mirror image, Common Message Servers (CMS) in Detroit, San Diego and Perth, all in hardened sites, providing excellent reliability, worldwide. More coming! • 91 total PMBOs, worldwide, in 3 Service Classes. Public & EmComm Amateur, Army MARS, and UK Cadet Forces maintain separate service classes for their own operation. More EmComm Classes coming! • Approximately 10,000 Weekly Radio users communicating with over 98,000 Email recipients, pushing an average of 150,000 messages or 280,000 minutes, monthly, with an average duration of 3.4 Minutes at 3,600 bytes/per message. The average time from message origination to pickup for delivery is approximately 3.5 minutes, regardless of distance. • In the EmComm Amateur service class, there are 315 Active VHF/UHF “TelPac” Gateways. • In the Army MARS service class, There are 11 HF PMBOs serving DHS, & NORTHCOM, etc. (6 Months old and growing fast)!

  5. Why Winlink 2000 is used for EmComm. • Uses e-mail, the World’s standard for written communications. • Provides “last Mile” local radio digital messaging directly for served agencies, using existing e-mail programs, on existing computers, with no additional “invasive” software…seamlessly and transparently. • Provides wide area coverage from inside a disaster area withoutthe Internet, and with a minimum amount of additional client hardware or software. • Has a proven record of reliability, and continues to be responsive to the needs of its user communities.

  6. Why Winlink 2000? • Enable delivery of formal record traffic directly to and from the desktop of our served agencies using a familiar user interface • Fact: Internet email is the primary form of written communication within DoD, DHS and most other government agencies • Allow transport of small binary attachments such as imagery, forms (ICS!) or encrypted traffic • Robust, fault tolerant architecture • Interoperability with ARES/RACES • Replacing an aging collection of BBS systems, most without source code access or support (“Abandoned-ware”), with a supported application written for modern personal computer technology with mainstream development tools

  7. How Does Winlink 2000 Cater to these Needs? • It looks like e-mail and uses familiar software like Outlook and Outlook Express • Has an address book and a spell-checker • Allows multiple recipients (to:, cc:) • Sends multiple attachments • DoesNOT add to the stress or learning curve when in an emergency situation

  8. Radio Data Interface E-MAIL VIA VHF RADIO using Winlink 2000 This is a Winlink 2000 PACLINK or AIRMAIL station. A typical radio “last mile” e-mail station is composed of simple components, even for an Agency with multiple computers. A VHF or UHF Radio and a GoodAntenna A Packet Radio Modem (TNC.) • Laptop for a Portable Station. Desktop for an agency. • Paclink and your favorite E-mail client • Or Airmail 2000 software • Win2000 or WinXP Laptop Computer

  9. Radio Radio Data Interface Data Interface PMBO E-MAIL VIA VHF or HF RADIO To send or receive e-mail, this station makes a connection with a Winlink radio node or PMBO. Computer

  10. VHF Radio VHF Radio Data Interface Data Interface PMBO E-MAIL VIA VHF RADIO For the “last mile,” use VHF radios and the Packet mode as a pathway to carry e-mail. Computer

  11. VHF Radio VHFRadio VHF Radio HF Radio Data Interface Data Interface Data Interface Data Interface PMBO Computer Computer E-MAIL VIA HF RADIO For longer distances or in difficult terrain, most PMBOs are outfitted with HF radios and the Pactor II & III modes to serve stations with no other e-mail outlet. Airmail “client Program Users on HF can only use the program Airmail 2000 (today). Use of a a common HF client package simplifies support! “.ini” files can be emailed over Winlink 2000 to update list of available PMBOs and frequencies.

  12. VHF Radio VHF Radio Data Interface Data Interface PMBO E-MAIL VIA VHF RADIO The PMBO is connected to the internet at all times. Computer The Internet

  13. VHF Radio VHF Radio VHFRadio Data Interface Data Interface Data Interface PMBO TELPAC E-MAIL VIA VHF RADIO PMBOs may have remote “gateways” called TELPAC stations. They are connected to the PMBO via any TCP/IP link and duplicate its VHF radio port in another location. Computer TELPAC stations may communicate to the PMBO via any Internet Protocol link, including private Wide Area Network or WiFi. 802-11g The Internet

  14. Radio Radio Data Interface Data Interface PMBO E-MAIL VIA VHF or HF RADIO Other computers, or CMSs, organize and manage the network traffic. CMSs are transparent to users. They are redundant, and you never know they are there. They replicate message traffic across all CMSs in real-time. San Diego, CADetroit, MIPerth, Australia Computer The Internet CMS CMS CMS

  15. Radio Radio Data Interface Data Interface PMBO E-MAIL VIA VHF or HF RADIO You can send radio e-mail directly to internet e-mail users. Computer The Internet

  16. Radio Radio Radio Data Interface Data Interface Data Interface PMBO Computer Computer E-MAIL VIA VHF or HF RADIO And you can send radio e-mail to other Paclink orAirmail stations like yours. The Internet

  17. VHF Radio VHF Radio VHF Radio Data Interface Data Interface Data Interface PMBO Computer Computer E-MAIL VIA VHF RADIO Adding a LAN on the PACLINK computer permits individuals to send and receive radio e-mail. PACLINK is now an e-mail (POP3) server. PACLINK may be placed in the “DMZ” zone in front of the firewall. The Internet Served Agency LAN with Outlook or Outlook Express

  18. Radio Radio Radio Data Interface Data Interface Data Interface PMBO Computer E-MAIL VIA VHF or HF RADIO ThePMBOforwards radio e-mail between its radio users,even if its internet connection is gone. Computer The Internet

  19. Radio Radio Radio Data Interface Data Interface Data Interface PMBO Computer TELPAC E-MAIL VIA HF or VHF RADIO If the local PMBO has an outage, you can make a connection with a local TELPAC station which will automatically shift to a distant host PMBO with connectivity. Or… The Internet

  20. NODE NODE VHF Radio VHF Radio VHFRadio Data Interface Data Interface Data Interface PMBO Computer TELPAC E-MAIL VIA VHF RADIO Or… you can traverse the packet network using nodes to get to a connected TELPAC or PMBO. Or… The Internet

  21. HF Radio VHF Radio Data Interface Data Interface PMBO Computer E-MAIL VIA HF RADIO Or… you can use an HF station to get to a distant connected PMBOusing Airmail 2000. The Internet

  22. VHF Radio VHF Radio VHF Radio Data Interface Data Interface Data Interface PMBO Computer Computer TELNET TELNET E-MAIL VIA VHF or HF RADIO Besides radio channels,PACLINK stations also may have telnetchannels to the internet. This is handy for fixed stations because it is fast. PACLINK stations automatically switch between preset radio destinations and telnet channels to find a connection to a PMBO. The Internet

  23. How Does Winlink 2000 Cater to these Needs? • It looks like e-mail and uses familiar software like Outlook and Outlook Express • Has an address book and a spell-checker • Allows multiple recipients (to:, cc:) • Sends multiple attachments • DoesNOT add to the stress or learning curve when in an emergency situation

  24. The Network View

  25. Amateur Service Public PMBOs

  26. Nearby Amateur Service EmComm PMBOs

  27. Nearby Amateur Service Telpac VHF/UHF Packet Gateways

  28. Army MARS EmComm PMBOs

  29. Position Reporting by End-Users

  30. Example of an End-User Position Report

  31. Example of End-User Position Reporting

  32. The Node View

  33. OCF Dipole 20 M YAGI 80, 40, 17 M Passive Antenna Switch Scanning 3620.9 3627.5# 7070.9 14075.9 14102.7# 18100.9 Omni TS-920 145.750 SCS PTC-II W1ON Node KPC-3 Pentium II WL2K XP DMZ Internet

  34. The User View

  35. HF 3600 baud VHF 1200 baud Radio KAM, KPC3 Modem SCS PTC-II Computer Airmail Program Client/User Equipment Configuration

  36. A WINLINK 2000 HF LONG RANGE FIELD STATION • Youwill need the following equipment: • Amateur radio High Frequency (HF) transceiver. • Pactorcapable modem: Pactor II @ 800 bps. P3 @ 3600 bps. Highly recommended over Pactor 1 @ 200 bps. (Example: an 80 Kbyte file on Pactor 1: approx. 80 Min, On Pactor 3, approx 7-12 min.) • HF multi-band (mobile/portable) antenna, and an auto-coupler. • Power source. • Laptop Computer (Win 98, ME, 2000, XP) and Airmail for HF.

  37. How Will We use WL2K? • To support digital communication between MEMA Region and State EOC • To support digital communication between individual communities and the local Region office • To provide an easy to use email interface to allow radio operators and EMA personnel to communicate among each other and with any internet email user.

  38. What we are running now! • MEMA is currently running a PMBO at the Framingham State EOC. • HF Pactor I, II and III Airmail can connect on: 3.590 or 7076.9. • VHF Airmail access on 145.75MHz • Equipment on loan from MITRE

  39. What we are running now! • Additional VHF Telpacs now available. • Gil W1GMF has assembled a group of TELPAC stations in Eastern Mass that are available to all:KK1X-10 AYER,MA 145.07N1OTX-10 WOBURN,MA 145.09W1GMF-10 ABINGTON,MA 145.09N1XTB-10 MIDDLEBORO,MA 145.01N1YHR-10 FORRESTDALE,MA 145.01KE1AB-10 CRANSTON,RI 145.05

  40. Winlink 2000 (WL2K) More info and Follow up System Details and Downloads: Winlink 2000 web site: www.winlink.org Join the 1400+ member EmComm WL2K reflector: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wl2kemcomm/ Take the On-line course for using WL2K modules for EmComm: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LOADING_WL2K_USER_PROGRAMS/ Review and promote the Published Information about Winlink 2000: http://www.winlink.org/news.htm Review the Presentations and examples of EmComm use: http://www.winlink.org/emergency.htm

  41. Call to Action! • Dust off that old Packet TNC and use “Airmail” to connect to local Telpac or PMBO • If you feel like you want to take a larger role, load and run “Telpac” to provide a service to your neighbors. • Get an SCS Pactor II or III modem and get on HF.

  42. Questions? doc@mitre.org w1eo@winlink.org n1cpe@arrl.net n1cpe@winlink.org

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