DeKalb ARES
Digital Formats Information Page
AEC Digital Operations-WC4Y, Greg Mann
We will be running a Winlink check-in net alongside the regular net every week.
You can find instructions related to the 2 Sep 2017 ARES meeting about how to install and use Winlink Express here.
Please use the Winlink check-in template when checking using RMS Express. This will make sure that all the information we need to report is collected an also makes it much easier to check in.
Instructions for installing the template into RMS Express may be found here:
When preparing to send a message click on 'Select Template' then 'Template Manager' then 'Standard Templates' then 'General Forms' then 'Winlink check-in.txt'
Winlink training materials:
https://www.winlink.org/content/winlink_book_knowledge
https://www.emcomm-training.org/Tutorials.html
https://www.pcacs.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/20210721-ACS-Winlink-Training.pdf
https://www.winlink.org/sites/default/files/download/wl2k_faq_9.pdff
DeKalb ARES currently has an RMS Packet station located at the DeKalb Fire Rescue Headquarters building in Tucker, GA. This station operates on 145.59 MHz with the callsign WD5EMA (SSID is WD5EMA-10) (new callsign as of 3/13/2024) which is the club callsign for DeKalb ARES. If you can't connect to it directly, you may try to connect to it using any of these digipeaters: WX4NET-7 or WX4NET-6 on regular packet radio.
Every DeKalb ARES member is encouraged to get the RMS Express client software installed and configured so when you have the hardware capability you will be ready with the software to use this station. RMS Packet and RMS Express are components of the WinLink 2000 Amateur Radio email system.
We take check-ins via WinLink during our Sunday evening DeKalb ARES Emergency Practice Net. Using RMS Express just address your "check-in" email to "WD5EMA at WINLINK dot ORG."
If you are using HF some local RMS Winlink stations on VARA HF are: VARA HF to N5TW (14110 KHz, center) and KJ4YLO (7103.5 KHz, center).
If you are using VARA FM a local Winlink RMS station is W4KIB on 145.530 MHz.
Contact Greg Mann, AEC Digital Ops at wc4y dot greg at gmail dot com for any assistance you may require in configuring the software or hardware on your system.
We will be running a d-rats chat alongside the regular repeater net every week.
All you need is a computer running d-rats to participate. You can download d-rats for any operating system from here .
Follow the setup instructions below using the following values for the radio information:
Name: DeKalb ARES
Type: Network
Host Address: dares.dyndns.org
Port: 9000
Leave Password Blank
Save the radio information. In the list of radios, the only box checked should be the "DeKalb ARES" you just entered.
To confirm you are connected under 'Event Log' it should now say 'Dekalb ARES connected'
Some DRATS training material:
https://gaares.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/getting-started-with-d-rats-ga.pdf
https://gaares.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/D-RATS_operating_guide_0.3.3.pdf
http://dstarinfo.com/drats.aspx
https://www.qsl.net/nf4rc/2018/DRatsHandout.pdf
Send mail to ke4qcm at arrl dot net with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: Thur 2/11/2025 at 0:44 UTC by Tom, KE4QCM