[FADCA] Modifying Consumer Off the Shelf Wireless LAN devices for special...
D.Calder
n4zkf at n4zkf.com
Wed Mar 10 10:33:13 EST 2010
You lost me after the first page. :)
It will need to wait until I have some more time to finish it.
I was asked yesterday to finish the PPT for the trip. I have to include
"what" HAMS are and what they do, etc.
Anyone got one, let me know.
Our agreement we are working on is it will be as said before. Have to use an
"approved" vendor (I got one)
We would have to move the rad center if a paying carrier wanted it, etc.
Anyway, someone have a PPT worked up already, let me know.
73 Dave n4zkf
-----Original Message-----
From: fadca-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:fadca-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of bud Thompson
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 10:16 AM
To: Florida Amateur Digital Communication Association
Subject: Re: [FADCA] Modifying Consumer Off the Shelf Wireless LAN
devicesfor special...
Deltona
March 10, 2010
A lot of material presented in a single e-mail. -- Whew!
I'll not include the entire original e-mail - only quotes to remind me
where I am!
bud N0IA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Royce, Philip" <proyce at alachuasheriff.org>
To: "Florida Amateur Digital Communication Association"
<fadca at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 16:27
Subject: Re: [FADCA] Modifying Consumer Off the Shelf Wireless LAN
devices for special...
"I would like to suggest that we have every month a project to work
on, and then implement if possible."
* * *
A different project each month might be a tad much - I suggest we
might focus on specific project(s) - one someone needs to solve and
get those processed and implemented at the local level(s) - then move
on. . Maybe we could do more than one a month concurrently - but not
likely a major project every month.
* * *
" This month has started out looking for high speed RF hardware. . .
.. . This needs to be for anyone to be able to install and maintain
so we don't spread ourselves thin."
Okay - in so far as we can get some agreement on how to make it work -
It would be best if we had some commonality of hardware, etc. . . that
could make purchases and spares a little less expensive. Certainly
proof of principle tests would be informative as to effectiveness
before much money is spent.
There have been so few working on anything - spreading thin has been
the rule. I suggest we look for what needs to be done to solve some
local needs and see if we can get help for that - perhaps that will
lead to having so much do to we'll get more interest and help.
This would be like what we are doing to get Gainesville FPAC with
backbone ports.
* * *
" Something that was very interesting from last week's messages was
the start of last mile LAN connectivity via wireless devices instead
of radio/tnc combos. . . . .. . . . it should not be hard to do the
same to a closed LAN network. We still need to use RF to go from
site to site but the local LAN could be worked via wireless."
Yes intriguing to be sure - but I don't believe the place to start is
at the USER LAN level. I look at the user LAN level as covering a
20-25 mile radius from a centrally-sited switch.
I took notice of the 1000 mw < $100 'Bullet' Jerry referenced.
The last time I'd looked such devices were well in to the multi
hundred dollar range.
However, I don't believe the LOCAL last mile in FLORIDA is quite ready
for 2.4GHz Wi-Fi - from a practical stand point - having a central LAN
(i.e. 2.4GHz port on Linux FPAC switch) to serve users
ominidirectionaly out to a 20-25 mile radius. If EOCs, hospitals,
other FIXED points could use fixed dishes/beams aimed at the LAN/site
that would be fine - but the centrally- sited LAN/Switch would have to
be omni - to get the 20 mile radius. 2.4GHz tactical operations,
assignments to non-fixed sites, mobile, etc, out to 20 miles with
minimal antennas would be a challenge. Perhaps there are other
antenna arrangements that could provide the omni coverage - maybe
someone can give some links.
There is nothing wrong in including a 2.4GHz user port on an FPAC
switch - but that should not be consdered the main user port for
tactical operations.
There will always be a need for tactical operations away from fixed
sites.
We have so few served agencies invovled at this time - even with 1200b
ham radio packet - that trying to jump to 2.4GHz might be a leap of
faith.
For me, where the $100 Bullet came in is for high-speed links between
LANs. Establishing high speed links does not directly affect the
served agencies or individual users in terms of hardware or installing
gear, but benefits all LAN users - EOCs Served Agencies, individuals,
tactical operations, etc. . Where we don't yet have links between
existing switches (or ineffective ones) the advent of $300 total
hardware for a two-backbone port switch (working at warp speed) is
attractive compared to 9.6kb UHF packet where the hardware could be
$400 per port.
This weekend -Chuck KB4DJT and I started an off-line thread
resurrecting what several of us had discussed three years ago - but
the $250+ "Bullet" type units squelched the idea. With the
possibility of $300 hardware per site for two backbones- and the
possibility of the "Boston Trip" (and what Phil KE4PWE discussed at
HamCation regarding finding towers/sites ) - 2.4GHz wi-fi over 20-25
mile links may be possible. As an example - it is likely that only
three - maybe four 2.4GHz tower sites strategically located would be
required along the I-4 corridor between Orlando (260ft msl) and Tampa
(300+ ft msl) FPAC switches. Where one or more of the intermediate
2.4GHz sites happened to be in a populated area - a local
user-accessible vhf/uhf LAN should also be considered.
It is possible that I could play around with a pair/set of hardware
and eventually try a proof-of-principle test over a 23 mile link
between two of my switch sites. All details have to be worked out
before I can come up with a list of hardware - but KP4DJT and I will
be working on that. I believe that Bernie W4BGH in the Tampa area has
taken notes. Monday I made arrangements for one free DBS Dish (have
not picked it up yet,) and will likely find another by the time I'd
need it. N4ZKF is going through his storage looking for a pair of WRT
routers for me to tear in to.
If someone else wants to help out -or work on their own we can
collaborate.
So - we have a project that could be on-going for several months -
unless someone has more time than I do!
* * * *
". . . a eth wireless connection, like the one device in the last
emails, at the FPAC switch and have a laptop with a
wireless card at a shelter or hospital using the existing mail
programs that we are using for both types of mail will it work
properly?? . . . .
If the 2.4GHZ (HAM BAND CHANNEL(s) port on the FPAC switch looked like
a WAP that might work. If the laptop communicates with that FPAC port
as though it were an internet connection - then the laptop is on the
internet just like at home. In the case of linking to the WL2K CMS
for e-mail - the Paclink program (below) would manage that using the
telnet Channel.
"Also include in the how-to the encryption means so that only the
laptops assigned will talk to that access point and nothing else"
HOWEVER - any 'radio' that links to an FPAC port over the ham bands
must be identified with a Ham Radio Call (i.e. MYCALL) In the case of
WL2K Client Programs - this would require the Paclink Program to be
installed on EACH USER laptop with a different Ham Radio Call. While
SSIDs on one Ham Call can be used - it still requires the Client
Program to be installed on each laptop using the Ham Band to link.
This is definitely not practical as many (if not most) agencies would
likely not permit this.
If we keep all this as "Ham Radio," the user site (i.e. EOC, Shelter,
etc.) must have a Ham Licensee as 'control operator' of the Ham Radio
station utilizing the laptop/wireless card Ham Band Channels on the
2400MHz band, as we do now over 2M or UHF packet. Many user (agency)
laptops could be under this 'control' by a single Ham Radio Licensee.
(Discussion on such generally bring Ham Radio Lawyer wannabees outta
the word work - here is where those should go to avoid a lot of
repetitious e-mails on the topic:)
The following Yahoo group is where a lot of the 'what is and what is
not legal' by our Part 97 Rules is cussed and discussed. It is also
where most of the EMCOMMs folks share ideas/experiences: "Purpose of
the group is to share ideas, uses, methods and procedures of utilizing
Winlink 2000 for Disaster Recovery/Emergency Preparedness; and to
include any other organization/agency that employs or is considering
employing Winlink 2000 for this purpose."
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wl2kemcomm/
Back to the EOC-to-FPAC via 2.4GHz . . .
HOWEVER, our current task to support EMAs is not to provide internet
connection, but to provide digital messaging. It is not necessary
that agency laptops/computers link directly to the Ham Radio Network
Switch - in fact for digital messaging that is ill-advised as noted.
* * *
Here is how it works with WL2K at a site where several non-licensed
EMCOMMs users use e-mail over Ham Radio.
Only a single Ham Radio Computer with a ham radio link to reach one or
more RMS sites is required.
The WL2K Client program Paclink (With a Ham Call ID) on the Ham
Computer works with any of the following to the outside world where
available:
Telnet direct to CMS (infers a local internet connection)
Packet to RMS Packet (infers packet radio/TNC/antenna)
Pactor to RMS Pactor (HF) (Infers Pactor controller/HF radio/HF
antenna)
Winmor to RMS Winmor (HF) (soon- beta ongoing testing now.)
(Infers soundcard/HF radio/antenna.)
NOTE - Only 'one way out' is needed.
Paclink will work with any POP3/SMTP E-mail Client (i.e. Outlook
Express, Outlook, Thunderbird, Netscape, Windows Mail, etc, etc.)
Each user laptop has an @winlink.org TACTICAL e-mail account - used
only to identify the E-Mail account in the user's laptop. The user's
laptop is on a computer LAN with the Ham Radio Computer.
Paclink will act as an e-mail server to all computers on a computer
LAN. Each computer, including the Ham Radio/Packlink computer, can
have one or more unique TACTICAL e-mail accounts at winlink.org. Thus
a single Paclink program running on the 'ham radio' computer can serve
many client computers on the EOC/Shelter LAN.
This EOC LAN can be wired, 'wireless,' or mixed. We have demonstrated
all this (except Winmor) many times at HamFests, Seminars, Forums
around the state. We presently have this set up at the DeBary EOC
(a.k.a. Mayberry USA) and EMA workers can come in and set up their
laptops. It is also set up at the Seminole County EOC, and four other
City EOCs in Seminole and Volusia Counties.
Only a single licensed control operator need be present at each site.
Only one laptop/computer is communicating directly with the outside
world via ham radio. No WL2K-related software need be installed on
any agency computer.
Once configured, Packlink runs in the background and can be configured
to automatically send/poll for e-mail.
* * *
" . . . and if it does [work] can we get a simple how-to paper on how
to make this work for all of us and people that will be coming into
this project in the future(diagrams too?)"
There is an old Power Point show (circa 2006) on the FADCA website -
Left pane down to EMCOMM Power Point Presentations then down to
E-mail Over Ham Radio - How do Hams Do That?
(Self-running about three minutes)
Note the Paclink program used to be called Paclink AGW and RMS Packet
sites used to be called Telpac Nodes - PMBOs are no longer required as
all RMS sites bridge users directly to the internet.
* * *
"The wireless cards will have to have outside antenna such as a
cantenna or be an outside device within 3miles of the site. (VISION)
(Wireless device on top of school building shelter with rj45 jack in
office connected to laptop talking to FPAC switch)"
That portends a lot of hardware - complete set for each laptop on
rooftop.
A three-mile LAN coverage would not be effective for EMCOMMs. The
Layered Packet Network sites are typically located 20 - 50 miles
apart. LAN coverage between sites is required for effective tactical
operations. Volunteer hams deploying can't be expected to have dishes
or large antennas - or taking time to get antennas aimed. Here in the
three counties where I have FPAC switches I don't know of any shelters
or EOCs that are within three miles of a switch.
* * *
> For more info on the upcoming hamfest go to:
> http://www.gars.net/hamfest/
There are several WL2K-related power point shows available on the web
and I've got several Power Point Slides on the Layered Network - let
me know if you want some to review.
If I can get the two UHF GE Rangrs and a couple of 9.6kb TNCs ready to
go for the Gainesville switch I might try to make the Gainesville
HamFest - we'll see how that goes.
73,
bud N0IA
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