[FADCA] KISS - at first!

[bud thompson]

My comments at the end of this original message:

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Charles S Schuman" <k4gbb at earthlink.net>
To: "FADCA - News Reflecter" <fadca at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, September 13, 2004 11:14
Subject: [FADCA] KISS - at first!


> In order for Telpac to gain precognition as a valuable tool for local 
> emergency groups it must be accessible from UHF/VHF with a reasonably 
> simple terminal program. Many operators do have TNC2s that can be dragged 
> out of the closet and fired up. Once the value of Telpac & Paclink are 
> realized the volunteer base can be convinced to upgrade their equipment.
>
> Rick Wrote:
>
> "The basic facts are: If you want modern and supported software like 
> Telpac, Paclink etc you have to bite the bullet and keep the computers 
> reasonably upgraded.  Win 95 is 10 years old it is just not practical to 
> develop and support free modern software that has to run on computers and 
> OS that are obsolete.  IF you want to run a terminal program and type in 
> all the data manually you can probably stick with this older OS and 
> code...but it is just too hard to try and develop and support this code 
> when computers and upgrades are so cheap today."
>
> I have to agree with him, but The ARES/RACES volunteers who have to be
> converted to packet are NOT going to be be enticed to "try" the new 
> technology If they have to put out $$$ to upgrade. In Marion and 
> especially Citrus county the AR population is mainly Snow Birds, retirees 
> on a fixed income, who are making do with their Old equipment.
>
> Now give them a New tool that will work with their Old equipment. If it 
> proves to be invaluable.. they will somehow upgrade.
>
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Deltona, FL

For purposes of this comment, Client = served agency worker (i.e. Red Cross, 
shelter manager's assistant, Health Department worker, ESFs

Comment-

Inside a last mile -

The value of the new e-mail over ham radio system is seamless (and fully 
automatic) end-to-end e-mailing between clients of ham radio e-mail servers 
where one or the other client is inside a last mile.  Another major value is 
for a ham radio operator to send seamless end-to-end e-mails for EMCOMMs 
purposes without a direct internet connection.  The fully automatic part 
means the client(s) is using a standard familiar e-mail client to 
edit/send/receive e-mail messages.

There is virtually no added value over written (NTS) messaging provided by 
the system if a client must depend on the ham radio operator to send the 
information/e-mail file employing a conventional terminal program using 
keyboard and up/loading files techniques through a Telpac node or to a PMBO.

"converted to packet..."

While there may be some value for a packet-experienced ham who is using a 
terminal program/keyboarding/uploading files to use the system, the ham who 
has to drag his TNC2 out of the closet (i.e. can't find the radio to TNC 
cables, has virtually no experience using terminal programs and packet 
radio) simply won't be able to do it!  He/she will, however be able to use a 
familiar e-mail client such as Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, Netscape, 
etc.

As for spending $$$ to upgrade -   I just this morning tested out two OLD 
KAMs (pre KAME and KAM+) for a friend.  The one with EPROM version 5.0 works 
just fine with AGW PE/ Paclink AGW/Winlink AGW.  The one with EPROM  version 
2.5 did not (It probably doesn't have KISS mode or I don't know how to put 
it in KISS.)  At hamfests these are throw-away items.  Since Kantronics no 
longer supports that OLD KAM, there is nothing wrong with burning an EPROM 
for updating.  The source code is available from Kantronics.

Since these back-to-back disasters here , and we were not beyond Beta 
Testing our system - we did not have many clients actually geared up to use 
the system (i.e. client computers on a LAN with the Ham Radio Server 
computer)... I've got Lessons Learned - -

We must gather up those few hams who are interested and will spend the $$$ 
to set up a Win2000 or XP laptop for tactical use.  This may be an 'elite' 
group since there is money involved (though I really think it is not all 
that much of a problem for the dedicated)... This group will learn a lot 
about packet, networking, configuring Paclink AGW, configuring e-mail 
clients for additional (tactical) accounts, etc..  Once an ARES group has 
three or four folks who are leading like this, others will follow and this 
leadership group will - lead the way.

After these back-to-back disasters - this is my personal goal - to get as 
many folks to get a tactical e-mail server working as possible - after we 
get a bunch of TelPacs on their respective LANs.

bud N0IA