Email Gateway (Radio-to-Email Bridging)
- SafecomLink
- Dec 11, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Dec 29, 2025
SafecomLink's Email Gateway feature transforms the radio platform into a robust bridge between the radio waves and the internet, providing a critical communication lifeline when traditional networks are unavailable. This capability allows operators to send and receive standard internet emails using radio, which is vital during emergencies (EmComm) or remote operations.
Key Value Proposition
The Email Gateway ensures that critical communication can transcend local radio networks, enabling HF-to-Email and Email-to-HF data transfer for seamless coordination with entities outside the radio infrastructure. This functionality is essential when the internet infrastructure is compromised or inaccessible, guaranteeing reliable message delivery when everything else fails.
Operational Details and Benefits
Bidirectional Email Transfer: SafecomLink enables operators to both forward VMails to external email addresses via SMTP and automatically receive replies and new emails via IMAP, converting them back into VMail messages for collection over the radio airwaves.
Guaranteed Delivery Mechanism: The feature leverages the VMail mailbox system. Incoming external emails are converted into parked VMails in the recipient's VMailbox. When the recipient station transmits a beacon, the gateway sends a "Relay Notification" alert, prompting the recipient to connect and collect the message via radio.
Service Visibility: Gateway operators can choose to announce their gateway status via their beacons (using the Advanced Beacon type), notifying other stations that they offer a public email service. Stations monitoring the frequency can spot a small envelope icon and connection details, indicating the availability of the internet email gateway.
Reply Control: Senders gain control over reply destinations, choosing whether responses should return directly to their external email inbox or be redirected back through the VarAC Gateway for delivery as a VMail over HF.
This bridging capability makes SafecomLink critical for situations where field teams need to send high-priority reports or forms to external agencies or administrative contacts who rely solely on internet email.
