[Ares-races] Packet

[jack swift]

At 04:35 PM 3/8/02 -0500, Ralph Milnes wrote:
>
>1. There are few other ARES-RACES units to talk to with packet .. the County or State OEMs don't seem to be into it. The Red Cross units don't seem to have packet support from their ARES units. We'd more or less be talking within our little group.
>
>2. It would be hard to maintain a packet network locally .. we just don't have that many packet-capable and outfitted operators.
>
>We sense that packet or other digital modes might be useful in emergency communications -- it's accurate, uses less frequency time, can run unattended, suited for archiving and hard copy print-outs ---  but there just doesn't seem to be "critical mass" of operators or interested ARES/RACES units around here.
>
>What's it like elsewhere?
>Is there a truly useful role for packet in emergencies (vs. voice)?
	red cross shelter inhabitant information cannot be sent by voice.
	lists of data are more efficiently and accurately sent by digital modes (Army MARS prefers digital modes for their formal messages)

>If you're using it successfully, how'd you do it?
	although we have several club-maintained nodes in the area, there are only a few packeteers using them. at the time of the exercise, we had 3 people who had semi-portable packet setups (laptop/tnc/ht) and used them fairly effectively. we should have had more training sessions and since that exercise the key semi-portable stations ahve moved out of the area -- i think we'd be in trouble now...

>Anybody have experience using packet in actual emergencies? for what?
	used it at a simulated evacuation between the shelters and the ARC office.

>Is it worth it to keep working on "growing" packet?
	grow enough that you will have what you need when you need it

>Anything you can think of to help make it grow? 
	ARES unit member acceptance of it's usefulness
	training programs and exercises
	weekly digital nets encouraging the use of semi-portable stations just like you encourage the use of ht's and battery-powered bases during your weekly voice nets.

>ARRL support? 
	it's not a national issue, just local
>easier software? 
	there are already plenty of free terminal programs
>easier hardware? 
	it's already easy enough (TNC and laptop)
>
>



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Jack Swift
I.E. Swift Co.              
402 Shelden Ave. 
Houghton, MI 49931
906-482-0530, 0531, 7766
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