[digitalradio] WINMOR Status
WINMOR Status Posted by: Rick Muething [EMAIL PROTECTED] kn6kb Date: Tue Dec 2, 2008 10:43 am ((PST)) A brief update on to where we are with WINMOR the new sound card mode being developed for WL2K. We have begun limited over-the-air testing on 10.140.0 USB Dial and 18107.0 USB dial between K4CJX, VE1YZ, KN6KB and W5SMM. This is currently limited to 1K and 10K block exchanges of random binary files with end to end verification. (after all FEC and ARQ). The results look encouraging though there is still some optimization required especially on the fastest QAM16 modes. The tests have been done using WINMOR's 200 Hz, 500 Hz and 2000 Hz bandwidths using 4FSK, QPSK and 16QAM modulation modes including auto mode control. I am now in the process of the initial integration of the WINMOR virtual TNC into Paclink (the new Paclink) and RMS HF (the new replacement for RMS Pactor). This will take some time to complete and to do initial testing before any beta testing can proceed. WINMOR will NOT replace Pactor but be used in addition to Pactor. The RMS HF will be able to operate BOTH WINMOR and Pactor (1-3) but not simultaneous connections. While WINMOR may not equal P2 and P3 in total performance it will provide lower cost, higher performance and more robustness than P1. The primary applications will be for those lower usage Emcomm applications which have trouble justifying the high cost and low utilization of the P2 and P3 modem. As soon as the Winlink web site is back on line Lor will update the site with the preliminary WINMOR spec and speed comparison worksheet to support the currently posted DCC 2008 paper and PowerPoint presentation. There is a WINMOR yahoo group set up (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WINMOR/ ) but there will not be much activity on this until we get closer to beta testing which I suspect will start sometime in February depending on what snags are encountered. 73, Rick Muething, KN6KB Winlink Development Team
[digitalradio] ARISS to Operate Packet APRS from Space
SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS008 ARLS008 ARISS to Celebrate 25 Years of Amateur Radio in Space with Special Events ZCZC AS08 QST de W1AW Space Bulletin 008 ARLS008 From ARRL Headquarters Newington, CT December 2, 2008 To all radio amateurs SB SPACE ARL ARLS008 ARLS008 ARISS to Celebrate 25 Years of Amateur Radio in Space with Special Events Twenty-five years ago this week, Owen Garriott, W5LFL, made history by being the first Amateur Radio operator to talk to hams from space. His historic flight on STS-9 on board the Space Shuttle Columbia was launched on November 28 and landed on December 8, 1983. Garriott's ham radio adventure on that mission ushered in a host of what Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, called outstanding outreach activities that continue today with the ARISS program. Bauer said that many hams still remember that first set of contacts and downlinks with Garriott: Those first contacts allowed each of us to share the excitement of space exploration through Owen's first-hand eyewitness accounts. Owen's ham radio legacy enabled space travelers that have flown on the space shuttle, the space station Mir and now the International Space Station (ISS) to share their journey of exploration. Just last month, Garriott's son Richard, W5KWQ, became the first second generation Amateur Radio operator to travel in space and speak with hams. What other hobby, except Amateur Radio, Bauer wondered, could or would open the communications lines of space travelers beyond that of the space agencies or international heads of state? To celebrate 25 years of Amateur Radio operations from space, ARISS has planned a set of special event opportunities for December and part of January. According to Bauer, a special certificate will be available for those who communicate with the ISS, either two-way direct (with the ISS crew, the digipeater or cross-band repeater) or one-way reception of SSTV or voice downlink. Several 'surprises' are planned over the month-long celebration, he said, and will be announced soon. Bauer said that in addition to school contacts and APRS digi-operations, ARISS will configure the radio system for cross-band repeater operations to utilize the standard ultra-violet operations in low power mode during the first week of December. Starting December 7, ARISS will then run a test of 9600 baud packet operations on 145.825 MHz. Given that PCSat should be in full Sun starting December 9, Bauer explained, we will switch to 1200 baud packet on 145.825 on December 14-19 to support double hop opportunities. At times, especially during the weekends, you might see some SSTV operations if the crew is available. Bauer reminded hams that due to ISS flight requirements related to spacewalks and vehicle activity, the radio onboard the ISS may be off for some portion of this schedule. School contacts and general QSO opportunities by the crew will also preempt this schedule for short periods of time. But remember that if you hear these, Bauer said, you still qualify for a commemorative certificate! /EX
Re: [digitalradio] Emcomm Message Notification Routing Networking Re: Push Messages to the Field
I will elaborate on this as soon as a get home from our cqww-cw location, packing now... Rein CT3/PA0R/P, CT9L -Ursprüngliche Nachricht- Von: expeditionradio [EMAIL PROTECTED] Gesendet: 03.12.08 07:21:45 An: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com Betreff: [digitalradio] Emcomm Message Notification Routing Networking Re: Push Messages to the Field Hi John, Thanks very much, for the detailed comments on PSKmail for this type of application. That is the probably the closest I've seen to approaching push message capability. Here's some follow-up questions: How does the mobile operator determine which PSKmail base and frequency to check in to at any particular moment? Is it manually selected by the operator, i.e., does the mobile operator need to keep manually checking if they remain linked-to-base on an ongoing basis? Does the op need to keep finding another base to be linked-to-base with, so that the notification messages get routed properly? What is the fall-back position for the system for notification, in the case that none of the bases show a link-to-base condition when the target mobile op hasn't checked in for a while? Is there a time-out or not-linked indication to the network or mobile op? I'm very interested in the network server side of how this can work smoothly. I think that it is the key to getting the best notification system. It would make sense to join as many ham networks as possible to this, to enable a message to be routed to the target operator by any method they are using. A mutual cooperation between ham networks could be forged, and this could make it a reality. If one dials a telephone number, it isn't necessary to know which telephone provider company that the called party is using. We need to carry this type of universal networking into the ham radio realm. The email address provides universal portability and networking opportunities for hams. Hams could adopt specific email addresses that are used for emcomm purposes, and use email forwarding. This simple feature could be leveraged to provide powerful networking for hams. At least for the HFN system, the high probability of linking on HF has already been achieved through the power of a network of geographically distributed HF base stations running simultaneously on all bands. It has often been pointed out that HF base-to-mobile can be statistically undependable for 24/7 point-to-point communications with a base station, due to the changing ionospheric propagation and channel conditions. However, the statistical probability for successful communications with a mobile goes way up when dynamic linking with any base in a geographically distributed HF network is added. A single ham band may not be open at any given instant between 2 specific stations. In fact, there might not be any HF band open between those 2 specific stations :) But, it is very rare that all HF bands are closed to everywhere. That points to the need to develop a wider, more flexible, network outlook for HF Emcomm systems; one that is not concentrated so much on NVIS or specific regular propagation patterns. The solar flare that happened during the Katrina disaster response certainly taught us how fragile traditional Net-Control-centric state nets can be that rely on 75 meters only. Bonnie VR2/KQ6XA John (VK2ETA) wrote: Bonnie, The way Pskmail addresses the push messages is by using two concepts: 1. A notion of Linked-to-a-base status and 2. a centrally accessible (over the internet) database so that servers can be coordinated and avoid duplication). More details: The clients (mobile units) have to check in by sending a link to base. From there on, the server will push any new APRS messages (without ack) to the client. Of course other message sources could be pushed as well. Announce your digital presence via our Interactive Sked Page at http://www.obriensweb.com/sked Yahoo! Groups Links -- http://pa0r.blogspirit.com Announce your digital presence via our Interactive Sked Page at http://www.obriensweb.com/sked Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digitalradio/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digitalradio/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [digitalradio] You Have Mail Re: How Can We Push Emcomm Messages to the Field?
dear howard would be nice if you write a HOT TO . file and load it up in the filearea greetz dg9bfc - Original Message - From: Howard Z. To: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 1:51 AM Subject: [digitalradio] You Have Mail Re: How Can We Push Emcomm Messages to the Field? Could you comment further on your experiences with RFSM? 73, Rick, KV9U My local MARS group has been experimenting with RFSM8000. Like MIXW, it is made in Russia, and the author wants to earn some money selling it. Free trial licenses are available. RFSM8000 uses the Mil-Spec modem - I forgot the modem number - but it is the same one used by MARS/ALE. It is supposed to reach 8000bps under good conditions on HF. I typically experience under 600bps. Some say its techniques to get high speed make it illegal for US Hams. European HAMs are using it. MARS does not use the HAM bands, so its OK for MARS. Just because MARS is experimenting with it, does not mean it is adapted by MARS or that it is even a desirable mode. MARS plays with everything and seems to like having almost every tool in their tool-box. MARS even has CW nets. RFSM8000 has three functions: 1. keyboarding NETs - somewhat similar to PSK31. Since we have PSk31, MT63, OLIVIA, and other modes that give similar functionality. 2. file transfers from one user to another user. Most think EasyPal is better. Maybe when we get further along in the sunspot cycle, RFSM8000 will achieve higher speeds and be the file x-fer method of choice? I don't know - time will tell. 3. Email Server. This is the most interesting function. Let's say a disaster area has no internet and can reach an RFSM8000 email server which has internet capability. Then those without internet can connect (one at a time - similar to a winlink RMS) to send and receive email. The Email server sends all users emails using the single server's email address. The subject will start with the originator's call-sign. When the recipient of the email hits reply, he needs to remove the Re: from the subject so the subject starts with the call-sign. The reply email goes back to the email-server's email address, and is routed to the appropriate user's mailbox for pickup by that callsign over HF radio. The simplicity of this compared to Winlink is that there are no CMS email servers that it needs to reach. It is not a huge email system. All that needs to be reachable on the internet is the SMTP server of the ISP the email server is using, and the POP3 server the email server is using. The POP3 server can be ISP's email, or some other email, like gmail, gmx, or any other free email service on the web which uses POP3. Currently RFSM8000 can not make SECURED pop3 connections, and many email systems on the internet do not allow unsecured pop3 connections. So this limits one as to which free emails one can use. Whether the RFSM8000 email server has internet or not, RFSM8000 users can send mail to CALLSIGNS which connect via HF to the RFSM8000 email server. MARS preferred message handling system is WINLINK. If Winlink is broken or unreachable this can be an option. However, it is not clear to me what kind of disaster would make Winlink unusable. Now, on my computer, I have a solution for how to connect to a SECURED pop3 email provider. I have hmailserver running on my computer - it is a SMTP and POP3 email server. RFSM8000 checks its email by going to localhost POP3 unsecured. The hmailserver routinely sucks in mail into the account from a secured POP3 email server - such as COMCAST's POP3 email server. hmailserver can use secured and unsecured pop3 email servers on the internet, and can accept secured and unsecured pop3 connections. But, it may be a bit much for the average ham to install and configure. So the initial lure is 8000bps file transfers and 8000bps email transfers. We are not seeing such high speeds under current NVIS conditions. Howard
[digitalradio] Nominations for the 2008 Digitalradio Awards
It is that time again, time to think about nominees for the 5th Annual Digitalradio Awards. Please email your suggestions, I will publish the winners January 1 2009. As a refresher, he are the 2007 winners, Andy K3UK 4th Annual (2007) Digitalradio Awards : Best new Digital Mode : JT65A by Joe Taylor , K1JT . Not really new but exploded in 2007 after much publicity from the Digitalradio group , N0UK, and QST Magazine. The ultimate weak signal DX mode. Best New Software: DM780 by Simon Brown HB9DRV .. Still beta, but very well designed with some nifty features. Best Logging Software: DX Keeper by Dave AA6YQ, makes DX QSLing easy, good support for logging digital modes and works well with Winwarbler, Multipsk and DM780 ! Moment Of The Year: When a member of this digitalradio group volunteered to pay funeral expenses for N2JH, an indigent digital ham and decorated Vietnam vet Embarrassment Of The Year: When K3UK realized the focus of his Bozo Guide , K1JT, was in fact a Nobel Prize winner ! Biggest Surprise Of The Year: K3UK's Complete Bozo's Guide to HF JT65A was actually read and used. Even translated in to Russian and Spanish! Biggest Development in 2007 : Addition of ALE 400 in Multipsk. ARQ , robust, and narrow bandwidth Biggest Disappointments Of The Year : 1. Standard ALE , again (second year in a row) Has just not taken off in the amateur world despite some really nice additions to PC ALE and MARS-ALE . 2. Peter G3PLX going back in to his hermit cave after someone outed his digital voice efforts! 3. Encomm with FLARQ. What, everyone scared to try it? Has much promise. Biggest Testicles of The Year : Mark Miller N5RFX. Took a bold step . No sitting around and whining for this guy, he spent some time researching a digital topic and did something about it. Even handled the resulting criticism with polite patience. Best Digital Contest: : TARA MELEE. TARA makes contesting fun. Experimenters Of The Year : Awards go John VE5MU , Steinar LA5VNA, Tony K2MO , , Bill N9DSJ, Bernie VE3FW, Txema EA2AF. They are always giving something new a try ! Digital Pioneers:Cesco HB9TLK and Patrick F6CTE. Both must never get any sleep, always coming up with something new to try. Narrow ALE and Narrow DV! Needs Inventing in 2008 ..Open source, modular, Digital cross platform emergency communications software that can provide ad hoc HF and/or VHF access to the Internet for e-mail, plus messaging between stations. FLARQ for Windows maybe ? Most Anticipated Event in 2008: Release of Digital Master 780 by Simon Brown, HB9DRV, WITH JT65A and SSTV Contesting Achievement of the Year: PSK63 . It is no longer an experimental contesting mode, has firmly established its self as reliable contesting mode. Good News of the year : John W0JAB ' still has working lungs (or lung!) The awards are solely the opinions of Andy K3UK and thus are better opinions than anyone else :), Happy New Year. Andy K3UK Digitalradio Owner.
[digitalradio] Mixw , Ukraine, NOT Russia
--- - Original Message - From: Howard Z. To: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 1:51 AM Subject: [digitalradio] You Have Mail Re: How Can We Push Emcomm Messages to the Field? Like MIXW, it is made in Russia, and the author wants to earn some money selling it. Howard, just so we can avoid world war III, MixW's joint authors live in Ukraine, NOT Russia. Andy K3UK
[digitalradio] Emcomm Message Notification Routing Networking Re: Push Messages to the Field
Bonnie, I have seen that Rein, the designer of the system, will reply to your questions. I will let him do so since he has more knowledge than I have on the PSKmail system. I might comment after on the potential integration of the concepts for HFN since I have also used this system under Multipsk. 73s, John (VK2ETA) --- In digitalradio@yahoogroups.com, expeditionradio [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi John, Thanks very much, for the detailed comments on PSKmail for this type of application. That is the probably the closest I've seen to approaching push message capability. Here's some follow-up questions: How does the mobile operator determine which PSKmail base and frequency to check in to at any particular moment? Is it manually selected by the operator, i.e., does the mobile operator need to keep manually checking if they remain linked-to-base on an ongoing basis? Does the op need to keep finding another base to be linked-to-base with, so that the notification messages get routed properly? What is the fall-back position for the system for notification, in the case that none of the bases show a link-to-base condition when the target mobile op hasn't checked in for a while? Is there a time-out or not-linked indication to the network or mobile op? I'm very interested in the network server side of how this can work smoothly. I think that it is the key to getting the best notification system. It would make sense to join as many ham networks as possible to this, to enable a message to be routed to the target operator by any method they are using. A mutual cooperation between ham networks could be forged, and this could make it a reality. If one dials a telephone number, it isn't necessary to know which telephone provider company that the called party is using. We need to carry this type of universal networking into the ham radio realm. The email address provides universal portability and networking opportunities for hams. Hams could adopt specific email addresses that are used for emcomm purposes, and use email forwarding. This simple feature could be leveraged to provide powerful networking for hams. At least for the HFN system, the high probability of linking on HF has already been achieved through the power of a network of geographically distributed HF base stations running simultaneously on all bands. It has often been pointed out that HF base-to-mobile can be statistically undependable for 24/7 point-to-point communications with a base station, due to the changing ionospheric propagation and channel conditions. However, the statistical probability for successful communications with a mobile goes way up when dynamic linking with any base in a geographically distributed HF network is added. A single ham band may not be open at any given instant between 2 specific stations. In fact, there might not be any HF band open between those 2 specific stations :) But, it is very rare that all HF bands are closed to everywhere. That points to the need to develop a wider, more flexible, network outlook for HF Emcomm systems; one that is not concentrated so much on NVIS or specific regular propagation patterns. The solar flare that happened during the Katrina disaster response certainly taught us how fragile traditional Net-Control-centric state nets can be that rely on 75 meters only. Bonnie VR2/KQ6XA John (VK2ETA) wrote: Bonnie, The way Pskmail addresses the push messages is by using two concepts: 1. A notion of Linked-to-a-base status and 2. a centrally accessible (over the internet) database so that servers can be coordinated and avoid duplication). More details: The clients (mobile units) have to check in by sending a link to base. From there on, the server will push any new APRS messages (without ack) to the client. Of course other message sources could be pushed as well.
Re: [digitalradio] Nominations for the 2008 Digitalradio Awards
FLDIGI and the new Thor mode? Simon Brown, HB9DRV www.ham-radio-deluxe.com - Original Message - From: Andy obrien [EMAIL PROTECTED] It is that time again, time to think about nominees for the 5th Annual Digitalradio Awards. Please email your suggestions, I will publish the winners January 1 2009.
