by There are a growing number of encoding protocols available to be used with WinLink on HF.
WINMOR has been a long-time protocol with basic error correction and a simple implementation. WINMOR has been superseded by several other protocols. In fact, WINMOR is expected to be retired from WinLink in the near future. The newer protocols are faster, and more robust.
ARDOP (Amateur Radio Digital Open Protocol) has eclipsed WINMOR as the best open-source protocol available. Some folks prefer ARDOP, due to its open-source nature. ARDOP is definitely faster and more robust than WINMOR.
VARA is a newer, semi-open protocol. Some operators are irritated with the author’s restrictions on client speeds on unlicensed installations. The speeds are truly limited – but they maintain the robust nature of the protocol. The licensed versions approach the speeds of hardware-based PACTOR systems.
My simple field tests indicated that VARA was the superior protocol – even on my six-year-old laptop. The old laptop has no problem keeping up with the transmissions through my Kenwood TS-570s transceiver. While I haven’t seen meteoric transmission speeds, I’ve seen 1,000 bps – which seems pretty quick for a software-based protocol over HF.
