Message system ... new paradigm?

[Rick Williams]

Hi Bill,

I do consider the WinLink 2000 system to be a network. It can operate as a
peer to peer but it is not clear to me how well that might work. I know that
they would rather have you use it with the internet access as they stress
this. Because I have zero intentions to ever buy an SCS modem, that means
either packet or SCAMP. I have not had packet for over a decade now but
maybe if it had some applications for emergency applications, I might have
to review it again:)

Having been interested for many years in the overall networking of amateur
radio, I had not heard about FPAC. I looked it up as you suggested and it
certainly looks interesting. Can you use this with HF in some way? Or
strictly a packet system? From what I can tell, the ARES/RACES packet folks
in this state are pretty limited on trying anything new. But my new
information role lets me at least suggest new things:) Maybe we can garner
some interest.

I lived in Riviera Beach the summer of 1957. This is significant to me
because I walked into a drug store right on Highway 1 and bought my first
copy of Popular Electronics, August issue and first discovered electronics
and ham radio. I also visited the Civil Defense facility a few years later
during a return visit.  Bob Hope was the director and I have a picture or
two from circa 1963? of the quanset hut facility which I suppose is long
abandoned?

73,

Rick, KV9U



-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Sinbine [mailto:n4xeo at bellsouth.net]
Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2005 12:28 PM
To: Rick Williams; linlink at wetnet.net
Cc: fadca at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: Message system ... new paradigm?


At 09:23 AM 1/13/2005, Rick Williams wrote:

>I had asked about coming up with some kind of HF/VHF/UHF network that can
>work at least within a region or a state. Why couldn't this be developed by
>the LinLink team instead of reinventing the wheel? The main thing is that
it
>would allow robust connections between ham stations in some kind of network
>topology but the connections would usually be amateur radio RF.

Hi Rick
You are mixing two topics here. Winlink is NOT a networking protocol and we
already have just what you are looking for in FPAC!!

If you want to set up a packet NETWORK then I would invite you to look at
FPAC www.qsl.net/fpac . This is a dos AND linux program that runs on a PC
and is very powerful. The web site listed above is for the DOS version that
we are using in Florida with FADCA  www.fadca.org for more info.
We are working on converting our network over to the linux version since
there are so many more things that we can do with it. Another good site to
look at fpac is www.f6fbb.org and follow the path to fpac for more info.

Our network here in Florida is broken right now from the 4 hurricanes that
we had last year and we are working on converting the sites over to linux
as we learn how to get it done easy for linux dummies like me. If anyone
would want to give us a hand with making a very easy install cd for linux
fpac that we could just drop in the computer and it will self load linux
and fpac so all we need to do is add our routing then please drop me a note
and I can put you in touch with the proper people.




>What other system can do this? This does not seem to be one of the WL2K
>strong points since WL2K is more focussed on e-mail for the served
agencies.

Like I said above Winlink is not a networking program and FPAC will do what
you ask.

>Of course it would be OK if it went into the internet for the purpose of
>sending and receiving e-mail, but I have no idea how you can implement this
>without having a server like the WinLink 2000 system uses to act as the
>internet access address point.

If you were to use linux fpac for your network you could set up the linux
version of telpac and go right into the internet to a winlink PMBO and it
is a done deal.  From a user stand point it seems that we would need linux
versions of Airmail,  Paclink and whatever other USER programs that are out
there for Winlink. If someone would want to make a linux version of winlink
2k down the road then I'm sure it can be worked out. But right now I see
the need to have the USER side of the network converted over. I'm pretty
sure that
Jim ke6rk-3 at airmail2000.com would work with anyone with his airmail code if
you were a serious programmer and you would have to prove this.


OAN to the list owner,
Would it be possible for you to add [linlink] to the subject area so we
would know that the message is from the list. I've almost deleted messages
before this thread because I didn't know who the person was and the subject
didn't make any pointers to the list. I almost deleted them as spam. Thank
You!!!


Think about it .....
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on usenet and in e-mail?

Bill Sinbine
n4xeo at bellsouth.net