Iowa Winlink Weekend
📡📨 Iowa Winlink Weekend
Iowa Winlink Weekend is coordinated by Muscatine Amateur Radio Club and is a great opportunity for amateur radio operators across the state to practice sending and receiving digital messages using Winlink in a realistic, public-service–focused setting.
https://iowawinlink.net/Saturday.php
Winlink is widely used for emergency and disaster communications, especially when internet or cellular service is unavailable. Events like this help operators: • Build confidence with digital modes • Test equipment and station setups • Practice message handling and accuracy • Stay ready to support served agencies when needed
Whether you’re an experienced Winlink user or just getting started, Iowa Winlink Weekend is a valuable chance to train, learn, and stay sharp.
Participation strengthens individual skills — and strengthens amateur radio’s ability to serve our communities.
📸: Kevin Sanders K0KDS of Urbandale used Winlink over HF to spot himself when there was no cell service on a recent POTA activation in the Kaibab National Forest in Arizona.
While you can always use HF to check in to Winlink we also have various other FM gateways around the state of Iowa. K0IRO hosts a VaraFM gateway on 145.610 with a name of K0IRO-15. While this gateway is setup for vara it will also do ax25 packet as well in a dual mode setup.
You can look at the Winlink website for more details on the gateways (https://winlink.org/content/gateway_locations) but here is an idea of the Vara HF and FM stations out there
Vara FM:
Vara HF:
Packet:
