Wednesdays are Winlink Day. Winlink lets you send email over radio, and it’s what many ARES and EmComm groups use when the internet and phones are down. The easiest way to start is to get the software working over the internet first. Then, when you add a radio, you already know the program.
Level: Beginner | Time: About 20 minutes | Needs: A Windows computer and your call sign
Step 1: Download and Install
Go to winlink.org, open the Downloads section, and install Winlink Express. It’s free.
Step 2: First-Time Setup
When it opens the first time, enter your call sign, your grid square, and a recovery email address. Follow the prompts. If you’re new to Winlink, your account is created on your first connection.
Step 3: Connect Over the Internet
In the session dropdown at the top of the main window, choose Telnet Winlink, then click Open Session and Start. This connects to the Winlink system over the internet, with no radio involved.
Step 4: Send Yourself a Test Message
Click Message > New Message. Address it to your regular email address, add a subject, and click Post to Outbox. Open a Telnet session again and click Start. The message goes out, and anything waiting for you comes in. When it shows up in your regular email, Winlink is working.
Coming up on future Wednesdays: VARA FM on a VHF radio, VARA HF, and peer-to-peer messaging for drills.
Ready to Add a Radio?
- Digirig Mobile: a small, low-cost interface for radios without built-in USB, like many handhelds and mobiles.
- SignaLink USB: a popular sound-card interface with its own volume knobs.
- Have an IC-7300 or FT-991A? You don’t need either one. See this week’s Monday and Tuesday posts.
This Week’s Challenge: Make an FT8 Contact on 10 Meters
Ten meters has been opening up during the day. This week, make at least one FT8 contact on 10m.
- Frequency: 28.074 MHz, in USB / DATA mode
- Best time: late morning through mid-afternoon
- Need help with FT8? Thursday’s post walks through it step by step.
Done it? Post your call sign and who you worked in the comments. Everyone who completes the challenge gets a shout-out next Wednesday.
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