Winlink Thursdays: How Do They Work?

===Information===>> Step One:  Find your Clearinghouse Tactical Winlink Address here...
Step Two: This Week's Winlink Thursday assignment:

[Click on a ▶ link, to expand its contents]

General Notes on Frequently-Seen Mistakes... Please Read!:

General Notes:

We see many of the same mistakes being repeated week after week, across different exercise types, so we think it’s worthwhile to call these out.

Sending incorrect longitude and latitude data

We use the latitude and longitude data to plot you onto maps. Sometimes that map data is obviously incorrect. This occurs when folks in the Western Hemisphere omit the minus sign in front of longitude or when folks in the Southern Hemisphere omit the minus sign in front of latitude.
The use of a GPS dongle helps to mitigate against this. If you’re not using a GPS dongle, do take extra care in copying/pasting or entering those numbers

Incorrect format when answering a multiple choice question

When we ask a multiple choice question on a Winlink Check In message, we require the answer to be in a specific format: a single character, uppercase letter on the first line of the Comments field. We don’t want any punctuation before or after that single letter. We don’t want an explanation. We just want a single letter.
Here’s a partial list of answers that we consider “not valid”:
  • B is the answer
  • The answer is B
  • “B”
  • B.
Providing real-time tactical digital communications in conjunction with a map showing the locations of stations

Not sending to an ETO clearinghouse

We use a group of volunteers to act as the “Clearinghouses” for most exercises. The purpose of the Clearinghouses is to divide the work that we do to process your messages. Each Clearinghouse has a specific Winlink tactical address: ETO-01 through ETO-10 (corresponding to USA FEMA regions), plus ETO-DX for non-US participants and ETO-CAN for Canada.
If you don’t address your message to one of these tactical addresses, we won’t receive your message.
Even though some Winlink Templates, such as the Winlink Check In, allow you to address your message directly from the message itself, we strongly discourage this. Instead, we would strongly encourage you to create a Winlink “contact” for your clearinghouse.
Then, after you hit the [Submit] button on the template, click on the [To:] button and select your clearinghouse contact.
Yes, it’s a bit more work to set up, but once you have it correctly set up, you will not make an accidental mistake by entering “ETO-1”, or “ETO-O1” ( with a letter "O" next to the "1" ) when you meant to enter “ETO-01” ("eee-tee-ohh-dash-zero-one").

NOTE: Reduced August and September Schedule, for Winlink Thursdays...

8/11/22 No Winlink Thursday
8/18/22 WLT/P2P
8/25/22 No Winlink Thursday
9/1/22 No Winlink Thursday: Labor Day
9/8/22 WLT
9/15/22 No Winlink Thursday
9/22/22 WLT

September 22nd Assignment
Summary: In this Exercise for Thursday, September 22nd, 2022, you will:
  • This Exercise is contained in Three Parts. Part One Starts on Page 3, Part Two starts on Page 5, and Part Three starts on Page 7.
  • Part One is only necessary for those who did not participate in the September 08, 2022 Winlink Thursday. In Part 1, the instructions, starting on Page 3, will have the participant download a zip file containing the ETO Check-In Form from the Winlink.org website This file will be extracted into a specified location within the participant’s Global Folders Template directory under the Winlink Express folder on their computer.
    • This form is specific to the EmComm Training Organization for specific exercises and/or drill needs such as this exercise.
  • Part Two should be performed by all participants. In Part Two, the instructions starting on Page 5 will have the participant Create a New Message and select the ETO Check-In form from your Global Templates folder
    • They will be asked to send the resulting message from the form and note the Message ID of the message within the Outbox to be used in Part Three
  • Part Three should be performed by all participants. In Part Three, the instructions starting on Page 7 will have the participant Create a New Message, and select the ICS-213 Template.
    • They will be asked to provide the Message ID of the ETO Check-In message that is within their Outbox that was generated in Part Two.
  • Both the ETO Check-In form and the ICS-213 General Message form must be received by your specific ETO Clearinghouse prior to 09-23-2022 07:00:00 UTC.

September 8th Winlink Thursday Results Maps:


Results Map, by Clearinghouse:


Results Map, First Time Participants
Results Map, Participants' History to Date
Results Map, by Grade
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

September 8th Assignment
Summary: In this Exercise for Thursday, September 8th, 2022, you will:
  • Part 1: Download and install and ETO developed Non-Standard Check-in form to your Winlink Express client.
  • Part 2: Send a new Winlink message using the newly installed check-in form.

August 18th WLT/P2P Results Maps:
2 Parts: August 18th and August 20th:

Part One: "Normal" Winlink Thursday:

Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, First Time Participants:
Results Map, First Time Participants
Results Map, Participants History To Date
Results Map, Participants History to Date
Results Map, by Grade
Results Map, by Grade

Part Two: Peer-to-Peer Exercise Results

Notes about the Peer-to-Peer August 20th Exercise [click to expand]
The exercise was for "Field" stations (blue) to retrieve messages from "Target" stations (red) via VARA-HF.
The Target stations created the messages based on other messages received by the Targets during the 2022-08-18 "Winlink Thursday".
We had 188 Field stations and 30 Target stations participating. Thanks to all! Of those 188 Field stations, 158 connected and downloaded their messages from at least one of their "reserved" Target station, in spite of the poor propagation conditions and concurrent contests.
The exercise encouraged each Field station to "choose wisely" the Target stations that they would plan to connect to. Besides tallying the number of "completions" and number of "reservations" (and hence a completion percentage), we also computed a "completion score" as follows: completion percentage times number of completions.
For example, 2 completions divided by 4 reservations gives a completion percentage of 50% and a completion score of 1.00, while 4 completions from 8 reservations also gives a percentage of 50%, but a completion score of 2.00.
We had 67 stations achieve a 100% completion percentage.
The highest completion score was 6.04 and 121 Field stations achieved a score of at least 1.00. Well planned and well executed.
Any uploads by Field stations to Target stations were not recorded. Similarly, if a Target station hadn't generated a P2P message for the Field station before contact, that too would not be recorded.


P2P Main Results Map for August 20th
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

August 18th Assignment
Summary: In this Combined WLT/P2P Exercise for Thursday, August 18, 2022
(and Saturday, August 20, 2022 for P2P participants) you will:
  • Required Portion — Part 1:
    • Send a Winlink Check-in form to your ETO Clearinghouse. Do NOT enter anything under “Comments” unless you are planning to participate in the Optional P2P portion.
  • Optional Portion (P2P) — Part 2:
    • Under “Comments,” list the Target Stations you will try to contact (i.e.: KA2XYZ;WC9GFB;etc) on a single line with a semicolon between each, but no added characters or punctuation.

August 4th Results Maps


Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, by Grade
Results Map, by Grade
Results Map, Welcome to our First-Time Participants
Results Map, for First-Timers
Results Map, showing Participants' History, for Year To Date
Results Map, showing Participants' History, for Year To Date
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

August 4th Assignment
Summary: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for August 4th, 2022:
  • Answer the question in Part 1 of the instructions below.
  • Send a Winlink Check-in form to your ETO Clearinghouse.

July 28th Results Maps


Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, by Grade
Results Map, by Grade
Results Map, Welcome to our First-Time Participants
Results Map, for First-Timers
Results Map, showing Participants' History, for Year To Date
Results Map, showing Participants' History, for Year To Date
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

July 28th Assignment
Summary: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for July 28th, 2022:
  • There are times you may want status information about a message you have sent. By using the message ID of this message, viewable as the first item within the header, you can find various items about this message via the US Amateur Radio Message Viewer. Using other search parameters, you can investigate other messages. Even to see how frequently a specific RMS Station is used.
  • This is a two Part Exercise. Detailed steps for Part 1 of the Exercise begin on Page 2. Steps for Part 2 begin on Page 3.
  • Using a browser you will Log onto the Winlink.org website and open up the US Amateur Radio Message viewer.
    • This allows viewing of a database of messages sent to or from at least one US-licensed station on amateur radio frequencies (meaning via RF only) within the last 21 days.
    • [For those who don’t remember their password, go to: “https://winlink.org/user” to Reset your password.]
  • Using a provided Message ID, you must look up the CMS information available for this message.
  • Answer a question about the message. The question is located at step 6.1 of Part 1 on Page 2.
  • Send a Winlink Check-in form to your ETO Clearinghouse with the answer to the question placed within the Comments section.

July 21st Results Maps


Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, by Grade
Results Map, by Grade
Results Map, Welcome to our First-Time Participants
Results Map, for First-Timers
Results Map, showing Participants' History, for Year To Date
Results Map, showing Participants' History, for Year To Date
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

July 21st Assignment
Summary: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for July 21st, 2022, you will:
  • Research the answer to a question in Part 1 of the instructions below.
  • In Part 2, send a Winlink Check-In form with your answer to your ETO Clearinghouse.

July 14th Results Maps and Notes:

Notes on the Results of this Winlink Thursday exercise: [PDF]

Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, by Grade
Results Map, by Grade
Results Map, Welcome to our First-Time Participants
Results Map, for First-Timers
Results Map, showing Participants' History, for Year To Date
Results Map, showing Participants' History, for Year To Date
Results Map, showing Participants' History for This Week
Results Map, showing Participants' History for This Week
Neighbors Map: see other WLT Participants near you!
Neighbors Map: see other WLT Participants near you!
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

July 14th Assignment
Summary: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for July 14th, 2022, you will:
  • Use Winlink Express to create a (simulated) Severe Weather Report. With this form, you will include a photo of sky conditions and cloud formations at your QTH.
  • Use Winlink Express to Crop (first) and then Resize (to 5k) your photo.
  • Send the Severe Weather Report and cropped and resized image to your ETO Clearinghouse.
  • The deadline for submittal is 11:59 PM your local time on July 14, 2022.

July 7th Results Maps:


 Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, Welcome to our First-Time Participants
Results Map, for First-Timers
Results Map, showing Participants' History, for Year To Date
Results Map, showing Participants' History, for Year To Date
Results Map, showing Participants' History for This Week
Results Map, showing Participants' History for This Week
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

July 7th Assignment
Summary: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for July 7th, 2022, you will:
  • In Winlink Express, create a new plain outgoing message addressed to “query@saildocs.com”
  • Using Winlink Express with a Radio (not Telnet), connect to a Winlink Gateway of your choice;
  • Send your message;
  • Connect again, to the same Gateway, and check for new messages;
  • Determine if you have received a response from SailDocs.com Robot;
  • Answer a question about the response to your Query by sending a Winlink Check-in form to your ETO Clearinghouse with the Callsign of the Gateway and its Status, in the Comments field.
  • NOTE: if you DO NOT have access to a RF Winlink Gateway, put "NONE" in the Comments field of your Check-In Form submission.

June 30th Results Maps:


 Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, by Grade
Results Map, by Grade
Results Map, Welcome to our First-Timers
Results Map, for First-Timers
Results Map, showing Participants' History, for Year To Date
Results Map, showing Participants' History, for Year To Date
Results Map, showing Participants' History for This Week
Results Map, showing Participants' History for This Week
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

June 30th Assignment
Summary: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for June 30th, 2022, you will:
  • Use the Winlink FAQ to answer the question in part 1 of the instructions below.
  • Send a Winlink Check-in form to your ETO Clearinghouse.

June 23rd Results Maps:


 Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, by Comments
Results Map, by Comments
Results Map, showing Results by Temperature Range
Results Map, showing Results by Temperature Range
Results Map, showing Participants' History
Results Map, showing Participants' History
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

June 23rd Assignment
Summary: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for June 23rd, 2022, you will:
  • Use Winlink Express to create and send a Local Weather Report form. This form is used to report essential basic weather information from a specific location.
  • Use information from the National Weather Service, Canadian Weather Service, credible weather reporting services, or your own weather station or devices.

June 16th Results Maps:


 Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Participants' History
Results Map, showing Participants' History
Notes on the Results from the June 16th Exercise [PDF]
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

June 16th Assignment
Summary: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for June 16th, 2022, you will:
  • Use the Health and Human Services website to look up hospital data.
  • Use Winlink Express to create and send a Hospital Data Reporting Form. This form is to track and share crucial hospital capabilities with other facilities in and around an affected disaster area.

June 9th Results Maps:


 Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Results by Ease or Difficulty Scale
Results Map, showing Results by Ease or Difficulty Scale
Results Map, showing Participants' History
Results Map, showing Participants' History
Notes on the Results from the June 9th Exercise [PDF]
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

June 9th Assignment
Summary: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for June 9th, 2022, you will:
  • Download a large JPEG image from the ETO web site (link below);
  • Resize and Crop the image, per instructions;
  • Attach the resized/cropped image to your Check-In form;
  • Add your current Position, in Latitude/Longitude, to the form;
  • Send a Winlink Check-in form to your ETO Clearinghouse.

June 2nd Results Maps:


 Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Participants' History
Results Map, showing Participants' History
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

June 2nd Assignment
Instructions: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for June 2nd, 2022, you will:
  • Answer the question in part 1 of the instructions below. (Amateur Extra License Class difficulty)
  • Send a Winlink Check-in form to your ETO Clearinghouse.

May 26th Results Maps:


 Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Participants' History
Results Map, showing Participants' History
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

May 26th Assignment
Instructions: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for May 26th, 2022, you will:
  • Answer the question in part 1 of the instructions below. (General License Class difficulty)
  • Send a Winlink Check-in form to your ETO Clearinghouse.

No Winlink Thursday for this week: May 19th, 2022

No Winlink Thursday for this week: May 12th, 2022


The "Operation Ashfall" Semi-Annual Drill is Saturday, May 14th: See the "Drills" page for more information!

May 5th Results Maps:


 Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Participants' History
Results Map, showing Participants' History

[Click on a ▶ link, to expand its contents]

Results from 2022-05-05 Exercise: Additional Notes
This week’s exercise featured a Winlink Check In message with a multiple choice question. We had 724 participants send us 757 messages, including 718 Check In messages. We rejected 33 messages from the main map:
  • 24 were “duplicate” messages, sent by the same call from the same location
  • 6 were unsupported/unrecognized messages (ACK messages, etc.)
  • 3 were messages with explicitly bad locations (missing minus sign in front of longitude)
We asked a question, drawn from the US NCVEC pool. We did “shuffle” the correct answer along with the three distractors.
When we ask a question as part of a question, the goal is not to teach you radio theory, or to prepare you to pass a ham radio license exam, or how to search the Internet for “the correct answer”.
We ask questions because we want you to read and follow the instructions on how to answer the question.
We are dealing with Emergency Communications ("EmComm") and following the instructions of our Served Agencies is of paramount importance. Your Served Agency will often have specific instructions that they expect you to follow.
Those instructions might already be familiar to you or they might contradict your previous training, including the training that you get from EmComm-Training.org. In all cases, follow the instructions of your Served Agency.
For this week, the question was “Which of the following is an application of APRS?” and the correct answer was
“B — Providing real-time tactical digital communications in conjunction with a map showing the locations of stations”.
From the 718 Winlink Check In Messages:
  • 686 (95.54%) provided the correct answer
  • 26 (3.62%) provided an incorrect answer
  • 6 (0.84%) were considered “not valid” because they weren’t single letter responses
  • Of the 26 incorrect responses, 21 were A (Showing automatically the number of packets transmitted via PACTOR during a specific time interval) and 5 were C (Providing information on the number of stations signed into a repeater).
Given that the correct answer was A in the NCVEC pool, it’s reasonable to assume that some portion just went to the NCVEC pool and copied the letter without considering the questions and potential answers as written in the instructions.

Agency/Group name

In the Part 2 instructions, step 5 instructed you to click on the [Setup] button and step 6 instructed you to enter “ETO Winlink Thursday”.
We had 592 (82%) provide exactly the response that we requested.
The remainder had variations on “ETO Winlink Thursday” or completely different Group/Agency.
This Agency/Group name is definitely something that your Served Agency will want according to their specific instructions.
The upcoming “Operation Ashfall” has a specific requirement for this field and we are considering including this field as part of the grading for our weekly exercises.

Status

The Part 2 instructions, Step 7a states to set Status to Exercise and 718 (97.9%) of you did.
The remaining 15 (2.1%) set Status to Net. Again, we are considering including this field as part of the grading for our weekly exercises, so read and follow exercise instructions.

Band

The chart shows the variety of bands that the participants used to connect to their local RMS gateways.
The “—N/A—” slice reflects participants who use Telnet.
Mastering Winlink Express using Telnet is still very valuable both to the individual participants as well as to their Served Agencies.
We don’t and won’t always have access to a radio during our exercises, so Telnet is a great way to participate.
What’s encouraging to us, is that so many of us use HF. What’s surprising to us is how much more VHF is used compared to UHF.



Regards,
The ETO Team
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

May 5th Assignment
Instructions: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for May 5th, 2022, you will:
  • Answer a question that we selected, from the 2022-2026 US NCVEC Technician Class Pool.
  • Send a Winlink Check-in form to your ETO Clearinghouse.

Results from 2022-04-28 Exercise: An Explanation...

As you probably noticed, we (ETO) didn’t publish any maps or results for the 2022-04-28 exercise. The exercise requested that you to:
  • compose a Position Report in Winlink Express
  • while the message was still in the Outbox, add the address of your regular ETO clearinghouse.
In previous weeks, we’ve been averaging around 700 participants.
However, for the 04-28 exercise, we received less than 100 messages. There are at least three explanations for this:
  • Some of you might have chosen not to participate in the exercise.
  • Some of you might have composed and sent a Position Report without including your ETO clearinghouse as an addressee.
  • Some of you might have composed a Position Report, included the clearinghouse as an addressee and we never received the message. This would seem to be a failure of the Winlink CMS System.
Alas, we’ve had numerous reports from both participants as well as ETO team members that their messages were never received. Because of this unknown and unknowable number of delivery failures, we’ve decided not to publish any of the results.
We have engaged with the Winlink Development Team to help them track down this issue.
Regards,
The ETO Team

April 28th Assignment
Instructions: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for April 28th, 2022, you will:
  • Read all of the instructions in this Exercise Scenario.
  • Create a GPS / Position Report message in Winlink Express, edit that message to include your Clearinghouse Address in the CC field, and Send the message.
  • Check on an APRS Map Web Site (as suggested below) to see your QTH posted in the APRS system.
  • Your position will also be mapped, as usual, on our Winlink Thursdays page.

April 21st Results Maps:


 Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Participants' History
Results Map, showing Participants' History
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

April 21st Assignment
Instructions: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for April 21st, 2022, you will:

April 14th Results Maps:


 Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Water Works Status
Results Map, showing Water Works Status
Results Map, showing TV Stations Status
Results Map, showing TV Stations Status
Results Map, showing Internet Service Status
Results Map, showing Internet Service Status
Results Map, showing Participants' History
Results Map, showing Participants' History
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

April 14th Assignment
Instructions: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for April 14th, 2022, you will:
  • Read all of the instructions in this Exercise Scenario.
  • Send a General/Field Situation Report (FSR) to your ETO Clearinghouse.

April 7th Results Maps:


 Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Graded Responses of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Participants' History
Results Map, showing Participants' History
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

April 7th Assignment

Instructions: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for April 7th, 2022, you will:
  • Send a Winlink Check-in form, including your Lat/Long QTH info, and a single-character answer to a Ham Radio question, to your ETO Clearinghouse.

March 31st Results Maps:


 Check-ins Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Check-Ins Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, showing RF Mode of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing RF Mode of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing RF Bands of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing RF Bands of Check-Ins
Results Map, showing Participants History
Results Map, showing Participants History
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

March 31st Assignment

Instructions: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for March 31st, 2022, you will:
  • Send a Winlink Check-in form, including your Lat/Long QTH info, to your ETO Clearinghouse.

March 24th Results Maps:


 Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Results Map, showing Graded Responses
Results Map, showing Graded Responses
Results Map, showing Participants History
Results Map, showing Participants History
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]
Instructions: In this week's Winlink Thursday, for March 24th, 2022, you will:

March 17th Results Maps:


 Custom Template Message: March 17th Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
March 17th Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Alternate Exercise: March 17th Results Map, by Clearinghouse:
Winlink Check-in Submissions: March 17th Results Map, by Clearinghouse
[if you didn't find your Callsign on the first Results Map, try this second Results Map]
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]
In this week's Winlink Thursday for March 17th, 2022, You Will:
  1. Download an ETO Winlink Net custom made Message Text Template file located at the ETO Website and copying this file in your Private Template folder (link below...)
  2. Use Template Editor to modify the downloaded Template using the provided instructions.
  3. Create a new message using your newly customized ETO Message Text Template file responding to the pop-up prompts.
  4. Send this message to your ETO Clearinghouse.

  1. Instructions for March 17th Winlink Thursday Exercise [PDF]
    Version 3   (3/15/22, 1130 hours PDT)
  2. Template File Needed for March 17th Winlink Thursday Exercise [.TXT]
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

March 10th Results Maps:

March 10th Results Map, by Clearinghouse:   March 10th Results Map, by Clearinghouse
Other Results Map:   General/Winlink Check-In Submissions, Results Map
In this week's Winlink Thursday for March 10th, 2022, You Will:
  1. Learn a bit about Winlink Express Message Text Templates.
  2. Download an ETO Winlink Net custom made Message Text Template file located at the ETO web site (link below...)
  3. Place the file in your Private Template folder,
  4. Create a new message using this custom ETO Message Text Template file responding to the pop-up prompts.
  5. Send this message to your ETO Clearinghouse.
  6. This is Part One of a two week exercise, Part Two will be the Exercise for March 17th, 2022.

  1. Instructions for March 10th Winlink Thursday Exercise [PDF]
  2. Template File Needed for March 10th Winlink Thursday Exercise [.TXT] Version 2
    (Version 3-8-22 at 1730 hours Pacific)
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

March 3rd Results Maps:

Winlink Thursday for March 3rd, 2022.

Results (grouped by Clearinghouse):  Results Map for March 3rd Winlink Thursday, by Clearinghouse
Results (grouped by Form Version):  Results Map for March 3rd Winlink Thursday, by Form Version
Results (grouped by First Name):  Results Map for March 3rd Winlink Thursday, by First Name
In this week's Winlink Thursday:
  1. Send an ETO Check-In, using the Winlink Check-In Form;
  2. Include your Position using Lat/Long data.

Instructions for March 3rd Winlink Thursday Exercise[PDF]
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

February 24th Results Maps:

Winlink Thursday for February 24th, 2022.

Results (grouped by Clearinghouse):  Non-P2P Results Map for Feb. 24th Winlink Thursday

Peer-to-Peer Results Map for Feb 24th. Winlink Thursday
Disaster Photos Montage
Sample Disaster Photos Submitted by our Participants
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

February 17th Results Maps:

Winlink Thursday for February 17th, 2022.


Results (grouped by Clearinghouse):  Results Map for Feb. 17th Winlink Thursday
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the ▶ or the line of text above, to expand its contents]

February 10th Results Maps:

Winlink Thursday for February 10th, 2022.


Results (grouped by Clearinghouse):  Results Map for Feb. 10th Winlink Thursday
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the line of text above, to expand its contents]

February 3rd Results Maps:

Winlink Thursday for February 3rd, 2022.


Results (grouped by Clearinghouse):  Results Map for Feb. 3rd Winlink Thursday
Results (grouped by Temperature):  Results Map for Feb. 3rd Winlink Thursday
Check-ins Only (no WX info provided):  Non-WX Check-ins Map for Feb. 3rd Winlink Thursday
===Information===>>
"How do I find my Check-In on the Map?"
  1. In your Web Browser, with our Results Map displayed...
  2. On the left side, you'll see a list of the 11 ETO Clearinghouses.
  3. Click the  ∨  (down-pointing caret), and the list will expand vertically;
  4. Type a "Ctrl-F", to use the Browser's "Find On This Page" function;
  5. Type your Callsign;
  6. Your Browser will highlight your callsign, in the vertical list on the left.
  7. Click on your Callsign, and the Map will show you your "pushpin".
  8. Click on your Pushpin, and, on the left side of the screen, all of the information you sent in, will be listed.

[Click on the link above, to expand its contents]

Instructions:  PDF for February 3rd Winlink Thursday here

January 27th Results Maps:

Winlink Thursday for January 27, 2022.
Results:  Results Map for 1/27/22 Winlink Thursday
Instructions:  PDF for January 27th Winlink Thursday here

January 20th Results Maps:

Winlink Thursday for January 20, 2022.
Results:  Results Map for 1/20/22 Winlink Thursday
Instructions:  PDF for January 20th Winlink Thursday here
Please send any questions about the Winlink Thursdays to:  ETO.Technical.Team@EmComm-Training.groups.io
Please send any questions about our group on groups.io to:  main+owner@EmComm-Training.groups.io

73's from the EmComm Training Team
===Information===>> Find YOUR Region's Clearinghouse Tactical Address HERE...
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