Advanced Digital Modes:
Winlink 2000 & Automatic
Link Establishment
Ken Heitner AFA3PB / AFD3AL
NE Division Conference
September 2013
Why Digital Messaging?
• Allows Emergency Traffic to be Handled
Quickly and Automatically
• Works with Existing E-mail Systems when
They are Available
• Uses Available Internet Resources
• Messaging Mode is Familiar to Most Users
• Can Effectively Utilize Available HF
Channels
Winlink 2000 – Winmor
How Does It Work?
• Goal is Low Cost with Robust Performance
• Uses Standard Personal Computer
components:
– Soundcards, and
– USB or Serial (COM) Ports
• All Critical Features are Built into a Virtual
Terminal Mode Controller (as software)
• Software Can Also Control the Frequency
Setting of the HF Radio Being Used
Winlink 2000 – Winmor
Virtual Terminal Node
Controller Handles:
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Digital Modulation & Demodulation
Automatic Retry Requests (ARQ)
Digital Signal Processing (DSP)
Forward Error Correction (FEC), and
Radio Tuning & Soundcard Time Base
Errors
• PC Sets Radio Frequency for Best Link to
Target Station
Winlink 2000 – Winmor
And the Bottom Line Is:
• Most Critical Functions of Digital Message
Transfer are Handled in Software
• Operator Sets:
– Radio mode (and maybe frequency)
– Transmit power levels (for radio & amp), and
– Choice of initial operating bandwidth
• Most Soundcards Seem to Work Acceptably
• Local and System Software Automatically
Route Message to the Addressee
WinLink 2000 - Winmor
Network is for All MARS
• Software Package is RMS Express:
– Available from: http://www.winlink.org/
• There is Yahoo Tech Group MARS_WL2K
• Setup Uses MARS Service Code (See me!)
• Connects Automatically with WL2K
Stations via HF or VHF links or Telnet
• Most Popular Low Cost HF Mode is
Winmor Based on Soundcard Interface
Automatic Link Establishment
• ALE is Based on a Network of HF Radios Using
the Same Channels & Parameters
• AF & Navy MC MARS has 10 Channels 2 – 28
MHz for its ALE Network
• Army MARS has Separate ALE Network
• Each ALE Station Scans All Channels for
Soundings to Build Link Quality Analysis (LQA)
• Each Station Sends One Sounding per Hour on
Each Channel to Establish Link Quality
• LQA is Used to Choose Best Channel for Next
Link Automatically
Automatic Link Establishment 2
• When a Link is Needed for Voice or Data
Communications are Automatically
Established on the Best LQA HF Channel
• Equipment Requirements:
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Controllable HF Transceiver (CAT Protocol)
Fast (1 GHz+) Pentium Computer (Win XP)
Wide Dynamic Range Soundcard (16-24 Bits)
Soundcard: Stable Timebase & Low Jitter
Wide Band Antenna or Fast Antenna Tuner
ALE MIL-STD 141-110A
Data Modem Terminal
• Military Stations Use MIL-STD Data
Terminals – Not Amateur Digital Modes
• Operation with Military Stations After
LINK is Either Voice or MIL-STD Data
• M110A DMT is a Separate Software
Package That Operates in Modes
Compatible with Military Data Terminals
• It is Available at: http://www.n2ckh.com/
MARS_ALE_FORUM/MSDMT.html
ALE MIL-STD 141-110A
Data Modem Terminal 2
• M110A DMT Operates Either
Independently or With ALE in Follow On
Mode
• In Receive: M110A DMT provide Autobaud
for Data Rate and Interleave
• Autobaud Eliminates Need to Agree on
Settings Before Transmission
• In Transmit: Operator Sets Data Rates and
Interleave Based on Experience
Automatic Link Establishment 3
• Software for ALE from:
– http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MARS-ALE/
• License File for Transmit–Contact AFD3AL
• This is Cutting Edge Technology for MARS
– Enables Joint Operations with Government
– MARS Stations in SHARES Get Six Additional
Channels (MARS & SHARES Network!)
• Need More Folks to Try This Out !!!
For Additional Information
• Contact Ken AFD3AL
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E-mail to: kenheitner@hotmail.com
WL2K Message to: AFA3PB
TPN Message to: AFA3PB@AFE3MC
Phone: 703-538-4747
• Join The Digital Revolution in MARS
Today !!!
• You Might Just Learn Something New !!