Winlink

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WinLink , actually WinLink 2000 ( WL2K for short ) is a global network for the transmission of e-mails via amateur and marine radio and to the Internet . It offers the end user the option of gaining access to the Internet regardless of the position on or above the surface of the earth without the direct availability of regular communication networks (e.g. dial-up or dedicated line , Internet via satellite , mobile Internet, etc.) . These are limited to asynchronous communication by sending and receiving e-mails with file attachments , position data or blog entries or requesting information services such as e-mail . B. Weather maps . It is also intended for emergency and disaster communication.

Network structure

The WinLink network was established to provide a network service for radio amateurs and sailors . Due to the possibility of sending information in the form of text messages and files to e-mail addresses globally, regardless of the local communication infrastructure, WinLink achieved high popularity, especially in the area of ​​digital emergency communication. The system consists of five message servers ( Common Message Server ) with regularly synchronized redundant databases in Brentwood in Tennessee , San Diego , Vienna , Halifax and Perth . These are located far away from each other and in some cases on different continents in order to offer global fail-safety in the event of one of the servers failing. Only one remaining server would be sufficient to enable the forwarding of the e-mails. Access to the WinLink network via radio , i.e. on an amateur or marine radio band, takes place via a so-called radio message server ( RMS ). This acts as a bridge between the CMS , to which there is an internet connection, and the end user who has an amateur radio or marine radio station.

For example, it is possible for a radio amateur in the Antarctic who has neither a connection to a commercial communication network nor a mains power supply to send an email to any E using an amateur radio device and an autonomous power supply (e.g. battery or photovoltaic ) -Mail address to be transmitted or received via shortwave with the sound card-based WINMOR transmission protocol to a German RMS. The RMS forwards the e-mail to one of the CMS, which then transmits it to the recipient's provider .

WinLink Hybrid Network / Radio-Only-WinLink-Network (ROWN)

Since April 2013, the WinLink 2000 network has been expanded by a dynamic routing system called Radio-Only-WinLink-Network ( ROWN ), which enables e-mails to be sent between radio users without the Internet. E-mails in the WinLink Hybrid Network , which supplements the existing WinLink network with ROWN, are also forwarded to other RMSs in the event of a local Internet failure. The intention of the radio-only network reform is to reduce Internet dependency on WinLink 2000 and to dynamically adapt the hybrid network to emergencies and disasters. Radio Message Server ( RMS ), which temporarily, e.g. B. have no connectivity to a central message server ( CMS ) due to an Internet failure , forward incoming messages via shortwave to other RMS. This means that RMSs that are permanently separated from the Internet can also be operated, e.g. B. as a portable station within a crisis area or for legal reasons. An algorithm based on the addressee, propagation conditions , file size and transmission protocol is used for routing . The routing of messages addressed to radio subscribers is similar to the packet radio mailbox principle. The user informs the system of up to 3 Message Pickup Stations ( MPS ) to which the messages are forwarded via PACTOR between the RMS on shortwave for retrieval. The hybrid stations switch from Internet operation to ROWN operation automatically.

Transmission protocols

The operating modes and transmission protocols available for WinLink use various methods for error-free transmission of messages. The forward error correction is used to achieve the lowest possible error rate at the IRS ( Information Receiving Station ) during transmission by the ISS ( Information Sending Station ) using redundant data sets . This not only reduces the error rates with a low signal-to-noise ratio, but also with brief interference pulses and even signal failures, without the corresponding package having to be (actively) requested again. This is important because the error-free transmission of the packets, especially via shortwave with WINMOR and PACTOR, depends on many disruptive factors such as interference from other stations on neighboring frequencies (QRM) and the propagation conditions and is therefore also susceptible to brief disruptions such as sferics . The ARQ protocol is also used to guarantee that the transmission is actually error-free . A packet sent out by the ISS must be acknowledged as successfully received by the IRS before the next packet is sent. The correct reception of a packet is checked using a check bit. The current data packet is repeated until the ISS has received confirmation of correct reception from the IRS .

Supported operating modes and access options

Shortwave

  • PACTOR I-IV ( PACket Teleprinting Over Radio )
  • WINMOR ( WinLink Mail over Radio )
  • ARDOP ( Amateur Radio Digital Open Protocol )
  • ALE ( Automatic Link Establishment ) according to MIL-STD-188-141 and MIL-STD-188-110
  • Robust package
  • VARA

Ultra-short wave

AX.25

TCP / IP

Client software

program operating system License Telnet AX.25 PACTOR I-III PACTOR IV WINMOR ARDOP D-STAR DV / DD MIL-STD 188-141A & 188-110 Robust package SMTP / POP
Packet radio APRS
AirMail Windows 95 and higher Freeware Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes, with BPQ32 Yes, with BPQ32 Yes No Yes
WinLink Express Windows XP and higher, limited with Wine on Linux Freeware Yes Yes Yes, with BPQ32 Yes Yes Yes Yes, with ARDOP_PTC No No Yes No
Patient Linux, Windows, Mac OS X Freeware Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes No No No No
Paclink Windows XP and above Freeware Yes Yes No Yes No No Yes, with BPQ32 Yes, with D-RATS No No Yes
Paclink Unix Linux, * BSD Freeware Yes Yes No Yes No No Yes, with ARDOP_PTC Yes, with D-RATS No No Yes
Outpost Windows XP and above Freeware Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No
PC ALE / MARS ALE Windows XP and above Freeware Yes, with BBSLink No No No No No No No Yes No No
D-RATS Windows XP and higher, Mac OS X, Linux Freeware Yes Yes Yes No No No No Yes No No Yes
UI-View32 Windows XP and above Freeware No No Yes No No No No No No No No

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Q340 What happens if the Common Message Server (CMS) fails? (PDF; 0.9 MB) (No longer available online.) WinLink 2000, p. 12 , archived from the original on February 24, 2015 ; accessed on February 24, 2015 .
  2. ↑ Q1610 What happens if the Common Message Server (CMS) fails? (PDF; 0.9 MB) (No longer available online.) WinLink 2000, p. 38 , archived from the original on February 24, 2015 ; accessed on February 24, 2015 .
  3. ↑ a b Q160 What happens if the Common Message Server (CMS) fails? (PDF; 0.9 MB) (No longer available online.) WinLink 2000, p. 7 , archived from the original on February 24, 2015 ; accessed on February 24, 2015 .
  4. ↑ Q103 What happens if the Common Message Server (CMS) fails? (PDF; 0.9 MB) (No longer available online.) WinLink 2000, pp. 2–3 , archived from the original on February 24, 2015 ; accessed on February 24, 2015 .
  5. ↑ Q164 What happens if the Common Message Server (CMS) fails? (PDF; 0.9 MB) (No longer available online.) WinLink 2000, p. 7 , archived from the original on February 24, 2015 ; accessed on February 24, 2015 .
  6. ↑ Phil Sherrod: The Winlink 2000 Hybrid "Radio - Only" Network. E-mail with or without the Internet. (PDF) Amateur Radio Safety Foundation, Inc., accessed February 24, 2015 .
  7. ↑ ARDOP. In: winlink.org. Retrieved November 28, 2016 .
  8. ↑ Winlink.org: VARA. Retrieved March 2, 2019 .
  9. ↑ a b DB0ZAV in the amateur radio wiki of the German Amateur Radio Club and the Adacom professional association for amateur data radio e. V.
  10. ↑ Using WINMOR with the BPQ32 switch. In: cantab.net. July 15, 2013, accessed November 28, 2016 .
  11. ↑ a b c Using ARDOP with the BPQ32 switch. In: cantab.net. Retrieved November 28, 2016 .
  12. ↑ a b c Q7080 Is the Icom D-Star equipment compatible with Winlink 2000? WinLink 2000, accessed March 10, 2013 (American English).
  13. ↑ a b ARDOPC. In: cantab.net. March 9, 2017. Retrieved September 20, 2017 .
Operating modes and protocols for WinLink 2000


Shortwave

PACTOR  · winmor  · ARDOP  · ALE  · Robust Packet  · APRS (300 baud)

Ultra-short wave

D-STAR  · AX25 : Packet Radio · APRS (1200/9600 baud)

microwave
Logs

Telnet  · SMTP  · POP

Operating modes

HAMNET : 802.11 ( FHSS , DSSS , OFDM )