[LeArc] ARESCOM

[Duane Whittingham]

"ARESCOM" PLAN TO ENHANCE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION CAPABILITY

The ARRL Board of Directors has adopted a resolution encouraging further
development and expansion of an inaugural network to enhance the emergency
communications capability of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES).
The action came during the Board's meeting July 16-17. The Board had
charged an ad hoc committee, dubbed "ARESCOM," with developing an
augmented ARES telecommunications system that would include rapid and
accurate handling of long-range emergency communications. ARESCOM
recommended deployment of a digital e-mail system based on Winlink 2000
software. The Board encouraged the deployment of e-mail via Amateur
Radio--"as exemplified by Winlink 2000"--to meet the needs of served
agencies and others involved in providing disaster communications.

"The digital network will provide a value-added service for ARES and will
continue to be viewed very positively by our served agencies," the
committee said in its report to the Board. "This allows ARES to be viewed
as modern and necessary instead of antiquated and invasive."

The committee, chaired by Great Lakes Division Vice Director Dick Mondro,
W8FQT, said situations arise when ARES must "pass message traffic across
the nation quickly and accurately." It also said the need for such a
nationwide ARES capability is likely to increase in light of the ARRL's
Citizen Corps partnership with the Department of Homeland Security.

Winlink 2000--a worldwide Amateur Radio digital radio e-mail
system--already is widely used by the blue water boating and recreational
vehicle communities. Members of the ARRL Programs and Services Committee
witnessed a Winlink 2000 demonstration at ARRL Headquarters the day before
the board meeting.

The ARRL Board extended the committee's charter until its January 2005
meeting so ARESCOM can complete an implementation plan that ensures that
ARES has "the prominent role" in managing the national network and that
ARES officials and appropriate ARRL Headquarters staffers have an chance
to critique the network's operation to ensure it meets the requirements of
ARES and its served agencies.

A two-part series appearing in the August and September 2004 issues of
QST, "Winlink for ARES," by ARRL South Texas Section Emergency Coordinator
Jerry Reimer, KK5CA, outlines an enhanced ARES network that would include
e-mail capability over HF links.

(Tnx ARRL Letter)




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