开云体育

The Winlink team just released this HF connection viewer that plots Winlink connections on a zoomable map.

No radio needed. It watches HF traffic via the Winlink server over the Internet.

Once running the stations begin appearing on the map with a line between them.

A click on either station shows info on the two stations.

Downright interesting to watch as they pop in.

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You must have a free Winlink account to be able to use the Connection Monitor, but having an account is a good idea anyway.

Even if you don't have the ability to do Winlink by radio you can always use it's Telenet (your Internet) connection to send and receive emails.

Knowing how to use the program is half the battle in case of emergencies.?

We can teach you to do it with radio when the time comes.

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Winlink Express:

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Winlink Connection Monitor:

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73

Mike N0QBH

You have a good voice & strong signal in to the repeaters.

Activity builds activity :)

Thanks for tracking the check-ins Mike, and thanks for playing along. Hope I didn't butcher the net too bad HiHi.

146.91? ? ?N0FOP, W0RND, KF0FIK, N0QBH, KF0OUA

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147.03 ? ? N0FOP, W0RND, KF0FIK, N0QBH, KF0OUA

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444.800(A) ? ? N0FOP, W0RND, N0QBH, KF0OUA

444.800(D)? ? ?W0RND, N0QBH, KF0OUA

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We had a good pre net chat tonite, Leon KF0OUA was net control.

By using the environmental sensor capabilities to monitor the battery heater I was able to extract some interesting data showing how the concept works.

This picture is of one 24 hour period showing the -21F temps incurred over night.?

Note how quickly the battery warms up when the sun rises. The "comb" looking portion is the thermal switch turning off and on alternating between charging and warming the battery.

This circuit keeps the battery between 20-30 degrees F when the sun is out.

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Here is a screen grab for 3 days, each night well below zero and when the sun rises the system goes to work first warming then charging the battery.
I have some thermal switches with a 10F higher range I plan to try when they get here. All in all, I am pleased with it's performance.

As an aside, I'm hearing a bunch of new "meshers" up Regal and Paynesville way.? I'll try to get to know them.

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73

Mike N0QBH

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146.910? ? ?N0FOP, KF0FIK, N0QBH.

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147.030? ? ?N0FOP, KF0FIK, N0QBH.

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444.800(A)? ? ?N0FOP, N0QBH.

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Steve N0FOP was net control.?

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We were way more fun than the Super Bowl.?

I've had time to use the Baofengs on VARA FM and, unfortunately, the newer radio is still on the edge in turn around time.

In other words, it has a lot of retries.
VARA FM has rigid timing between transmits and acknowledge.?

VHF is assumed to be a solid path.

After a couple of attempts the other station will bail.

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By comparison, VARA HF is different and often uses 10 - 15 retries due to fading and RFI we experience doing HF radio.

I include this to differentiate the two modes with similar names.

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When I can buy a dual band 5W hand held today, made by a major radio maker like Yaesu for $160,? which is up to $300 cheaper than they used to be, the choice is a no brainer.

Buy from the Japanese.?
The $35 radios will talk back & forth fine on the repeaters, they are just not always cut out for digital.

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73

Mike N0QBH

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146.910? ? ?N0FOP, KL4R, KL4K, KF0OUA, WR0RR, KA0BLC, KF0FIK, KB0RMS, N0QBH.

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147.030? ? ?N0FOP, KL4R, KL4K, KF0OUA, WR0RR, KA0BLC, KF0FIK, N0QBH.

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444.800(A)? ? ?N0FOP, KF0OUA, KA0BLC, N0QBH.

444.800(D)? ? ?KF0OUA, N0QBH.

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A lively chat before and after the net tonite.? :)

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73

Mike N0QBH

The photo shouldn't be as lame...

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Besides texting there are a number of other things you can do with those little Meshtastic devices.

There are two named modules (think configuration) that can come in quite handy.

The first is the Detection Module. It has a small menu that lets you pick a unused I/O pin on the mesh radio to monitor.

It also has weak pull up available to make a 1 wire to ground circuit. This can be sensed as open or closed with a series switch.

In my application I have a magnetic reed switch door sensor in series that will trigger an alert text that will be sent over the network all or to a specific radio.

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https://meshtastic.org/docs/configuration/module/detection-sensor/

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The second application came from some scrounging in my junk drawer.

I had some unused 3.3 volt Bosch BME280 temperature/barometer/humidity sensors from a weather station project.

They are very popular and available for under $5.?

Four wires including power/ground connected to the user pins on the radio is the hardware. Enabling it in the Telemetry Config menu turns it on.

Now you or anyone in your network can view the current conditions at the radio's location.

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https://meshtastic.org/docs/configuration/module/telemetry/

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In previous postings I've shown how you can run these Meshtastic radios remotely using solar power year around.

Put this all together and you can have a remote, self powered node that can observe it's environment.

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73

Mike N0QBH

Tony WD0HXV is heading to 7 land to hang out with his dad W0BAM for the month of February, so myself and others will be trying to fill in as Net Control.?

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One of the things we want to try is a before the net rag chew on 146.91 starting around 15 minutes before the net at 6:45.?

That way Hams who want to chat with other members are likely to run into them on the air.?

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The test net itself will remain the same at 7:00 pm, going through all three machines starting with the 146.910 then 147.03 and 444.800 last.

This way we are done in plenty time for those who participate in the Litchfield net @ 7:30.

Hope to hear everyone Sunday eve.

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73

Mike N0QBH

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I plan to bring a Winlink portable VARA FM station and a Meshtastic solar powered node for "show & tell" after the meeting.

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73

Mike N0QBH

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Thanks,? Mike!

146.91? ? ?N0FOP, N0GAU, N0QBH, W0AYE, KF0OUA, WD0HXV, KA0BLC.

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147.03 ? ? N0FOP, N0QBH, W0AYE, KF0OUA, WD0HXV.

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444.80(A)? ? ?N0FOP, N0QBH, W0AYE, KF0OUA, WD0HXV.

444.80(D)? ? ?N0QBH, KF0OUA, WD0HXV.

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73

N0QBH

I must have fumbled the sign up on the first go bc this weeks WL was full of responses from #MHR. I would have to say that if this net grows it's going to become unusable for HF WL users due to the large number of messages to download. I was quite impressed hearing/seeing the download speeds on the W0AYE-10 gateway. Total there were 11 messages, 14130 bytes received, 9595 bytes/minute and 1:28 session time.

146.910? ? ?W0RND, KL4R, KL4K, KF0OUA, N0QBH, N0FOP, WD0HXV, K0PLM, KB0RMS, KC0QNA.

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147.030? ? ?W0RND, KL4R, KL4K, KF0OUA, N0QBH, N0FOP, WD0HXV, KB0RMS.

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I will not be able to do the Sunday evening net control duties from Jan. 29, 2025 through Mar. 2, 2025.? I expect to be able to resume net control duties on Mar. 9, 2025, if needed.? ?Thank you.? 73

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Tony

I was able to make the new BaoFeng UV5R work with Winlink and VARA FM today!

Previously, I had reported it was incapable of doing Winlink VARA using it with a Digirig and the custom cable for Baofeng.

I thought I had tried opening the radio's squelch before (i.e. setting it to noisy), but apparently not.

Going in to the Baofeng UV5R menu squelch is item #1. Press menu then 0 then menu again.

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Another setting that can be important is menu #35 STE (squelch tail eliminate).

It should be turned off.?

Same method as above.?

Else the radio sends a 55 Hz tone at the end of a transmission.

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I tested mine with a 4k file and it was just as good as the old Baofeng and a rival to the FT-60.

Opening the squelch decreases the transmit to receive turnaround time to an acceptable speed.

The frugal ham smiles.

73

Mike N0QBH

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After signing up on the Minnesota Ham Radio Website on Wednesday an initial email is sent out with a question. Then everyone answers it there leisure and sends it with reply all. Come to think of it I didn't see your callsign in the To line. Maybe you fat fingered your sign up? IDK.

I didn't receive anything...wth

Leon, was it just the sign up or did I miss checking in?