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SafecomLink V11 is here! With Email gateway, Advanced beacon, image gallery, Live link Log, one-time beacon, Link speed indicator, Auto...

..Auto beacon/frequency scheduler start and much more!


Hello SafecomLinkers! This is, without a doubt, our biggest release ever! How big? MASSIVE! Normally, we roll out one or two major update with some improvements—but this time, we’re bringing you a whole slew of new features. Buckle up, it's going to be a wild ride!

 

 Introducing: SafecomLink Email Gateway

 

Imagine this: Your internet is down, but you need to send a critical email. No problem! You hop on the CF and—BAM!—you spot multiple stations broadcasting in their beacon that they operate an email gateway. You compose a VMail, connect, relay, and receive a confirmation that your email has been delivered. This is how it works:

For Email gateway operator:

If you want to run a VMail gateway, here’s what you’ll need to do:


  1. Set up an SMTP email account. You can use Gmail or any other provider. To keep things separate, consider creating a dedicated account just for SMTP forwarding. [See this guide for setup instructions.]

  2. Choose whether to limit access by callsign or allow all users.

  3. Decide if you want to announce your gateway via your beacon or keep it private.

     

Configuring an Email gateway

When your gateway relays a message, it will appear under the "SENT" tab with the VIA field showing your own email address.




And this is how your email gateway announcements will appear to others in your beacon:



For Email gateway users:

If you want to send a VMail to Email, here’s what you need to know:

 

  •  In the email composing section, you’ll see a new "Send to Email" button—just tick it!

  •  A new, user-friendly dropdown will show your recently contacted Emails/Callsigns for quick access.

  •  Under Settings, you can enable automatic email sending whenever SafecomLink connects to an Email gateway station.




Now, onto another BIG feature—one that’s actually connected to the previous updates. You’ve been asking us to include Grid Locators in beacons, and we always said "No."

 Well, it’s time for a BIG YES!

 

 Introducing: Advanced Beacon

 

You now have the option to choose between a STANDARD or ADVANCED beacon. What is an ADVANCED beacon?

 

 Uses the AX25-KISS protocol (similar to broadcasts). Operates at SL2 (Speed Level 2), allowing more data to be sent. Can still be decoded at -18/-19 dB (compared to -22 dB for standard beacons). Includes your Grid Locator. Carries additional data such as Email Gateway Announcements, EmComm station status, and more exciting features in the future.

 

 Important: Only users who upgrade will be able to decode ADVANCED beacons.



Speaking of beacons... If you’re not the type who likes constant beaconing but still want to send a one-time beacon to let everyone know you’re around—good news! You finally have a solution.

 

 Introducing: One-Time Beacon

 

Simply RIGHT-CLICK the Beacon button, and SafecomLink will fire a single beacon instantly! You can use this feature whether your beaconing is turned off or even between beacon cycles when it's on.


Now, Let’s Talk About Live links!

You’re already familiar with the Callsign History tool—it just got a bit of a facelift. But we always felt like something was missing... A central place where you can: See all your SafecomLink Live links in one view Filter & sort your contacts easily.


Well, that missing piece has finally been found!

 

 Introducing: The SafecomLink Live link Log

 

Well, this is one of those situations where words aren’t needed—a picture says it all!



 Introducing: Received files/images gallery

 

Over time, you’ve received countless files and images during your Live link… so why not access them all in one place?

Now you can!

 

Simply navigate to Tools → Received Files/Images, and you’ll enter the File & Image Gallery, where all your incoming files are neatly organized with:  File Name,  Callsign of the sender and  Received Date.

 

Click on any file to open it instantly—or, if it’s an image, enlarge it for a better view!


  

Now, for a blitz of additional features…  Here we go:

 

 Introducing: Link speed indicator

 

On the bottom left side of your screen, you’ll now find a new speed indicator—giving you real-time insight into your current TX/RW speed!


IMPORTANT: Important: You must redownload VARA HF 4.8.9, as this version includes the necessary data to support this feature. Please note that the modem author did not update the version number, so you cannot verify if you're on the latest version based on the version string alone. To ensure compatibility, you must update the modem manually.

Let me know if you'd like a more casual or more technical version as well!





 Introducing: Auto beacon/frequency scheduler start

 

You can now set SafecomLink to automatically start beaconing right after startup—no manual activation needed! The same goes for the frequency scheduler—just set it up, and SafecomLink will handle the rest!




 Introducing: Inquire GPS location

 

You can now request the exact GPS location of your Live link partner using the Inquire module! 

Introducing: Custom frequency file

 

If you manage multiple SafecomLink profiles, you can now have a separate frequency file (Frequency dropdown list) for each profile!

Simply update this parameter in your SafecomLink .ini profile file:

 

FrequenciesCustomFilePath=



  Introducing: Cross band last hear peeking

 

You can now configure SafecomLink to display last-heard stations across all bands, making it especially useful in multi-band SafecomLink Cluster mode.

 

Bonus Update: The "Last Heard Peeking" format has been improved! And it now shows the last 10 callsigns heard, CQs and Beacons together and covers only the past 24 hours for a cleaner view.



 


But that’s not all—there’s even more! Check out these additional enhancements in V11:

 

Enhancements/Changes:

  • Users must select a slot for CQ or QSY invites (no default Slot 1).

  • No extra "RE:" when replying to an already replied VMail.

  • Parked VMail peeking (<VRP>) filters last 10 VMails from 30 days.

  • Stations reply with SNR if a pathfinder attempts to locate them.

  • Closing SafecomLink during activity prompts for confirmation.

  • Double-click a callsign in Callsign History to open its DataStream.

  • Broadcast delays frequency change if a scheduler event occurs.

  • Right-click menu added to print DataStream/Broadcast messages.

  • Last Heard Broadcasts/CQs tooltip shows date, time, frequency.

  • "CONNECTED TO..." in DataStream now includes frequency.

  • Broadcast tooltips now show all relevant data, including time/freq.

  • "Freq Schedule" button tooltip shows times and frequencies.

  • Beacon message now includes frequency in DataStream.

  • No duplicate QSY invite if auto QSY (<AWQ>) is pending.

  • Right-click menu in Callsign History to copy selected rows.

  • VMailbox columns are now resizable.

  • VMail compose form now has a dropdown for recent recipients.

  • Updated DXCC prefixes for callsign-to-country conversion.

  • Invalid frequency selection reverts to the last chosen one.

  • Widened settings window for future expansion. 



Bug Fixes:

  • Image Shrinker: Fixed error when clicking "Save to Disk" with no files.

  • Inquire module: "Callsign" button text was cut off.

  • Windows 10: "Emcomm Only" checkbox was cut off.

  • Exiting EmComm mode didn't re-enable SNR/Call ID sending.

  • Clicking URLs in DataStream could crash; now handled in Message Viewer.

  • Parked VMail could be sent on CF without a QSY request.

  • Blocked data transmission during active pings.

  • Same VMail could be relayed twice.

  • Clearing DataStream while scrolled up left scroll-down indicator visible.

  • Last Heard Beacons/CQ older than 24h showed "00:00."

  • DX cluster spot test text shortened from "Configuration Test" to "Test."

  • Clicking links in incoming files caused crashes.

  • Replying to a chat while another was queued didn’t appear correctly.

  • Right-clicking empty broadcast and selecting "Copy Selected" caused an exception.

  • Copying all ADIF records in Callsign History also copied internal IDs.

 
 
 

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