10
•
It is very important that operating mode of the IC-7100 be set to FM-D when in
packet radio mode on VHF/UHF. If the received packet signal is noisy, it might
help to turn the receiver preamp (P.AMP) on. On the other hand, you need to exit
the FM DATA mode when you go back to suing voice. Please leave the radio in
FM voice mode when closing the station.
•
The IC-7100 Notch Filter must be turned off during digital mode operation on any
band. (Look for the dedicated button under the display screen.) If it is
inadvertently left on, the DSP notch filter algorithm will very effectively tune out
the AFSK signal you are trying to receive, making packet connections impossible.
(Shame on Icom for not disabling this feature automatically when the radio is in
data mode, or FM mode for that matter!)
•
The IF passband filter width is fixed in FM, WFM, and FM-D modes. Touching
the filter icon changes the setting, but this has no effect on the received signal.
Similarly, the noise blanker has no effect in FM mode.
•
The manual is unclear about the effect of the NR (noise reduction) algorithm in
FM mode. I would recommend leaving NR off for packet operation, just to be
safe.
The first time you run Winlink Express, you will have to configure some settings. Start
the program and choose
Files .. Winlink Express Setup
from the menu. Enter your
callsign (with no suffix) and the password you created when you registered at
Winlink.org. While it is optional, I recommend filling in your contact information and
grid square as well. (The grid square of the hospital is FM19je.) If you have Internet
access, the program will use your grid square to provide a list of local gateway stations.
Leave the Service Code as PUBLIC. (I’m not aware of any EMCOMM gateways
operating in the local area.)
Now, you are ready to tell Winlink Express what TNC you are using. Using the dropdown
in the menu bar, select the session type as PACKET W2K and click on
Open Session
. This
brings up a new session window. The first time you run the program, you will probably see
an error message, which you can ignore. Click on
Setup
.
For the TNC Type, choose “AEA/Timewave.” The TNC Model should be “PK-96.” Select
the COM port that you previously identified, and leave the baud rate at 9600. The other
parameters can be left at default.
When you click on the Update button, the program will attempt to initialize the TNC. On
my computer, this takes almost 20 seconds, so be patient. If successful, you will see a
“Ready” message. Otherwise, you’ll have to do some troubleshooting.
Now, you are ready to make a connection. From Holy Cross - Germantown, we typically
use the WN3R-10 gateway (145.77 MHz, on Catoctin Mountain) or the WA3YOO-10
