If you would like to participate in the data check in but have not installed Winlink on your computer, here is a link to the Winlink Setup post.
The checkin can be via telnet, or via packet over VHF or HF.
- Please send your message before 19:00 hours on the day of the monthly net.
- Please send your Winlink message to N7GRF.
- Please use the Winlink Checkin.txt form to submit your check in.
Instructions to find the form are in the text below. Contact me via greg.fabricius@gmail.com if you have questions about the Winlink message check in.
Once you have Winlink installed and have an account setup using your call sign, open the Winlink program on your computer.
Note: Every time you open Winlink it will prompt you to update the software and forms, as well as ask you to license your copy. I encourage you to accept the software and form updates, but you are not required to buy a license to continue.
When open, Winlink looks similar to many email programs. In the menu bar just below the window header, click on "Message" and in the drop down window that appears select "New Message"
When the "Enter a New Message" window appears, in the top menu bar choose "Select Template". The Template Manager window opens, and you will see a directory of forms. To the left of each category is a plus sign.
Locate "General Forms" in the list and click on the plus sign next to that category. A new level of the directory opens and down towards the bottom of the list you will find the form "Winlink Check In.txt". Click on that form and it will open in a new browser window.
When you register your account Winlink will ask you to enter coordinates for your location. Along with your call sign and other information used to set up your account, the grid coordinates entered at setup will populate in the forms that use location data.
There are a few other fields in the Winlink Check In form that will need manual entry, such as the Date/Time field, Send to field, etc. For our monthly net checkin please enter N7GRF in the "Send To" field. As you review each field in the form make an appropriate entry. In the "Comments" field, a simple comment such as Net Check in is all you need.
At the bottom of the form you will see a row of buttons. If you want to save the form to your computer to make future checkins go faster, click the "Save Check in Data" button.
To submit the current form back to the Winlink email client, click the "Submit" button.
After you have submitted the form back to the Winlink email client, the contents of the form appear in the "Enter a New Message" window. After a quick review of the recipient and other fields, if everything is correct use the "Post to Outbox" command in the top menu row.
After posting to the outbox, the enter a new message window closes and you are back at the home screen of Winlink. You should see 1 item in your outbox.
In the top menu row of Winlink, locate the "Open Session" command. In the box next to it you can choose the mode, such as Telnet Winlink, etc. For this example we will select Telnet Winlink to use your internet connection.
With Telnet Winlink selected, click the "Open Session" command. The Telnet Winlink Session window opens. For now the window will be blank. On the menu bar of that new window select the "Start" command.
In the Telnet Winlink Session window you will see connection and progress messages appear. The process takes longer when using a packet over radio frequency mode, but once the Completed Send of Message comment appears you will know your message has been sent. Click the "Stop" command and the Telnet Winlink Session window will close.
Back at the home window you will see the message indicator by the Outbox is back to (0). You can review the Sent Items folder to verify the message was transmitted.
At this point you can close the program, or if you are actively monitoring Winlink during an exercise or activation for an emergency, you can keep the program open and periodically use the "Open Session" command to send or receive messages.
I would encourage everyone to become familiar with Winlink and practice each month with a Winlink Checkin message as well as your voice checkin to the 3rd Sunday net.
Please let me know if you have questions.