IridiumGO connection on RMS Express for Winlink

[fguptill]

Originally Posted by richwest3

I know this is a bit of an old thread but perhaps someone can help me. I just got an iridium Go and am using RMS Express 1.5.25.0 on a windows 10 Professional pc. I connect to the Go wifi and open a telnet session and get this message no matter what I try:



Error: Unable to access the Iridium GO. Please connect to the Iridium Wi-Fi network.



I'm trying to send and receive email via Winlink over the GO connection. Predict Wind Offshore program connects to the GO just fine.

I am having precisely the same error message. I'm using WinLink 1.5.26.0 on a Windows 10 PC. My PC wifi reports that it is connected to the Iridium GO, but WinLink says that it is not. I had this working nicely on my old Windows XP PC, but no luck with Windows 10.

Does anybody have any suggestions?

[Freedom45]

I used to use Winlink with the go.
A bit frustrating and slow to get to connection stage.
All I did was wait, wait......wait, usually on passage so I had time.
Sometimes it would take an hour to load, download. Once connected it took the usual time via Go, it was just slooow and glitchy to get to that stage.
I have since given up using winlink with the Go.
Try letting it sit there for too long, you will probably see it connect.


Cheers.

[Brian.D]

Originally Posted by fguptill

I am having precisely the same error message. I'm using WinLink 1.5.26.0 on a Windows 10 PC. My PC wifi reports that it is connected to the Iridium GO, but WinLink says that it is not. I had this working nicely on my old Windows XP PC, but no luck with Windows 10.

Does anybody have any suggestions?

I suggest you start a new thread and put more details about your problem. Is the program starting? When you select Open Session is this where you are are having problems? Or when you press START?

Try to be as specific as you can.

[Alan N Crichton]

I am having a specific issue using Winlink (latest version) with Iridium Go (firmware latest ). My laptop connects to the Go and Predictwind offshore works fine - so no issues on the IridiumGo WiFi - but when using Winlink (RMS Express) i get the following error


" Exception on connect command to Iridium GO: Could not find default endpoint element that references contract 'IridiumGo.sdk' in the ServiceModel client configuration section. This might be because no configuration file was found for your application, or because no endpoint element matching this contract could be found in the client element."


Any help would be appreciated

[Brian.D]

There may be a specific location that Winlink is looking for the IridiumGo.SDK file, or the configuration file that points to the location of the SDK file. The configuration file is probably a TXT file that can be viewed with Notepad. In it, you might find where it is looking for the SDK file and you may have to find it yourself and move it to the location specified in the config file. Don't recommend modifying the config file.

You might also contact the Winlink people and ask what it means. If you are cruising and can't do that, maybe someone here can help.

[Alan N Crichton]

Thank you Brian - I have listed the problem on The Winlink forum and so far found quite a few people with a connection problem but no solution so far. I will check for an sdk file reference. Regards Alan

[Auspicious]

"Doctor, doctor - it hurts when I do that." "Don't do that."

Seriously - use Airmail. It works just fine with the GO! It's stable. Importantly it's built entirely for cruisers where Winlink Express (previously named RMS Express) is built for the EMCOMM community. Our problems don't get priority. The GO! connection problem has been around for a long time.

Airmail works with Winlink and Sailmail and generally seems to catalog Saildocs better.

I have and use both Airmail and Winlink Express (the latter just to stay current). I much prefer Airmail. If you use HF/SSB and a Pactor modem it is definitely a no-brainer to use Airmail as it has weather fax built-in. The Winlink Express author can't be bothered with WEFAX and runs an old version of ViewFax from Airmail in a subprocess. It's kludge.

[Alan N Crichton]

Thanks Auspicious - I will check out Airmail tonight. I only need it for the grib files as I route etc on OpenCpn.
Regards Alan

[Freedom45]

I don’t think winlink works with Airmail over the Go anymore since winlink chained the server system.

C

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Freedom45

I don’t think winlink works with Airmail over the Go anymore since winlink chained the server system.

The shift from self-standing CMS' to virtual CMS on AWS shouldn't have made a difference. I can't confirm that of my own knowledge. Airmail uses an interface from the GO! to the Internet defined by Iridium. The connection to Winlink is the same Telnet interface they've been using for years. I've just this minute confirmed that still works. Winlink doesn't even know you're coming through a GO! - it's just another Internet connection.

Note that the Winlink development team (WDT) have managed to break things before and roll them out without sufficient testing. They've broken over-the-air connections from Airmail at least once and been pushed into fixing it. That reflects their institutional focus on EMCOMM. Clearly the GO! interface in Winlink Express is not robust. The WDT is all volunteers and somethings take a while.

[Alan N Crichton]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

The shift from self-standing CMS' to virtual CMS on AWS shouldn't have made a difference. I can't confirm that of my own knowledge. Airmail uses an interface from the GO! to the Internet defined by Iridium. The connection to Winlink is the same Telnet interface they've been using for years. I've just this minute confirmed that still works. Winlink doesn't even know you're coming through a GO! - it's just another Internet connection.

Note that the Winlink development team (WDT) have managed to break things before and roll them out without sufficient testing. They've broken over-the-air connections from Airmail at least once and been pushed into fixing it. That reflects their institutional focus on EMCOMM. Clearly the GO! interface in Winlink Express is not robust. The WDT is all volunteers and somethings take a while.

I tried Airmail 3 but it requires one to purchase a Sailmail subsription $275 pa for access to a system of servers etc. Effectively paying for a WiFi link to my Iridium Go after which the comms is Iridiums at $140 pm. I am now looking at simply firing a query at Saildocs from Iridium mail app on my iPad and transferring the GRIB file to my PC for use on OpenCPN.

Thanks for the responses

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Alan N Crichton

I tried Airmail 3 but it requires one to purchase a Sailmail subsription $275 pa for access to a system of servers etc.

Thanks for that. I do remember connecting directly to Winlink in the early days. My apologies for sending you down a rabbit hole.

XGate is an alternative but that is $300 pa as well. Note that Iridium Mail app was written by the guy who wrote XGate.

Since Winlink Express isn't working either there certainly seems to be a problem. I went back to Winlink https://winlink.org/content/winlink_...atellite_phone and I don't think they are serious about it.

How do you plan to move the grib files from iPad to PC? iTunes and File Sharing? Or do you have a better trick?

[Alan N Crichton]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

Thanks for that. I do remember connecting directly to Winlink in the early days. My apologies for sending you down a rabbit hole.

XGate is an alternative but that is $300 pa as well. Note that Iridium Mail app was written by the guy who wrote XGate.

Since Winlink Express isn't working either there certainly seems to be a problem. I went back to Winlink https://winlink.org/content/winlink_...atellite_phone and I don't think they are serious about it.

How do you plan to move the grib files from iPad to PC? iTunes and File Sharing? Or do you have a better trick?

Not sure yet nut really would like to get an easy over wifi automated system - looking at an iPhone app called iFiles and Alltrans - will let you know once I find something. Regards Alan

[AA3JY]

From the Winlink Q&A’s..

6) Iridium GO users with Winlink Express will need to update to Express version 1.5.9.4 and Iridium GO firmware version 1.5.2 to use a fix for a problem making Telnet connections to the new servers through our load balancer

[Auspicious]

Instructions for updating the GO! firmware here How To Update Your Iridium GO! Firmware