Starting Off With WinLink 2000 - (As a member of the Network)

This note is addressed to Air Force MARS members who are contemplating changing over to WinLink 2000. First, you do not have to become a PMBO at first. You may just want to migrate to the WinLink 2000 network in stages. That is, you first operate as a client station. As you become more proficient with the software's operations, the you can become a PMBO later.

WinLink 2000 actually supports three modes of automatic digital communications. These are:

-Telnet via the internet,

-High Frequency Pactor (I, II, and III), and

-VHF Packet at 1200 baud.

The main difference between WinLink 2000 and the older bulletin board software is the emphasis on the use of Telnet on the equal basis with high frequency Pactor and VHF packet digital modes. This means in most cases, WinLink 2000 uses the internet by default, since the data rates there are much higher. Of course, the availability of the internet varies. If the internet is disabled, then the other modes of communication come into play.

Setup of WinLink 2000 as a client involves using the Airmail client software. Setup of this software is very straightforward. Your ability to make each of the three communications modes work depends on the conditions at your station. For example, your ability to do Telnet will depend on your internet connection. With a good internet connection, Telnet polling of PMBOs is very fast. Once it is setup, no operator intervention is needed.

Similarly, setup of Airmail VHF connections is easy if there is a VHF TelPac station already within connection range of your VHF radio. Based on actual experience, operating VHF digital links depend greatly on your location. This has to be explored by the each station operator. Army MARS VHF digital operations are on 148.650 MHz. So monitor that frequency in order to determine your connectivity to the Army digital network, and in particular, to TelPac stations.

High frequency Airmail operation are a little more complex to setup. Airmail supports Pactor I, II, and III if you have an SCS Pactor controller. Airmail also supports other terminal node controllers (TNCs) with Pactor I capability. Setup of this portion of the high frequency connection to a PMBO is relatively straight forward.

For high frequency operation, Airmail also provides frequency control of your transceiver. This can be done for HF transceivers that have the computer assisted transceiver (CAT) feature. This portion of the Airmail software enables your station to scan a number of frequencies and find the best connection to specific PMBOs. You can select the frequencies to be scanned on either Army or Air Force MARS digital channels.

You also have to have some way for your radio to match your antenna at whatever frequencies are selected for actual operation.

In summary, Winlink 2000 and the Airmail client software offer potential for upgrading the Air Force MARS automatic digital network. All members of the network should planned on acquiring and installing the relevant software at their station in the next few weeks.

Additional helpful files are as follows:

-AirmailforWL2KMARS_BasicTraining.pdf

-Appendix1-FrequencyMatrix.pdf

-Appendix2-TelnetInfo.pdf

-TNC_Center.xls

-system.MARS.ini, and

-AFMARS.doc

These files are available from AFF2K at: kenheitner(at)hotmail.com. Questions can also be sent to AFF2K at this address.