Thursday, September 3, 2026
24 check-insThis Week's Question
“Do you know how to obtain weather forecasts, bulletins, and other weather information through Winlink if normal internet access is unavailable?”
Weather When the Internet Is Gone: Retrieving Weather Information Through Winlink
Introduction
Most of us are used to getting our weather from phone apps, websites, television, social media, or the National Weather Service webpages. On a normal day, that works great. But during a communications outage or a field deployment, some or all of those sources may simply not be available.
Winlink can provide another path for retrieving weather information and bulletins when your usual sources are down. It is worth knowing about before you ever need it.
One important point up front: Winlink is not the National Weather Service, and it does not replace NOAA/NWS warning systems, NOAA Weather Radio, or Wireless Emergency Alerts. It is simply another communications pathway for obtaining information when internet connectivity is degraded or gone.
Did You Know Winlink Can Request Weather Information?
Many operators think of Winlink only as a way to send email and ICS forms. It can do much more. Winlink Express includes a Catalog of help files and worldwide weather bulletins that you can request directly.
- Winlink Express includes a Catalog containing help files and worldwide weather bulletins.
- You select a weather product from the Catalog, post the request, and send it through a Winlink session.
- You reconnect a short time later to receive the requested bulletin as a Winlink message.
- Message size matters, especially over slower RF paths - small text products are often more practical than large data files.
How to Do It in Winlink Express
The exact menu wording can vary between versions, so if yours looks a little different, just open the Winlink Catalog Requests function from the program’s menu. The general process is the same:
- Open Winlink Express.
- Open the Winlink Catalog Requests area.
- Browse the available weather / bulletin products.
- Select the product you want.
- Post the request (it goes to your Outbox).
- Send the request through an available Winlink connection.
- Reconnect after a short period to retrieve the response.
What Kinds of Weather Products Can You Retrieve?
Availability varies by catalog, source, and location, but members may encounter a range of products, such as:
- Text weather bulletins
- Forecasts
- Marine forecasts
- Tropical weather bulletins
- Hurricane information
- Selected NOAA/NWS text products
- GRIB weather data where supported
- Other worldwide weather bulletins
Why This Matters for ARPSC
Picture this: a large storm has caused widespread power and internet outages in Macomb County. Your phone still works intermittently, but cellular data is unreliable. You are operating from an EOC, shelter, staging area, or field assignment. You still have your radio, a Winlink-capable station, and access to an RMS over VHF/UHF or HF. Being able to retrieve useful weather information through Winlink gives you another pathway for maintaining situational awareness.
This is especially useful when:
- Internet service is unavailable
- Cellular networks are overloaded
- Field teams are operating away from normal infrastructure
- An operator needs a lightweight text forecast over a slow RF connection
Winlink Software Options
There are three primary client options our members are likely to use:
Winlink Express – Windows
The traditional, full-featured Windows Winlink client. It is the most common full Winlink client and includes Catalog support for weather requests.
RadioMail – iPhone / iPad
A Winlink client for iPhone and iPad. It sends and receives Winlink messages over the internet or supported radio interfaces, supports standard Winlink forms, and can operate in the field without normal internet when configured with compatible radio hardware.
WoAD – Android
Brings Winlink functionality to Android over internet connections and VHF/UHF AX.25 packet, and can also support peer-to-peer operation. Setup can be more technical than a typical phone app, so read the documentation.
Which One Should I Use?
| Platform | Client | Best Fit |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Winlink Express | Full-featured station, EOC, laptop, portable digital setup |
| iPhone/iPad | RadioMail | Portable Apple-device Winlink operation |
| Android | WoAD | Portable Android Winlink and packet operation |
Practice Before You Need It
Discovering where the menu is - or how your TNC works - during an actual outage is not ideal. Practice this now, while normal internet service is still available:
- Open your Winlink client.
- Find a weather / catalog request.
- Request a small text weather product.
- Send the request.
- Retrieve the response.
- Repeat using RF if your station supports it.
This Week's Question
“Do you know how to obtain weather forecasts, bulletins, and other weather information through Winlink if normal internet access is unavailable?”
If not, which Winlink platform do you currently use - Winlink Express, RadioMail, WoAD, or something else - and would you be interested in practicing this capability?
Other Ways to Receive Weather Without the Internet
Do not put all your eggs in one basket. A professional emergency communicator should ideally have more than one way to get critical weather information:
- NOAA Weather Radio
- Local Skywarn nets
- Amateur radio weather nets
- Broadcast AM/FM radio
- Local public safety / emergency management information
- Direct observation and trained spotter reports
- Winlink
Helpful Links
NOAA / National Weather Service
Bringing Information Back In
We often think of Winlink as a way to send messages out of an affected area, but it can also help bring useful information back into one. Knowing how to retrieve weather products before an incident adds another capability to your communications toolbox. Give it a try now, while everything is working - so it is second nature when it counts.
Check-In List
| # | Call Sign | Unit # | Name | City | Member |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AD8MP | 35 | David | Saint Clair Shores | Member |
| 2 | KE8WUO | 20 | John | Warren | Member |
| 3 | W8VOX | 30 | Jon | Macomb | Member |
| 4 | N8CAF | 26 | Cliff | Clinton Township | — |
| 5 | AD8OD | 21 | John | Troy | — |
| 6 | K8JTA | 31 | Jason | Saint Clair Shores | — |
| 7 | N8HLY | 12 | Tom | Sterling Heights | Member |
| 8 | N8KJV | 38 | Jason | Warren | — |
| 9 | N8WCB | 6 | Dave | Sterling Heights | Member |
| 10 | WA4MLD | 18 | Ray | Warren | — |
| 11 | N8VDZ | 2 | Mike | Warren | Member |
| 12 | K8WA | 19 | Bill | Warren | — |
| 13 | KA8UHG | 28 | Steven | Saint Clair Shores | Member |
| 14 | KF8ETQ | 23 | Darren | Fraser | Member |
| 15 | WC8E | 8 | Jeff | Sterling Heights | Member |
| 16 | KF8FGS | 32 | David | Utica | Member |
| 17 | K8ACW | 46 | Art | Utica | — |
| 18 | N8WRO | 10 | Tim | Richmond | Member |
| 19 | KE8YNU | 1 | Dave | New Haven | Member |
| 20 | N8BZR | 27 | Brian | Harrison Township | Member |
| 21 | KF8GSD | — | Chris | Royal Oak | — |
| 22 | N8XZ | 5 | Ron | Warren | — |
| 23 | W8BPD | 24 | Brian | Warren | Member |
| 24 | KD8JWF | — | Gene | Harrison Twp | — |