okay so ive been trying to get Winlink working for about two weeks now and im pretty sure i have the basic concept down but the actual setup is just not clicking for me. i have Winlink Express installed and i can see RMS stations in the list when i do a session but when i try to connect nothing happens, just times out every time. im using a Yaesu FT-991A into a Signalink USB, running Vara HF for the modem software.

i think the audio levels might be off but i ran the calibration thing in Vara and it said it was fine. my question is mainly about whether i need to configure the RMS gateway separately or if Winlink Express handles all of that automatically when it connects. also do i need to specifically be a sysop to use an RMS or can i just connect to one as a regular user? i feel like i might be fundamentally misunderstanding what an RMS actually is here.

also tried on VHF with a TM-V71A and a packet TNC but that just never worked at all so i gave up on that for now and focused on HF. any help would be appreciated, this is for emcomm stuff and id really like to get it working before our next ARES meeting.

so the RMS gateways are basically just nodes that other hams run - you dont need to be a sysop to use them, youre just connecting TO the sysop's station. Winlink Express handles all the session management automatically once you pick a gateway and start the connection. the list it pulls when you do a channel selection is ranked by your distance and last heard so the top ones should theoretically be your best bet.

the timeout issue honestly sounds like an audio problem even if Vara says its okay. what i'd check is whether your radio is actually transmitting during the handshake - like does the TX light actually come on? because the Signalink sometimes needs the VOX sensitivity adjusted differently than what the Vara cal recommends. also make sure youre not running anything else that could be grabbing the audio device. fldigi open in the background will absolutely kill it.

the 991A also has an internal soundcard which can confuse things if Windows decides to route audio there instead of the Signalink. go into your Windows sound settings and make sure the Signalink is set as the default playback and recording device, not just in Vara but system wide. that got me like three times before i figured it out.

yeah what the other guy said about audio routing is spot on. also for your VHF packet setup - dont give up on that yet because for local emcomm honestly packet on 2m is way more reliable than trying to hit an HF RMS when conditions are bad. the TM-V71A does have a built in TNC if you have the right version of the radio, might be worth checking before you go external TNC route.

one thing i'll add for the HF side - when youre picking gateways in channel selection make sure youre actually on the right frequency before you kick off the session. sounds obvious but Winlink Express doesnt automatically retune your radio unless youve got CAT control set up properly. if the 991A isnt talking to the software via USB it'll just try to connect on whatever frequency you were already on, which is probably not where that RMS is listening.