Airmail Not Just Winlink Anymore
Scott Honaker, N7SS
Airmail and Winlink 2000
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Designed for boaters and RVers
Familiar mail interface
Connect anytime, anywhere
• HF – SCS PACTOR TNC
• VHF/UHF – 1200/9600 baud packet
• Internet – ISP Telnet connection
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Winlink 2000 System
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Redundant Central Message Servers
Dozens of Participating Mail Boxes
worldwide available via:
• Internet Telnet
• HF Pactor
• VHF/UHF packet
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Hundreds of users and thousands of
messages every day
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Winlink 2000 System
CMS SanDiego
CMS Canada
The Internet
HF
VHF/UHF
RMS Pactor 1
HF
Telnet
RMS Packet
RMS Pactor 2
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Common Message Server (CMS)
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Up to five CMS sites (three are currently active)
Holds all messages to and from all users
Interfaces with the RMS channel programs, telnet
service, and provides message management
services
CMS Telnet server is compatible with AirMail,
Paclink, Outpost, Windows Telpac, Linux Telpac
Linux and RMS Clients
Any one site is capable of handling the traffic for
the entire network
All access to a CMS site is via TCP/IP
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Client Connection to Winlink
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HF - RMS Pactor (was PMBO)
• Pactor 1, Pactor 2 and Pactor 3
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VHF/UHF – RMS Packet (was TelPac)
• 1200/9600 baud AX.25 packet
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Internet Telnet
• Any Internet connection will work
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New RMS Programs
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RMS is short for Radio Message Server
The programs will run on a Windows 2000 or
later operating system
Each instance consists of a single program with
a simplified installation compared to the current
PMBO sites
All RMS programs require a full time Internet
connection for normal operation
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RMS Pactor (was PMBO)
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RMS Pactor is a stand alone program that
connects Pactor links through to the CMS sites
Each instance of RMS Pactor will support a
single SCS PTC controller (any model) and an
HF radio with optional scanning and antenna
switching
There can be any number of RMS Pactor
program instances in a single computer
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RMS Packet (was Telpac)
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RMS Packet is a stand alone program that
connects AX.25 packet to the CMS sites
Intended to replace Windows-based Telpac and
PMBO packet ports
• Will interface a packet TNC supporting multiple
simultaneous connections on a VHF channel or two
VHF channels if it is a dual port TNC
• May optionally interface to a single or multi-port AGW
Packet Engine installation
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Supports multiple instances on single PC
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Paclink MP
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This provides client access to WL2K for multiple
users on a LAN
• Individual users access the system from their chosen
email client programs using POP3/SMTP (normal mail
client)
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Paclink will provide priority weighted access to
any number of potential WL2K channels
including telnet, packet, or Pactor
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RMS Relay
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Supplemental program providing temporary
storage of messages and local routing if TCP/IP
access to all of the CMS sites is lost
Normally only be used with co-located RMS
Packet and Paclink MP programs
When active it provides temporary local
message storage and routing
Optionally it will also exchange messages with a
CMS using links to distant RMS Pactor
programs over HF
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Airmail User Interface
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Airmail Modules
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Cool Airmail Tip #1
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You can use Winlink without a radio
• Winlink lessons generally focus on
setting up a packet system and getting
connected
• This adds unnecessary complexity
• Try Winlink via Telnet with any Internet
connection
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Dowload/Install Airmail
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Download from
http://www.airmail2000.com/
Install Airmail and answer questions
• Callsign
• Lat/Lon location
• Pick any TNC/Radio connection
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Configure Airmail without Radio
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Tools-Options-Modules
• Make sure “Internet Access” is checked
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Configure Airmail continued
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Modules - Internet
Access – Settings
Note: Any of the CMS
servers can be listed
in Remote Host. This
one is:
SanDiego.Winlink.org
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Check/Send Mail
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Compose a new message
Modules – Internet Access
• Click green button
or Check All
to send/receive
• Auto check can be
used to get mail
automatically
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Welcome to Winlink.Org
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The first connection to CMS creates a
Winlink.org account
Any message sent via Telnet will be
from your callsign@Winlink.org.
Now you can work on your RF packet
solution with a working system
We won’t cover packet info here
No more excuses to use Winlink!
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Cool Airmail Tip #2
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Read POP/SMTP mail with Airmail
The basic rule of emergency
communications is “You do what you
practice”
Use Airmail to read everyday email!
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Configure Airmail POP/SMTP
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Tools-Options-Modules
• Make sure “Mail (pop/smtp) Client” is checked
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Configure POP/SMTP cont.
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Modules – Mail Client - Settings
These settings
should be
available in your
existing mail client
Make sure both
“Check All” boxes
are checked
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Check/Send Mail
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Compose a new message
Modules – Mail Client
• Click Check All
to send/receive
• Auto check can be
used to get mail
automatically
• Status window can
be used for
troubleshooting
problems
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Use Airmail Everyday
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Airmail can replace your existing mail
client
Use it for a couple weeks
It is NOT “Just like Outlook”
Become familiar with the layout and
basic operation
When you need to use it, you won’t
fumble through it
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Cool Airmail Tip #3
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Have a portable email client!
Airmail and mailbox fit on a thumb
drive
Take your email with you anywhere
Plug into any USB port
Leave no footprint on host computer
Transfer mail to normal client at
home
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Portable Airmail Installation
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Install Airmail normally to folder on
thumb drive
Copy VCL50.BPL from
\Windows\System32 to thumb drive
Enable Mail Client AND Mail Server
Configure POP/SMTP mail client as
shown previously
Configure POP/SMTP server
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Configure Airmail POP/SMTP
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Tools-Options-Modules
• Make sure “Mail (pop/smtp) Client” and
“Mail (pop/smtp) Server” are checked
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POP/SMTP Mail Server
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Click “Mail (pop/smtp) Server” settings
Create user account
and password
Check “Copy all
INCOMING to local
POP users”
Enable POP3 (port
110) and SMTP (port
25) connections
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Flash Drive is Ready for Action
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Flash drive is now ready to install in
any Internet connected machine and
send/receive email
All email will be stored on the drive
When you return, you can configure
your mail client to download
messages from the flash drive
Let’s look at Outlook Express
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Configuring Outlook Express
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Go to Tools – Accounts…
Click Add – Mail…
• Enter a display name
• Enter an email address (doesn’t matter)
• Email type – POP3
• Incoming mail server – 127.0.0.1
• Outgoing mail server – 127.0.0.1
• Enter username and password from
Airmail POP/SMTP server settings
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Configuring Outlook Express
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Pull Email into Outlook Express
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Open Airmail and Outlook Express
In Airmail: Modules – Mail Server
Leave Airmail open
Press Send/Recv in Outlook Express
• Email will begin to arrive
• Messages can be seen in Airmail Mail
Server window
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You Have Mail!
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Airmail email will now be in Outlook
Express (or other mail client)
It’s also possible to send mail via
Airmail to Winlink with this same
mechanism
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You’re ready for your next trip
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Keep your mail with you at all times
Can’t get an Internet connection –
use any machine to retrieve mail
Use any machine to read mail
No more waiting for lousy web mail
interfaces
Get all your mail back into your
home client
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Shared Airmail
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Run shared Airmail in an EOC
Use the same installation process to
installed to a shared network drive
Anyone can run Airmail over the network
to retrieve, send, print and view mail
Uses a common message store
It is not multi-user but can be used in
common
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Get Plugged In
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You can become a Winlink user
without the pain of packet radio
Airmail is the Swiss army knife of
email clients
Use it regularly and become familiar
with it
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Resources
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Airmail info and download
• http://www.airmail2000.com/
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PMBOs and other info
• http://www.winlink.org/
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This presentation (click Education)
• http://www.microhams.com
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Yahoo user groups
• http://groups.yahoo.com/group/airmail2000
• http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wl2kemcomm
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