Seattle - W7ACS adds more VARA FM Winlink Gateways

Submitted by W7ACS on Sun, 2020-06-28 21:36

W7ACS, the Seattle Auxiliary Communications Service, has deployed 5 Winlink RMS Gateways supporting VARA FM WIDE.

VARA FM WIDE provides up to a 20X improvement in speed over 1200bps Packet. VARA FM is rate-adaptive, meaning that it adjusts to the strength of the signal, maximizing message passing speed even with weaker signals. The top end 25,200bps VARA FM WIDE modem rate is regularly achieved without heroic efforts or unusual conditions. The auto-tune capability of VARA FM makes audio level settings very easy, even without test instruments.

Each Winlink RMS Gateway consists of a small mini PC running windows 10. Most nodes are using Motorola CDM750 radios with the Repeater Builder RIM-MAXTRAC USB Audio Interface, a plug-and-play combination that requires no hardware modification to radios for the highest VARA FM WIDE speed.

VARA FM WIDE
145.790 Mhz - Queen Anne, Seattle W7ACS-10
430.875 MHz - Magnolia, Seattle W7ACS-10
431.000 MHz - Northwest, Seattle W7ACS-10
439.950 MHz - Capitol Hill, Seattle W7ACS-10
440.900 MHz - South Seattle College, Seattle W7ACS-10

1200bps AX.25 PACKET
430.900 MHz - South Seattle College, Seattle W7ACS-10
440.850 MHz - Downtown, Seattle W7ACS-10

More information about the Seattle ACS winlink RMS Gateways and Repeater Systems are at the following link.
http://seattleacs.org/about/repeaters/

Those interested in adding VARA FM high speed capability may find the following documentation from Seattle area hams helpful.

VARA Primer by AE7G George.
http://www.masterscommunications.com/products/radio-adapter/dra/vara-pri...

Winlink Card Modes Slide Deck by Scott NS7C
http://www.commacademy.org/2019/S21-Digital_Sound_Card_Modes_for_WinLink...

W7ACS's blog
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Amateur Radio Safety Foundation, Inc.

Winlink Global Radio Email®️ is an all-volunteer project of the Amateur Radio Safety Foundation, Inc. (ARSFI), a non-profit public benefit corporation with no beneficial owners.

Please give to ARSFI if you use Winlink radio email or correspond regularly with someone who does. By donating $25 each year you will do your part to improve this system and keep it running. Donations are tax-deductible by most US federal taxpayers. This is the best way to say "thank you" to Winlink volunteers! You can also purchase a registration key for your Winlink Express software. That's different than a donation! And is another way to contribute.

WANTED:

Software Developers
The Winlink Development Team is looking for talented software developers who have expertise in Digital Signal Processing, VB, C#, C, C++ with Windows, dot-Net Core, Python, JavaScript, OSX, iOS, Android, Open-Source Project Management, Git and AWS experience. We need developers who can move our programs to new platforms and environments, keep pace with security standards, and to help innovate for the future. If you have volunteer time, are willing to help, work well with others and would like to join an accomplished team, please contact Tom, KA6IQA

The Winlink Development Team

The Winlink radio email system and software are built, maintained and supported entirely by volunteers.

Victor D. Poor, W5SSM (SK)
Rick Muething, KN6KB
Lee Inman, K0QED
Phil Sherrod, W4PHS
Steve Waterman, K4CJX
Tom Lafleur, KA6IQA
Lor Kutchins, W3QA
Ross Merlin, WA2WDT
Chris Steinhardt, KD9LF
Neil Hughes, VE1YZ
Scott Miller, K6SKM
Mike Burton, XE2/N6KZB
Jonathan Remba, XE1BRX
Greg Kruckewitt, KG6SJT
Mooneer Salem, K6AQ
Kevin Hedgepeth, NB7O
Tom Whiteside, N5TW
Gerhard Kmet, OE3ZK (SK)
Scott Currie, NS7C
Thomas Noel, KF7RSF
John Wiseman, G8BPQ
Van Malan, NH7IT

Contacts

See the SUPPORT main menu link above!

Users (especially for account and password issues), and Gateway Sysops, tech support and help: Click this link, then click the appropriate link for the client program you use, or use this link:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/winlink-programs-group

Internet mail server adminstrators, mail server errors and internet routing issues: POSTMASTER at winlink.org USERS: Please do not look for support here!

Web site errors only, please: WEBMASTER at winlink.org USERS: Please do not look for support here!

Official Winlink/ARSFI Business: Steve Waterman, K4CJX, Winlink Administrator

Outstanding Volunteers

The Winlink system is run entirely by volunteers. Those called Gateway Station Sysops, who support and run over a thousand stations around the world, are special. They are essential for providing the radio network that allows us to use Winlink radio email. Without them, there is no Winlink. If you use Winlink radio email, make sure to thank your sysops by sending them an email to their RMSCALLSIGN-at-winlink.org address.You can find their contact information by mousing over their call sign on the RMS List tab here.

Apart from the Gateway Station Sysops and Development Team, there are other volunteers that run e-mail groups and tutorials, manage user accounts, register software, update the network's assets and catalogs, test and debug products, provide training, and independently write software. They all work together to keep the Winlink system running smoothly. Thank you to all the hardworking volunteers, authors and developers who contribute to the Winlink system. Some are exceptional and deserve special praise:

Oliver Dully, K6OLI
Jim Price, KO6GM
Scott Dakers, W7SGD
Gordon Gibby, KX4Z
Jim Corenman, KE6RK
Georges Auberger, WH6AZ
Jose Alberto Nieto Ros, EA6HVK
Don Felgenhauer, K7BFL
David W. Barrow III, N9UNR (SK)
Bill Kuechler, N9ACQ
Bud Thompson, N0IA
Chris Mattia, W6AH
David Goldenberg, W0DHG
Dan Tomlinson, NR6V
David Ouellette, WB8MWG
Dan Midyett, KA4CAH

The Platinum Club
Original Volunteer Gateway Sysops on-air in 2000, and still on-air today!

Martin Spreng, HB9AK
Eric Simmons, KB6YNO
California Yacht Club Radio Amateur Group, K6CYC, and Eric Oistad, KF6DZT
Jerry Curry, KL7EDK
Joel Michello, KQ4ET
John Burke, W7BO
San Diego Yacht Club Amateur Radio Group, W6IM, and Rod McLennan, W6MWB
Bernie Zindell, WG3G
Neil Hughes, VE1YZ

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