Before starting PSKMail, you should get fldigi set up so you can make QSOs using PSK-31. You need to make sure fldigi will control the transmit function of your transceiver and that the sound card volume isn't too high. If it is harmonic and intermodulation distortion will be present. Set your mic gain about where you would with SSB, no processing, and adjust the mixer output so that you have no ALC, and probably are running around 40 watts for a typical 100 watt rig. Once you have PSK-31 working properly proceed.

Start fldigi with the following command:
$ fldigi --profile emc &
Then start pskmail with the command:
$ pskmail &

Set up the server you wish to connect to and your call sign

The first time you start pskmail it will open the "Edit->Options" menu for you to put your call and the server call you wish to connect to. If you need to change it, just go to the menu.

Check the mode

Check the mode to make sure you are using the correct mode for the server and time you are connecting to.

Connect

Use the connect button to connect. You should see fldigi start your transmitter, and if the server is hearing you, you should get connected.

PSK_arq push button functions

Connect/Quit

Starts a connect sequence with the server. First tell the client which server you want to connect to by entering the server call into the bottom/right field (UNDER THE MAIL/APRS LABEL). When the connect is established the button is used to send a 'QUIT' signal to the server. Quit will terminate the connection in an orderly manner.
If the Mode is set to MAIL/SCAN the client will call the server only during the minutes set by beacon qrg nr. (see Edit->Options)

QTC?

The QTC? pushbutton tells the server to send the list of mail headers, e.g.:

2 Rein Couperus PA0R Re: [Tlf-devel] radio control problems 4413

The first number is the running number of the mail on the POP server.
The last figure shows how big the email is.

PSKmail now holds a header list on disk, so it knows how many headers it has already got.
The QTC? button will ask the server to send only the new headers.

Read

The Read button lets you download the mails. You can specify the number of the message which should be sent to the client in the lower input field. You can e.g. leave large mails on the server.
E.g.: 2 (push Read button).
The server will send message 2. It will leave all mails on the server.
If you specify a file name the read function looks for a file name in the /pskdownload directory of the server.
Files are downloaded to the ~/mail/downloads directory (make sure there is one :)

Download

The same es the Read button, only this time the messages and files are first compressed (paq8 + base64). The compression factor is between 10 and 70%, depending if message/file structure.
Download can take a list of message which will be bundled.
Specify e.g. 2,5,6 (Push Download button).

Send

The send button sends 1 message from the mail queue ('Outbox' directory) from the client to the server or, if you are connected to another client in TTY mode, to that other client for relay.
When the server or client has queued the mailit sends "Message sent" to the client.
The mail should now be deleted fom the out queue. The server will send the mail on to the SMTP server,
a receiving client puts in into the 'Inbox' (mbox format).

Delete

The Delete button opens a window where you can specify the numbers of the mails which should be deleted from the POP server.
E.g.: 2 5 6
After deleting the mail, the server will send "Mails 2 5 6 deleted..." to the client .
WARNING: As soon as you delete an email the numbering on the POP server changes!!!

Pos.

The Pos. button sends the POSIT info to the server, which will send it to posit@findu.com.
You have to set Latitude and Longitude using the 'Preferences' button.
After the transaction the server will send 'Position sent' to the client.
For this function to work you need to have the APRS password in the user database.

In unconnected (APRS) mode the position is sent to the APRS-IS network. For this no password
is necessary. The server will return 'QSL' when the position was received without error.
The APRS beacon has a few variables, which are set by editing pskmailrc.pl. To activate the new
values you have to restart the client as the pskmailrc.pl file is only read at start time.

New

The 'New' button opens a new window enabling you to input the To: address and the Subject: for
a new email. PSK_arq will add the email to the file 'message'. The format of an email in the 'message' file is:

~SEND
To: toaddress@isp.com
Subject: Mail subject
This is the body text.
This is the body text.
This is the body text.
This is the body text.
This is the body text.
.
.

The mail ends with a period alone on a line (two to make sure there is one).
When you push the 'OK' button the mail is sent to the outgoing mail queue ('Outbox').

An alternative is to write your mails with the Evolution client.
To fetch the mail from the postfix queue you need a cron script to move it to the 'Outbox'.

Abort

The abort button is used to abort a connection.
You should also use this button if a connection breaks off (this is WIRELESS). to make your client ready for the next connect.

Exit

Leave PSKmail

Options

The options button opens a window which lets you input:

The callsign of the server you want to connect
Your callsign
The block length index (4=16, 5=32, 6=64, 7=128).
Your Latitude (North plus, South minus), e.g. 51.37376 (decimal format)
Your Longitude (East plus, West minus), e.g. 5.71256
Beacon QRG number. Also used to set the channel for connect in MAIL / Scanning mode.

The Menu bar

File

File:New

Compose new mail. 'OK' adds the email to the 'Outbox'.

File:Open draft

Retrieve draft file into the ,new. application

File:Save draft

Save message into draft file

File:Clear sendfile

Clear message from 'Outbox' mail queue.

File:Clear History

Clear screen; append it to the mail archive
(See View mail archive).

File:Clear headers

Clear headers file,so it gets a fresh start, e.g. after you have downloaded all mail with an internet client,
or you have deleted your mail using the 'Delete' function of the client.

File:Quit

Quit the program

Edit

Edit:Options

Edit the options file:

Client Callsign
Server Callsign
Initial value for block payload size index

3 = 8 characters
4 = 16 characters
5 = 32 characters (default)
6 = 64 characters

Latitude
Longitude
Beacon QRG nr. This tells the client when to send the beacon when the server is scanning, so you know it is on frequency.

Edit:mail options

Edit your user data

Edit:update server

Send your user data to the server (in connected mode)

Edit: Configuration

To be done....

Mode

Mode: MAIL/APRS

Set mode to MAIL/APRS (default)

Mode: MAIL/Scanning

Set scannning mode. A connect will only be sent during the minute send by the Beacon QRG variable.

Mode: TTY

Set CHAT mode (keyboard to keyboard).

Link

Link:Link to Gate

Link your client to the server visible in the field down/right.
Only the linked server will pass messages from internet to HF.
You are automatically linked after a connect. The server will send a link confirmation
package.

Link:Ping

Send a Ping to the server(s) on the channel

Link:Link test

Requests the server to send a test file (quick brown foxes). The server needs a file 'testfile' for this.

Link: Beacons heard

Requests the server to tell how many beacons were heard during the last 12 hours.
eg:
PI4TUE 0.4.beta1-IL1M94>
0666666656466|12 UTC

Web

Web:Get page

Set the URL's for 'get web page text'.
Or request the relevant page...

View

View various files...
Default is View:mailfile.

Help

Help:Help file

View this file

Help:About

Show the GUI version

Special commands

~TEST

Request a test file 'testfile' from the server

~LISTFILES

Request the list of files in the ./pskdownload directory of the server

~GETFILE (Read button)

Request a file from the ./pskdownload directory on the server

~GETBIN (Download button)

Request a binary file from the ./pskdownload directory on the server.
Unless the file is compressed with bzip2 or gzip, it is first gzipped and then base64-coded.
On receipt the file is base64-decoded and gunzipped and put into the ~/mail/downloads directory.

~GETPOS [CALL]

Check your position an findu.com. Default is your own call

~GETMSG [nr]

Get list of messages to/from you from findu.com. Default nr.is 10.

OPERATION

Ping

To check connectivity, use the ping (Ctrl-P) command. The server(s) receiving the ping frame
will return one.

Chat mode

If you want to chat to another PSKmail client:
1: Set the mode to TTY
2: Insert the call of the other station in the field bottom/right
3: Click the connect button
4: After the connect is established just input your text.
5: To disconnect, click the Quit button (same as connect).

APRS mode

To send your position: click the Posit button
To send a message via APRS: Input: CALL Message
To receive an APRS message addressing your station: do nothing, this is automatic.
To send a short email message: Input: address@address.address Message

MAIL mode

Set mode to MAIL/APRS
Use the button bar.

The protocol

Connect phase
The client starts the procedure by sending a CONNECT block.
This is repeated until the client receives a CONNECT_ACK block from the server.
When this happens the two stations are connected. The server issues a session indicator.
The server uses port 24 (mailbox service), the client port 1024.

Traffic phase
After the connection is established, client and server take turns in sending data
frames to each other. Each frame can hold 8 data blocks and a status block.
If there is no data for the other side only a status block is sent.
If no status block is received a poll block sent (always without data).
A station can answer a poll with either a status block or with a complete frame.
Data blocks have a sequence number. The receiving station tells the sending station
which frames are bad ( 1 bit eror is enough) by means of the status block.
Next turn the sending station starts its frame with the missing blocks, and then fills
up with the next blocks from the sequence.
See ARQ2.pdf (from K9PS) for a precise rundown on the protocol specification.

Disconnect phase
When the client is ready with traffic, it should send a QUIT signal to the mailbox application.
The server then disconnects and sends a DISCONNECT block to the client.
The stations also disconnect when one of them times out. A poll block will be repeated a
number of times (default=8) before it times out.

Options for the client

The client produces a file ".PSKoptions" which contains the parameters.

Parameters for the client

At startup of the client it reads a file "~/mail/pskmailrc.pl".
You can e.g. change the beacon info here.
Warning: When running the client, make sure there is no pskmailrc.pl file in your home directory,
as that would be read first...

Parameters for the server

The server needs to know its callsign. This can be set in the file ~/pskmailrc.pl (parameter $ServerCall).
You also have to set the $Iamserver parameter to 1.

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