[FADCA] More Sedan

[bud Thompson]

Deltona
Sunday March 31 0720EST

Russ: Glad to see you back and catching up with your bazillion E-mails!


----- Original Message -----
From: <highlandfl@telocity.com>
To: <fadca@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2002 12:45 AM
Subject: Re: [FADCA] More Sedan


<snip>.
>
> My trip to Tallahassee in May will be later in the month,
> but, right now, I don't see a reason I could not go on May
> 5. I would, however, encourage a  demonstration of various
> systems rather than just a  presentation.  I  think a
> successful demonstration of the capabilities of the variety
> of systems available would be much better than just a
> presentation.

I don't know how we can make a successful demonstrtion my May 4th.  Part of
the reason that SEDAN is in the SEOC (perhaps with a lock) is that they got
there first!  Rather than boot-strap a demo on May 4th that would obviously
be a make-shift thing, I'd rather keep our time to a meaninful presentation
of what can be and presnet status.

FACT: All we need is a BBS at the EOC.  That would be a beginning.  If our
making a presentation in May resulted in just that, we could go from there.

>
> Now for the questions.
>
> 1. ARE there any HF digital stations that can be
> communicated with in the Tallahassee area that have VHF
> packet capabilities that can be used for both a
> demonstration and when we actually need it?

I checked with John AD4DO yesterday and his Winlink HF is down because of
receiver problems. I'm going to get hold of him and see if he thinks it
could be back up by May 4th.  When I discussed the SEOC vhf/BBS problem with
him two years ago he blew it off because of the lock SEDAN had - but I'm not
sure John actually has the 2M side of his Winlink system operational. I'll
check that too.

>
> 2. ARE there any HF or VHF to Internet gateways operational
> that can be used  to demonstrate and also be used when we
> actually need them?

That is not a problem.. I routinely get to a dozen a day on HF.  I just
linked with WL2K stations in TX, LA, NC, TN, OH, and Melbourne, FL in the
past hour or two.  Several e-mail messages were sent.

I will be making such a demo from the Deltona EOC tomorrow (Yeah it is April
1st!)  If that G5RV antenna will get out at all, I should be able to drop
e-mails on any e-mail inbox in the world.  My plan was to just send one to
the Fire Chief in Deltona - hoping it might get to his computer 120 ft away
while we are still in the demo mode.  Do you think I should include cc: to
John Fleming? Anyone else?

>
> 3.  ARE the resources in #1 and #2 available for repetitive
> tests and training prior to May 4 and afterward?

If we had a mobile/portable HF station set up we could demo that at TLH May
4th. We could link to any of several WL2K stations and send messages and
e-mails.  However, I do not recommend that.  Until folks are well-grounded
in bud's Mad Plan, just simply making a radio demo doesn't show anything but
radio capability - in itself, it does not show systematic results.

FACT: On its face, incorporating "e-mail" into emergency communications
plans will meet with resistance until it is better understood
systematically.

What I am proposing is a total integrated approach.  It includes the layered
packet network throughout the state which, in my opinion, should be
considered a local support function say, among adjacent counties.  If each
county EOC could communicate with its adjacent county EOCs, then by default
we'd have the whole state covered!  That said - let's face it - getting a
10K message file from North Port to Tallahassee w/o store-and-forward on
intermediate BBS(s) could take a while.  A 10K file can go over HF (any band
that will support propagation will do) in less than five to eight minutes
under weak signal conditions.  My idea is that groups of counties (typically
groups of five) could share an HF ARQ station- to which all counties EOCs
can get to over the layered packet network.

Assuming good 24/7 layered packet network coverage through to TLH SEOC, I'd
guess than EOCs from about Ocala north could just as well use it for large
file transfers.  From there South, it would be much more efficient to use
HF. The same BBBs station at the SEOC can take HF and vhf links
simultaneously.

Off to set up for testing at the Deltona EOC.

73,
bud N0IA