diff --git a/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/ardop-tnc-settings.png b/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/ardop-tnc-settings.png index 2ada2e4..4eb39fa 100644 --- a/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/ardop-tnc-settings.png +++ b/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/ardop-tnc-settings.png @@ -1,3 +1,3 @@ version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 -oid sha256:aadfb80f408579580763861b3f10c34bee7353a6af183f4164ac6c22aab75d6b -size 54607 +oid sha256:b4c033df12c83ce0dbd82dbf90b93d516acbf7fb62a5bac5b31d6a51eb7e9987 +size 74824 diff --git a/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/ardop-tnc.png b/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/ardop-tnc.png index 2827992..01c89c1 100644 --- a/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/ardop-tnc.png +++ b/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/ardop-tnc.png @@ -1,3 +1,3 @@ version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 -oid sha256:81e45561ce1344e5523ba5047f636867a5b4506ee4c0c165d373a048f0125992 -size 213308 +oid sha256:429f1820e515096449f221da6b37dad5dd76cb4279601348fedb04dd678f8224 +size 293797 diff --git a/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/ardop-winlink-settings.png b/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/ardop-winlink-settings.png index 14e1e86..072cab2 100644 --- a/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/ardop-winlink-settings.png +++ b/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/ardop-winlink-settings.png @@ -1,3 +1,3 @@ version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 -oid sha256:e508d43358844521cc775ddd6da3a2382a7c836ad9962198284c21f88bcdf0cc -size 83628 +oid sha256:301095e44a91af74bc876f8a4b242c82bff3819f8832e2fc89bcd1ca523b6bea +size 112594 diff --git a/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/gpsgate-input.png b/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/gpsgate-input.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..002a18f --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/gpsgate-input.png @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:4a9405535c877a64f73956e731985778073667fffb2a2dee6336b4d07ce245d5 +size 60959 diff --git a/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/gpsgate-output.png b/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/gpsgate-output.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..604d1ef --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/gpsgate-output.png @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:d4ca6867cabe96dac7ea72b125b1c06afa603e2873083fa49d45b0b1cfe44752 +size 62047 diff --git a/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/index.md b/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/index.md index debf9f6..bf30e3b 100644 --- a/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/index.md +++ b/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/index.md @@ -1,8 +1,10 @@ --- title: Winlink on a Windows computer and a TX-500 summary: > - Mission: move all my Winlink stuff from the linux notebook to - a Windows laptop... + For anyone interested and mainly for my notes archive, this is the setup that + I currently have set up on my Windows equipment for Winlink. I started taking notes + on the **Microsoft Surface 2 Go** and ended up installing all this on the **HP Elitebook 830 G6** + (which has an **integrated GPS sensor**). date: 2024-05-11T23:53:55+02:00 # lastmod: coverCaption: Winlink Express @@ -10,11 +12,13 @@ categories: - amateur-radio tags: - winlink +- portable - digirig - mobilinkd - packet radio - vara fm - vara hf +- gps - draft_post # showBreadcrumbs: true @@ -70,7 +74,7 @@ wrote down my notes in this article I finally realized that I want to user a mor powerful device than the Surface 2 Go. I ordered a used HP Elitebook 830 for this and I finished the main setup already. -Most screenshots are still from the Surface tablet. +FYI: most screenshots are still from the Surface tablet. ![screenshot of an active VARA HF session](overview.png "This is my setup with Winlink Express and VARA HF in action.") @@ -106,8 +110,75 @@ I also use a Digirig and I can therefore use the COM port to trigger the PTT fun ## VARA FM setup +![screenshot of the VARA FM settings](varafm-tnc-settings.png "Settings within a Winlink VARA FM settings") + +![screenshot of the VARA FM soundcard settings](varafm-soundcard-settings.png "Settings of the VARA FM soundcard settings") + +The Digirig was not connected at the time when I made the screenshot here, so you see an invalid soundcard setting above. +Make sure to select the proper USB sound devices. + +![screenshot of the VARA FM PTT control settings](varafm-ptt-settings.png "Using the COM port of the Digirig for PTT control and using +RTS+DTR") + +{{< video "varafm-session-web" "A VARA FM session" >}} + ## Packet radio setup +![screenshot of the packet radio settings](packet-settings.png "Settings within a Winlink packet radio session") + +![screenshot of the soundmodem devices settings](soundmodem-devices.png "Choose the right soundcard interfaces and make sure to +enable the KISS port -- you can disable the AGWPE port but we can use the same COM port for PTT control when using a Digirig") + +![screenshot of the soundmodem modem settings](soundmodem-modems.png "My modem settings within soundmodem") + +{{< video "packet-session-web" "A packet radio session" >}} + +## Using the internal GPS sensor + +My Surface 2 Go was a non-LTE version and I think those versions are the only ones with built-in GPS sensors +so I always had to use external GPS devices like the [U-blox7 GPS stick](https://www.amazon.com//dp/B01MTU9KTF/). + +But starting with the Elitebook 830 G6 I now have a device with integrated GPS sensors that I want to +use with Winlink Express. + +Heads up: Winlink Express let you use a COM port or a TCP/IP connection to obtain coordinates, so we will +need some sort of middleware that can read the internal sensors and forward the location information to a +**virtual COM port**. + +### GPSREverse and GPSDirect + +I have tried [GPSReverse and GPSDirect](https://www.gpssensordrivers.com/) first but had no luck with it. + +I then started another try on a search engine but specifically looked for experienced off-grid operators like +Julian, OH8STN -- because I remembered some videos of him using a Surface tablet as well. And of course, he +[also used the internal GPS device of his LTE model](https://oh8stn.org/blog/2023/11/02/microsoft-surface-go-lte-gps-for-ham-radio/). + +### Using GpsGate Splitter + +Goto the [GpsGate Splitter](https://gpsgate.com/gpsgate-splitter) website and download the Splitter aswell as +the **Windows Location API Plugin** (scroll down a bit). + +{{< alert >}} +The program is a 14-day free trial and can be bought for EUR 30€ (USD 40$) and is well worth the +investment. +{{< /alert >}} + +On the welcome screen click Advanced setup... on the bottom. This opens the GpsGate settings dialog. +Select Windows Location API as input. + +![screenshot of GpsGate input settings](gpsgate-input.png) + +Move to the tab Output and choose Virtual COM Port in the drop-down menu +for the output. Click Add and choose which port to use (I use COM1). + +![screenshot of GpsGate output settings](gpsgate-output.png) + +Go back to the Input tab and click Open. You can now close the dialog +form and it will remain active in the systray (bottom right of the screen, somewhere near the clock). + +After a reboot the GpsGate service should start automatically and restore your virtual COM port that +you can select in Winlink Express. + ## What you have to look for There are probably more things to keep an eye on, but those are the few ones that diff --git a/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/packet-session-web.mp4 b/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/packet-session-web.mp4 new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5be4848 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/packet-session-web.mp4 @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:a5e17e1ae20baddba70c445c375fdc7dc2c3ff2a47d66adcc5d1a467c9b8f7aa +size 6096321 diff --git a/content/posts/2024/65-winlink-on-a-windows-computer-and-a-tx500/packet-session-web.webm 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