Demetre, It might help to visualize the interference problem caused by unattended PMBO stations like this analogy:
"A Winlink client, triggering a WinlinkPMBO to transmit, is like remotely triggering a bomb blast without any way to guarantee that the area around the bomb is clear." Winlink 2000 is a very useful resource, but unless confined to a small section of each band, where there are only other Winlink 2000 stations, it has no place on shared amateur bands, because it cannot play by the rules of sharing, unless the PMBO is manned 24/7 with someone at the PMBO location always listening to the band for existing activity before allowing the PMBO to transmit. The lack of this operator presence is responsible for all the QRM complaints directed at Pactor stations. Shortly after the first of the year, we will announce, on this reflector, the first Windows beta version of our NarrowBand Emergency Messaging System software suite primarily for Emcomm use, reliably spanning disaster zones up to 100 miles - not for sailors far at sea - Winlink is better for that, and which achieves roughly the same average throughput as posted daily on the Winlink site (95% Pactor-III), but in a bandwidth of only around 300 Hz. No email robots are used, as the system design *requires* that there be an operator at both ends to check for activity before using the frequency. The soundcard is the modem, and no other TNC is required. I am hoping that the members of this list will like to serve as beta testers, try the system with each other, and send feedback to us so that we may improve the system as much as possible. Please reserve comments until after you have used the system. We wish you and everyone else a happy and prosperous New Year! 73, Skip KH6TY
