ARRL EComms Messaging System...WinLink?

[dubose at texas.net]

David,

The call has gone out to more than just on this list...with the original call
being made back in April 2004.

The three things that the ARRL needs to settle are the code requirment for
licensing, bandwidth limits and this problem...without settling these, I fear
 hamradio is in for a rough time.

I do realize that the BPL problem is important, but that's an external
problem.  These are internal problems...something the League can do something
about.

Walt/K5YFW

Quoting "David R. Wilson" <david at wwns.com>:

> Hello Walt, and the group.
> 
> If I wasn't swamped with more projects than I could possibly handle I
> would be willing to tackle that.  I agree that something needs to be
> done that is better, or at least will give us some additional choices. 
> I think that it is important that some operating system agnostic
> software is developed for this.  It bothers me that the only platform
> their software runs on is Windows.  Who on the list has the expertise
> and might be able to find some time to put some effort into this?   
> 
> Dave
> WB4LHO
> 
> On Wed, 2005-01-12 at 09:37, dubose at texas.net wrote:
> > Greetings All,
> > 
> > Recent conversations with ARRL Directors concerning the upcoming ARRL
> Board
> > Meeting indicate that some are in favor of taking a new look at the band
> width
> > proposal and committee proposal to use WinLink as EComms Message System.
> > 
> > Concerning WinLink, while several directors and vice-directors are
> concerned
> > that WinLink is not the ideal system and desire a much better system, I
> think
> > that they are a little disappointed that someone in the U.S. ham
> community
> > hasn't stepped forward and indicated that they would/could/had started to
> 
> > work on a better and more robust system.  I feel the same way.
> > 
> > As it stands now, since there is nothing brighter on the horizon, I think
> 
> > that WinLink will become the acceptable, for the moment, ARRL EComms
> messing
> > system.  
> > 
> > IMHO, if this condition exist very long, WinLink will migrate from the
> > acceptable system to the preferred system.
> > 
> > There has got to be some open source ham radio programmers out there that
> can
> > provide a better and more robust messaging system than WinLink.  But
> where 
> > are they?  I hope that the open system hams will find it within
> themselves to
> > make contacts with their opensource peers and find a group willing to
> tackle 
> > this important project.
> > 
> > When looking at the overall ham software picture, I see more and more
> hams in
> > the U.S. now dabbeling in Linux...but they need an Elmer...a leader that
> will
> > make them strong Linux users.
> > 
> > We have offshore developed applications and modes for Linux on HF such
> as
> > gMFSK, HFTerm, MT63, MFSK16, etc. which are really super applications. 
> But
> > standing alone, they don't meet the ARRL's call for an EComms Messaging
> > system.  We need some U.S. opensource ham radio programmers to tackle
> this
> > problem.  
> > 
> > Now before someone off-shore gets their feelings hurt, I CERTAINLY don't
> mean
> > to exclude our ham brothern in other countries...they are some of the
> best
> > folks in the world...its just the call for an ARRL EComms messaging
> system is
> > basically a call for a U.S. to meet the desires of OUR Homeland Security
> Efforts.
> > 
> > Of course I fault in part the ARRL for not publishing a specification(s)
> for 
> > a messaging system and/or HF data mode.  How fast (throughput) does it
> need 
> > to be?  How robust?  How error free?  MUST it interface with Internet
> E-Mail 
> > or can it be primarly stand-alone with Internet E-Mail as a backup or add
> on
> > if available?
> > 
> > I cenrtainly don't have the skill set to build such an application as is
> > needed...however, I am sure that there are several hams with the skills 
> > needed to develop a open source system as described above.
> > 
> > If you feel as I do, then please forward this E-Mail on to hams with
> > opensource programming skills who you think might be interested in this
> project.
> > 
> > Thanks for the bandwidth and 73,
> > 
> > Walt/K5YFW
> > 
> > 
> > 
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