Winlink 2000 and RMS Express
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- Written by Sal Giandinoto Sal Giandinoto
Written by Sal Giandinoto.
This blog is about the Winlink 2000 system and the software package called RMS Express which has capabilities of sending e-mail messages through the Winlink system using its global network of mirrored Central Message Servers (CMS) located around the world. I recently became interested in packet radio and came across the Winlink 2000 website. The website is currently down for major maintenance and upgrading but there is still access to the e-mail programs and the Winlink web-based e-mail portal.
In order to completely understand what types of things can be done with the various programs compatible with Winlink 2000 (WL2K), you would best be advised to visit their website when it comes back online.
My particular interest was using the program called RMS Express which may be downloaded from the Winlink 2000 website in order to send e-mails via 2-meter packet. RMS Express is a full featured program that allows you to send e-mails via packet or Telnet. Telnet is an older Windows program you can activate on newer Windows operating systems such as Windows 7 and Windows 8. I currently use Windows Vista and you can Google Telnet to find out how to use this feature. RMS Express also allows you to operate the WINMOR mode which is basically a complement to PACTOR and uses a 500 Hz or 1600 Hz bandwidth on HF. It is somewhat better to use as compared to 2-meter packet since you can access more WINMOR stations on HF (due to greater distance associated with HF skip) than you can with using a local packet station.
In order to get up and running using RMS Express, you will need a TNC such as an MFJ-1270X or a Kantronics KPC-3, a computer and a 2m or 440 rig. The TNC will interface between your transceiver and computer and is typically run in the KISS mode for e-mail purposes. RMS Express is a rather simple and intuitive program to use and it is basically a compilation of two other programs called Airmail and Paclink. RMS Express simply has more capabilities than does Airmail and Paclink. Before you get started, you will need to get an account with Winlink 2000 with a password in order to access your Winlink e-mail. Your web based Winlink e-mail address will be your This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
SAMBA in Ubuntu 13.10 / Mint 16
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- Written by AC0VP AC0VP
This is just the beginning of this explanation on SAMBA setup in Linux, I have done a ton of research on getting SAMBA to work and have discovered that about 99% of the explanations give you a piece here or a piece there, but nobody seems to give the entire picture of how to set up SAMBA to work with Windows Shares on your local network after a fresh install. This article will also grow as I add in more pieces, I plan to add in CUPS printer sharing, additional security considerations etc..
Disclaimer: I am a 23 Year Windows Systems Administrator and have vast expertise in that world. but with that being said, I am only fair to middling with Linux and am still learning new things every day. So don't take this article as some high end Linux admins expertise instructions. It is what I discovered and it seemed to work extremely well after about 30 different attempts to get SAMBA Working correctly on my system to where I could access shares.
APRS with Baofeng UV-5r+, TT4 and TT4BT, and an Android Device.
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- Written by AC0VP AC0VP
Being new to APRS, I had a lot to learn. I started off with my old Yaesu FT-51R and started to go forward from there. I did some research and ended up picking up a TinyTrak4 and the TT4BT Bluetooth adapter. Pretty much figuring I wanted to avoid getting an external GPS unit and not wanting to have to carry a laptop around with me, I decided to go with aprsdroid loaded onto a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.
The initial setup of the TT4 was pretty simple and interfacing it to the Yaesu FT-51R was painless. I have a Mobile mount in my truck for my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, so I loaded up APRSDROID and set off to make this all work. The Cable from the TT4 to the FT-51R worked flawlessly, and besides putting the TT4 into KISS mode, there were no real configurations that I needed to do. The whole system worked flawlessly. Unfortunately, the internal Lithium battery in the Yaesu died and would no longer hold memories. So it was pretty much useless unless I wanted to re-program it every time I got into my truck.