[Ares-races] Digital emergency communications

[Doug Younker]

Hello,

        Amateur radio is what it is and only can do what it can do.  The
trick is not to over sell the capabilities of amateur radio and amateur
radio operators with out understating what they can do. I'm not totally
against the inter connection of amateur radio and the internet.  For as long
as I have been aware of amateur radio and it's ability to serve in the event
of an emergency one of it's strong points was it's independence from other
means of communications.

    I have to feel endorsing Winlink the ARRL has overstated the
capabilities of amateur radio.  There was/is always the possibility that
amateurs couldn't fulfill their promise because of conditions out of their
control.  Planning for  traffic expected for amateurs to handle to be
transported by internet adds a level where failure can occur and the amateur
can't possibly effect.  The document I referred to shows using HF in the
event of an internet failure. I'm sorry I'm back to the first sentance in my
original post "I have to say that I'm very disappointed the ARRL chose not
aid building/designing a modern amateur radio digital network."  Endorsing a
method that will rely on what is, as far as I know, is a weak system, is
poor planning in light of some of the criteria stated for the planning.

Respectfully amateur digital communications has been in baby  steps for
years.  The passage of three years since 9/11/2001 is a moot point since
leadership by the ARRL in regards to using modern amateur digital
communications was non-existent prior to the attack on that date.

73
Doug, N0LKK
dougy at ruraltel.net


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