Satellite Gateways
by Roger Cooke - G3LDI

Using the REQSAT server

The GB7LDI satellite gateway has been set up specifically to provide a fast means of sending personal mail on long haul routes via the packet satellites. BBS sysops are being contacted to ask them to forward mail to me for the countries that are served by the SATGATE mail system. If your local BBS sends mail to me automatically, then you do not need to do anything special in addressing your messages. (If you are in any doubt about message routing from your local BBS then please contact your local BBS sysop or myself.) If you are in a part of the country not yet served by me, then you can use the REQSAT server on GB7LDI to route your mail through me automatically.

The countries available at GB7LDI are:
USA and Canada; NA or NOAM
--------------------------
CEAM and CARB;
AIA ANG ATG BHS BLZ BMU BRB CAI CRI CUB CYM DMA DOM GLP GRD GRL GTM
HND HTI JAM KNA LCA MEX MSR MTQ NIC PAN PRI SLU SPM TCA TTO VCT VGB
VIR
Some of these countries come under NA and some under CAR. PLEASE make sure your HR addressing is correct when sending mail.
-------------------------
SA or SOAM;
AOW ANT ARG BOL BRA CHL COL ECU FLK GUF GUY PER PRY SUR URY VEN
-------------------------

Parts of Europe via REQSAT server ONLY.
(Iceland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium,
Luxembourg, Austria, Czech Rep., Slovak Rep., Poland, Spain, Portugal,
Gibraltar.)
-------------------------

New Zealand, Australia, Pacific Ocean; OC
-------------------------
Africa; AF, by satgate or HF if there is no satgate route to the destination country, Countries via Satgate so far:
ZAF ZWE NAM MRU SWZ RWA MOZ KYA CIV GAB SEN
-----------------------

Asia; AS, ASIA by satgate or HF if there is no satgate route to the destination country, Countries via Satgate so far:
CHN TWN.CHN TWN IDN SGP MYS THA MAC FOR PHL HKG TUR LKA
KWT PAK IND BGD BAN
-----------------------

Middle East; MDLE by satgate or HF if there is no satgate route to the destination country. Countries via Satgate so far:
OMN SAU
-----------------------

Europe; ONLY Satgate if no HF routing available. Can be used with REQSAT.
GRC HUN TUR ALB BGR ROM YUG SVN HRV BIH FRA CHE ITA
AND GIB
------------------------
*****************************************
PLEASE make sure you use the correct Hierarchical address when sending mail overseas. Refer to Help files by Brian, G8ASO if you are not 100% sure of the address. Do NOT leave it to the Gateway Sysop.

My HF forwarding will still take place with routes to most parts of the world. I do NOT forward or accept @WWW bulletins however. Bulletins are restricted to AMSAT, ARRL, KEPS and PROP.

ONLY private mail will be sent via the satellite.
^^^^^^^
So, if your local BBS is not yet set up to forward mail to me then you will need to format the message you wish to send in a particular way. As an example, you want to send a message to Jim VK6ABC whose mailbox is VK6XYZ. At your BBS prompt send your message to;

SP REQSAT @ GB7LDI [REQuest SATellite at GB7LDI]
Rig problems. [Enter the subject as normal]

SP VK6ABC @ VK6XYZ.#PER.WA.AUS.OC [Enter the REAL address as the first line of the message.
A space MUST exist between SP and the first callsign.]

Hi Jim the rig has been....

text text etc.....

/ex

If you add the full Hierarchical address, as shown above, it will aid in the correct routing of your message.

So to sum up, check that I CAN forward mail to your destination country by requesting a REQFIL of this message (\GB7LDI\REQSAT.DOC) and check the countries currently available, then at your BBS prompt enter;
SP REQSAT @ GB7LDI
When asked for the subject enter whatever you like;
TNC problems again!!!
When asked for the Message the VERY FIRST LINE must contain the real address including the Hierarchical Address, if known;
SP VK6ABC @ VK6XYZ.#PER.WA.AUS.OC
Then enter the rest of the message as you would normally ending with the usual;
/EX

When the message arrives here it will be automatically re-addressed according to the first line of the message, the subject you entered will be the same and ALL the headers will remain, so anyone doing a SR reply will have the reply sent back to the BBS you entered the message on.

The HF routes at GB7LDI will be maintained and PACTOR II forwarding with full scanning facilities will shortly take place also, if there is sufficient mail to justify it!!

If you send your private mail via satellite, please consider joining or supporting the Amsat organisation. You can join Amsat UK and receive a monthly magazine for as little as £15. This will help to sponsor further launches in the future and provide an expanding gateway network. Remember that the satellite you are using had to be paid for and your membership would be valued. If you would like further information, please send a message to G3LDI @ GB7LDI.

73 de Roger, G3LDI @ GB7LDI HF/Satellite Gateway

We can all try to stem the flow and encourage activity, and this is the reason for this article. If I have encouraged just one person to try satellite communications, this article will have been worthwhile. So, next time you send an Email to a UK amateur, try the Satgate first. That is where amateur traffic should be, anybody can use a telephone. Think before you link!!! See you on the birds!

73 de Roger, G3LDI @ GB7LDI

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