jpskmail v.0.3 Quick Start

Transcription

1 jpskmail v.0.3 Quick Start 1

2 What does not work in this beta version: Compressed transfer of reception of AIC Fleet codes (pskmail FEC format) File upload APRS functions Send APRS Posit Send APRS message Send APRS Send ping Send Link packet to server Receive APRS message Receive short on APRS Set APRS Icon Set Beacon Period (10, 30, 60) Set APRS status message GPS connection (RS232 and USB) Show position, course and speed Bulletin receive Receive weather (or other) bulletins automatically and store them. ARQ (Connected mode) functions Upload of user settings to a server Create new s and send them List, read and delete s at your regular account List, read and delete s locally at the server List file area on the server Download files from the server to the client Read files on the client Update files on the client (download) Get info from the web Fetch any web page (text only) Fetch information from the web: Nearest Tide Reference Harbors (based on GPS position) Tidal information for your reference harbor List of APRS stations near you List of APRS messages to you (from findu.com) Get parking sites for RV near you (EU only) Get frequency/mode schedule for list of pskmail servers 2

3 Housekeeping: Set and store options: Edit->Preferences->user: 1.Call Enter your callsign here, its common to use caps (like SM0RWO ). 2.Servercall The callsign of a server you would like to link to, also caps. 3.Initial Blocklength 4.Latitude The latitude in decimal degrees, south is negative 5.Longitude The longitude in decimal degrees, west is negative 6.Set Beacon minute and server channel Set this according to the server schedule. If the server is only listening on the selected frequency during, for example, minute 2 then set that. A brief explanation of the server minute setting is that the server may be using a scan and that scan scheme in some ways resembles 2 nd generation ALE. By that I mean that the server scans a number of timeslots (5) and each timeslot can have its own frequency assigned. So, minute 0 could be khz and minute 1 some other. Minute 0 is also minute 5,10,15,20 and so on during the hour. Minute 1 is also minute 6,11 etc. Unlike 2 nd gen ALE and somewhat resembling 3 rd gen we know where the server will be listening as its using one timeslot per minute and the server clock is updated from ntp servers on the internet (or some other way like gps). So, the client does not have to call continously for 5 minutes, it knows when the server is listening. 3

4 Edit->Preferences->Mail options: 1.Pop host 2.Pop User 3.Pop Password 4.Return address This is the account you would like to fetch from, it can be your ordinary account at your isp (if they support pop). Gmail is also supported. Edit->Preferences->configuration - 1.Beacon second 2.DCD hang time Edit->Preferences->devices 1.GPS on/off 2.GPS Serial port (COM1-7, /dev/ttyx, /dev/ttyusbx) 3.GPS Baud rate Preparation: 1.Fill in the form in Edit->Preferences->User data 2.Set DCD and Beacon second in the Configuration form 3.If you connect a gps unit fill in the Devices form. 4.Click OK to make the data permanent. They are stored on disk in a configuration.xml file. 5.Set Fldigi to BPSK250 mode (Mode->PSK250) 6.Choose one of the servers from the list on the wiki. Some servers scan different frequencies, bands and modes in a 5-minute schedule. It is e.g. possible to dedicate every 5 th minute to PSK63 on to provide a DX calling channel. Look at the wiki for information! Program installation: jpskmail needs Fldigi-3.10, you will have to install that. Try to use the binary from the fldigi website first, it will work in most cases. To run the java client you must have the java runtime environment installed (1.6 or better). The jpskmail program can be obtained from the pskmail download sites. Just unzip the archive in a folder, necessary libraries are included. You can put the program anywhere in the user area of your machine. To start the program on windows (XP) just start fldigi first and then doubleclick the javapskmail.jar icon. On Linux you can start the program from a terminal: java -jar /path_to_directory/javapskmail.jar Or just doubleclick jpskmail is a java application, it requires a java runtime environment in order to run. When using linux you should be able to get it easily through your distributions software manager (synaptic, drakrpm, yast etc). For windows, solaris, macs (and linux) there is a page at sun where you can get it, if you should miss it: This software has beta status. It lacks some capability compared to the pskmail- 1.1 Linux client. It was made as a proof-of-concept for porting the pskmail client to java. The result is positive, so that we will gradually add more 4

5 functionality to this client. The client currently supports most of the things possible with the stable linux client, one noticeable still missing piece is compressed download of (we have to have something left to do ;-)). Please send any remarks and bug reports to the pskmail mailing list at freelests.org. More information on PSKmail at: Operation: Send position automatically The automatic beacon is on by default, you can switch it off with the Beacon on tag. Set the APRS Icon the Beacon Period and the Status message on the APRS page. Set the beacon minute (0...4) on the edit->preferences->user data page. Set the beacon second on the edit->preferences->configuration page. Send position manually You can use the Pos button on the Terminal page or the Beacon button on the APRS page. Send APRS text message 5

6 Type <CALL><space><Message><Enter> Send APRS short Type An is sent to the adressee with subject: APRS Message from <YOURCALL> The server must know your return address for this to work! So update the server with your record (edit->prefrences->mail options) in arq mode. Send Ping Hit the Ping button on the APRS page. All servers hearing you will qsl. Send Link packet To receive APRS messages you need to be linked to a server. Enter the server call in the preferences form and hit the Link button on the APRS page. The server will QSL the packet (PI4TUE<>PA0R) indicating that you are now linked to this server. All other servers will drop you from their link list... Receive APRS message APRS messages sent to your call will be transmitted by the server you are linked to. The linking concept makes sure there is only one server transmitting. As all servers know where you are (which qrg, which server), the link concept allows a very effective level 3 routing scheme which does not use HF channels to signal network topology changes. The messages can be generated anywhere on the APRS net. Receive APRS Some web sites can convert one-liners to APRS messages and put them on the APRS-IS backbone. Automatic reception of Weather or Emergency broadcasts INTERMAR-ev broadcasts weather bulletins and chart data for hams on yachts. The files start with ZCZC and end with NNNN. The files are automatically received and stored in a file 'bulletins'. On windows the location of this file is C:\Documents and Settings\youruser\pskmail\downloads, on Linux the location of the file is /home/youruser/.pskmail/downloads The file can be read by hitting the Read button on the Files page. The bulletins file can be deleted via the menue: Edit->Files->Clear->Bulletins. The automatic reception feature does not need a transmitter, so it can be used by mobile stations running only a receiver (battery consumption!). 6

7 ARQ Terminal With the terminal you can start a connected session with the server. * Set the server call in edit->preferences->linkto * Hit the Connect Button * Wait until server acks and starts the session. The Connect Status will change from Listening to Connected. * You can now issue any command the server will recognize * To end the session hit the QUIT button (same as Connect). * If the server does not receive this command, you can abort the session by hitting the Abort button. It is courteous to wait for the QUIT to disconnect, in that case the server will not send polls until it times out... 7

8 ARQ Terminal Functions (Connected mode) The connect button sends a connect request to the server. The server will answer within 10 seconds. If not you have to repeat. As soon as the server answers the connect status will change from Listening to Connected. In Mail/Scanning mode the connect request will wait until the right server channel is reached (minutes , set by 'Beacon Frequency', set in Edit->Preferences->User data). In scanning mode the client will repeat the request every 10 seconds when as long as the channel is active. When connected the indicator will change to 'QUIT', and the same button can be used to orderly exit a connection. With the abort button you can close a connection one-sided. The server will not notice it and continue polling until it times out. It is not regarded very courteous to do this. The New button starts a dialog which allows composition of a new . The OK button saves the mail in the Outbox directory. 8

9 The QTC button requests the new mail headers from your account. It first reads the headers file to see what the last header is that was downloaded. It will request only the new headers. You can override that behavior by either cleaning the headers file (File->Clear->headers), or send ~QTC To the server. The Read button allows you to request a particular for reading. Enter the number of the (see Mail headers tab) into the input field and click the read button. As soon as the download starts the progress bar will start indicating: The progress bar goes to zero as soon as it reaches 100%. The Send button starts the upload of the first in the Outbox. As soon as message sent... has been received from the server the will be deleted from the Outbox. With the Delete button you can delete mails from your mailbox at the ISP. Enter the numbers of the mails to be deleted in the input field. You can enter more than 1 number, separated by spaces. The server will answer with Mails x x deleted... The numbers reflect the numbering in your mailbox. After a delete mail operation you should clear your headers list and rebuild it so the list reflects the numbers in the mailbox. With the Pos. button you can manually send an APRS Posit packet. Any server receiving it will send a QSL packet. 9

10 APRS Controls The beacon is on by default. You can switch it off here... Edit->Preferences->Configuration->Second. You can set the beacon period to 10, 30 or 60 minutes. The beacon seconds value can be set in the menu: The APRS Icon can be set here... The meaning of the characters is according to the APRS convention. Set your APRS Status message here... This button allows you to manually send an APRS beacon packet. The servers will answer with a QSL message. 10

11 You can link to a server with this button. A link to a server makes all other servers drop you from their link table. This way only one server sends you APRS messages. Choose the one you hear best, the server will only send the message once. As soon as you are linked the server will send a QSL message. With the ping button the client sends a short packet on frequency which is answered by any server. This is a quick way to check which servers can hear you. Several websites do a great job tracking APRS stations. This example shows C56DL testing the new jpskmail windows client. The website is at It is run by INTERMAR-ev, Germany who also provide WX bulletins for a wide range of locations. 11

12 Files Area (connected mode) List the files at the server... Download a single file from the server. First enter the file name into the input field and push the button. File download is binary, compressed with gzip and base64 coded. The client decodes and unzips it and puts it into the downloads directory from where it can be read or copied. The Read and Update buttons start a file chooser dialog. With the Read button you read the text of a file. With the Upgrade button you fetch the latest version of e.g. the wx forecast or navtex bulletin... Of course you have to connect to the server first... 12

13 File chooser dialog for the files area... works with the Read and Update functions. The activity indicator The little coloured software DCD indicator, red on the picture above, shows the status of the channel. The colors mean: Grey : Idle, no data Yellow: Data not valid Blue: Valid data in progress Red: Transmitting data More information on PSKmail at: