[Wma-ares] SET and WinLink

[Chuck Chandler]

Good question, John!

The Goal is to send and receive ICS213 messages between shelter sites and
MEMA/FEMA.  This Goal is supported by multiple Objectives, which I will
send out as soon as I finish them.  Objectives will include things such as:
"Demonstrate the ability to create a communications path between shelter
sites and MEMA/FEMA using amateur radio."
That could be by means of mobile units at shelters and relay sites atop
higher elevation for VHF voice.  It could be by means of HF or VHF WinLink
data leaving the impacted area.  Or it could be by other means that I
haven't anticipated.

That having been said, point to point links that move messages towards
their final destination are certainly a part of the overall Goal.  The Test
is not designed to establish a complete link between each of the Shelter
sites, though.  That would not be a bad idea, but it is beyond the scope of
this Test.

73 de Chuck, WS1L
Amateur Radio Emergency Service ®
Section Emergency Coordinator
Western Massachusetts
chandlerusm at gmail.com


On Mon, Sep 8, 2025 at 8:07 AM John Rokicki <kc1vmz at gmail.com> wrote:

> Or, do we consider point to point for messaging within the affected area?
> Don't we have both goals? Just a newbie question...
>
> - john KC1VMZ
>
> On Mon, Sep 8, 2025, 6:53 AM Chuck Chandler <chandlerusm at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> The use of HF WinLink to move email outside the affected area is a key
>> capability we should work to develop.
>>
>> This works by an ARES station sending WinLink via HF to a gateway outside
>> the affected area, for example, in Illinois.  That gateway has internet
>> access and puts the email in the cloud, as well as relaying it to other
>> gateways via RF.  The served agency, MEMA or FEMA in our case, then
>> retrieves the WinLink email either through WinLink on HF or via telnet or
>> through their regular email if they have a satellite-based internet service
>> such as StarLink.
>>
>> Given that our scenario is for a widespread power loss, I would say that
>> we should not allow ourselves to use any commercially-powered WinLink
>> gateways within the New England and New York Independent Systems
>> Organizations - the power company systems that share power and are
>> interconnected to the extent that a problem in one can impact the entire
>> system.
>>
>> So, if we can connect to a gateway outside of the W1 and W2 call areas
>> that should be outside of the impacted area.
>>
>> 73 de Chuck, WS1L
>> Amateur Radio Emergency Service ®
>> Section Emergency Coordinator
>> Western Massachusetts
>> chandlerusm at gmail.com
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Sep 7, 2025 at 7:22 PM Michael Scantlen <
>> michael.scantlen at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Here are some HF options from Western MA on HF using VARA.
>>> KF1D is in Blackstone, MA but I attached his QRZ if querying him for
>>> details on his setup for the SET compliance.
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> -Michael KC1IZC
>>>
>>> On Sun, Sep 7, 2025 at 5:55 PM John Rokicki via WMA-ARES <
>>> wma-ares at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi Chuck,
>>>>
>>>> Do you have a set of Winlink servers we should be able to talk to that
>>>> adheres to the rules?
>>>> Do we need to start a list and verify?
>>>>
>>>> For me, I usually use N1ABC-10 that is part of the MRA infrastructure
>>>> in Marlboro.
>>>>
>>>> What I can see is:
>>>>
>>>> [image: image.png]
>>>>
>>>> I can verify that N1ABC-10 adheres to the rules, but what about
>>>> everyone else?
>>>>
>>>> thanks!
>>>> - john  KC1VMZ
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sun, Sep 7, 2025 at 5:47 PM Chuck Chandler via WMA-ARES <
>>>> wma-ares at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I know some of our members are working on using WinLink to pass ICS213
>>>>> message forms.  WinLink includes these as part of their standard forms
>>>>> package, making their use simple and easy.
>>>>>
>>>>> As long as we respect the rules of the scenario (power and internet
>>>>> loss means no repeaters or digipeaters without backup power, and no
>>>>> non-satellite internet) then WinLink is an efficient and effective means of
>>>>> passing our traffic between shelter sites and any of the destinations.
>>>>>
>>>>> If you are thinking of passing these message forms via WinLink, they
>>>>> should be addressed to:
>>>>> K1CBI (Wayne will be in Agawam, near MEMA Region 3/4)
>>>>> KF1EMA (The FEMA Region 1 Regional Coordination Center in Maynard)
>>>>> Still waiting on final word on MEMA HQ in Framingham, if they
>>>>> participate I will send out a WinLink address as soon as I know.
>>>>>
>>>>> I encourage all members to have WinLink as an important part of their
>>>>> tool kit.
>>>>>
>>>>> 73 de Chuck, WS1L
>>>>> Amateur Radio Emergency Service ®
>>>>> Section Emergency Coordinator
>>>>> Western Massachusetts
>>>>> chandlerusm at gmail.com
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