Used to hear the railroaders talk about the "Atwater hill" that eastbound Willmar trains had to ascend.
Just enough hill to ruin the path between Litchfield and Willmar with modest antennas.
FWIW I tested from my QTH to the Willmar gateway at low power with an indoor 1/4 wave antenna and could connect and xfer email, but no attachments.
I'm 8 mi from the EOC. Line of sight atop my 60' tower, not so much from indoors.
However, the indoor set up works with the WILMAR packet node @ 400'.? Just no substitute for altitude.
Eventually, they would like the gateway antenna ~ 150' up and in a less "RF busy" environment.?
And, for folks with no Winlink FM access, there's always VARA HF.
73
Mike N0QBH
N0QBH Mike Berg