update draft post

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
+  For anyone interested and mainly for my notes archive, this is the setup that
-  a Windows laptop...
+  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.
+<abbr title="For your information">FYI</abbr>: 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 <kbd>Advanced setup...</kbd> on the bottom. This opens the GpsGate settings dialog.
+Select <kbd>Windows Location API</kbd> as input.
+
+![screenshot of GpsGate input settings](gpsgate-input.png)
+
+Move to the tab <kbd>Output</kbd> and choose <kbd>Virtual COM Port</kbd> in the drop-down menu
+for the output. Click <kbd>Add</kbd> and choose which port to use (I use <kbd>COM1</kbd>).
+
+![screenshot of GpsGate output settings](gpsgate-output.png)
+
+Go back to the <kbd>Input</kbd> tab and click <kbd>Open</kbd>. 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