Email via Radio

Did you know you can send email over radio WITHOUT internet!

In the same way that your computer uses Outlook to send emails to an internet gateway that end up in your inbox, Winlink interfaces with your radio to send emails to internet-connected radio stations.

What's the value? You can send emails from locations without internet access, such as while backpacking, in remote areas, or during emergency situations like earthquakes, hurricanes, and ice storms while they work to restore internet.

Winlink System

Station: N9ZB
Frequency: 145.010
Protocol: Vara FM
RMS Gateway Software:

Antenna: Comet GP-3 @ 25' AGL
Coax: 50' LMR 400
Radio: Kenwood TM-V71A
Soundcard: SABRENT External USB Sound Card Adapter
Cables: PG-5H Echolink cables
Workstation: Windows 10 PC
Redundant internet service providers, battery backups, generator

RMS Packet Software Configurations

What it looks like when all is running well for VARA FM

Settings --> VARA FM

This is also what shows up on winlink.org

VARA FM Software Configurations

You can use WIDE! This configuration is without a Winlink license - it is still plenty fast.

Select the Speakers and Microphone connected to your radio

Select COM, the COM port, and RTS. COM port is probably the COM port of your Microphone / Speaker dongle

Kenwood TM-V71A Radio Setup

What your radio should look like running in SysOp mode - make sure PTT and CTRL are on the left side - this is the data channel. Turn SysOp mode on/off by powering on the radio while pressing the PF2 button.

Make sure setting 520 is set to SQL

Use the Kenwood MCP-2A software to increase the radio's pin output level to 6 or 7 and check the "For Echolink" checkbox

Data cable connected to the back of the radio

Windows 10 Configurations

Sound card & Data Cable connected to Wndows PC
Data In --> Speaker (green)
Data Out --> Microphone (red)
Control / Data cable on separate USB

Set the soundcard connected to your radio as the Default Device and Default Communications device (right click, select the option)

These two levels can be tweaked by using RMS Gateway's tune feature in the soundard settings

Disable all enhancements - don't want Windows corrupting the sound

Set the microphone connected to the radio as the Default Device and Default Communications device (right click, select the option)

Uncheck this so Windows doesn't mess with your audio levels

Crank up the volume!

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