[FADCA] RE: [wl2kemcomm] Gateway, Anyone?

[Bill Sinbine]

Since I posted bud's original message on this topic here since it didn't go 
through for some reason I figured I'd send these 2 replies to the list for 
the people that aren't on the wl2kemcomm list since they have to do with 
our network in support of EMCOMM's.
Like I said in the message we must keep all the tools in the tool box for 
the "last mile" to work. Right now I have this one and one other that I 
replied to that I'm going to post. If Y'all don't want me to cross post 
them then please let me know and I won't but I feel that we all need to 
keep up to date on the EMCOMM front. If you want you can join the list 
at    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wl2kemcomm/ . You don't have to get 
into sending any messages but you can learn a lot of what we are talking 
about supporting EMCOMM's here in Florida from that list.

73 and Happy New Year to all

Bill N4XEO

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Hi Lor and all

06:20 PM 12/30/2004, you wrote:

>OK Bud. It's all possible as you say.
>But is it worth it?

Yes it would be.
You have to remember that our "last mile" after the hurricanes was up to 
several hundred miles. We lost everything so the more we have the better 
our chances are that we can get out of the "last mile" !
You also need to keep support for pactor 1 at all times. Like I read in 
another post when you have a emergency you are going to have "normal" hams 
coming out with whatever they own to help out so we need to keep all the 
support we can. but this is another topic.


>If one has HF capability, even only Pactor I, why would we go the
>trouble to build an infrastructure other then the existing array of PMBO
>HF ports that are immediately available

The average ham doesn't own pactor type tnc's. You have to be ready to be 
able to use whatever the average ham has to offer in a emergency. Yes there 
is a need to have all the big $$$ tied up in a PMBO set up at a hardened 
site, but you can't expect to have a responder have all this tied up just 
incase he or she needs to come out and help. You need to keep ALL the tools 
in the tool box and not trash the wrenches because a impact with sockets is 
faster. If all someone has are wrenches and all you have is the impact then 
you have nothing.


>, with no intervening points of
>failure. I think you have taken Russ' original case and warped it into a
>wild infrastructure scheme. Why? I'm not seeing it.

For the most part we have the state of Florida covered except for across 
the top of the state. We have been trying for years to get sponsors up 
there but that is another story!
If we were to get some of these gateway type of sites in the area of 
Florida that we have NOTHING then just maybe we would get people interested 
in setting up a local packet network. This would only help with the 
EMCOMM's that we are working towards.If this were to happen and they had a 
emergency then they would have something to use that they don't now.
You have to remember that Florida was hit by FOUR hurricanes this year and 
we still have a lot of damage that hasn't been fixed.  This includes our 
network.


>I think you're hinting that this is a good way to get some hams to play.

Isn't that the MAIN reason that we became hams? I know that it is for me. 
If I couldn't play then there wouldn't be any point in me doing any of this 
since I don't get paid for it!!

>Is that our objective?

It should be!
If you don't "play" with what you have made then how will you know if it 
will work when you need it in a emergency?
If you don't "play" with the network then how are you going to learn how to 
use it in a emergency?
If you don't "play" with the system how are you going to teach others how 
to use it.
Let's face it we are ALL "playing " with it all the time. Let's hope that 
all we ever have to do is "play" with the system. If you aren't playing 
with it then you are using it for a emergency and I don't want to ever have 
to do that again!!!!


>Lor W3QA