[drats_users] Email Proposal

[Ron Wenig]

Hi Dan,

I am a winlink user with a gateway that runs 24X7.  When I first got 
into D-Star I envisioned that one day the D-Star system would be an 
additional means of passing email traffic to and from RF.  With the use 
of D-Rats and the scenario that you talk about I can see that 
happening.  In this area we have tested the implementation that you have 
now with D-Rats.  I set up my station as the mail server.  Another sent 
a message with the email form addressed to his email address.  Within 
minutes he received the message in his regular email account.  Of course 
this is using my own ISP to accomplish this.  A separate pop mail server 
with an @d-rats.com address would be great.  The message can be sent via 
RF through the local D-Star repeater or even the gateway which can 
greatly extend the coverage.  At this time winlink usually is restricted 
to vhf/uhf either direct or through digipeaters.  In my area packet is 
not allowed on the voice repeaters.  This would be a boom for emergency 
data communications.  Also, the second point you make about the TNC.  
With D-Star you don't need a TNC.  I really urge you to pursue your 
ponderings and implement it into your D-Rats program.

73, Ron ny3j

Dan Smith wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I've been pondering a general sort of email server for D-RATS users
> lately.  I've always resisted making D-RATS dependent on the Internet
> for any of its functions because I don't think it's a reasonable
> assumption that the Internet will be up at any given point.  However,
> things like WinLink are rather dependent on it and are still useful in a
> variety of cases, so perhaps it's something we should explore.
>
> I was thinking of something that would give anyone that wanted it a
> CALLSIGN at d-rats.com email address.  They could check it with POP3 and a
> normal email client if they desired, but I would also build something
> into D-RATS that would allow a remote station to request that an
> Internet-connected instance check its mail and convert any waiting
> messages into forms that could then be forwarded by the automated scheme
> currently available.
>
> It would go something like this:
>
> Station A is connected to the Internet and a radio.  He enables a
> configuration option that provides this email service to others.
>
> Station B is within RF range of Station A.  He right-clicks (for
> example) on Station A in his callsign list and chooses "check mail".
> This sends a request to Station A asking it to check for mail at
> STATIONA at d-rats.com.
>
> Station A finds two new messages on the server for Station B, downloads
> them, converts them to forms, and places them in the Outbox.  A few
> seconds later, Station A's message routing logic notices messages in the
> Outbox for Station B and initiates the send.
>
> There would also be some additional logic allowing the sending of an
> email to come from the @d-rats.com address instead of being masqueraded
> through another address, as is the current default with the mail stuff.
>
> How does that sound?  Does anyone have any comments about the usefulness
> of this scheme, design points that should be considered, etc?  We
> already have WinLink, is there any point in doing this?
>
> My argument for this over WinLink would really boil down to the following:
>
>  1. D-RATS runs on all platforms, WinLink/PacLink/AirMail does not
>  2. D-RATS can use D-STAR radios, TNCs, and the Internet
>  3. D-RATS doesn't depend on any legacy technology to do that (existing
>     packet infrastructure, etc).
>  4. I expect it will be a lot easier to set up (server and client) and
>     we can publish all the information instead of treating it like a big
>     secret club (sorry, couldn't resist).
>
> They're not incredibly compelling points, but they have some merit I
> guess.  Let me know what *you* think.
>
>