One More Visit Digital Drill 4-4

STXARES
1

Greetings Ham Radio Operators,

Please join me in recognizing NR5US, KM5VC, KV5M, NY5A, N5OEY, NW5R, W5MAX, and KB5FLX for taking digital messages from their respective QTH and our NCS group WA5ROE and KF5WDJ during Digital Drill 4-4.

I want to THANK all ham operators across the state that participated in the digital portion and relayed for other operators. Your support and enthusiasm is very much appreciated!

Not only me, but what I have been told via phone and email that the drill was a learning event. So, pat yourself on the back.

We need to conduct an After Action Review (AAR) for the drill. Basically, answer three questions:
1. What went good?
2. What went bad?
3. A quick fix – or, a fix.
Please provide your thoughts on the above. I will not tell anyone to be short, but your “Cliff Notes” version will provide great insight to adjustments, improvements, and progress. Yes, there may be some in depth questions. And, many know that we have numerous “digital gurus” in the state. So, those questions will be forwarded to them for their review and response. (I just put them on the spot!)

Send your responses to me at jths_68@yahoo.com. (There is an underscore between the s & 6). So reviews can start, your reply by 4-9-20 would be appreciated.

Keep the dust from settling on your equipment, there may be another drill very soon!

With the COVID-19 situation, the first order of business is to take care of yourself and your family!

Thanks to all,
Joe, KB5DTS

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Greetings Hams ,

Thank You To all those stations that took traffic you guys are the backbone of this mission Kudos to all would were able to participate >

Noel Villarreal – KD5PMU

Texas State RACES DRO # 17

3

Wooo hoooo!!

Thank you all for donating your equipment and your time for this endeavor, even though I was not able to make any contacts, I am looking for the next drill.

Glad to be part of this team

73’s

Mario Monaco

KI5CEA.

4

I’m kind of like Amy I was not able to make a contact. For all practical purposes I think that in a real emergency setting where cell and land lines go down, power goes down that Winlink would be a failure, a communicator would definitely need a laptop and a stable power supply such as automobile or a generator, if we take lessons from Washington State then ham radio handhelds were about the only way of communication for police, fire, and emergency medical. The best and most dependable communication is still phone (voice) on 7.290, 3.678, 146.94, 147.18. and others as designated. It’s my opinion of course I think Winlink may be fun to play with but otherwise it’s a piece of crap.

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You need to understand, Winlink on VHF is only as good as being able to connect to a VERY close gate or digipeter. Nothing magic about range using VHF, it is still really considered only short range.

Not talking about Telnet via VHF: assuming here the internet is down.

Winlink on HF can be longer range, as HF implies. Standard protocol in emergencies is Pactor. HF Winlink could be radio-to-radio at greater distance, or able to hit an internet gate at longer distances.

Your frustration may be from the range limitations of VHF (and lack of nearby gates or digipeters ).

Same goes for HF.

Don’t give up so quick.

Don N5CID

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Morning George,

I read your posting about what you think would happen during a “Bad Day” and I agree with you that most like our cell phone service would be down. We say that happen during hurricane Rita that did so much damage to our electrical grid. When the cell tower system back up generators ran out of fuel we lost service.

I sorry to here that you had problems connecting to a Winlink gateway server during the exercise last Saturday. You didn’t state what digital mode that you were trying to use for your connection. There could be several issues that prevented you from connecting.

  • Propagation - can be a little tricky and as an HF operator I’m sure you know how to use an read ourTexas Austin Ionosone that will give you an excellent picture of what the propagation is doing here in Texas. If you have never used it here is a link to it: https://www.region6armymars.org/resources/solarweather.php
  • Second reason is your setting on your Winlink software might not be correct or you have distortion in your pactor, winmor, etc signal. This can affect the receiving station (gateway) radio system not understand your station digital signal. We see this a lot on amateurs stations trying to connect.
    On thing that I will have to disagree with your statement is that the Winlink system will fail without the internet. Yes during normal time this system does depend on the internet to move traffic just like Web EOC does. But the HF Trimode Winlink gateway station have the ability to recognize that it has lost it’s internet connection and switches to “radio only” mode to move it’s traffic throughout the Winlink system. This is why is so important that a members sets up his Hybrid Network Parameters correctly. Yes without do this you want get you mail because the Winlink system doesn’t know what to do with it. No it not the system failure, it the person behind the keyboard for not doing it. But as you stated the use of automobile and generators can be used during an emergency. So I am running a whole house generator that will support my house along with both my Winlink gateway RMS station.

I know in Harris County the Sheriff’s department has been on line for years with back up generators. Note only do they need to keep their jail up and running, but provide protecting for our community. There has never been any time that I’m aware of that they had to use ham radios to keep their dispatch or radio running. Beside that all their deputies, dispatcher, etc would have to be a amateur radio operator to operate them. So I’m not sure how Washington state is getting away with that?

As an emergency amateur radio operator we should be practicing “be prepared”. We’ve all got a good taste of that from this Corona virus pandemic. Good example toilet paper who would have every guess would have been a shortage??? But we learn as we go and with four females in my house that’s one HARD lesson I want forget.

George if you need any help setting up you Winlink Express software I would be glad to give you a hand. Just drop me an e-mail and I will send you my cell and we will get up up and running.

Hope everyone is staying safe, and remember amateur radio operators have been practicing social distance for many years now. I would also congratulate Joe for all his work in putting together a very successful exercise last Saturday. Joe I’m looking forward to the next one.

73,
Ken
W5KAM

In a message dated 06/04/2020 14:43:33 Central Standard Time, georgejlimacher@outlook.com writes:

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Amen!!

Regards

73’s
Mario Monaco
KI5CEA