[FADCA] ARRL BOD Sanctions ARESCOM/WL2K

[bud thompson]

Deltona, FL
Sunday July 18

FADCA:  The E-mail over Ham Radio system to support EMCOMMs that we have
been promoting/discussing for more than a year just got a leg-up!

This just in from Steve K4CJX of the Winlink2K Development team:

"Today, the ARRL Board of Directors approved and endorsed the utilization of
Winlink 2000 as the National Digital Network of choice for the ARRL Amateur
Radio Emergency Service per the wording below. Minutes of the BOD will
reflect this as will several upcoming announcements.

The timing was just right for the first of a two-part article by Jerry
Reimer, KK5CA, South Texas Section Emergency Coordinator placed in the
August QST Public Service Column concerning the use of Winlink 2000 for ARES
(pages  82 83.)

The ARESCOM Committee will remain active in order to assist with the
integration of Winlink 2000 into the ARRL ARES.  More specific information
will be forthcoming.

Thanks to all those who made this possible, especially, Dick Mondro, W8FQT,
Chairman, and the other dedicated members of the ARRL ARESCOM ad-hoc
committee."

Steve, k4cjx
Winlink network administrator
Winlink development team

>From Dick W8FQT:  Action will be taken this morning. A motion has been
written with lots of support to:

"encourage further development and expansion of the network and to implement
a plan of implementation to insure that ARES will take a prominent role in
the management of this network"....and to "complete the negotiations and
agreements necessary to assure ARRL access to the WL2K Software."

"It is further resolved that the Board encourage the deployment of email via
Amateur Radio as exemplified by WL2K as an additional capacity provided to
agencies served by ARES."

Those are the exact words of the motion to be presented this morning. Sorry
I did not send this sooner but it has been a long day with another to come
up.

73, Dick