Please see the below on information on the "Winlink for Rookies" class that will be a held-on Saturdays in March at 9am.  

The Saturday Morning Digital Training Net and the EPA Section of ARRL will be sponsoring a Zoom class on the topic of: 

"Winlink for Rookies"

This class will meet on four successive Saturday mornings at 9 am - 10 am during March 4, 11, 18, and 25.

We will concentrate on the Winlink modes VARA on HF SSB and the mode VARA FM on VHF/UHF.

The Zoom class is open to all operators in the EPA region.
You do not need to be an ARRL member to register for the class, but class is limited to the first 20 who register.

The Zoom class will start Saturday mornings at 9 am using the link:
     https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7950991313?pwd=NFVJN1lQaDVlZUZQNGFnYTRiR0orQT09

We will be practicing VARA HF SSB on an 80m frequency (3583 - 3585 kHz) and we will use a 2m FM repeater (147.270 PL 77) in the Phila region.

Topics for this class will include:

  • Wk 1 General observations about Winlink and VARA HF and VARA FM.
  • Wk 2 Getting Winlink and VARA licenses, configure your HF SSB radio for CAT and PTT. Configure VARA FM with your 2m rig.
  • Wk 3 How to send an email to both a Gateway and P2P.
  • Wk 4 How to send an attachment: American Red Cross forms, Weather reports, FEMA ICS forms.
  • Wk 5 Trouble shoot and summary.

I am looking for a few experienced Winlink operators to help organize and teach this class.

Requirements

  • A Microsoft desktop, laptop or tablet computer.
  • Radio & Antenna
    • At minimum a 2m rig such as your ICOM 4100/5100 Go Kit, or other mobile/handheld radio, which is:
      • Either a rig that supports CAT and Audio control natively.
        • Typically, these are modern base station category radios, such as the ICOM 705/7300/9700.
      • Or you have a radio with an external Soundcard Modem and cables.
  • Licenses are optional, but strongly recommended:
    • Winlink license
    • VARA license, open up the local Buy.html file in the directory you've installed VARA into to be redirected to PayPal for purchase.  Speed and functionality are reduced if you are running without a license installed.

If you don't have access to any of the hardware items above, please note it in the missing requirements comments below and we will do our best to get a loaner for the duration of the classes to use.  I may have a SignaLink available and can probably get a few more if I have people that want to take the training and don't already have all of the equipment required.

To signup


Any other comments or questions? Please feel free to let us know