MISSION ACCOMPLISHED & VERIFIED!

This is possibly the final media release and update of this website.

It is our great pleasure to announce that the mission objective of "Aussie Winlink" has been achieved! We could possibly have made this announcement much earlier but that could have been prematurely. Instead, we have waited until we were quite sure that all the bits and pieces had fallen into place.

"AussieWinlink" was established in 2002 with the sole objective of lobbying the Australian Government to allow Winlink operation in this continent and its territories. Media Release (MR) 73 tells the story of the struggle and ultimate success.

The result to date is that there are now five (5) Winlink ground stations in operation in Australia each being managed by a knowledgeable and dedicated Sysop. These are (in call sign order):

VK2BUA operated by Marc in Sydney in the state of New South Wales. Marc is a technical radio expert who, initially, was closely associated with another communications operation but now is the newest addition in Australia;

VK2SYD operated by Charles. Charles is a keen traveller taking his family on tracks through the Australian outback. He too operates out of Sydney;

VK3PG operated by Phil in Melbourne in the State of Victoria. Phil was involved in the operation of the earlier PMBO Winlink system and rejoined to become a full-fledged contributor to the new Winlink (WL2K) system;

VK5ATB operated by Pops in Nuriootpa located near Adelaide in the State of South Australia; and

VK6KPS operated by Phil in Perth in the State of Western Australia. Phil was one of the first Sysops to join the Winlink network in Australia. He is a professional computer programming specialist and tours the vast Australian outback with his 4WD. His station and he personally played a major role during the South East Asian Tsunami (MR 57) in December 2004. He is now a member of the Winlink Development Team and operates one of the five worldwide Winlink Central Message Servers (CMS).

A sixth Winlink station, possibly with the call sign VK4AJJ, is being launched in Queensland. The proposed station's physical location and elevation are ideal for an increased outreach into the South Pacific ocean and island nations.

The accomplishment of our mission was finally verified when circumnavigating cruisers Walter and Gisela (DL7MEK) arrived on their S/Y Atlantis in Australia. We had befriended them on the US East Coast; sailed with them in the Caribbean (MR52); and assisted in their transit of the Panama Canal (MR 63), and finally after spending years in the South Pacific, they made landfall in Gladstone in the north-eastern State of Queensland. They checked in almost every week with "AussieWinlink" to report on their progress; cruising destinations; and Winlink performance. All this time they communicated with "AussieWinlink" exclusively via Winlink. This is the final proof that AussieWinlink could rightly announce that the "Mission was Accomplished & Verified."

In closing, I would like to thank:

•  The Seven Seas Cruising Association that assisted in publicity and gathering of signatures;
   

•  The hundreds of recreational cruisers that assisted by sending submissions to the Australian Government;
   

•  The Australian Productivity Commission and the then Australian Communications Authority that handled the government's enquiries into radio communications; 
   

•  The Wireless Institute of Australia that after overcoming internal resistance re-invented itself; and last but not least;
   

•  The Winlink Development Team, and especially Steve (K4CJX) - the Winlink Administrator, for their encouragement and support; and
   

•  The Australian amateur radio operators that were willing and determined enough to be the pioneers in bringing Winlink to Australia.

A possible next phase for Winlink in Australia could be the mobilization of Australian radio amateurs to form the backbone of an emergency communications network. See MR 72 "A Safe and Secure Australia in 2006."  Rather than trying again to initiate this task from my current QTH (home base) in the USA, this task is best left to local Australian volunteers (or the Wireless Institute of Australia) that have the time, resources and interest in promoting security in Australia.

Anthony Van Vugt (VK1VM/KN4VM) Founder of "AussieWinlink", Signing off - July 4, 2008.

PS: For the latest authoritative information about Winlink development and operation visit the revamped www.winlink.org website.