Winlink 2000 PacLink

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Winlink 2000 - PacLink

• An introduction to eMail over Packet AX.25
• By Scott KI5DR for the Williamson County ARES
  group near Austin, TX
• Sept. 9, 2004

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How does it all connect?

• PMBO on the Internet around the Globe (K4CJX)
• Telpac Gateway using Telnet and SCS Modem
  (PACTOR) (N5TW, Georgetown)
• 2m VHF AX.25 KISS mode through 2m rig and TNC
  (KPC3 or TNC2 clone, KPC9612)
• Telnet through the Internet (port 12001)
• AGWPE AGW Packet Engine freeware express
• PacLink AGW Interface Engine (TCP port 8000 to
  AGWPE)
• PacLink Postoffice basic SMTP/POP3 eMail server
• Outlook Express either locally or across the LAN
  (Port 25-SMTP and Port 110-POP3)

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What you needto get started

• Computer
• TNC
• VHF radio
• Internet Connection (Not needed but it will help)

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Computer Setup

• Windows 2000
• Service Pack 4 (MS)
• IE 6.0
• Outlook Express 6
• Windows Update (!)

• Windows .Net Framework (Dotnetfx.exe)
• MDAC 2.6 (mdac_typ.exe)

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What programs to get

• Go to www.winlink.org and download PacLink AGW
• Go to www.elcom.gr/sv2agw and download the AGWPE
  packet engine

• You may also need Winzip, Adobe Acrobat, and
  antivirus software.

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First steps - DotNet
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When you download the AGWPE.zip file, unzip it to
a location such as c\AGWPE so you can find it
later. Once youve downloaded it, Create a
shortcut on your desktop for AGW Packet
Engine.exe
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Installing AGWPE
Double-Click your AGW Packet Engine shortcut.
Click Agree, then you will see the Radio Port
selection box. Click New Port.
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AGWPE
This is the default screen for adding a new
port. Select your Com-Port, then choose the TNC
type in the drop-down box. All of the other
commands should default for you without further
adjustments.
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Here, I chose my KPC-9612. All of the other TNC
Control commands are defaulted for me. Verify
your Serial port and baud rate are correct.
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Paclink AGW
When you run the AGW program, it will unzip to a
temporary folder. After unzipping the files,
simply run SETUP.EXE. The PDF files have lots of
good info on installing the software too.
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Click Next, then choose Everyone, then choose
NEXT again.
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Click NEXT, then AGW will install. When its
completed, you can click CLOSE.
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PacLink Post Office Configuration
Enter your callsign, and choose a password. You
can also select to allow other LAN clients access
to the Post Office. Click Update
Paclink install places two icons on your desktop
the AGW and the Post Office.
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Outlook Express is configured for you
automatically, just enter your password.
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Paclink AGW
Now its time for Paclink AGW. AGW is the
interface between the Post Office and the AGWPE
engine.
Choose File then Properties to begin
configuring the AGW.
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This is the AGW Properties screen. The only
change you should make is to verify the PATH to
the AGWPE (remember where you unzipped the files
to?) is correct. Click UPDATE.
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Once the Properties are set, then choose FILE,
Channels. This is the default screen. First,
select Telnet (to configure a Telnet path for
Paclink.)
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When you have an Internet connection, PacLink
will use it FIRST to send and receive email. If
the Internet is unavailable, it can use 2m
Packet. The Telnet Properties displayed here is
DIRECTLY out of the documentation. Once the
entries are made, Click ADD NEW CHANNEL.
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Next, I am adding a VHF Packet channel. I named
it N5TW. The channel priority simply tells AGW
which one to try first. (Telnet was 1, Packet is
5). Enter the Remote Callsign, and in the AGWPE
port, select the Drop-Down box for the AGWPE port
we just configured. I left all other options as
default.
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Directly under the Remote callsign is a Connect
Script Box. This is what I used to connect to
N5TW via a Digipeater.
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Now that everything is configured, its time to
test it. Here, Im testing the initial Telnet
connection through my roadrunner account.
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Next, Im testing my VHF connection to N5TW.
Once youve tested your connections, its time to
send your first email. Your email address will be
your callsign_at_winlink.org. Open Outlook express
(enter your password) and send a test email to
anyone you wish. Once the email goes out through
the Telnet or VHF packet path, your email will be
registered with Winlink. It may take a few hours
for this process to complete. Once this is done,
try sending yourself an email to
yourcallsign_at_winlink.org . The AGW is configured
to check for incoming mail every 60 minutes, but
you can manually initiate a connection for
testing purposes.
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Heres my first successful sending of a test
message. Most of this information is cryptic, and
you wont need to know what it means, but you can
see here the line K4CJX de KI5DR QTC 1 This
tells the PMBO that I have one message outgoing.
Kinda cool, huh? The bottom line is, get on the
air and try it out! Having lots of trained
Paclink operators will certainly help out when
the next disaster or emergency happens.