My Adventures In Steve Palmer (KW4SHP) CERT, SkyWarn, ARES - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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My Adventures In Steve Palmer (KW4SHP) CERT, SkyWarn, ARES - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Jan 28, 2024 653 likes •1.13k views

My Adventures In Steve Palmer (KW4SHP) CERT, SkyWarn, ARES Virginia Wireless Society January 24, 2020 Bio Started Programming as a High School Sophomore (1968) on IBM 1401 - Fortran Master of Engineering in Computer Science from University

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Steve Palmer (KW4SHP) CERT, SkyWarn, ARES Virginia Wireless Society January 24, 2020

My Adventures In…

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Bio

Started Programming as a High School Sophomore (1968) on IBM 1401 - Fortran Master of Engineering in Computer Science from University of Louisville in 1975 (Minor in EE) CompuServe -> AOL Beltway Bandit -> McDonnell Douglas -> Boeing (37 years before retiring in 2012) Developed Single & Multi User Operating Systems (long before CP/M, DOS, Windows, Unix, Linux, or iOS) Differential GPS for training at US Army’s Mobile Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) facility Air Traffic Management – Boeing Experimental 737 – Airframe system bus, IGS, Radar, GPS, ASDI Feed Local and Wide Area Networking for USSOCOM, USCENTCOM (Desert Shield/Storm) DoD Organizational Message Handling – Authentication, Non-Repudiation, Compartmentalized Implemented Large Scale Search Engines (long before Google, Bing, Yahoo) Latest Adventures ➢ CERT - 10/2018 ➢ HAM - Tech 12/2018, Gen 2/2019 ➢ ARES - Credentialed in 7/2019 ➢ Winlink - first discovered Winlink at the ARRL Field Day 6/2019

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Preface

Everybody has different requirements, budgets, and radios HF, VHF, UHF Mobile, HT, or Base Station Email User Interface (Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone) Your Level of Expertise in Gadget’ing There are many ways to skin a cat. Your mileage will vary. This presentation is based on my research and my implementation

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My Initial Requirements

  • To be able to exchange Internet Email using either an Android cell

phone or Windows PC when cell service and local Internet service are both unavailable. ✓ Off-Grid ✓ Power Outages ✓ Service Disruption ✓ Service Congestion

  • Work with my existing HT (Baofeng BF-F8HP)
  • Usable with future high-end radio purchases

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  • Winlink is a worldwide radio messaging system that uses amateur radio bands and

government frequencies to provide radio interconnection services that include email with attachments, position reporting, weather bulletins, emergency and relief communications, and message relay.

  • Administered by Volunteers
  • Financially supported by the Amateur Radio Safety Foundation
  • Also Known As
  • Winlink 2000 Network, WL2K or simply Winlink
  • But don’t confuse Winlink with Winlink Express, a Microsoft Windows Winlink Email Client

(Winlink Express was formerly known as RMS Express)

Winlink Global Radio Email

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2787 Nodes (Radio Message Servers) to send/receive email to/from

Currently the Go-To App for ARES

  • Multiple ICS Forms Available on the Microsoft Windows flavor of Winlink Radio Mail Client
  • Weekly Check-Ins to confirm end-to-end system functionality – Winlink Wednesday

8 stations on 160m 482 stations on 80m 66 stations on 60m 549 stations on 40m 351 stations on 20m 266 stations on 30m 38 stations on 17m 15 stations on 15m 3 stations on 12m 53 stations on 10m 13 stations on 6m 781 stations on 2m 16 stations on 1.25m 118 stations on 70cm 28 other

By Band By Protocol

908 stations using Packet 461 stations using Winmor 460 stations using Ardop 529 stations using Pactor 429 other

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Packet By Speed

822 stations using 1200 53 stations using 9600 33 other

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https://winlink.org/RMSChannels Packet

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https://winlink.org/RMSChannels Winmor

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https://winlink.org/userPositions Reporting Positions

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https://winlink.org/userPositions Reporting Positions

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Supported Communication Technologies

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Winlink Components

Radio Mail Server - RMS Radio Mail Server - RMS Radio Mail Server - RMS Radio Mail Client Radio Mail Client Radio Mail Client Radio Mail Client RF P2P RF RF RF RF Internet

Common Message Servers CMS

RF Unlike APRS, multiple radio frequencies are used. Multiple RMS stations can use same frequency.

Routing info based on source and destination call signs

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Mail Client Instantiations

Radio Mail Client Radio TNC Radio

Embedded TNC

Radio

Embedded SW/HW TNC

Email SW App Email SW App Email SW App Hardwired Connection

  • Speaker
  • Microphone
  • Transmitter Keying
  • PTT
  • VOX
  • Tones

Serial Data Protocols

  • Over Bluetooth or USB

#3 #1 #2

1/24/2020 Steve Palmer (KW4SHP) 14 Newer Kenwood APRS Radios D710 & D72

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#2 Mail Client SW TNC

Radio Mail Client Radio SW TNC Email SW App Hardwired Connection

  • Speaker
  • Microphone
  • Transmitter Keying
  • PTT
  • VOX
  • Tones

DireWolf Soundmodem

Baofeng BF-F8HP

Requires PTT

  • r VOX

Be careful of VOX!

#2

Easy Digi Kit Audio In Audio out PTT (RS232) Could use internal sound card or USB sound card

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Cannot use straight through audio in/out cables with Kenwood or Baofeng! They will keep radio keyed permanently.

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Kenwood/Baofeng MIC/SPK Diagram

Too many wires & large footprint!

https://cupano.com/2018/12/27/packet-radio-connected-modes-with-the-baofeng-uv-5r-part-1/ 1/24/2020 Steve Palmer (KW4SHP) 16

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#3 Mail Client Standalone TNC

Radio Mail Client Hardwired Connection

  • Speaker
  • Microphone
  • Transmitter Keying
  • PTT
  • VOX – Bad idea
  • Tones – Radio must support it

Baofeng BF-F8HP

Requires HW PTT

Radio TNC Email SW App #3 Serial Data Protocols

  • Over Bluetooth or USB

Multiple Flavors

Mobilinkd TNC3 --$120+$10(pigtail) ▪ Small footprint ▪ USB rechargeable battery ▪ USB and Bluetooth connections ▪ Pigtails available for most radio models ▪ Designed for AX.25 and APRS MFJ TNC-X (aka 1270X) -- $139 Coastal ChipWorks TNC-X -- $123 TinyTrak4 -- $75 SignaLink -- $135

  • Okay Out-of-Box for HF
  • Additional SW required for Packet

Soundmodem DireWolf

  • Large footprint

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firmware-1_1_4.elf

» 5.0 MiB - 34 hits - August 11, 2019 1.1.4: Do not detect carrier when no signal is present. This allows the TNC to work with a closed squelch. 1.1.3: Fix USB serial port behavior on Windows impacting Winlink Express. Improve 1200 baud decode performance. Change modulator to send HDLC idle frame during preamble (TX delay). 1.1.2: Fix corrupted packets caused by SLIP encoding error. Reduce packet collisions by fixing CSMA handling defect. 1.1.1: Fix issue where short 17-byte packets were being dropped. This defect impacted Winlink users. 1.1.0: This decreases the latency over BLE connections. It noticeably improves responsiveness of the iOS Config App. (This update does little if you are not on iOS.)

TNC3 Firmware Updates

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Mail Client Email SW Apps

Radio Mail Client Radio TNC Email SW App #3

  • Bluetooth or USB

Winlink Express PC “pat”

hotspot

Raspberry Pi Browser Cell/PC/Mac

  • Wifi
  • Hardwired

Winlink Express …

Win Vista-10

Paclink ……………… Windows Paclink-Unix ……..

Linux

Pat ……………………

Linux, Windows

AirMail ……………..

Windows

Outpost ……………. Any

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GPS

Windows PC Bluetooth HT VHF/UHF TNC

Winlink Express

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Raspberry Pi3

GPS

HT Cell

Power Pack 2200mAh 1000mA

USB Ammeter

300 mA

TNC VHF/UHF

Bluetooth Wifi

Wifi Hotspot

“Pat” Browser

BT Configuration 1/24/2020 Steve Palmer (KW4SHP) 21

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Adjust Volume Level for TNC

Power on TNC and Radio On HT, Open Squelch On PC or Android Make sure TNC is Bluetooth Paired Run Mobilinkd TNC Configuration Tool Adjust volume so it doesn’t overdrive Be sure to Disconnect Tool

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  • On PC…
  • Run Winlink Express
  • Create mail account - KW4SHP@Winlink.org

Winlink Radio Mail Client

Free to Use Registration is not necessary. But…

  • Supports ARSF and Eliminates Nag Screen
  • $24 per call sign
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  • On PC…
  • Run Winlink Express

Winlink Radio Mail Client

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  • Compose Freeform Message
  • When done, Post to Outbox

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  • Select Outbox
  • Choose Session Type
  • Open Session

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  • First time use
  • Settings for TNC

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  • Channel Selection Picklist
  • Set radio to frequency
  • Click on Start
  • Watch Progress

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Compose Message using a Template

  • Start with a blank Message
  • Select a Template

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Selected form pops up in Browser

  • Fill in fields as necessary
  • Click on Submit

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ICS-213 Form is converted to plain

  • text. An attached

XML file allows form to be recreated by Winlink Express addressees.

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Raspberry Pi Considerations

GPS Dongle

  • Used to Set Time when Off-Grid
  • Used to Set Grid Square and find nearby RMS stations
  • Used to Post Winlink Position Reports

Web Based Winlink Email Client (“Pat”) Ancillary Web Server - Python

  • Avoids having to use Telnet/ssh/VNC for simple tasks

ARES ICS Templates not available on Pi Email Client (“pat”) Step-by-step SW build instructions are available from KW4SHP A semi-configured Pi3 SD card image is available for cloning

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Raspberry Pi Web Based GUIs

  • Pat’s embedded Web Server (8080)

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  • Links to Home Grown Web Server

hosted on Raspberry Pi (8690)

  • Raspberry’s Web based configuration tool (80)
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PAT Inbox

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PAT Compose

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RMS List

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PAT Connect

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PAT Outbox

Connection has been initiated from Action dropdown Panel at bottom shows connection progress

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My RF Use Cases

HTTP Wifi Raspberry Pi3 “Pat” HT Mobilinkd TNC3 Bluetooth or USB

Browser

HT Mobilinkd TNC3

Winlink Express

Browser

Bluetooth or USB Pigtail Pigtail Hotspot AX.25 AX.25

ICS Forms

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Where to Start…

  • Head to Winlink.org and download Winlink Express for your PC.

Piddle with it using Internet (Telnet Winlink) Protocols

  • Check out the HamRadioConcepts Channel on YouTube.

Search for TNC3

  • Acquire a GPS device for your PC.
  • Diymall Vk-172 USB Dongle GPS/Glonass
  • VK-162 USB External GPS Antenna Remote Mount

Both GPS devices support Windows 10/8/7/vista/XP and Raspberry Pi

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Ancillary Equipment Used in My Implementation

(This does not include Radio, PC, Cellphone, or Tablet used to view/compose email)

For use with Winlink Express on a Microsoft Windows Platform ➢ Mobilinkd TNC3 -- $119.95 https://store.mobilinkd.com/products/mobilinkd-tnc3 ➢ Pigtail for Mobilinkd TNC3 to Baofeng HT -- $9.95 https://store.mobilinkd.com/collections/tnc-cables ➢ GPS receiver for PC - either

  • VK-172 G-Mouse USB GPS Dongle -- $13.49 (thumb drive style)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NWEEWW8

  • VK-162 G-Mouse USB GPS Dongle -- $17.99 (mag mount)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078Y52FGQ For Browser Based Platform Independent Winlink Email Client Solution ➢ Mobilinkd TNC3 -- $119.95 https://store.mobilinkd.com/products/mobilinkd-tnc3 ➢ Pigtail for Mobilinkd TNC3 to Baofeng HT -- $9.95 https://store.mobilinkd.com/collections/tnc-cables ➢ Raspberry Pi3 (CanaKit) - $74.99 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY ➢ Compact case for Pi3 - $6.99 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011RBJUOC ➢ GPS receiver for Pi3 - either

  • VK-172 G-Mouse USB GPS Dongle -- $13.49 (thumb drive style)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NWEEWW8

  • VK-162 G-Mouse USB GPS Dongle -- $17.99 (mag mount)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078Y52FGQ

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Resources – TNCs

1/24/2020 Steve Palmer (KW4SHP) 42 General market survey of TNCs - 5 years old https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/2azv12/which_tnc_for_a_mobile_application/ Mobilinkd Official Web Site http://www.mobilinkd.com/ Mobilinkd TNC3 User Guide https://mobilinkd.s3.amazonaws.com/TNC3/MobilinkdTNC3.pdf Field test of Mobilinkd TNC3 and Baofeng BF-F8HP - June 21, 2019 http://km6zpo.com/mobilinkd-tnc3-and-baofeng-bf-f8hp-aprs-field-test/ TNC3 Firmware Updater https://github.com/mobilinkd/tnc3-firmware/blob/master/WindowsFirmwareUpdate.md http://www.mobilinkd.com/downloads/  latest firmware (1.1.4) as of 10/1/2019 Third party TNC3 Configuration App for Windows PC https://mobilinkd.s3.amazonaws.com/TncConfigApp-1.1.2-amd64.msi Youtube Videos HamRadioConcepts https://www.youtube.com/user/EricHofer1004 https://www.youtube.com/user/EricHofer1004/search?query=tnc3 latest is 7 months ago Forums Mobilink Forum https://groups.io/g/mobilinkd

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Winlink Express Home Page

https://winlink.org/WinlinkExpress Winlink Email Client Comparison https://www.winlink.org/ClientSoftware Winlink Express HW/SW How To Videos

https://winlink.org/content/k4ref_how_to_video_series_winlink_winlink_express

Pat for Linux https://getpat.io/ Forums - Winlink Programs Groups

https://groups.io/g/Winlink https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/winlink-programs-group

Resources – Winlink Email Clients

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Seven different KM4ACK Videos

Where to start? Raspberry Pi for ham radio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1SEgPFQk4M Pat Winlink 2M Packet 1200 baud Setup using Direwolf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8OBF47UkeI Winlink on iPhone/Android - Raspberry Pi Wireless Access Point https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvOyafQeOoY Installing Winlink on a Raspberry Pi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdpKZ4SZli8 Episode 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yxwN1lOtNs Episode 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC79JU-HB_s&t=62s Episode 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB6layx6khU Episode 4 Tool allowing Raspberry Configuration using Web GUI https://github.com/billz/raspap-webgui

Resources – Raspberry Pi

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Discussion on Radios with embedded TNCs

https://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php?topic=102885.0

Discussion on radios with 9600 baud capabilities

https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/7ynsge/are_there_9600_packet_capable_new_radios/

Peer to Peer (P2P)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eeE4yU6NNc This video discusses Peer-to-Peer in RMS Express (which was renamed to Winlink Express in May 2016)

Georgia ARES Training Video (1 hour)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gdwsV9_ca0

An Introduction to Winlink (1 hour) – Greg Butler - runs Virginia Winlink Wednesdays

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTx9pY1Akl8 Presented at Vienna Wireless Society in Nov 2017

Resources – Ancillary

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If you have questions or need help, feel free to contact the author at KW4SHP@gmail.com

Questions