RADIO EMAIL WORKSHOP by EMAIL

Welcome to this email workshop by email! Welcome aboard! Please read all this information to the bottom of the page.

First, I have to thank Bud Thompson, N0IA, for his generous permission to adapt material he developed for the Yahoo Group tutorial called LOADING WL2K USER PROGRAMS. Much of this workshop is based on his material. Why reinvent the wheel? If you have comments and feedback about these lessons, please do not hold back. They will be valuable to make the material better.

This "slow-motion email workshop" is mainly for those who have not yet installed the programs for using E-mail over Ham Radio through the WL2K system, or for anyone wanting a refresher. What you will accomplish at your own speed includes:

1. Download all required software (free)

2. Install all required software on your home and/or laptop computer.

3. Configure the software for the computer.

4. Register a WL2K ham radio e-mail address (yourcall@winlink.org)

5. Add the new e-mail account to Outlook Express (or your favorite e-mail client.)

6. Exchange e-mail using the ham radio software just configured.

In the process you will learn the basics of how the WL2K system of radio e-mail works to support EMCOMM (EMergency COMMunications) and hams who are traveling w/o an internet connection. This workshop is going to keep it simple, and use a minimum of technical references. Mostly, it is a step-by-step set of instructions to get you where you want to be. Along the way, I'll offer some helpful explainations about why things are the way they are, and how things work. THis workshop lays the groundwork for the next step--hooking up TNCs, radios and antennas and exchanging email on the air. First things first. You have to successfully exchange email using your computer and the system's software over the internet before you can be successful using the same setup with radios.

WHAT YOU NEED:

A computer running Windows 2000 or XP that is on the internet. This can be fulltime broadband or dial up.

If you only have Win98 you will use a slightly different group of programs, but it will work. However, you will not have full facility as with the primary set of programs.

HOW THIS WORKSHOP WORKS:

I will post lessons on the web at http://digital.w3eoc.org/Lessons. You start with lesson #1 and work at your own pace. Each assignment will have a goal and a short progress report for you to send to the rest of the group.

There are eight lessons to work through in this workshop. Here's a list with a short description of each.

Lesson #1 - Collecting information and cataloging equipment.

Lesson #2 - Downloading programs.

Lesson #3 - Installing Winpack.

Lesson #4 - Installing Airmail and registering for WL2K account.

Lesson #5 - Your first Email.

Lesson #6 - Installing Post Office and configuring Outlook Express.

Lesson #7 - Installing Paclink AGW and sending an Email.

Lesson #8 - Installing and configuring AGW Packet Engine (free) and establishing a Paclink AGW channel to use a TNC with AGW Packet Engine.

When you have a question or get bogged down, post an e-mail to the group (use reply all) explaining your status. Mentors in the group will answer your questions and suggest what to do next. If you know the answer to someone's question, YOU ARE A MENTOR! Our collective brains are better than just mine.

After I post the first assignment, the rest will follow soon after, and I will announce new ones with an email. I estimate that you should be able to complete the entire course in 15 keyboard/mouse hours or less depending on your reading speed and facility with downloading and installing software. You may take a few days, a week or two, even a month to complete the lessons depending on your effort and available time.

What you don't need for this is a TNC and radio! Later when you decide to add vhf packet, high speed data and/or HF radios you will be able to use this capability over the air.

Lets get started...

73,

Lor W3QA