Winlink 2000 (WL2K) Introduction 2006 Winlink 2000 (WL2K) Introduction An Introduction and brief history of the Ham Radio Winlink 2000 system. Presented by Rick Muething, KN6KB Winlink Development Team 2006 NATIONAL HURRICANE CONFERENCE ORLANDO, FLORIDA APRIL 11, 2006

2006 WL2K….What is it? WL2K is a Volunteer designed, maintained and operated system for the delivery of Radio E-mail and services for a variety of applications: Mobile user connectivity (Marine, RV, etc) “On demand” information (Weather, Positions, Status, etc.) Emergency Communications, “Last Mile” and Long distance. Mercy Missions (Katrina, Rita, Tsunami, Health missions.) Health and Welfare traffic (normal E-mail with attachments) Over 4 million messages delivered via WL2K since 2000!

2006 WL2K….Brief History Late 1980’s: DOS based APLink developed by Vic Poor, W5SMM, used HF Amtor to provided VHF Packet connectivity to marine mobiles. 1995: Renamed “Winlink” (now called “Winlink Classic”) with a small group of Radio stations (MBOs) eventually linked via RF to Internet E-mail (NEXUS). 1999: Testing began on Winlink 2000, an expanded and improved implementation based on a Central Hub (CMBO) and Radio station gateways (PMBOs) linked via Internet. 2006: Continual development from a growing Winlink development Team, now consisting of 8 members, all with specific duties to match their skills.

WL2K Today… by the numbers 2006 WL2K Today… by the numbers Demonstrated > 99% system availability since Nov, 1999. 3 Full-time Redundant Common Message Servers (CMS) in Detroit, San Diego and Perth, all in hardened “caged” sites, provide excellent reliability, worldwide. 81 total PMBOs, worldwide, in 4 Service Classes: Public, EmComm, Army MARS, UK Cadet Forces offer each separated service class their own operation. Approximately 9,500 Radio users, 98,000 Email recipients, pushing an average of 150,000 messages monthly. Average monthly connection time of 280,000 minutes with an average duration of 3.3 Minutes and 3,600 bytes/per message. Typical message latency sender to recipient delivery …1-2 minutes. In the EmComm Service Class, there are 287 Active VHF/UHF “TelPac” Gateways. Many agencies have proven that WL2K is a viable primary source for Point-to-Point and Point-to-Multi-point communications where accuracy, speed and a permanent record is required. THE FIRST PRIORITY OF ANY SERVICE CLASS IS EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS.

WL2K System Overview Internet 2006 CMS Detroit CMS San Diego CMS Perth Redundant Common Message Servers (Share the load but any ONE can run the ENTIRE system) Internet Conventional Email Users & Agencies PMBOs and Radio Message Servers 81 HF, 287 Active VHF/UHF Links: HF Radio VHF/UHF Radio D-Star data radio WiFi, Telnet, Web Existing Ham Radio Networks ~9500 Active WL2K Radio Users

WL2K Example Users/Applications 2006 WL2K Example Users/Applications Example of a few of the agencies that have used and acknowledged WL2K for: Many Hurricanes 2004 Tsunami Failure of IntelSat 804 Forest Fires, Typhoons Humanitarian Missions Health Mercy Missions Lost vessel location (continual)

Winlink 2000 (WL2K) More info and Follow up 2006 Winlink 2000 (WL2K) More info and Follow up System Details and Downloads: Winlink 2000 web site: www.winlink.org EmComm WL2K reflector: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wl2kemcomm/ On-line course for Using WL2K programs for EmComm: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LOADING_WL2K_USER_PROGRAMS/ Published Information about Winlink 2000: http://www.winlink.org/news.htm System Questions and Volunteer info: kn6kb@winlink.org, k4cjx@comcast.net