[FADCA] KISS - at first!

[Russell Oder]

Well put.
Thanks, Rick.

Folks, the day is past where we can get by with just any kluged thing that
is put together with wires running all over the place and is made from stuff
that everyone else in the communications "industry" has thrown away.  If we
are going to provide the level of communications that is needed, we are
going to have to use the most efficient and most reliable equipment,
processes, and delivery systems.

Just like the bad impression that is made when we show up in rumpled clothes
with patches sewn all over them wearing caps with 100 pins on them when we
meet with public officials, we can no longer present a "thrown together
collection of equipment that requires constant tinkering."  We must use the
latest technology available to us in  a professional manner and work to make
our systems operate when needed.

Does this cost money? Yes. Does it require organization and training? Yes.
Can one person be expected to carry the burden of funding these systems? No.
What are we to do?

Take personal initiative to learn as much as you can and practice the use of
these new systems.  Develop a response system and funding streams to support
your activities.  Organizations that have put themselves forward as being
concerned about and delivering a service to the community when a disaster
strikes, need to step forward and fund these new systems, train their
members, and develop a close working relationship with emergency management
and disaster response agencies in their community.

Russ, N4KOX

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rick Muething" <rmuething at cfl.rr.com>
To: <k4gbb at earthlink.net>; "Florida Amateur Digital Communication
Association" <fadca at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, September 13, 2004 1:13 PM
Subject: RE: [FADCA] KISS - at first!


> Charles/All
>
> Here is the dilemma....I don't know how to solve it.
>
> Tepac/WL2K already supports a crude and rudimentary keyboard mode. It is
NOT
> recommended, is slow and error prone and it wastes precious spectrum but
it
> works if someone insists. You can access it with ANY terminal program and
> send/receive text messages to radio or email users. To find out the
commands
> simply connect to Telpac or a WL2K Packet PMBO in keyboard mode and type H
> or Help. THIS IS NOT WHAT SERVED AGENCIES WANT, AND SHOWING THEM THIS WILL
> SCARE MOST AWAY! We know this...that is WHY we wrote Paclink AGW.
>
> If you want a client program that can send real E-mail (e.g. from MS
Outlook
> etc) which is what the served agencies ask for and must run on Win 95
> (please ...not DOS!) or 98/ME with low memory this is what is required.
>
> 1) A complete rewrite of something like Paclink AGW in VB6 or C.  It is
now
> in .NET and uses features of .NET which are not supported by those older
> languages/OS. We are talking maybe 3-4000 lines of code here.
>
> 2) A driver for virtually every TNC made....Especially old ones for the
guys
> who insist on using a 20 year old junk TNCs.  This is because AGWPE takes
> some significant horsepower/memory, is not trivial to set up and run and
> won't run on Win 95. I have written drivers (in Telpac) for a few TNCs and
I
> can confirm it is a nightmare.  You have to get the older TNCs and
> documentation (sometimes very weak or incorrect documentation). You have
to
> test it and you have additional problems due to firmware versions etc. The
> only thing that comes close to a "standard" is KISS like used in AGWPE but
> even this has many variations as you may have seen.
>
> The steps 1 and 2 above for a few TNCs I would estimate at maybe 6-10 man
> months given you have programming experience, access to the
> TNCs/Documentation and can interpret the existing Paclink AGW .NET source
> code.
>
> Now .....who is going to spend this 6+ man months to do this so we can
> capture perhaps an additional 10-20 percent of users that refuse to
upgrade
> to a modern OS with decent memory (a total of < $100).  Remember the
current
> software is free, is supported, works better and is more reliable than
> anything that is practical to write running on a 16 bit OS. Also remember
> that most of our "customers" (the served agencies) DON'T run on obsolete
> computers and OS.
>
> So my reply is to those that insist on having support for this old
equipment
> and OS is this.
> You have three choices:
> 1) Spend $100 and upgrade your OS & Memory
>
> OR
>
> 2) Spend $400 and buy a new modern computer
>
> OR
>
> 3) Write a spec for what you want programmed and try and find someone that
> will write it, test it, and support it for free.
>
> I wish I could write modern software for every computer ever made and
> support it for free but I can't.....Doing what we have (Winlink, Telpac,
> Paclink etc) is more than a full time job and it is not done yet.
>
> The bottom line comes down to two well known cliches:
> "Time is money"
> "You get what you pay for".
>
> Let me draw on a lesson learned from Frances:
> My back yard is currently full of dock lumber from those up river
neighbors
> that insisted on saving $100 by building their docks using galvanized
nails
> instead of stainless screws. My dock is still standing with its triple
> screwed planks. Often insisting on the cheapest cost more in the long run.
>
> We are talking about reliable Emergency communications here.....not glue,
> bailing wire and junk box breadboards.
>
> 73,
>
> Rick KN6KB
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: fadca-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:fadca-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Charles S Schuman
> Sent: Monday, September 13, 2004 11:15 AM
> To: FADCA - News Reflecter
> 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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