How about a very simple and cheap hardware solution, with no additional software needed?
Build or buy a Nino TNC, made by the TARPN group:
http://tarpn.net/t/nino-tnc/nino-tnc.htmlBuild your own, or buy built units on Etsy for about $ 65.
This modem is USB powered, and runs off your Windows computer. Bring up your Winlink program, click on "Open Session>Packet Winlink, then click on settings. For the "Packet Type" box, select "KISS". The "Packet TNC Model is "Normal", and the comm port will be that USB comm port picked by your CPU for the modem, and the Serial Port Baud will be 57,600. Make sure your dip switches on the Nino are where they should be, then all you need to do is calibrate the tranmit level to a proper value, and you are on the air. It takes longer to tell how to do it than it does to do.
We are changing all of our counties packet go kits to this modem. Easy peazy and it works.