[Ares-races] Packet

[Paul Cavnar]

Hi Ralph -

Well, I think I can shed some light on your packet situation.  Three
years ago, there was one packet "node" that had been in operation
for 12 years and one packet station that sent a beacon ID every
10 minutes.  Two of our ARES guys decided to dig theirs out of the
closet and dust them off.  They discovered they worked just as new
and were then exchanging messages back and forth.

Then, our local Red Cross Chapter found out we actually had hams
who could run packet and we had some equipment donated for the
chapter radio desk and set up our packet there.  This was almost
two years ago.  Now, I would venture to guess that there are about
30 hams in our area on packet.  Our NWS office has a full-time
packet station setup where weather spotters can send their reports
and they print out on the printer as they are received.  There is a
packet station at the VA hospital station running 24/7, mine is on
the air 24/7 and I would think there are about 12 that can be seen
during the day on-line.

If you use it, people will usually oblige.  With the internet being
dependent upon local dial-up service, packet is a neat back up
during emergencies, not to mention the other 'normal' uses.

The University of Reno Police EOC will have packet up and running
by spring as well as a full-on node on one of the highest mountains
in the area that will compliment the coverage of the existing RNO
node.  I am expecting that the new node will be capable of single
hop connections to the north by 200-250 miles into northern
California with ease and it will be easy to connect the two area NWS
offices together via packet as well....

Several of our ARES members also have portable packet stations
running on laptops or other portable computers.  I have two complete
setups that are ready to go if needed.  We found that a show & tell
time for these setups is helping renew interest in packet radio and
there are several unique portable stations that I have seen in the
last year.

Just my $.02....

73, Paul - NN7B