The Tri-MARS Winlink 2000 Radio E-mail Network

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The Tri-MARS Winlink 2000 Radio E-mail Network

BySteve Waterman, AAA9AC
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A different Paradigm

• All MARS branches have traditionally been Command
  and Control (C2) oriented MARS members talking
  to MARS members.
• Command and Control is still the glue that
  holds us together
• Command and Control does NOT fulfill our MARS
  Mission.
• Other than the delivery of MARSGRAMS, have we
  ever supported the Military with Military
  matters?
• Without formally sponsored external agency
  support, we have no mission.
• With the current push, our emphasis is on our
  support of external Federal, State, agencies and
  NGOs DHS (TSA, USCG, FEMA,), State EOCs and
  Guards, NGOs (Southern Baptist Disaster Relief,
  etc)
• Agency support suggests that we provide a
  transport layer or pathway for agency
  communications. To date, their requests have been
  for digital e-mail extendability.
• We now have a capability to provide radio digital
  e-mail transport where normal links are
  unavailable or broken.
• Are we ready to comply?

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MARS WL2K Current Status

• The formal Agreement between Army MARS the WDT
  now complete. The continued operation of Winlink
  2000 for DOD is now assured.
• DHS HQ Common Message Server and Radio Message
  Server are now in place. Fort Huachuca to follow,
  making five mirror image, redundant Common
  Message Servers available. (System operates
  currently at 20 percent on ONLY one CMS).
• Current secure WL2K FTP site to be moved to Fort
  Huachuca.
• Proposed RF only process being implemented in
  stages. We are ready with the software, but the
  money is not there.
• The Network is fully operational and proven. It
  is very robust.
• MARS WL2K is being reviewed, proposed, and used,
  by an ever-increasing number of Agencies.
• MARS ramping up agency and membership training.
• The distinction between MARS branches in the
  TRI-MARS radio e-mail system is virtually
  non-existent.
• Lets look at this value-added available
  tool.from an (our customers) agency view..

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In a Real-Life Mass Casualty Event, we must
look at MARS WL2K from an Interoperability
Point-of-view.

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Interoperability Winlink 2000 Today by the
numbers

• Over 99 system availability since Nov, 1999.
• 4 Full-time, Redundant, Mirror image, Common
  Message Servers (CMS) in Halifax, San Diego,
  Washington DC, and Perth, all in hardened sites,
  providing excellent reliability, worldwide. (Wash
  DC is DHS sponsored, Halifax is Canadian
  Sponsored)
• 164 total HF Radio Message Servers, worldwide, in
  2 major Service Classes. Public / EmComm Amateur
  and Government (MARS controlled) maintaining
  separate operations. More than 400 VHF/UHF entry
  points in CONUS.
• Approximately 10,000 Weekly Radio users
  communicating with over 98,000 Email recipients,
  pushing an average of 150,000 messages or 280,000
  minutes, monthly, with an average duration of 3.4
  Minutes at 3,600 bytes/per message. The average
  time from message origination to pickup for
  delivery is less than 1 minute, regardless of
  distance.
• The greatest growth is now in Emergency
  Communications preparedness.

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Written documents impose their own kind of
disciplineAlbert Einstein
Growth of the Winlink 2000 system is attributed
to the change in the way people now communicate
(and disaster awareness.)
Consistency
Record tracking
Accuracy
I cant work without e-mail!
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Why Winlink 2000 is used for EmComm.

• Uses de facto e-mail, the Worlds standard for
  written communications.
• Provides last Mile local radio digital
  messaging directly for served agencies, using
  existing e-mail programs, on existing computers,
  with no additional invasive softwareseamlessly
  and transparently.
• Provides wide area coverage from inside a
  disaster area without the Internet, and with a
  minimum amount of additional client hardware or
  software.
• Has a proven record of reliability, and continues
  to be responsive to the needs of its user
  communities.

Although Winlink 2000 has proven itself to be
attractive to the agencies we wish to serve, like
anything else, it must first be Implemented by
those who will benefit by its use.
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Real-Time Status view of the Winlink 2000 Common
Message Server System


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Winlink 2000 HF RMS Pactor, Worldwide

85 Public 30 EMCOMM 33 MARS 1 UK Cadet
Force NOT current
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Real-time HF RMS Status - CONUS
Blue Public
Green EmComm
Brown MARS
Red Off-line
NOT current
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Winlink 2000 RMS Packet, CONUS

MARS SHOWN on next Slide

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MARS (NOT current)
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Winlink 2000 Topology
HALIFAX CMS

• E-mail IN and OUT
• Real-Time RMS access
• Real-Time TelNET access
• WX and other Info
• Position Reporting

SAN DIEGO CMS
DHS HQ CMS
PERTH CMS

• Mirror image, redundant Common Message Servers
  (CMS) provide
• IETF RFC 2821 de facto e-mail between Winlink
  2000 users and Internet Recipients over telnet,
  Web mail or Radio links.
• Retrieval of Weather and other information
  available as files or URL pages from the
  Internet.
• Position Reporting for Mobile applications.

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• Radio Message Servers RMS are always connected
  to the CMS System via the Internet in a star
  network topology, serving as radio nodes on the
  Winlink 2000 network.
• RMS Pactor for HF provides short or long haul
  availability to internet e-mail.
• RMS Packet for VHF/UHF last mile e-mail
  availability to Internet e-mail.
• RMS Relay provides continual communications with
  the CMS system when no Internet is available to
  bridge the last mile.

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• To CMSs (Round Robin)

RMS VHF/UHF Packet
RMS HF Pactor
CMS Telnet WEB browser e-mail

• RMS Gateways provides real-time access to the CMS
  system from many locations, worldwide. It
  actually bridges HF radio to the Internet.
• The RMS systems are separated into classes such
  as the Government class, or the Amateur Radio
  class.
• In each class, the RMS system nodes are all
  redundant, mirror images of each other.
• Should an RMS Pactor Gateway be separated from
  the Internet, it will become invisible to the
  radio user.
• Radio users understand that they may check in on
  any RMS Pactor Gateway within their licensed
  class, depending on propagation, and the RMS
  availability to the Internet.

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To CMSs (Round Robin)
NO Internet
2nd RMS VHF/UHF Packet
1s t RMS VHF/UHF Packet
RMS HF Relay (with small MsgRetention database)
Via HF Radio
HF RMS Pactor Radio Network

• Last Mile RMS Packet provides real-time access
  to the CMS system from the last mile, in
  support of local areas such as County
  governments, or other communities of interest.
• Multiple RMS Packet (VHF/UHF) gateways may be
  linked to one RMS Relay for local hubbing and HF
  relay to an RMS Pactor gateway.
• RMS Relay allows RMS Packet to reach the rest of
  the Winlink 2000 system via HF (Radio) Pactor
  when local Internet is broken.

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• To CMSs (Round Robin) Via Internet

CMS Telnet
RMS VHF/UHF Packet
RMS HF Pactor

• Two separate clients
• Airmail, a single application client.
• Paclink MP, a single/Multiple user client with
  standard POP3 e-mail clients as a user interface.
  Contains automatic hierarchical routing, secure
  login, and auto-precedence.

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MISSION Our primary mission is to provide our
agencies with the value-added services they want.
They want interoperability among all available
services. Today, that includes digital messaging
in the form of de facto e-mail extendibility from
all available resources. We have such a network
in place. It is now up to us to be organized and
trained with the proper tools to respond to any
casualty event. Certainly, in such events, being
available to provide de facto e-mail where it is
otherwise unavailable is key.

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In todays World, we cannot predict the size,
nature or location of disaster areas! We be must
prepared, Globally.
Local?
Regional?
Global?
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The Real World, does it really work?
Example of agency use Hurricanes,
Typhoons The AsianTsunami Failure of
IntelSat 804 Forest Fires (US,
Australia) Humanitarian Missions Health Mercy
Missions Research Missions Missing/distressed
vessels (continual) Agency EmComm
Friend Ships
International Boat Watch Network
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The ability to go where summoned is critical.
Inside The Steve Hicks Special
Outside the Steve Hicks Special
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The ability to go where summoned is critical.
The ability to go where summoned is critical.
Inside The Steve Hicks Special
Outside the Steve Hicks Special
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Demo for Congress
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-----Original Message----- From Hennigan,
Joe Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 1113 AM To
Chief, Army MARS Subject The Department of
Homeland Security Sponsorship of Winlink
2000. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS),
Operations Coordination Directorate (OPS) has
made great strides over the last 3 months in
support of the Military Affiliate Radio System
(MARS). In cooperation with Army MARS, and DHS
Transportation Security Agency, DHS Operations
Coordination Directorate (OC) has installed a
WinLink 2000 system, to include hosting one of
four redundant, mirror image, Common Message
Server (CMS) Hubs, a Radio Message Server (RMS,)
and end-user client applications for HF
Operations. WinLink 2000 is a COTS application
suite, allowing users the ability to extend an
e-mail capability and GPS Positioning data
between an HF Radio and the internet. DHS has the
capability to literally pass data from anywhere
in the world, no matter how austere. DHS is one
of many Government Agencies with HF radio
capabilities, but this particular solution
provides DHS with a unique set of extended
capabilities. The WinLink 2000 system consists
of many different components, making it very
stable and reliable in times of need. WinLink
2000 is utilized by many Emergency Response
Agencies, including the Department of Defense
(DoD). The MARS Winlink 2000 radio messaging
system can both be contacted through this
application via conventional HF/VHF/UHF radio
communications, or via standard e-mail through
the MARS Winlink 2000 radio e-mail system, to any
number of operators throughout the world to get
messages promptly delivered where normal standard
e-mail does not exist. This is critical to any
emergency response requirement. This capability
is proof positive of the DHS's commitment to
enhancing emergency communications. Best
regards, Joe Hennigan, Director, Technology
Support Operations Coordination
Directorate Department of Homeland Security
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Actual Recent Deployment for TEMA!

• -----Original Message-----From David Wolfe
  mailtowolfemail_at_bellsouth.net Sent Saturday,
  February 09, 2008 2045To K4CJXSubject TEMA
  Mission NR 8 
•  Although there was no commercial power at the
  deployment site, TEMA's communications
  infrastructure was fully operational.  Both the
  VHF High Band and 800 MHz repeater systems had
  good coverage for voice command and control.  Our
  shortage was internet connectivity, and our unmet
  needs were e-mail and the ability to send
  pictures.  MARS Winlink provided EXACTLY what was
  not available by any other means.  We also
  utilized it to reduce the "chatter" on our C2
  nets by sending short event notices direct to
  TEMA operations.  
• Thanks for all your help and support.  The TEMA
  folks were impressed with your professionalism,
  enthusiasm and work.
•  
•  
• David Wolfe,
• Chief of Communications
• Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
•  

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It is just a matter of time.. Are we ready?
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Meeting Resistance
A recent statement from a Congressman after the
Special Congressional Report, Failure of
Initiative was provided to Congress as a result
of the many communications mishaps during and
after Hurricane Katrina One can only imagine
the tragic consequences of learning the valuable
lessons of Katrina, recent tornados, and other
such disasters, both large and small, only to
have someone be singled out for not allowing the
very methodology that has had a proven record of
saving of lives and property. Any subsequent
casualty event that would follow without such a
capability would be difficult to explain in any
governmental investigation, much less to the
public.