Turn Your Yacht Into A Mobile Winmor Enabled Winlink 2000 Gateway

[Hamsailor]

Hi All,

Turn your yacht into a mobile Winmor enabled Winlink 2000 gateway to augment world wide HF SSB email coverage.

The Winlink 2000 development team is now looking for dedicated Ham Radio stations with permanent internet access to set up inexpensive additional land HF SSB RMS gateway stations. The goal is to evenly populate the globe for full coverage. This can now be done inexpensively without the need for a Pactor 3 TNC controller, by using free software utilizing the Winmor protocol running at almost Pactor 3 speeds.

So, if your yacht is moored or anchored with permanent internet access as well (or at sea with a commercial satellite uplink), your Ham HF SSB radio could be used by other yachts out at sea to send and receive their emails utilizing Winmor software only. This will greatly enhance the operational accessibility of Winlink 2000 to all yachts. Of course, the existing Pactor 3 RMS’s will still be available as well.

See this letter from Steve, K4CJX on the Winlink Development Team:

Call for HF WINMOR RMS stations: Please contact Steve K4CJX directly via

e-mail at k4cjxATcomcast.net. (replace AT with @ of course)

Please include, Name, call, address, Grid Square, telephone number, and

equipment list to be used.

Required are the following:

1. Dedicated operation on dedicated equipment 24 x7 x 365.

2. Adequate resources to run such an operation on the ham bands at a minimum

Of 100 watts without manually tuning the antenna for several frequencies.

3. UPS protected computer (required), and if available, generator power (not

required).

4. Permanent Internet connectivity.

5. External soundcard operation, preferably, the Signalink USB.

What is NOT acceptable is to utilize the internal computer soundcard used by

the Windows operating system. Quote from the WINMOR help file:

"In all cases if you are serious about using WINMOR it is STRONGLY

recommended to use a dedicated high-quality Sound card (not the one

normally assigned to Windows) with a well-isolated interface. If you are

trying to use the main computer's sound card it is essential you disable

Windows sounds and not operate other programs that might try and access the

sound card."

For more information see, "Soundcard" in the RMS Express (Winmor) Help file.

Finally, the method for acquiring WINMOR HF RMS stations is to evenly

populate the Globe with properly placed Winlink RF nodes in order to provide

an optimal solution for the end-user.

Thanks much,

Steve, k4cjx, aaa9ac

Winlink network administrator

Winlink development team

[Boomerang]

Steve, et al...what an AWESOME idea.. I've often wondered, considering my work, if a Mesh type network could be created for vessel use within SSB, without the need for direct link to satband. I plan on going to the Winlink site later today to do some research, and see what is out there to review.

BTW, considering what you say, this capabiity is live today? Thanks much for sharing this highly unique option with us.

Best,

C

[idpnd]

Originally Posted by Boomerang

Steve, et al...what an AWESOME idea.. I've often wondered, considering my work, if a Mesh type network could be created for vessel use within SSB

Hehe! Funnily enough that's exactly what I posted in response to hamsailor's post at CF.com. AFAIK there is some move in this direction in packet radio operation - one would think they'd have thought of this by now

[Gallivanters]

Sounds like a GREAT idea!

I've just aquired an Icom V8000 radio. My limited info says it's a Mobile Amature FM Transceiver and am wondering if there's any practical application for this on Gallivanter.

Surely this isn't just a car-sized Ham Radio is it? Do people install these on sailing yachts?

I'm all ears!

To Life!

Kirk

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Gallivanters

I've just aquired an Icom V8000 radio. My limited info says it's a Mobile Amature FM Transceiver and am wondering if there's any practical application for this on Gallivanter.

Hi Kirk,

The V8000 is a 2-meter ham radio. It is analogous to a marine VHF. 2-meters runs from 144 to 148 MHz; marine VHF runs from 156 to 162-and-a-bit. Accordingly the same kind of ranges are attained. If you aren't a licensed ham the radio won't do you much good. I'd be happy to take it off your hands. *grin* Seriously it is a good radio in its application but not helpful for WINMOR or for any other long-distance contacts.

I've been a ham longer than I've been sailing (35 years vice 32 years). I do carry ham VHF and UHF aboard and enjoy talking with local hams (when I have the appropriate reciprocal licenses) in anchorages. I don't even bother turning the ham radio on when out of sight of land.