[FADCA] Paclink AGW and Airmail for e-mail #1/2

[bud thompson]

>From Doug
>I am not 100% sure about using the Packlink mailbox. I do use Airmail which
>has a packet module in it. Once you set it, it automatically will poll the
>station that you tell it to for mail. Airmail understands the FBB style
>compressed forwarding headers and will download the messages that you have
>waiting (five according to the header you sent in the first email). Maybe
>someone else will comment on this subject as I am not an expert on it.

>Doug/KN4YT

* * * *

Doug- Thanks for the opening . .

Paclink AGW-

The preferred program is Paclink AGW but that does require Win2000 or WinXP
operating system and have MS Dot Net Framework (free but large) and AGW
Packet Engine (free or Pro) on the computer.  Paclink AGW was written
specifically for E-mail over Ham Radio to link to Telpac nodes or PMBO
packet stations.  Paclink AGW also works directly to a PMBO Telnet server
when the Paclink AGW computer is linked to the internet.

Paclink AGW will not do anything else.  There is no peer-to-peer linkage for
exchange of E-mail messages.

When using Paclink AGW you type in and read from Outlook Express, Outlook,
Netscape, Modzilla, etc, for all your message entry and reading.  There is
no 'terminal' program for you to use or fuss with.  Once Paclink channels
(i.e. connect scripts) are configured all connections are fully automatic.
Easy scripting will take you as far as needed across mixed networks-
automatically.

Closely associated with the Pacllink AGW program is the Paclink Post Office
program which manages the e-mail messages outgoing and incoming.  There is
no user interface for this program other than to set it up initially and to
establish client e-mail accounts as needed.

This Paclink AGW system allows for the tactical or fixed Paclink station to
be an 'E-mail Server' to client computers on a computer LAN with the Paclink
station.  Each client computer has an Internet e-mail address that  has been
assigned during the Paclink Post Office configuration.  The only
configurations required on the client computers are (1) linking to the
computer LAN the Paclink station is on and (2) adding an e-mail account
using the assigned e-mail address and pointing to the Paclink station IP
address rather than the normal ISP POP3 and SMTP servers.

Once configured, anyone who has had experience making, editing, and reading
e-mail messages is right at home - the entire ham radio part is totally
transparent.

Airmail-

Airmail has been the standard user program for HF Winlink users for message
exchange. It works on any MS operating system from Win95 and later.  It is a
very powerful program put did not originally have a packet client
(i.e.terminal program.)  The packet client that is there now works, but is
not what most experienced packet operators expect to see in a terminal
program.  Connects through networks or digipeaters are not fully automatic
and are somewhat cumbersome.  (Unless some major changes have been made in
the past four months.)

Airmail has its own message data base system and does not rely on
conventional e-mail editors such as Outlook Express, Outlook, etc.  Airmail
has an Outlook express 'look alike' e-mail editor, but it will take some
getting used to. I'd heard via the grapevine that the author was setting
Airmail up to work with Outlook Express, but I don't see any note of that in
the most recent update - version 0.3.0.22.

I'd also heard via the grapevine that Airmail may soon be able to handle
being an "E-mail Server" on a computer LAN, but I also don't see any
information about that in the latest update.

You may learn more about all these programs and download everything needed
here:  http://www.winlink.org/Client.htm

Please read #2 in this message series.

bud Thompson N0IA
386 574 4124