APRS => Winlink Messaging

[Bob Bruninga]

We need an author:

I was told that we cannot use APRS to send email to Winlink accounts from the APRS mobiles because winkink needs a special SUBJECT line. Therefore, if I understand the problem correctly we cannot do this presently. Here is what we need:

*** An engine (like the EMAIL engine) that monitors the APRS-IS for a trigger ADDRESS, lets say "WLK". If anyone uses their radio to send an APRS message TO WLK then this happens:

1) The first word of the message is the CALLSIGN of the winlink addressee (example: WB4APR, we are here and ready at 1430. ).

2) The WLK engine takes this APRS message and creates an EMAIL of the form:

TO: WB4APR-***@public.gmane.org
FROM: (your radio callsign)
SUBJ: //WLNK (or whatever the special format is)
MESSAGE: we are here and ready at 1430.

*** Message originated from station (your call)
*** on the APRS system. Location is now
*** at this link (**** LINK to APRS-IS map display)
*** To reply, reply to this message, though APRS
*** is a live message system only, and will not
*** be delivered unless station is currently active.

They way it was explained to me, is that the above EMAIL is not accepted by WINLINK system unless there is the special SUBJECT line (something like above) to help guard against spam. So that is why we cannot currently send APRS messages to Winlink addresses because we do not have a subject line.

Notice that I did suggest that this "WLK" engine will accept REPLY messages and will inject them back into the APRS-IS! This should be safe, since we have to assume that a callsign originator on WINLINK is a licensed ham and his communication is legitimate.

Again, I am not a WinLINK expert and I only heard about this issue second hand, so I could be mistaken, and maybe there is already a workaround for this issue.. If so, ignore me.

If not, then, this is the kind of gizmo we need to add to the APRS quiver so that we can be one step closer to the UNIVERSAL HAM RADIO TEXT MESSAGING initiative where we can message ANY HAM, ANYWHERE, using ANY DEVICE, by callsign alone. See Sept Issue of QST.

Bob, Wb4APR

[Rusty Hemenway]

Bob
Go to www.winlink.org. Check the tabs on the top of the screen for APRS
Link. It will give you the instructions in sending a message via APRS to
winlink. I've been doing it for quite a while. The //WLNK is a "Spam" type
filter

-----Original Message-----
From: aprssig-bounces-***@public.gmane.org [mailto:aprssig-bounces-***@public.gmane.org] On Behalf
Of Bob Bruninga
Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2009 8:37 AM
To: aprssig-***@public.gmane.org
Subject: [aprssig] APRS => Winlink Messaging

We need an author:

I was told that we cannot use APRS to send email to Winlink accounts from
the APRS mobiles because winkink needs a special SUBJECT line. Therefore,
if I understand the problem correctly we cannot do this presently. Here is
what we need:

*** An engine (like the EMAIL engine) that monitors the APRS-IS for a
trigger ADDRESS, lets say "WLK". If anyone uses their radio to send an APRS
message TO WLK then this happens:

1) The first word of the message is the CALLSIGN of the winlink addressee
(example: WB4APR, we are here and ready at 1430. ).

2) The WLK engine takes this APRS message and creates an EMAIL of the form:

TO: WB4APR-***@public.gmane.org
FROM: (your radio callsign)
SUBJ: //WLNK (or whatever the special format is)
MESSAGE: we are here and ready at 1430.

*** Message originated from station (your call)
*** on the APRS system. Location is now
*** at this link (**** LINK to APRS-IS map display)
*** To reply, reply to this message, though APRS
*** is a live message system only, and will not
*** be delivered unless station is currently active.

They way it was explained to me, is that the above EMAIL is not accepted by
WINLINK system unless there is the special SUBJECT line (something like
above) to help guard against spam. So that is why we cannot currently send
APRS messages to Winlink addresses because we do not have a subject line.

Notice that I did suggest that this "WLK" engine will accept REPLY messages
and will inject them back into the APRS-IS! This should be safe, since we
have to assume that a callsign originator on WINLINK is a licensed ham and
his communication is legitimate.

Again, I am not a WinLINK expert and I only heard about this issue second
hand, so I could be mistaken, and maybe there is already a workaround for
this issue.. If so, ignore me.

If not, then, this is the kind of gizmo we need to add to the APRS quiver so
that we can be one step closer to the UNIVERSAL HAM RADIO TEXT MESSAGING
initiative where we can message ANY HAM, ANYWHERE, using ANY DEVICE, by
callsign alone. See Sept Issue of QST.

Bob, Wb4APR

[Bob Bruninga]

Post by Rusty Hemenway
Go to www.winlink.org. Check the tabs
on the top of the screen for [Ho to...]
APRSLink. It will give you the
instructions in sending a message via
APRS to winlink.

Thanks. I figured it had to exist. So to send the short one line message to the WinLINK user W3ABC, then I would use this format from my APRS mobile radio:

TO: WLNK-1
MSG: SP W3ABC-***@public.gmane.org message_text_etc /BK

Or, since W3ABC has a Winlink account, then hopefully, I do not have to punch in the redundant full email address and send only:

TO: WLNK-1
MSG: SP W3ABC message_text_etc /BK

And these messages can be sent without any apriori logon or previous message (other than having a valid APRS position report already on the air)?

If the shorter method works, then I think the wording on the weeb page can be more clear to help the first time user see how easy it is. The example shown is for amulti-line message, not the shortest possible approach, which often might be the most used...

thanks
Bob, Wb4APR

Post by Rusty Hemenway
-----Original Message-----
Of Bob Bruninga
Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2009 8:37 AM
Subject: [aprssig] APRS => Winlink Messaging
I was told that we cannot use APRS to send email to Winlink accounts from
the APRS mobiles because winkink needs a special SUBJECT line. Therefore,
if I understand the problem correctly we cannot do this presently. Here is
*** An engine (like the EMAIL engine) that monitors the APRS-IS for a
trigger ADDRESS, lets say "WLK". If anyone uses their radio to send an APRS
1) The first word of the message is the CALLSIGN of the winlink addressee
(example: WB4APR, we are here and ready at 1430. ).
FROM: (your radio callsign)
SUBJ: //WLNK (or whatever the special format is)
MESSAGE: we are here and ready at 1430.
*** Message originated from station (your call)
*** on the APRS system. Location is now
*** at this link (**** LINK to APRS-IS map display)
*** To reply, reply to this message, though APRS
*** is a live message system only, and will not
*** be delivered unless station is currently active.
They way it was explained to me, is that the above EMAIL is not accepted by
WINLINK system unless there is the special SUBJECT line (something like
above) to help guard against spam. So that is why we cannot currently send
APRS messages to Winlink addresses because we do not have a subject line.
Notice that I did suggest that this "WLK" engine will accept REPLY messages
and will inject them back into the APRS-IS! This should be safe, since we
have to assume that a callsign originator on WINLINK is a licensed ham and
his communication is legitimate.
Again, I am not a WinLINK expert and I only heard about this issue second
hand, so I could be mistaken, and maybe there is already a workaround for
this issue.. If so, ignore me.
If not, then, this is the kind of gizmo we need to add to the APRS quiver so
that we can be one step closer to the UNIVERSAL HAM RADIO TEXT MESSAGING
initiative where we can message ANY HAM, ANYWHERE, using ANY DEVICE, by
callsign alone. See Sept Issue of QST.
Bob, Wb4APR
_______________________________________________
aprssig mailing list
https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig
_______________________________________________
aprssig mailing list
https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig

[Steve Noskowicz]

I believe it is considered somewhat of a bandaid. Crude, but it allows APRS <-> WINLink.

... So to send the short one line message to the WinLINK
TO: WLNK-1

NOPE. No one line (APRS message) message.

Post by Steve Noskowicz
SP <email address, callsign, or alias> <subject>

As read it, only address and subject in the SP line/message. The "address" can be EITHER an address, OR call sign, OR alias.
The subject is, well, subject.
The message text follows in subsequent APRS messages.

The SP command starts assembling a WINLink message from
*multiple* APRS->APRSLink messages.

Or, since W3ABC has a Winlink account, then hopefully,
I do not have to punch in the redundant full email
TO: WLNK-1
MSG: SP W3ABC message_text_etc /BK

YES, BUT ... it should be THREE APRS messages:
TO: WLNK-1
MSG: SP W3ABC Subj

TO: WLNK-1
MSG: I'll see you for coffee at 8.

TO: WLNK-1
MSG: /EX

It explicitly says regarding the "/EX" message delimiter:
"... send /EX as a separate APRS message to complete your email."

And these messages can be sent without any apriori logon
or previous message (other than having a valid APRS
position report already on the air)?

My understanding as well. I conversed with Lee a while ago and my gut feel is that i have it correct. You might be able to send without the posit, but you can't receive, obviously.

If the shorter method works, then I think the wording on
the weeb page can be more clear to help the first time
user see how easy it is. The example shown is for a
multi-line message, not the shortest possible approach,
which often might be the most used...

The old "W" method required the command for every message and the TO and Subj were seperate messages. IIR, Something like this.

TO:WNLK-1
MSG:W1 W3ABC

TO:WNLK-1
MSG:W2 Subj

TO:WNLK-1
MSG:W3 I'll see you for coffee at 8.

TO:WNLK-1
MSG:W5 /EX

The new SP command eliminates the "W" commands and combines the Addr & Subj. I think the /EX command is the same.


I started to put this format into my Excel sheet for the D700, but haven't completed the code. So many projects; so little time.

73, Steve, K9DCI

[Cap Pennell]

Correct, Steve. Works slick right now with the new SP command. Cool!
http://www.winlink.org/aprslink

73, Cap KE6AFE

Post by Rusty Hemenway
-----Original Message-----
Behalf Of Steve Noskowicz
Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2009 12:29 PM
To: TAPR APRS Mailing List
Subject: Re: [aprssig] APRS < = > Winlink Messaging
I believe it is considered somewhat of a bandaid. Crude, but it allows APRS <-> WINLink.

... So to send the short one line message to the WinLINK
TO: WLNK-1

NOPE. No one line (APRS message) message.

Post by Steve Noskowicz
SP <email address, callsign, or alias> <subject>

As read it, only address and subject in the SP line/message. The
"address" can be EITHER an address, OR call sign, OR alias.
The subject is, well, subject.
The message text follows in subsequent APRS messages.
The SP command starts assembling a WINLink message from
*multiple* APRS->APRSLink messages.

Or, since W3ABC has a Winlink account, then hopefully,
I do not have to punch in the redundant full email
TO: WLNK-1
MSG: SP W3ABC message_text_etc /BK

TO: WLNK-1
MSG: SP W3ABC Subj
TO: WLNK-1
MSG: I'll see you for coffee at 8.
TO: WLNK-1
MSG: /EX
"... send /EX as a separate APRS message to complete your email."

And these messages can be sent without any apriori logon
or previous message (other than having a valid APRS
position report already on the air)?

My understanding as well. I conversed with Lee a while ago and my gut
feel is that i have it correct. You might be able to send without the
posit, but you can't receive, obviously.

If the shorter method works, then I think the wording on
the weeb page can be more clear to help the first time
user see how easy it is. The example shown is for a
multi-line message, not the shortest possible approach,
which often might be the most used...

The old "W" method required the command for every message and the TO
and Subj were seperate messages. IIR, Something like this.
TO:WNLK-1
MSG:W1 W3ABC
TO:WNLK-1
MSG:W2 Subj
TO:WNLK-1
MSG:W3 I'll see you for coffee at 8.
TO:WNLK-1
MSG:W5 /EX
The new SP command eliminates the "W" commands and combines the Addr &
Subj. I think the /EX command is the same.
I started to put this format into my Excel sheet for the D700, but
haven't completed the code. So many projects; so little time.
73, Steve, K9DCI
_______________________________________________
aprssig mailing list
https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig

[Robert Bruninga]

NOPE. No one-line (APRS message-to-winlink)

Post by Steve Noskowicz
SP <email address, callsign, or alias> <subject>

The subject is, well, subject. The message
text follows in subsequent APRS messages.
MSG: SP W3ABC Subj
MSG: I'll see you for coffee at 8.
MSG: /EX

Ah, so that is probably why the local ARES guys asked me if
there could be a better way to simply Text to a winlink address
directly ... Maybe Lee would consider adding a "texting"
feature to APRSlink something like this:

TO: WLNK-7
MSG: W3ABC: I'll see you for coffee at 8

The special "WLNK-7" instead of -1 would indicate this is going
to be a one-line "text" (probably from a handheld or mobile
keypad) and that the first word will be a Winlink callsign
address.

Again, just another step towards the "Universal Ham Radio Text
Messaging Initiative"... www.aprs.org/aprs-messaging.html and
the sept QST article.

Bob, WB4APR

[Bob Bruninga]

A better idea...

Post by Robert Bruninga

...[so it takes] THREE APRS messages to send
MSG: SP W3ABC Subj
MSG: I'll see you for coffee at 8.
MSG: /EX

Maybe Lee would consider adding a "texting"
TO: WLNK-7
MSG: W3ABC: I'll see you for coffee at 8
The special "WLNK-7"... would indicate
this is... a one-line "text" (probably
from a handheld or mobile keypad) and
that the first word will be a Winlink
callsign address.

Actually, though, this is still a special case and requires the sender to have knowledge about the Winlink station having an account on winlink. It is these kinds of special cases we want to avoid with the...

Post by Robert Bruninga
"Universal Ham Radio Text Messaging Initiative"...
www.aprs.org/aprs-messaging.html and
the sept QST article.

So the ultimate APRS ==> Winlink texting capability is as follows:

* The APRS==>winllink engine watches ALL message traffic on the APRS IS. It matches all callsigns seen with ALL known Winlink addressees.

* If it sees an APRS message to one of the WinLINK users, then it automatically scarfs the message and forwards it to the Winlink's callsign address. DONE

"Any message, any time, anywhere, to any device, knowing only the intended callsign"..

Bob, Wb4APR

[Andrew Rich (Home)]

Interesting

I have been able to pluck email addresse form the IS stream. Anthing should
be possible.

Do you want to go from mobile to email ? Is that the aim ?

Seems you might be heading for the need for a message type descriptor.

In mobile phone protocols we used to have message type descriptors.

Ie FAX EMAIL SMS PAGER message was the destination.

MSG002 might be email
MSG003 might be fax
MSG004 might be SMS
etc

Add new ones as different needs arrise.

I am just a bit worried by adding adhoc APRS triggers you might end up with
a mess.

Perhaps comma's could be used to help tell the other end how to break up the
data ?

Or perhaps a space would do the trick ?

I have been playing iwth the idea of messaging as well, I don't care where
the packet came from, as long as the packet contains the right series of
characters I can split up the data and act on it.






----------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Rich
Airways Technical Officer Grade 4
Surveillance - RADAR ADS-B
Amateur Radio Callsign VK4TEC
email: vk4tec-ba9vLFWY5gGWmv3g/***@public.gmane.org
web: www.tech-software.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Bruninga " <bruninga-***@public.gmane.org>
To: <aprssig-***@public.gmane.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2009 1:36 AM
Subject: [aprssig] APRS => Winlink Messaging

Post by Bob Bruninga
I was told that we cannot use APRS to send email to Winlink accounts from
the APRS mobiles because winkink needs a special SUBJECT line. Therefore,
if I understand the problem correctly we cannot do this presently. Here
*** An engine (like the EMAIL engine) that monitors the APRS-IS for a
trigger ADDRESS, lets say "WLK". If anyone uses their radio to send an
1) The first word of the message is the CALLSIGN of the winlink addressee
(example: WB4APR, we are here and ready at 1430. ).
FROM: (your radio callsign)
SUBJ: //WLNK (or whatever the special format is)
MESSAGE: we are here and ready at 1430.
*** Message originated from station (your call)
*** on the APRS system. Location is now
*** at this link (**** LINK to APRS-IS map display)
*** To reply, reply to this message, though APRS
*** is a live message system only, and will not
*** be delivered unless station is currently active.
They way it was explained to me, is that the above EMAIL is not accepted
by WINLINK system unless there is the special SUBJECT line (something like
above) to help guard against spam. So that is why we cannot currently
send APRS messages to Winlink addresses because we do not have a subject
line.
Notice that I did suggest that this "WLK" engine will accept REPLY
messages and will inject them back into the APRS-IS! This should be safe,
since we have to assume that a callsign originator on WINLINK is a
licensed ham and his communication is legitimate.
Again, I am not a WinLINK expert and I only heard about this issue second
hand, so I could be mistaken, and maybe there is already a workaround for
this issue.. If so, ignore me.
If not, then, this is the kind of gizmo we need to add to the APRS quiver
so that we can be one step closer to the UNIVERSAL HAM RADIO TEXT
MESSAGING initiative where we can message ANY HAM, ANYWHERE, using ANY
DEVICE, by callsign alone. See Sept Issue of QST.
Bob, Wb4APR
_______________________________________________
aprssig mailing list
https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.409 / Virus Database: 270.13.92/2364 - Release Date: 09/11/09
17:51:00

[Andrew Rich (Home)]

Have you looked at a protocol called asterix ?

We use that in surveillance.

You get a little table of contents, and then you know what data to expect
next.

Example

0100 1000 - Expect an email and sms

Just ideas anyway

If i was to define a new protocol for APRS, would do something like

#0001 - Position with time
#0002 - Weather bulletin
#0003 - EMAIL message
#9999 - Emergency (reserved)

Maybe you can start to "steer" towards a message type decriptor and start
reserving message types



----------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Rich
Airways Technical Officer Grade 4
Surveillance - RADAR ADS-B
Amateur Radio Callsign VK4TEC
email: vk4tec-ba9vLFWY5gGWmv3g/***@public.gmane.org
web: www.tech-software.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew Rich (Home)" <vk4tec-ba9vLFWY5gGWmv3g/***@public.gmane.org>
To: "TAPR APRS Mailing List" <aprssig-***@public.gmane.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2009 2:08 AM
Subject: Re: [aprssig] APRS => Winlink Messaging

Post by Andrew Rich (Home)
Interesting
I have been able to pluck email addresse form the IS stream. Anthing should
be possible.
Do you want to go from mobile to email ? Is that the aim ?
Seems you might be heading for the need for a message type descriptor.
In mobile phone protocols we used to have message type descriptors.
Ie FAX EMAIL SMS PAGER message was the destination.
MSG002 might be email
MSG003 might be fax
MSG004 might be SMS
etc
Add new ones as different needs arrise.
I am just a bit worried by adding adhoc APRS triggers you might end up with
a mess.
Perhaps comma's could be used to help tell the other end how to break up the
data ?
Or perhaps a space would do the trick ?
I have been playing iwth the idea of messaging as well, I don't care where
the packet came from, as long as the packet contains the right series of
characters I can split up the data and act on it.
----------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Rich
Airways Technical Officer Grade 4
Surveillance - RADAR ADS-B
Amateur Radio Callsign VK4TEC
web: www.tech-software.net
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2009 1:36 AM
Subject: [aprssig] APRS => Winlink Messaging

Post by Bob Bruninga
I was told that we cannot use APRS to send email to Winlink accounts from
the APRS mobiles because winkink needs a special SUBJECT line.
Therefore,
if I understand the problem correctly we cannot do this presently. Here
*** An engine (like the EMAIL engine) that monitors the APRS-IS for a
trigger ADDRESS, lets say "WLK". If anyone uses their radio to send an
1) The first word of the message is the CALLSIGN of the winlink addressee
(example: WB4APR, we are here and ready at 1430. ).
FROM: (your radio callsign)
SUBJ: //WLNK (or whatever the special format is)
MESSAGE: we are here and ready at 1430.
*** Message originated from station (your call)
*** on the APRS system. Location is now
*** at this link (**** LINK to APRS-IS map display)
*** To reply, reply to this message, though APRS
*** is a live message system only, and will not
*** be delivered unless station is currently active.
They way it was explained to me, is that the above EMAIL is not accepted
by WINLINK system unless there is the special SUBJECT line (something like
above) to help guard against spam. So that is why we cannot currently
send APRS messages to Winlink addresses because we do not have a subject
line.
Notice that I did suggest that this "WLK" engine will accept REPLY
messages and will inject them back into the APRS-IS! This should be safe,
since we have to assume that a callsign originator on WINLINK is a
licensed ham and his communication is legitimate.
Again, I am not a WinLINK expert and I only heard about this issue second
hand, so I could be mistaken, and maybe there is already a workaround for
this issue.. If so, ignore me.
If not, then, this is the kind of gizmo we need to add to the APRS quiver
so that we can be one step closer to the UNIVERSAL HAM RADIO TEXT
MESSAGING initiative where we can message ANY HAM, ANYWHERE, using ANY
DEVICE, by callsign alone. See Sept Issue of QST.
Bob, Wb4APR
_______________________________________________
aprssig mailing list
https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.409 / Virus Database: 270.13.92/2364 - Release Date: 09/11/09
17:51:00
_______________________________________________
aprssig mailing list
https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.409 / Virus Database: 270.13.92/2364 - Release Date: 09/11/09
17:51:00

[Steve Noskowicz]

Bob,

Correct me if I an wrong (and I'm sure someone will), but this exists in APRSLink. I may be wrong, but IIR Lee Inman, K0QED wrote the APRSLink app.
http://www.winlink.org/aprslink

The Subj line is "special" in a sense...
It requires (used to) multiple APRS messages from the mobile to compose one email. One for TO:, one for SUBJ, one for each line...

HOWEVER, I see a new command "SP" allows you to combine the address and subj portions and simplifies sending lines.
-- SP <email address, callsign, or alias> <subject> --

(The "W" command it deprecated, so you can still frustrate yourself)

The APRS mobile pings the server for inbox so it doesn't transmit without authorization from the mobile.

I've only pinged the system, not sent messages since I don't know anyone in WinLink.

-- 73, Steve, K9DCI
http://k9dci.home.comcast.net/

Post by Bob Bruninga
I was told that we cannot use APRS to send email to Winlink
accounts from the APRS mobiles because winkink needs a
special SUBJECT line.  Therefore, if I understand the
problem correctly we cannot do this presently.  Here is
*** An engine (like the EMAIL engine) that monitors the
APRS-IS for a trigger ADDRESS, lets say "WLK".  If
anyone uses their radio to send an APRS message TO WLK then
1) The first word of the message is the CALLSIGN of the
winlink addressee (example:  WB4APR, we are here and
ready at 1430. ).
2) The WLK engine takes this APRS message and creates an
FROM:  (your radio callsign)
SUBJ:  //WLNK (or whatever the special format is)
MESSAGE: we are here and ready at 1430.
*** Message originated from station (your call)
*** on the APRS system.  Location is now
*** at this link (**** LINK to APRS-IS map display)
*** To reply, reply to this message, though APRS
*** is a live message system only, and will not
*** be delivered unless station is currently active.
They way it was explained to me, is that the above EMAIL is
not accepted by WINLINK system unless there is the special
SUBJECT line (something like above) to help guard against
spam.  So that is why we cannot currently send APRS
messages to Winlink addresses because we do not have a
subject line.
Notice that I did suggest that this "WLK" engine will
accept REPLY messages and will inject them back into the
APRS-IS!  This should be safe, since we have to assume
that a callsign originator on WINLINK is a licensed ham and
his communication is legitimate.
Again, I am not a WinLINK expert and I only heard about
this issue second hand, so I could be mistaken, and maybe
there is already a workaround for this issue..  If so,
ignore me.
If not, then, this is the kind of gizmo we need to add to
the APRS quiver so that we can be one step closer to the
UNIVERSAL HAM RADIO TEXT MESSAGING initiative where  we
can message ANY HAM, ANYWHERE, using ANY DEVICE, by callsign
alone.  See Sept Issue of QST.
Bob, Wb4APR
_______________________________________________
aprssig mailing list
https://www.tapr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aprssig

[Jeff Dugas]

Bob,
What happened to the APRSLINK system? I used it some time back, and it seemed to work.
Jeff
N5TEV

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Bruninga [mailto:bruninga-***@public.gmane.org]
Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2009 11:36 AM
To: aprssig-***@public.gmane.org
Subject: [aprssig] APRS => Winlink Messaging

We need an author:

I was told that we cannot use APRS to send email to Winlink accounts from the APRS mobiles because winkink needs a special SUBJECT line. Therefore, if I understand the problem correctly we cannot do this presently. Here is what we need:

*** An engine (like the EMAIL engine) that monitors the APRS-IS for a trigger ADDRESS, lets say "WLK". If anyone uses their radio to send an APRS message TO WLK then this happens:

1) The first word of the message is the CALLSIGN of the winlink addressee (example: WB4APR, we are here and ready at 1430. ).

2) The WLK engine takes this APRS message and creates an EMAIL of the form:

TO: WB4APR-***@public.gmane.org
FROM: (your radio callsign)
SUBJ: //WLNK (or whatever the special format is)
MESSAGE: we are here and ready at 1430.

*** Message originated from station (your call)
*** on the APRS system. Location is now
*** at this link (**** LINK to APRS-IS map display)
*** To reply, reply to this message, though APRS
*** is a live message system only, and will not
*** be delivered unless station is currently active.

They way it was explained to me, is that the above EMAIL is not accepted by WINLINK system unless there is the special SUBJECT line (something like above) to help guard against spam. So that is why we cannot currently send APRS messages to Winlink addresses because we do not have a subject line.

Notice that I did suggest that this "WLK" engine will accept REPLY messages and will inject them back into the APRS-IS! This should be safe, since we have to assume that a callsign originator on WINLINK is a licensed ham and his communication is legitimate.

Again, I am not a WinLINK expert and I only heard about this issue second hand, so I could be mistaken, and maybe there is already a workaround for this issue.. If so, ignore me.

If not, then, this is the kind of gizmo we need to add to the APRS quiver so that we can be one step closer to the UNIVERSAL HAM RADIO TEXT MESSAGING initiative where we can message ANY HAM, ANYWHERE, using ANY DEVICE, by callsign alone. See Sept Issue of QST.

Bob, Wb4APR