Winlink Global Radio Email

This is a network of amateur radio and authorized government-licensed stations that provides worldwide radio email using radio pathways where the internet is not present. The system is built, operated and administered entirely by licensed “Ham” volunteers. It supports email with attachments, position reporting, weather and information bulletins, and is well-known for its role in interoperable emergency and disaster relief communications. It is capable of operating completely without the internet–automatically–using smart-network radio relays. Licensed Winlink operators/stations use both amateur radio and government radio frequencies worldwide. Support for the system is provided by the Amateur Radio Safety Foundation, Inc., a US 501(c)(3) non-profit, public-benefit entity. Winlink Global Radio Email®️ is a US registered trademark of the Amateur Radio Safety Foundation, Inc.

General information about Winlink can be found on the organizations website: https://winlink.org

There is no cost for the software; but donations are strongly encouraged if you use it and find it of value. Software can be downloaded from their website. In order to use the system, you MUST register your call sign with them to enter yourself into the Winlink mail system, E.G. callsign@winlink.org. Only licensed amateur radio operators can register with the system.

Winlink supports operation on both V/UHF and HF frequencies using various modes: telnet, packet, Pactor, and VARA. The telnet mode is Internet only and uses no RF transmission. Packet mode is used on V/UHF only. Pactor and VARA are used on all frequency ranges.

If you are not using a TNC or Pactor modem hardware device in your setup, then you will need to use an external sound card device with a modem software program running on your computer. For packet Winlink on V/UHF frequencies we recommend using the UZ7HO “soundmodem” program. There are several other such programs available for free on the Internet; but the UZ7HO Soundmodem program is the easiest to install and configure. This software can be downloaded from:
http://uz7.ho.ua/packetradio.htm

Winlink/Sound Card setup instructions are provided by the WinLink developers <HERE>

V/UHF packet Winlink is well supported in Sarasota County by the Sarasota Amateur Radio Club with a gateway RMS to the Winlink system and a digipeater that supports access from anywhere in the county:

• Gateway: N4SER-10
• Digipeater: WC4EM
• Frequency: 144.950 MHz (simplex, no tone)

Packet Winlink is slow (1200 baud usually and up to 9600 baud possible) and the technology is old. It is now being slowly replaced by VARA FM modem software that offers much faster baud rates with better error correction. For HF Winlink, the previous, non-Pactor, mode was a proprietary modem software called Winmor. In early 2020, Winlink announced the discontinuation of Winmor in favor of the new and much more robust VARA HF modem software. VARA is a High Performance HF modem based on OFDM modulation. VARA Modem, brings  state of the  art Military  grade technology to  new  and  existing HF data. It introduces a new  standard of technology available for Amateur and  Commercial use. A free and reduced capability version of the new VARA and VARA FM software is available for download; but on time, life-time license purchase is required to unlock the full and faster performance of the software:
https://rosmodem.wordpress.com/

There are 100’s of HF gateway stations available on just about any HF band around the county to support the Winlink system. The software provides users with a list of all such stations registered as RMS gateways with the Winlink system AND it also provides a real time assessment of propagation conditions between your station and each of the possible RMS stations.

If you would like to create a V/UHF or HF Winlink client station and need some more information of assistance, contact Paul, KN4BAR by email to paul9aber@gmail.com.