WinLink Introduction

[last updated: 2024-10-06]

This page still in major edit mode...

WinLink home

WinLink - local RMS hub
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WinLink LINKS
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• Introduction/description:
  Great description by the Winlink Development Team
  WinLink 2000 is a world-wide network composed of internet-connected servers and ham radio stations.
  It allows ham stations to send and receive emails using their radio gear. This can be done even in areas with no internet connection.
  Ham radio transmissions may be on VHF or HF.
  Ham stations are composed of standard ham transceivers connected to a PC, with a modem/soundcard interface.
  The PC has several pieces of software installed to facilitate it all. See Winlink Installation link.

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• First Steps: (see installation link for details on these steps)
  • Using your internet-connected PC:
    Install Winlink software:
    Install Pat Winlink:
  • Make a connection to Winlink.
    This will trigger Winlink to create a new account for you.
    Edit your config/profile with your callsign, grid locator, and password.
    Get Winlink Acct:
  • Send/receive emails via telnet.
    Using WinLink with Telnet:
• Next Steps:
  • Get a radio and modem connected...
    Get on the Air:

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• Using Winlink:
  • See the Online Resources links above for a detailed description of the various modes of operation (once you have a WinLink account).
    I'm not an expert and don't understand them in any depth.
    OTOH I will try to explain how I, as a simple user, use Winlink to send emails.

  • Two major modes of operation:
    • Telnet: this mode allows sending/receiving emails via the Winlink network,
      using just your PC connected to the internet (ie. no radio needed).
      Using WinLink with Telnet:
    • Via radio link to ... to someone who is connected to the internet ...
      This mode requires specific hardware and software:
      Get on the Air:

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  ... still in draft mode below here ...

• Using WinLink:
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• Using your WinLink Account:
• Send an email with telnet:
• with pat still having an active connection (terminal prompt blinking white square)
• open browser to connection address (for me: 127.0.0.1:5000)
• Action > Compose
  enter destination/recipient email address
  enter subject and text of message
  click Post
• your message will now be in your outbox
  click Action > Connect
  select telnet, click Connect
  [If it asks for a password here, see above note about editing your config file]
• your message will now move from your outbox to your sent box
  and should have been received by the recipient
• Receive a message sent from an email account:
  • Email messages sent from some other email account to: [your callsign]@winlink.org will be received in your inbox
  • to retrieve them, Actions > Connect > select telnet > Connect
• But:
  If you have done eg. a [ctrl-Z] in your terminal to restore your terminal prompt,
  you somehow stop pat from running, even though the process (PID) is still active (see it with $ ps).
  In this situation, opening your browser to your mailbox fails.
  Further, you cannot re-launch pat (eg. with: $ pat http) until you've killed (with $ sudo kill -9 [PID])

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