[Ares-races] Packet

[JOE]

At 04:35 PM 3/8/02 -0500, you wrote:
>What's it like elsewhere?

We have (or had) packet stations at many of the Emergency Operations 
Centers in Connecticut.  The State Office of Emergency Management supplied 
the packet station, but the town had to buy the computer and accessories, 
then get reimbursed.  The first thing that happened was that many towns 
found the unused computers and took them for other departments to use (it 
is town property, isn't it?)  The packet station was then unavailable for 
emergency uses.  One example was that "The town clerk needs the computer 
more than a ham does during an emergency".  Enough said about that.

>Is there a truly useful role for packet in emergencies (vs. voice)?

Yes it is, but it is difficult to keep a staff of trained hams to run the 
station.  It's like putting in a CW station for emergency use.  All HF 
licensed hams should be able to use it, but that's not reality.  Packet 
users are few and far between lately, and the ones that know how usually 
need to run the software that they are familiar with.  I've tried YAPP, 
Pacterm, and many of the other more popular programs, only to find out that 
most packeteers only know how to work the DX cluster.  Rightfully so, 
because it's probably the most popular mode of packet, but is not suited 
for emergency communication.

>If you're using it successfully, how'd you do it?

We never got it working successfully.  There was a program called "PACARES" 
or ARESPAC", something like that.  This was the most promising use of 
packet radio for emergency communications.  It was fully automated, could 
remotely turn on a printer to spit out a message to a non ham, and had 
built-in forms.  One ham could basically run a network of remote sites and 
send messages.  I don't know what ever happened to it.

>Anybody have experience using packet in actual emergencies? for what?

We tried to send messages that were received on State forms via 
packet.  The problem was trying to take the copy off the State Outgoing 
Message form, send it via packet, and get it back in the same places on the 
Incoming Message form on the other end.  Sounds easy?  Not always.  The 
State required 100% accuracy on messages.

>Is it worth it to keep working on "growing" packet?

Only if you can muster up the hams to operate it.

>Anything you can think of to help make it grow? ARRL support? easier 
>software? easier hardware?

Pursue the ARESPAC software, or something similar, that is automatic and 
fills out forms automatically.  This is going to be your best shot.

73, Good Luck
Joe, K1ike