Background info
PSKmail
Users Map
Servers, frequencies
Pskmail
wiki
PSKmail on Android
PSKMail Downloads
PSKmail
on the raspberry pi 2
PSKmail
reporter
Todo list
SVN
Bug
reporter
jPSKmail
audio on win7
Send
local mail to any server
Check server ip
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Introduction
How much bandwidth does the mobile ham really need?
Like most
questions, there are several answers to this. The best
one probably being "it depends on your lifestyle". If
you are used to broadband internet access and don't want
to give that up when you are en route, you are a
potential candidate for internet access via satellite,
and you will have to bear the cost of that luxury. If on
the other hand you are en route to relax, and you don't
need instant information, you could try PSKmail for bare
bones information delivery. Pskmail gives you a 500 Hz
wide channel to the internet. This is enough to get the
most important email, the weather forecast and the daily
update on the sunspots. Being nomadic, we live on a boat
during summer and in a camper during winter, I get by
with 200 Hz and a half hour session with the server most
of the time. How much email do you really need daily to
keep up to date?
Of course we
combine daily PSKmail with a webmail session once a
week, to get the 'picture ' if you know what I mean. And
to get the non-ham stuff.
But I can upload
software patches to the internet on a daily basis while
living on a Mediterranean beach which does not have a
ADSL socket.
What is PSKMail?
PSKmail is a narrow
band arq
system for
use by amateur radio hams via short wave (HF)
communication. It does not use a special controller, you
just need a computer with a sound card.
The PSKmail server
uses the fldigi program as
a modem, and can use PSK,
MFSK and THOR modes, including
the new robust
PSK modes which
include soft viterbi decoding and interleave to increase
immunity to qrm and qrn. The client is written in java,
and has the modems built in. The operator can choose
several modes
and
speeds
when starting a connection, to match channel
conditions.
The system uses asymmetric
adaptive
mode
control to
use
the channel capacity efficiently. When channel quality
changes during a connected session the system changes
speed to accommodate the new circumstances.
PSKmail has a
client/server architecture. Unlike Packet Radio the
PSKmail protocol only allows 1 connected client at the
time. Bandwidth (3dB) using the maximum speed (PSK500)
is max. 500
Hz, providing a net throughput of ~2600
characters/minute including ARQ overhead.
The multiplatform
PSKmail client runs on windows, linux and OSX. The
server is written in
perl.
Applications include a Mailbox (port 24)
allowing down/upload of local mail and mail
from
the internet, downloading
information from the web (ASCII
text only), position update and station-to-station
messaging via APRS(port26),
and chat mode
(between clients).
Pskmail is
predestined for emergency
communications. Even if the local internet is
down, the long range on HF guarantees a connection to
the internet. And it is child's play to set up an ad hoc
server.
For this special use case, pskmail contains a port where
you can connect your APRS map application (xastir, UIview).
Pskmail also works
together with Sylpheed and other
Linux mail
clients. You can use the mail integrator you
are used to (any mbox compatible system).
PSKmail development
project
The main backbone
frequency in Europe is 10148.0
kHz (10147.0
dial,
USB). Default listening mode in EU is PSK500R.
The pskmail project
was started in 2005 by PA0R, soon joined by SM0RWO, and IS0GRB.
Until end of 2008 the client was only
available for Linux, the java client started early 2009
and has now taken over from the perl client, so that
pskmail is now compatible with all common operating
systems. VK2ETA joined the team in 2009, with valuable
contributions regarding robust psk modes for fldigi.
John also did most of the work for the translation of
the modem code from C++ to java. The work on the
mainstream client focuses on transfer
of email and web info in
connected mode.
The software is free
and open source, licenced under GPL.
This WIKI contains information on how to install
and operate the mainstream
pskmail system.
Use of these services for ham operators is
free, but you are supposed
to buy PA0R a beer
whenever appropriate.
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NEWS
- installers
available for Linux and Windows...
- How to
install the pskmail server on Windows
7
- Description
of bluetooth interface available
Code
update for PSKmail on the Android Operating
system by John, VK2ETA.
The main
objective of this development is to provide
an ultra-portable, as in backpack or bicycle
for example, Pskmail client solution, which
can run on an Android phone or tablet.
Version 1.0.0
Pse send your comments and bug reports
to the pskmail mailing list... be
sure to read the 'known bugs' page in
the updated manual...
available here!!
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