[FLARES] ARRL BOD Report on ARES

[Harvey, Robert]

Jim

Sherri Brower attend our Harris amateur radio club meeting last week.  She
mentioned there have been suggestions that the NTS move to a digital net in
order to speed up the movement of message traffic.  I am a member of Navy MARS.
We use AMTOR both at the state and regional level.  It is more reliable than
voice.  Navy MARS HQ has sent a message requesting those members who run Pactor
III to participate in a nation wide test of Pactor III.  Lets keep an open mind
and try a faster means of communications.  The amateur community has always been
on the leading edge of technology.  Lets consider taking a national asset, NTS,
and upgrading it to meet the requirements of emergency management personnel.

Bob Harvey
K4FSS

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Goldsberry [mailto:kd4gr@comcast.net]
Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2003 11:53 PM
To: flares@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [FLARES] ARRL BOD Report on ARES


The ARRL Board of Directors has received its report from the Volunteer Resources
Committee on our Field Services Organization.  Their is a very brief summary of
the report on the ARRL website.  The following is a excerpt from the minutes of
the BOD meeting:

25. Mr. Walstrom, as Chairman, continued with the report of the Volunteer
Resources Committee. On motion of Mr. Walstrom, seconded by Mr. Fallon, the
following resolution was proposed: 

WHEREAS, there are situations when the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)
must have the capability to pass traffic across the nation quickly and
accurately, and 

WHEREAS, future expectations of ARES for such a nationwide emergency message
handling capability will likely increase, especially with the ARRL's recent new
Citizens Corps partnership with the Department for Homeland Security, and 

WHEREAS, such a capability is not currently available to ARES, 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Directors of the American Radio Relay
League immediately establish an ad hoc committee of members to develop a
comprehensive program to enhance the current ARES emergency communications
capability to include rapid and accurate handling of long range (inter-state,
national, and international) emergency communications. The efforts of this
committee will be coordinated with the ARRL Headquarters Field and Educational
Services Department and overseen by the Volunteer Resources Committee. This
committee will provide a preliminary plan to be presented to the Board at its
Annual Meeting in January, 2004, and a final plan to implement these new
capabilities of the ARES to be presented to the Board at the July 2004 meeting. 

On motion of Mr. Stinson, seconded by Mr. Milnes, it was voted to AMEND the
original motion by striking "WHEREAS, such a capability is not currently
available to ARES." The question then being on the motion as amended, the
resolution was unanimously ADOPTED. 



This may sound positive for ARES but the report itself is very negetive
concerning the National Traffic System (NTS).  This may not seem to have much of
an impact on ARES at first glance, however, the NTS is really our lifeline out a
disaster area for any type of long distance messages.  

I feel we should communicate with our SE Division Director, Frank Butler, W4RH,
who is a member of the VRC, and let him know that ARES and NTS are both an
integral part of our emergency communications plan here is Florida.  The NTS is
included in our state Emergency Operating Schedule which provides Net Controls
from the various Florida NTS phone traffic net

I hope this will be a prime point of discussion at the Melbourne Hamfest.  If
you would like to have a copy of the complete VRC report send an email to me and
I will forward it to you.



73,

Jim KD4GR

SEC SFL







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