[FADCA] Fw: Internet/FBB/LINUX/FPAC

Fri, 1 Mar 2002 10:33:48 -0500

Russ,

I may not quite be in sync on this ...was out of town on business for a
couple of days and trying to catch up on all the emails.

Currently I am the only WL2K in Fla with active VHF/UHF ports. (145.09 and
441.00 1200 baud).  If there were a UHF backbone in Melbourne I could
probably hit it from Rockledge but it might mean adding a beam instead of
the 6 db vertical I have on 441. I can hit the 441 node in Cocoa. I would
have probably have to replace my 441 radio to make it work at 9600.

The other station N4RNM recently relocated to Key West (from Panama city)
but could install packet there if required.  He also has a high speed IP
link.

We are also working on a new addition to WL2K called a SMS node (Short
Message System node).  I have included a recent message (below) to Dale and
Bud on this FYI.  Once completed (probably a couple of months) this SMS node
could be installed anywhere there was a radio link and a internet link.
This could provide redundancy to the WL2K stations above.  The objective it
to allow it to run on a minimal computer (possibly a single board or even
PIC micro). Initially the software will be for windows 96 and up.

Let me know if I can help or provide additional technical info on the system
or the planned development efforts.  We would like to support the emergency
effort and help restore the Fla packet activity.

Rick KN6KB

Winlink Development Team

Message to Bud and Dale follows:

Dale,Bud
There is currently only a few WL2K stations running VHF/UHF packet although
the hardware and WL2K software easily accommodate this.  One thing I am
working on is what we call SMS (for short message system).  This will be an
alternate WL2K node (other than existing PMBOs) that is very simple (no
local database and only one software module) that could provide an alternate
link (primarily VHF/UHF packet but possibly HF) to the CMBO from any station
running the SMS node software.  The node software would require a connection
to the internet (dial up or full time) and of course a radio connection
(user, backbone or both).  The bandwidth is not a concern at the CMBO.  e.g.
I connect to the CMBO every 15 minutes and am processing about 500K bytes of
messages a day.  Most of my connections to the CMBO run 2-10 seconds. The
CMOB has a 1.5Mbit T1 connection and could handle many times the current 34
WL2K PMBOs.	The type of messages (mostly text) that would be passed during
an emergency take practically 0 time on the IP connection.  The SMS node
currently talks to the CMBO "on demand" so there is minimal latency.  For
example you could set up AirMail to make a packet connection to a node say
every 5 or 10 minutes (or on demand if QTC was pending from the AirMail
station) and the load to the CMBO would be pretty insignificant (assuming
there are not hundreds of these connections simultaneously).

We are still defining and working on this SMS node but all the components
are there and we are doing some initial testing with very simple (palm OS
type terminals). The SMS is currently compatible with the AirMail keyboard
module but we would probably want to add compatibility with standard FBB
(AirMail BBS<>BBS) and WL2K B2 protocols in a final implementation.

I think as you and Bud discussed it looks like a good alternative to the
"last mile" issue and could allow us to make best use of the internet and
the available VHF/UHF networks while maintaining redundancy within the
network.  I would be happy to work with you on this. Let me know if you have
other questions or suggestions.

Rick KN6KB
Winlink Development Team

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]On
Behalf Of [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2002 10:05 PM
Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Re: [FADCA] Fw: Internet/FBB/LINUX/FPAC

According to the Winlink page, as given below, there are 2 Winlink stations
in Florida:

Rockledge, Florida  KN6KB  on 145.090 and 441.000 + HF
Panama City, Florida N4RNM no vhf or uhf only HF

Not quite enough unless the last mile is is from 200 to 300 Miles except
Near Rockledge.  Do anyone know of more?

Russ

On Thu, 28 February 2002, "bud Thompson" wrote:

>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "bud Thompson" <[email protected]>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2002 5:36 PM
> Subject: Re: Internet/FBB/LINUX/FPAC
>
>
> > Deltona
> > Thursday Feb 28 1715EST
> >
> > Hi, Russ:
> >
> > Not sure I can take the time right now to do Justice to your
questions...
> > been very busy with MLB ROSE stuff and have a GAL report due tomorrow!
> > Arrrgh!
> >
> > > Can you provide a list of known existing Winlink 2000 (WL2K) stations
so
> > thier geographical locations can be mapped to see what may >currently
> exist
> > and where the "gaps" are?
> >
> > http://www.winlink.org/stations.htm
> >
> > will give you this information.  Check on World Map, click on any CALL,
> but
> > be careful- read below before browsing too deeply.
> >
> > WL2K, per se, is more an HF thing than anything else.  "Users" of WL2K
> > typically run Airmail as the terminal program - HF ARQ or packet on
> vhf/uhf.
> > Most users are /mm  or RVers - which, for our purposes,  represent
> tactical
> > operations inside the Last Mile w/o wireline connections.
> >
> > My concept is that tactical users inside  the Last Mile will run Airmail
> > packet to get to the wire line "connection" which will probably be
another
> > AirMail or a WL2K station where the beer, wine, and all flow freely
> through
> > the telnet port since it is outside the Last Mile.
> >
> > There are many WL2K stations in the world on HF and very few of those
are
> > also on local Packet - a definite flaw in the system.  That said, all we
> > need in/near the Last Mile here in FL is one Airmail or WL2K station
that
> is
> > linked to the Internet and we are in Fat City.  We can plan for that
link
> > through the HF MBO network that I've been involved with for 15 years.  I
> > link to participating stations from Washington state to New England and
> else
> > where.  We can set up a WL2K, AirMail, or Classic station(s) at any
> location
> > to do that.
> >
> > The good news is that, say here in FL, the Last Mile might be three
> > contiguous counties, the "connection" might be in Denver, Minneapolis,
> NYC,
> > New Delhi India, FW in TX, or the closest county EOC inside FL that has
a
> > wireline connection  - with only one HF AirMail station at the periphery
> of
> > the Last Mile the connection can be made.
> >
> > I fully realize this is not much different than what we know as
"Telnet".
> > However, my concept includes the fact that inside the Last Mile there
are
> so
> > few hams, much less non-licensed volunteers, who will understand
> "digital",
> > much less "telnet", - that we need to be using "e-mail" - which a
greater
> > number of hams and non-ham volunteers will understand.
> >
> > Bottom line: We need to dumb -down the work of data entry inside the
Last
> > Mile.
> >
> > 73,
> > bud N0IA
> >
> >
>
>
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