[FADCA] More Sedan

Fri, 29 Mar 2002 08:58:14 -0500

Folks,
While up in NYC doing work for ConEd I got the following notes from
the loca ARES/RACES person, looks like the SEDAN person is trying
to force his junk on all of us with the "we have the in to the state
EOC" message...

First e-mail sent to a small group here in the Hillsborough area
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Gentlemen:

You are getting this because you have expressed an interest in expanding 
digital modes of amateur radio communications in Hillsborough County.

There are several projects in various stages of progress that are directly 
related to each other:

1) Installing a "Big Stick" node in Hillsborough County. (440 MHz repeater 
linked to the Manatee County repeater)
2) Setting up the "Digital Wireless Network" node of the WCF digital plan 
in Hillsborough County.
3) Providing SSTV and/or ATV services between the Hillsborough County EOC 
and their mobile command post.

Two additional things I would like to see as the new RACES Officer/ARES 
Emergency Coordinator for Hillsborough County, are the installation of APRS 
and SEDAN in the Hillsborough County EOC for commications to the State 
Warning Point / FDEM EOC in Tallahassee.

I would like your help in getting a SEDAN node up and running at the EOC 
before April 24th, if possible. This would allow ARES/RACES to pass 
messages to Tallahasse as a backup method to ESATCOM. Listed below is a 
recent e-mail to me from Tom Nolan, KD4MWO iwho s the FLA-SEDAN network 
manager.

When are you available to meet at Hooter's to discuss these digital projects
?

Thanks.

Gary
KC5QCN
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Here is a reply to a note I sent him:
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Chuck,

I appreciate your comments. As the new RACES Officer/ARES Emergency 
Coordinator for Hillsborough County, I am trying to improve voice and 
digital communications at the local EOC. I am charged with providing backup 
communications both for both local and statewide coverage. It makes no 
difference to me as to how it works or what type method, just that it works.

John Fleming, who runs ESF-2 communications for the Florida Department of 
Emergency Management at the EOC in Tallahassee recommends SEDAN be 
installed in all of Florida's 67 county EOCs as backup amateur 
communications to the state's ESATCOM system.
At present, SEDAN is the only amateur digital mode installed at the state 
EOC. Voice HF, VHF, and UHF amateur communications are also available in 
the State EOC.

Far from being the expert in this area, I defer to you and other's opinions 
in this matter. If the FADCA packet network is "better" than the SEDAN 
packet network, than I am all for it. I just need some help getting a 
working packet network installed in the Hillsborough County EOC that will 
allow communications between the Tampa EOC and the Tallahassee EOC.

I suggest that FADCA convince Mr. Fleming that it's network is better than 
the flat SEDAN network and that the FADCA system should be installed in the 
state EOC in Tallahassee.

I look forward to meeting with you and the others on your return to Tampa 
to discuss this and the other digital agenda items.

Gary
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Here is another note I received from here:
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-
Chuck,

Below is a copy of a reply to an inquiry I sent to John Fleming, WD4FFX, 
who is the ESF-2 communications coordinator for the State Warning Point at 
the Florida Division of Emergency Management  State Emergency Operations 
Center in Tallahassee.

It appears that we will need to install two packet stations in the 
Hillsborough County EOC:

1)      The SEDAN "flat" packet network to allow digital 
keyboard-to-keyboard communications between the Hillsborough County EOC 
in     Tampa and the State of Florida EOC in Tallahasse.

2)      The FADCA "multi-layered" packet network to allow digital 
communications to other emergency agencies and amateurs.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management is hosting a statewide SEDAN 
meeting at the State Warning Point/EOC on Saturday May 4, 2002 from 9am - 
12pm at FDEM headquarters located at 2555 Shumard Oaks Boulevard 
Tallahassee, FL 32399. FDEM will give a tour of the State EOC and the 
communications capabilities of the State Warning Point. They would like a 
FADCA representative to give a presentation on the FADCA network and why a 
FADCA network should be installed alongside of the current SEDAN network. 
Maybe you or someother FADCA representative could attend that SEDAN meeting
?

Anyway...... Let's get together soon at Hooter's and plan for installing a 
FADCA node at the Tampa EOC.

Gary

>Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 10:03:19 -0500
>From: "John Fleming" <[email protected]>
>To: <[email protected]>
>Cc: <[email protected]>
>Subject: Re: Hillsborough County ARES/RACES
>
>Gary, we opted for the SEDAN because at that time it was viable and proven 
>and could be accessed with the most simple equipment, 1200 baud TNC's, no 
>discriminator mods, simple nodes, etc...
>
>Nothing since then has changed our thinking...
>
>FADCA has potential and probably will be a workable system sometime but as 
>of now, it does not have the coverage of SEDAN, requires a much more 
>sophisticated infrastructure and a higher level of technical competence 
>and ability to operate than does SEDAN and has not really matured yet into 
>a system that has the reliability, coverage and ease of use as SEDAN.
>
>If you'll look at FADCA's home page (http://www.fcrosby.com/fadca/) you'll 
>see very little coverage north of mid-state as opposed to the existing 
>SEDAN network which has multi-state coverage now and is being expanded 
>daily....of course, parts of the website are 5 years out of date so I 
>don't know how accurate the data is...
>
>for the simple type of e-mail based messaging and the mailboxes we are 
>using on SEDAN, the 1200 baud speed is not a limitation and in fact may be 
>an advantage..
>
>we could, I think, jump on the FADCA system right now but our space and 
>technology and operators are limited in the State Warning Point and there 
>is really no reason to, as well as SEDAN is working....
>
>to answer your question, there are no plans to put in a FADCA drop at the 
>State Warning Point...if you have some suggestions or proposals, we'd sure 
>like to hear them...Tom is having a Statewide SEDAN system meeting in here 
>in early May and maybe somebody from FADCA could give us a 
>presentation....at the very least, you might plan on coming up, meet the 
>SEDAN guys and see the SWP...we'd like to meet you...
>
>and either congratulations or sympathy is in order for your 
>appointment...whichever one you want...
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Looks like they have a strangehold on the state EOC from my view

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