W3QA’s Meeting Notes

Presented 1/21/2006 in West Chester

 

  • Winlink is the system that forms the core of the ARES Digital network
  • Interoperability with other systems and modes encouraged
  • Much testing has already been done comparing modes and systems for Emcomm—take advantage and don’t reinvent the wheel
  • Digital Emcomm tasks/applications supplement voice Emcomm applications:
    • Addressable Email with attachments; documents, images,
    • Bulk Health & Welfare Traffic out of affected area
    • Vehicle and resource geographic tracking
    • NTS interoperability
  • Not worth attention for Emcomm tasks:
    • CW, RTTY, AMTOR, Clover, GTOR, Facsimile, Hellschreiber, SSTV, MFSK, PSK-31, MT63, Traditional Packet networks
  • Worthy of attention for Emcomm:
  • Regional Goals:
    • A team of radio email operators in each county and a team of network engineers in each county
      • Establish ARCT for digital
      • Training, elmering, activities are the key!
      • Use the synergy of District/regional ARES acting together
    • Establish sufficient gateways locally (VHF/UHF/MW) and regionally (HF)
    • Document and share network information for regional interoperability
      • Regional website, wiki, email reflector
  • CCAR’s Plan:
    • Maintain existing Telpac gateway and packet client network
    • Develop low-cost Telpac gateway for portable deployment and encourage members to build and deploy them. Train on field deployment through exercises.
    • Complete PMBO HF installation
      • 1 SG-239 antenna coupler (replaces loaned equipment)
    • Continue to build out D-Star data network – Central and Southern Chester County
      • 3 more ID-1 radios (to augment existing portable stations)
      • 2 D-Star data repeaters w/ controllers (South, Central)
      • 4 Duracomm commercial 50A power supplies (Hazlett, Bucktown, South, Central)
      • 3 1.2 GHz Wimo yagis (Links)
      • 1 Comet GP-21 omni 1.2 GHz antenna (South)
      • Antenna installations at Hazlett, South and Central
      • Internet feed at Bucktown (DSL Verizon)
      • Internet feed at South
    • Add D-Star repeater linking via the internet and broadband RF.
    • Train on broadband data repeating
    • Investigate alternative, cheaper broadband hardware for user stations and robust RF TCP/IP backbone. Avalan? (may replace ID-1 links)
    • Organize CCAR volunteers to develop and use APRS trackers
      • Recommend specific equipment and software
      • Construct trackers
      • Train for use and apply in exercises
  • Idea list (See discussion notes below)
  • Action Plan (who, what)
    • Number 1. Submit comment on FCC RM-11306 now! All.

 

Discussion Notes—Digital Meeting

1/21/06

Taken at the meeting by Al Morris, W3HOA

 

Lor: Have a number of digipeaters in the area now

 

Bucks Cty—KG2HO:

-Don’t have relationship with county now

-hope to bring up Winlink

-looking to firehouses as a network to support ARES work

-hope to get $1000 for initial purchase of equipment and then have trial exercise

-if trial is successful, hope it will convince County to support further efforts

-Now have 4 township EOCs interested

-Lower Bucks Cty Red Cross interested; hams hoping for $5K/yr support

 

Bucks Cty:

-also working on sending dispatching calls through cell phones.

-delay of up to 3 minutes in calls going through

-911 backup is needed

-Winlink probably is not a good idea

-info needed is: who, what, when, where, dangers present

-have experience in NYC w/ failure of every usual type of communication

-need to inform public of ability to do public emergency communications via ham radio from the firehouses. (like Chester Cty has in place)

Note sure of Speaker: Don’t have emergency communications a Red Cross now. Could have emergency communications permanently setup with Red Cross.

 

Lor: RE: sealed EOCs; have thought of using piece of PVC through EOC building walls

with caps on each end as a conduit for getting antenna feed lines out of building

 

J.Vilardo: CCAR has goal of having each operator being prepared with all the equipment,

food and supplies ready to go within 2 hours of notice and ready to remain in field for up to 72 hours. i.e. completely self sufficient.

 

K5HAL: I’d like a path to go from PSK to the higher digital modes

 

Al R.: There are several here who can guide those who want to proceed on what to do and how to do it with using the equipment they have and supplementing with other gear.

 

Lor: Take stock of what you already have. You’ll need:

-a late model laptop

-TNC for portable use; e.g. KPC-3; “greek friends” micro TNC

-download Airmail software

-packet engine-pro software

Digital Alternatives:

-Low Speed, 1200 baud; but should go to > 1200 baud; look into Avalan (see notes for URL)

-seriously consider new high speed equipment

 

Present portable digital equipment systems;

- approximately $3000 for radio, TNC and laptop

- plus power supply, plus special case, plus portable printer

 

D-Star is option that is considerably less than above system

(Then there was a multi person discussion of the limitations and usefulness of D-Star at this time. I did not get any conclusions as to whether it is a recommended way-to-go.—w3hoa)

 

W4RFJ: He’s trying to define both a low cost (old technology) and a high cost (new technology) option to achieve digital communications capability.

-using ArcNet as a possible option

-designing a protocol for a backbone

 

Lancaster Cty: Would like to know what Lancaster Cty needs for compatibility with CCAR

-Lor: County should define what organization is being serviced and what they need.

-should be able to link to CCAR

-establish Winlink as a way to go farther afield

-CCAR has established:

-- Packet/Telpac

--need to support higher speed capability, e.g.D-Star

--use ID-1 at each fire station

 

-Go to portability of stations so then can be moved to where needed

-antennas both fixed and portable

-interchangeable power connectors e.g. Powerpoles

 

K3JV: Can build almost any system in county but make sure that they all interconnect

E.g. Winlink as a standard

 

-find way to marry high speed digital with internet is the way of the future

 

W3AHR: Basis of all this work is Training

-Res Nets, Tac Nets, Maps, protocols, pro-words etc.

-should develop cross training between counties

-Foster ARRL and NIMS course completion

-Periodic drills both within and between counties

--consider a drill each quarter; possibly in different county

 

Bucks/Harris: Important to standardize to achieve rapid response.

-have travel-capable teams

-similar procedures and frequencies

-affordability is a factor for many; high expense will drive away some hams

-have planned SET; have EC’s go across counties to trade info and mutually plan.

-need to be able to borrow operators across counties in emergencies

-would be valuable to have “cross pollination” such as Lor’s recent presentation in Bucks Cty.

 

Action Items:

-Develop cross-county training and exercises (DEC Al Rabenau to hold planning meeting of EC's, tba)

-share info cross county (wiki by W3QA)

--Regional standards documentation (wiki by W3QA)

--possibly have WiKi site (best answer/definition is achieved by all participants continuously adding and editing contained information)

-each county site considers providing links to other relevant websites (all wiki contributors)

--get webmasters in contact to provide cross-linking

-trade Net protocols out to facilitate “newbies” joining in (EC's, webmasters, siki contributors)

--Suggested that “newbies” just jump in and learn by participating (a clture developed by EC's)

 

-Consider that for high speed digital that CCAR:

-recommend specific equipment

-have a construction project and meeting(s) to help assemble packages

-train and use equipment in exercise(s)

-Consider having 2 multi-county meetings per year to trade info, showcase equipment, discuss tech topics, trade protocols etc. (DEC Al Rabenau, W3AHR, to organize)

 

The District 1 EC's Notes

A meeting of the EC's and RO's for each of the five counties in EPA District 1 (Philadelphia, Delaware, Chester, Montgomeery and Bucks) is scheduled for Saturday March 18th at 10AM in Room 026 (The RACES Room) in the Chester County Government Services Center, 601 Westtown Road, West Chester PA. The GSC is located just off Route 202.


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